She’s Spreading Awareness About No-Waste January, A Month-Long Challenge Aimed At Helping People Spend Less Money, Avoid Clutter, And Create Less Waste For Our Planet
So many people love to participate in some kind of challenge for the start of a new year, whether it be a fitness challenge or a month-long nutrition program.
A lot of people have chosen to participate in “Dry January,” the challenge where people refuse to drink for the first month of the year to see just how much of an effect drinking has on their health, social life, and wallet. You can read our article on the Dry January challenge here!
One TikTok user recently shared a different kind of January challenge with her viewers that’s perfect for those who could use some help spending less money and creating less waste. It’s called “No Waste January.”
Rachel (@inspirachel) is a lifestyle and wellness TikTok creator who announced that she’d participate in No Waste January to save money, avoid clutter, and create less waste in honor of the planet.
Although we’re already in the middle of January, this kind of challenge is great because it can be done during any month of the year. Better yet, it can be done for several months throughout the year! After all, couldn’t we all benefit from giving our wallets and our planet a bit of a break?
Here are the rules for Rachel’s No Waste January challenge.
The first rule on Rachel’s list will be difficult for those who can hardly resist stepping into a coffee shop throughout the week – you cannot buy coffee out. During No Waste January, you can’t spend almost $8 on a Starbucks drink. You have to make your coffee at home.
The second rule is that you cannot buy new clothes during the month.
“You have way more clothes than you realize in your closet, so make them happen,” says Rachel.
Drobot Dean – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
“Mix them up [and] add some flare to them.”
Next, Rachel says you cannot buy any home decor during the month. If you can’t go to Target without picking up a new scented candle or throw pillow, you may need to participate in this challenge.
Similarly to the coffee rule, participants in No Waste January also cannot buy fast food. Rachel points out this is harder than one may think, but it’s for the best.
“It’s a waste of money [and] it’s not good for your health anyway,” says Rachel.
Although you can’t have fast food, you can still get some takeout food or go out for a meal during your ‘no waste’ month. After all, not all of us are perfect and will have the time or stamina to cook all our meals daily for a month.
So, you can order takeout or eat out at a local restaurant, but only once a week.
“This will allow you to still go on dates, see your friends, [and] go to social gatherings,” says Rachel.
“You’re just limiting it, so it’s not excessive.”
This rule is one of the most unique rules of No Waste January – you must cancel a subscription you don’t use.
If you’re an adult living on your own, chances are, you have a lot of subscriptions. If there’s some kind of service or streaming channel you’re paying for but don’t ever use or watch, cancel it. Then, you can see whether or not you even miss it once it’s gone.
The next food-related rule is that you have to use up your canned goods before buying more of them. If you already have three cans of soup in your pantry and you’re tempted to reach for another during your next grocery trip, don’t do it. If you have a can of peas and you go to buy a bag of frozen ones next time you’re out, stop yourself.
The next rule is similar to the canned foods one but relates to makeup. Don’t buy more makeup throughout the month unless you run out of something. If you run out of your foundation and it was your only bottle, you can buy more. But don’t add things to your collection that you don’t need immediately.
Similarly to Dry January, during a ‘no waste’ month, you shouldn’t be out buying alcohol. See if you can get through the month by drinking what you already have on hand and not buying more. Better yet, cut it out completely. Then, it’ll be like you’ve completed two challenges in one.
Finally, the last rule of No Waste January is to create a budget for the month and stick to it. Budget your weekly takeout meal costs, living expenses, groceries, etc., and don’t go overboard.
And that’s it! Would you consider participating in a ‘no waste’ month?
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