Since the beginning of 2025, the United States witnessed a new trend known as “lack of purchase” because many Americans have worked to reduce their expenses, or even completely stop buying unnecessary goods.
This phenomenon, which began as an individual campaign on social media platforms, has become a wide expression of resentment of inflation, economic policies and excessive consumerism.
What is the “non-scurchase” challenge?
The “non-scurchase” challenge is based on the idea of reducing consumption as much as possible. According to the American magazine “Fortune”, the challenge that participants refrain from buying clothes, cosmetics, furniture and consumption outside the house, while excluding basic expenses such as the grocery store, invoices and transport.
Newsweek also explained that some participants established strict rules for themselves, such as not buying again, except in the event of extreme necessity, and by taking advantage of free resources such as libraries instead of buying books.
The growing popularity of the “non-scurchase” challenge is due to a set of economic and political factors. According to the Wall Street Journal, the search for “challenges not of spending” on the Google engine increased by 40% compared to last year, indicating an increasing concern among American consumers.
As for the American network “CNN”, he confirms that the high prices of basic products such as eggs and coffee, as well as the imposing new definitions of customs by the administration of President Donald Trump, have made a lot of style of daily expenses.
“If I cannot control what stores do, I can control the way my money is spent,” said economic analyst Donovan Harigin Loll Street Journal.
For many, “non-purchase” is no longer just a financial challenge, but a lifestyle. The housewife, Riley Marcum, told CNN that she had joined the challenge to save $ 100 per week, “I don’t want to be part of Trump’s economy. It may seem trivial, but I don’t think that things improve at all. “
As for Sabrina Bar, she explained to “CNN” that she joined the challenge not only for savings, but also to adapt to the high cost of living in preparation for her first child.
Psychological aspect: search for control
In addition to the economic reasons, some see the challenge of “not buying” a way to regain control of their lives in the world of global troubles. Rebecca Soden says she joined the challenge to save money to move to the city where her English husband lives. Last January, he was able to save $ 4,272 thanks to his commitment not to spend.
As for Fashoun Keel, I noticed that the challenge encouraged him to adopt new habits, such as hiking in nature rather than automatic purchases, “life is not only entering stores. Go to the sun And walk.
Platforms such as “Tik Talk” played a major role in the propagation of the challenge, because Rebecca Soden published a video of her strict commitment to “do not buy”, because the video won more than 2.6 million views .
“Newsweek” also indicates that many users establish strict personal rules for the success of the experience, such as avoiding buying when they feel annoyed or stretched, or stopping costly digital contributions.
“Doesn’t buy” becomes a lifestyle?
While some believe that the “non-scorchase” challenge is only a temporary orientation in response to economic pressure, others claim that it reflects a profound change in the mentality of consumers. According to the American magazine “Forbes”, some participants decided to adopt an approach to “reduce purchase” (low purchase challenge) instead of completely abstaining to spend, allowing them to continue to save money Without feeling private.
Elizia Berman, who challenged the challenge for the first time in 2024, said: “This year, I aim to be more disciplined, because I lost my income because of the potential ban on” tik tuk “, and I want to perceive big savings “.
Many participants in the “non-purchase of 2025” challenge believe that it is not only a way to save, but rather a lifestyle change. As Newsweek indicates, getting rid of continuous advertisements that stimulate purchase help people are released from consumer obsession.
Whether the “non-scorchase” challenge is a short-term reaction or the start of a deeper consumption, the year 2025 seems to be a year for the financial examination and the rearrangement of priorities in an unstable economy and consumers who seek to control their financial fate.