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The Nothing-New Year
Holly Trantham
January 15, 2026
January 15, 2026
The beginning of a new year naturally brings on self-reflection — a moment where many of us feel ready to take an honest look at our habits, not in a “new year, new me” way, but in a more grounded, sustainable one.
Here at TFD, we think this kind of reset works best when it’s rooted in visibility, which is why we are once again sharing how much we genuinely love Monarch. Monarch makes it easy to see your spending patterns clearly, set realistic goals, and automate the systems that support them over time.
If you’re using the start of 2026 to reevaluate how and why you spend, make sure to take advantage of our discount — 50% off your first year of Monarch with code TFD50 — a useful companion for the intentional reset you’re about to read about.
By Holly Trantham
Last November, I got the same text message from my mother that I get every single year: “I need your Birthmas list!” (When your birthday is the 23rd of December in a family that already goes all in on Christmas, you just send one list.) This year, she had to text the same thing three times before I could actually come up with a list to send her. I simply couldn’t think of anything.
For one thing, I was only a month and a half postpartum, but I had already gone a bit overboard buying clothes in celebration of my no-longer-pregnant body. I simply couldn’t think of anything to tell her. My mom is an incredible gift-giver, but I didn’t want to list things just for the sake of it. I’ve gotten used to buying myself things when I want them (within reason), both because I am lucky enough to be able to afford to, and because it is just so easy. I’ve become completely desensitized to waking up to twenty new sales alert emails, scrolling past at least one ad for every Instagram photo from an actual real-life friend, and regularly replying ‘STOP’ to retail text messages I opted into just to get 10 percent off one time, all while buying things pretty much as soon as I want them, as long as my budget allows. (In the end, I asked for a new winter coat and waterproof sneakers — things I’ll get a ton of use out of that I trusted my mom to pick out for me, as I am blessed with a cool mom with great taste.)
That’s the thing: I’m not in credit card debt, nor am I routinely going over budget thanks to buying myself clothes. So why is my spirit pulling me towards doing a no-buy challenge?
Because that is what I am committing to: a year of no buying, but not no spending.
I may not be in debt, but I do regularly find myself spending to the top of my “personal allowance” budget, if only because it is fun to buy things. I want to get to the end of 2026 with a clear wishlist for the holidays, not because I know I need to give my family something to work with (“no gifts” is not an option in my family), but because I want to truly feel the weight of acquiring something. I want to luxuriate in wearing and loving what I already own more than I crave the fleeting exhilaration that comes with making a new purchase. And at the same time, I want more wiggle room to prioritize intangible spending — rare-but-necessary nights out with friends as a new mom, investing in my fitness and physical health, and new experiences with my baby, to name just a few.
It’s also been over a year since I found out I was pregnant, and I’ve only been back at work for a week and a half — that means it’s been a year since I regularly wore anything that wasn’t made of stretch material. I love comfy clothes, and I have plenty of them. But I also have a full closet of things waiting to be rediscovered (not including all of the things I just donated during my annual Big Cleanout).
In order to prepare for my no-buy challenge, which I’m calling The Nothing-New Year, I did make sure to buy a few things I know I’ll get plenty of use out of at the end of last year: new (actually cute) waterproof boots, a lightweight jacket in a neutral color I didn’t already have, two pairs of jeans that fit with the silhouettes I’ve been turning to most postpartum, and a few new makeup items like an eyeshadow palette. These were all things I had been meaning to buy and didn’t want to go a full year without getting, even though none are technically “necessities.” I’m hoping having those new things will help stave off the feeling like I must buy something for at least a few months, but we’ll see! (I’ve also been unsubscribing from store emails like it’s a second job. Every new marketing email that arrives in my promotions tab should fear my wrath.)
Here are my Nothing-New rules:
No brand-new clothing except replacements for things I need in different sizes while I’m still adjusting to postpartum (especially once I stop breastfeeding), and I must put in the effort to find them secondhand first.
No brand-new shoes aside from replacement walking/gym shoes if needed, and potentially one pair of sandals. (Need to assess when warmer weather returns.) Definitely no new fall/winter shoes.
I can shop secondhand for clothes/shoes for special occasions, such as a black-tie wedding we have coming up. But if I can’t find anything I’m excited about via thrifting, I simply have to wear one of the options I already own.
I can buy new gloves because I really need them. Otherwise, no new hats, scarves, bags, or other accessories.
I can only buy makeup replacements, no new products.
I can only buy skincare replacements, unless my derm prescribes something new.
Aside from children’s books, I can only buy books that I already read and loved from the library, no new-to-me books (mostly because my book collection is currently super random/not actually made up of books I love, thanks to reading mostly via the Libby app).
For Sadie’s clothes and toys, I/we have a set budget we can't exceed each month. I'm aiming to get 50% of her stuff secondhand, and can only buy bigger items (like an activity table) new if I can’t find them first on Facebook marketplace.
Aside from a few items we’ve already planned on (new shelves for the closet, a replacement entertainment console), no home decor/furniture this year unless replacing something that breaks. One exception: printed photos and frames!
No new phone unless mine completely breaks/gets lost. Going on three years with my Pixel 7 (which already wasn’t the latest model when I got it) and want to see how long I can milk that.
No new fitness equipment except a yoga mat that needs replacing. This is a year of reconnection, not reinvention.
Items that are exceptions: puzzles/games/craft supplies/other things that provide "free" entertainment at home. However, I have to finish all the puzzles I already have before I buy any new ones, and I have to complete 5 small projects before I’m allowed to purchase any new craft supplies.
I am allowed to buy gifts, but they must either be secondhand or come from a local/independent business. I am committing to making more gifts this year as time allows.
I am allowed to use pre-existing gift cards that are set to expire this year.
To keep myself honest, I’ll be providing an update at least once a month right here in this newsletter. I’ll be using Monarch to keep track of my spending and give a full report of what I did (and did not) buy. Monarch makes it extremely easy to categorize and automate your budget — I’ve been using it for over six months now, and it has made that part of my life a lot more streamlined. I don’t have a specific savings goal aligned with this challenge, but I do think it will facilitate more savings, so I’m curious to see how that pans out!