October 12, 2026

Hello Friends,

My garage reached its breaking point a few weeks ago. I could not pull the car all the way in without clipping some items I had brought from my house that I thought I would need at my duplex. Since I don't need them because my yardwork is handled to the HOA I've been meaning to donate these items.

Then a neighbor mentioned her local Buy Nothing group, a free Facebook group just for our zip code where people give away what they no longer need. I posted one photo with these items. A woman two streets over messaged me in nine minutes and picked it up before dinner. Gone, no drop off, no fee, no guilt.

A week later I needed a booster seat for my multiple nephews' visit because I only had one and found one posted in that same group, still in great shape, free for the taking. That is easily $30 I did not spend. Between clearing out the garage and picking up things I actually needed, it has become my first stop before I open any shopping app. My garage finally has room for the car again, and honestly, that feels like its own kind of win.

Be Well,

Anisa

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Why Buy Nothing Groups Matter

Photo: A five minute post to my neighborhood Buy Nothing group cleared out my garage and covered a booster seat I actually needed, for free.

It is easy to assume decluttering means hauling bags to a donation bin while things you actually need still come from a store or another online order. Buy Nothing groups sit in between. They are completely free, hyperlocal groups, mostly on Facebook though the official Buy Nothing Project has its own app and map too, where neighbors give away what they do not need and post requests for what they do. There are more than 128,000 of these groups worldwide, so odds are good one already covers your zip code.

The savings show up on both ends. Every item you give away is one less trip to the dump or a resale app, and every item you receive for free is one less thing on your card statement, whether that is a pair of dumbbells, a bag of kids clothes, or a piece of furniture you would otherwise buy new.

How To Do It

1. Find your local group.
Search "Buy Nothing" plus your town or zip code on Facebook, or use the map on the official Buy Nothing Project website to find a verified group near you.

2. Answer the entry questions honestly.
Most groups ask a couple of questions to confirm you live in the area. It is a small extra step that keeps the group neighborhood sized and trustworthy.

3. Post what you are ready to let go of.
One clear photo and a short caption is all it takes. Whoever responds first, or whoever you choose, comes to pick it up.

4. Post an ISO before you buy something new.
ISO means "in search of." Before ordering something online, ask the group first. You might be surprised what is sitting in someone's closet nearby.

5. Arrange pickup somewhere simple.
A porch, a driveway, or a set time works fine. Keep the details in the group thread so there is a record if anything comes up.

6. Give back when you can.
Post something of your own after you receive an item. It keeps the group running in both directions and keeps everyone willing to keep giving.

It's a Small Post With Big Savings

A single post takes less time than scrolling a shopping app, and it costs nothing but a few minutes. Between what you save by not buying new and the space you make by giving stuff away, it is easy to come out fifty, a hundred, or more dollars ahead over a year, without a single trip to the store.

That is what living thrifty is about to me, making the most of what is already sitting right around you, one neighbor at a time.

Got a tip of your own? Reply back to me, I love reading your tips and ideas!

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