No-Buy July gaining traction as Americans cut back on spending

Some consumers think a summer 'fast' is the answer to inflation

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

June 30, 2025

• Frugal February has a new challenger: Social media buzz fuels the rise of No-Buy July, urging consumers to cut out nonessential spending for a month.

• Economic anxiety lingers: Americans face student loan defaults, rising credit card delinquencies, and persistent inflation fears despite easing price pressures.

• Spending freeze offers insights: Experts say month-long fiscal fasts can boost financial awarenessbut warn that lasting benefits require bigger lifestyle shifts.

You may have heard of Frugal February. But brace yourself for No-Buy July.

The seventh month of the year is becoming the latest seasonal focus of a growing no spend movement popular on TikTok and Instagram, where participants vow to forego discretionary purchases for 31 days. The trend has picked up momentum as Americans navigate an uneasy economic landscape marked by resuming student loan payments, higher credit card delinquencies, and lingering inflation concerns.

Traditionally, February has been the month of choice for temporary belt-tightening, as consumers aim to pay off holiday bills or stick to New Years resolutions. Why, then, the pivot to July, typically a time for summer relaxation and vacations?

Some chalk it up to clever marketing. It rhymes, and its very catchy, said Gretchen Rubin, host of the Happier podcast, who has chronicled her own no-spend month experiences. But others point out that July sits conveniently midyeara natural check-in point for financial goals set in January.

Still, some financial experts question the wisdom of scrimping during summers social season. Families may also feel pressured to start back-to-school shopping, further complicating spending freezes.

A financial fast

Fans of No-Buy July say the exercise offers more than just savings. Rubin found that planning not to spend simplified her mental load: The decision fatigue goes away, she said in a New York Times report.

But not everyone is convinced the benefits stick. Experts warn that a short-term freeze could backfire if followed by a spending spree.

Rather than a strict zero-spending rule, some financial planners advocate for a flexible approach.

Participants are also encouraged to redefine what counts as a frill. Some allow essential gifts or occasional conveniences, like rideshares, while others go cold turkey. One popular tactic: writing down desired purchases and revisiting the list later to see if the urge persists.

For Rubin, her own no-buy journey inspired a summer of tsundoku, the Japanese term for the habit of letting books pile up unread. Instead of buying new titles, shes reading from her existing shelvesa strategy that could apply to closets, pantries, and other overstuffed corners of American life.

Whether its a week, a month, or simply a mindful moment, the No-Buy July trend suggests a growing willingness among consumers to challenge old spending habitsand perhaps discover that less can indeed be more.

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