I was reviewing my spending for the first half of 2025 and noticed something interesting: excluding routine bills, groceries, and experiences, I only bought 25 new things this year, totaling about $1,400. For six months, that felt pretty solid. But it also got me wondering… could I go even further?
That curiosity came to a head when the nozzle on my garden hose started leaking. My first instinct was to hop on Amazon and buy a new one. It was only $20. But then I paused. I looked up what might cause the leak and found out it’s usually a worn-out rubber washer. I took the thing apart, and sure enough, that was it. I hopped back on Amazon to order a new washer…until I remembered I had another broken nozzle in the garage. I swear I have the worst luck with these—but this one wasn’t leaking. I had just dropped it and snapped the trigger handle. I took the rubber washer from that one and used it to fix the current nozzle.
And it worked! No money spent. Nothing added to a landfill. And honestly, I felt proud of myself.
I share that story because it’s easy to assume we’re already frugal or intentional enough—especially in the FI community. But that moment made me realize how often I default to “buy new” without even questioning it. And I want to become more intentional, especially when it comes to physical things.
That’s why I invited Ashlee Piper on the show today. Ashlee is a sustainability expert and author of the new book No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity. She’s also the creator of the #NoNewThings Challenge, which she personally followed for two years, which is just insanely impressive.
In this conversation, we dig into how to creatively meet your needs without always reaching for your wallet. Ashlee shares her SUPER system for thoughtfully navigating purchases, and we run through a few real-life scenarios like getting ready for a wedding or gearing up for Halloween.
If you want to bring more intentionality into how you consume, this episode will leave you feeling inspired.
I hope you enjoy my conversation with the always resourceful, wildly entertaining, and sustainability-driven…Ashlee Piper.
Key Takeaways:
- How to skip buying new without giving up what you love
- A system to make smarter, more intentional buying choices
- Find practical ways to fix, borrow, or swap before buying something new
- How consumer culture encourages excess (and how to resist it)
- Balancing intentional spending and restriction
More of Ashlee:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleepiper/
Newsletter: https://substack.com/@theethicaledit
More of FI Minded:
Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com
Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/
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