She Did A “No-Buy Year” Throughout 2023 And Was Able To Pay Off More Than $21,000 Of Debt, So Now She’s Sharing All Her Money-Saving Tips
As we enter a new year, it’s never a bad idea to set a goal or resolution to be smarter with money throughout the year.
However, I understand that sitting down to write a very elaborate budget using spreadsheets or even hiring a financial advisor can get stressful and overwhelming.
Thankfully, one TikTok user who recently participated in a ‘no-buy’ year throughout 2023 and was able to pay off over $21,808 in debt by the end of the year is sharing all of her tips.
Angela Szot (@vomitgrocery) is an accomplished content creator who has earned a lot of buzz and popularity after sharing the behind-the-scenes process of her very successful ‘no-buy year.’
Angela made a list of ‘no-buy year’ rules, which included items she was not allowed to buy throughout the year unless it was under serious circumstances.
For instance, Angela wasn’t allowed to buy plants, home decor, makeup, new nails, etc. She was only allowed to get new clothes only if she needed them for work or if they were donated. She wasn’t allowed to buy new books and was forced to finish the ones she already had.
Those spending habits helped her save a lot of money, and she could keep track of everything through her simple budgeting and tracking method.
“I am not a smart finance girly,” says Angela in one of her videos.
“I do not know how to use spreadsheets. I got this $2 notebook from Walmart, and it’s been my lifesaver.”
dusanpetkovic1 – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Using a small, lined notebook, Angela would dedicate three pages to each month of the year.
On the first page, she’d write down her basic living expense bills and how much she needed to put toward them, like her rent, insurance, phone bills, subscriptions, etc. She’d also write down how much she made on each month’s payday.
At the bottom of her first page, she’d write down the remaining total amount of debt she had to pay off. On page two, she’d write down her “spending categories.”
“You can make up whatever categories you want,” says Angela.
“Every time I make a purchase, I write down what the total was, and I put it into whatever category I think it fits in.”
One of the categories Angela made was a “self” category for things she bought that were related to self-care or treating herself. Another category was marked “no!” for things she didn’t need to buy or purchases that broke her ‘no-buy list’ rules.
On the third page, Angela adds up all her totals at the end of the month. She adds up all the totals from each of her spending categories, how much she spent on bills, how much she could put toward paying off her debt, and how much she saved.
Not only does this method help Angela keep track of her purchases, but it also helps her have a better understanding of her spending habits. By working hard to follow her ‘no-buy list’ rules and keeping track of her finances, Angela paid off a huge amount of debt and decided to take those spending habits with her into 2024.
Thanks for all your tips, Angela!
@dropitlikeitsszot Replying to @Ana Hartnett Reichardt Author I’m just a girl?? #debtpayoff #debtpayoffjourney #justagirl #creditcarddebt #justagirlintheworld #mymethod
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