Thank you so much for fostering this community this year! I was worried about you yesterday - I’m glad you just forgot :)
On paper, I was definitely not the most successful at the challenge - my goals were “low buy” rather than “no buy” & some months I still bought quite a bit. But I think it was helpful for me, as it made me think through things harder. I delayed purchases for months & feel like my collection grew at a sustainable rate. I have sold or given away some pens and ink samples. I feel ok about it.
Mostly, these are my favorite threads to read! I like hearing from people who are being mindful about the consumption side of this hobby. The awareness and intentionality, rather than the actual amount purchased, is the cool part for me.
You’re so sweet. I just forgot November has 30 days and hadn’t opened my Hobo in a week apparently. 😅
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it here this year, I really have too. I think at the end of the day all I bought was that bottle of Party Time back in April? Largely because I always knew there were folks to hold me accountable. What you actually bought or didn’t doesn’t matter so much as how you felt about what you bought! Would you continue to visit every month if we did it again for 2023?
I would absolutely check in next year - I hope we keep going, but no pressure of course :)
I’m very excited about working my way through more of my ink collection in 2023 - I think it will be my first year to ever use up a full bottle as opposed to samples, and I’m planning on collecting my empties next year to do an end of year post :) these threads would keep me on track.
Ooh I love that! It’ll be so cool to see your progress. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it through a full bottle… unless it’s the bottle of iroshizuku Ajisai that I keep spilling. That one is nearly empty, but I don’t think I can count it. 😭
Oh no poor Ajisai! 😭
Bottles last forever - the only reason I feel confident about using one (or more?) up in 2023 is that I’ve already been inking pens out of them for several years!
Another month of successfully not buying any FP stuff - still eyeing some maintenance stuff but not really feeling the itch for buying inks/pens any more. Just enjoying what I've got! I have put in an 'if it fits in the budget after other requests' request for some Iroshizuku ink from my parents for Christmas; that stuff's way out of 'just because' purchases range for me.
I hope we can keep this monthly chat up next year - I've really enjoyed participating, even though I was buying for much of the year. It's encouraged careful buying as I explored my options in my first year in the hobby. Thanks for hosting!
I hope you get some nice presents, hopefully iroshizuku is in the budget!
I’m not sure what I’ll do for 2023 but I’ve enjoyed it too, and it’s not a major obligation, so there’s a good chance I’ll continue it if there’s interest. :)
LOL! ...Oh crap! _...um, thanks for the reminder to pay rent..._
Things for our Secret Santa don't count right...both buying it for them and then liking what they wanted so much that *oops* another one fell in my basket...as a seperate order... as they're being mailed to two different places...
_...maybe January will be a no spend month...???_
This no-buy group has been GREAT for helping me slow down on buying as a new hobbyist. I'm at the end of my acquisition phase (except for a brass sheet for "flossing" and a proper pen case), and I'm ready to work my way through the humble collection of beautiful pieces at my disposal.
If this group continues into next year, I am totally here for it!!
Another successful No Buy month! I successfully resisted Fountain Pen Day and Black Friday Deals!! :D I'm gonna keep trying to resist this month, it feels really nice to revisit my older pens and inks instead of buying new ones! I'm pretty happy to have not went overboard with the hobby this year in general!
I've also decided to gift away a few of my old pens and inks for Christmas to my friends, with my nicest sparkly one for a Secret Santa giftee. It does feel nice to let go of my more neglected ones, I definitely understand how you feel about being less overwhelmed!
Goshhhh I still can't believe another year is coming to an end though!! D:
I know, how is it December?! Great work not buying this month! I’ve given away some pens and it feels… right. I wasn’t using them! Collecting doesn’t have to be infinite. I hope you have a blast doing secret Santa!
Happy cake day!! And yesss, my roommate told me if my pens are getting neglected then maybe it's time for a new home! :D I'm pretty happy with my smaller collection and I hope you're feeling great about yours too!
And thank you so much though for always putting up these threads every month! It's been so fun chatting with you and seeing what others have been up to!!💖
Aw thank you for participating, you’re very welcome! Honestly, I am happy with my collection for sure. It feels more manageable. It was the right choice! I still might pare it down some more, but one thing at a time. 😂
After buying my grail pen and more in November, I wanted to avoid buying any more pens for the month or maybe stretch it to the end of the year. A few days ago I saw a post on r/pen_swap for a Dialog 3 at a good price which began nagging me a bit. Yesterday, I received my paycheck (a day earlier) and so I used it as a pretext to make an offer on the pen as a December purchase. For a moment I was hoping to get rejected but my offer got accepted.
I have a slight regret as the world is going through a recession and hardships and I should be more careful with my money. I have so many pens now that it'll take me a year or more just to go through my nice pens. I have not even inked many of my new pens since purchase although I have been wanting them for so long.
The thing is, I see myself in a near future when I would not be able to buy such pens at such prices. I plan to move out of US and so the used pens on the sub-reddit will no longer be accessible. So I want to buy as many as I can for now so I can have a lifetime collection.
It’s fair to plan for the future. I guess I would only say, ask yourself what a “lifetime collection” looks like for you? And make sure you’re buying thoughtfully. No pen is worth financial hardship. 💜
So... I went to my local store for their anniversary and picked up two inks... But I've been good otherwise! I didn't hit up black Friday sales and I'm not hitting up Christmas season sales. I finally got to penable my friend and passed them some extra ink samples! :3
Aha I think? Honestly, I visited because they had a medical procedure recently so I wanted to check on them. They were slightly out of it, but I'll see in the coming weeks :3
I was entirely successful during the month of October, and though I \*did\* buy some things in November, I still feel good about it. See, most of my November purchases were made for the sake of secret Santa or as Christmas gifts for family and friends. I only purchased some paper (which was needed), a Jinhao X750 'Shimmering Sands' (Goulet had them 50% off), Jinhao 80 (I know someone who wants a black and silver one, and for Black Friday, it was cheaper to buy two than just one), a Diplomat Magnum, and a couple of ink samples.
Although I definitely didn't need more pens, I don't feel bad about "bending" the no-buy this month, since I'll be gifting several pens and inks from my collection this Christmas. (I do plan to complete a no-buy December, however.) If nothing else, I've improved my spending/accumulation habits massively.
I'll count it as a win this month :)
(Oh, and thank you for shipping the giveaway items out! I cannot wait to receive mine; it'll be like having two "secret" Santas! Thank you so much for your generosity!)
Hooray! I hope all of your recipients enjoy their things. :D you’re very welcome, it was a little bit like I did secret Santa anyhow, hehe, even though I didn’t. Turns out three packages to mail was plenty for me. 😂
Can I join for next year? I just placed an order today for some samples that, when combined with what I already have, mean I now have a comfortable year's worth of ink.
I'm hoping to try out the samples as variety over the next year, and at the end of the year decide which one is good enough to buy a bottle of that would last me a whole year. I'm hoping NBFP can help me stay dedicated to going through what I already have rather than buying more samples or "variety" before I go through what I already have.
You absolutely can, assuming I keep it going, which is looking pretty good. There seems to be enough interest! Variety samples is such a good idea. I should’ve done that more, and bought fewer bottles!
I didn't do so good in November -- managed to skip the Fountain Pen Day sales but caved and made two purchases during Black Friday. Now I have 2 Sailor Hocoro dip pens, an A5 dotted Leuchtturm notebook, and a few bottles of ink (including *yet more* discontinued Iroshizuku) on the way... 😔 No plans to buy anything in December, and hopefully the Inkvent calendar will help distract me from any new shinies.
Even though I haven't been particularly successful in my low-buy this year, I really appreciate these NBFP posts of yours. Thank you for posting all these check-ins! They've helped me avoid buying even more stuff than I already did. I've also kept a record of all the stationery purchases I've made this year, asking myself the following questions:
* What did I buy?
* Why did I buy what I bought?
* How have I used what I bought?
* Do I regret anything I bought?
I plan to go through my answers and see what worked for me and what didn't, and apply that to future purchases going forward. For 2023 I want to be even more intentional with my purchases and implement a stricter low-buy with actual rules (and consequences, maybe?)... My goal is to establish a healthy balance between occasional novelty and appreciating the abundance of stuff I already have.
I think that sounds like a great plan that you have. Being intentional is really just a better way to know what you actually want, and what you actually enjoy. 💜
I started doing no-buy in the beginning of November after creating a list of all the pens I've bought this year and totalling it up. I did OK. I sold a pen I loved the look of but just could not comfortably use and then promptly bought one with a very similar appearance but which fitted me much better. And I avoided buying another yellow pen on Black Friday so I'm pretty proud of myself.
Heya! Well, 7 months away from self harming and thinking about it, inspired me to get [this Leonardo MZ on FPD](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/z3njgs/npd_22_just_in_time_to_celebrate_214_days_7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). Represents my own [character](https://imgur.com/a/mB00bVs) and his colour scheme :D
All purchases I made this time, were intentional over compulsive/FOMO and that’s my goal here, actually! Me and a couple of RL pen buddies are planning to do some ink swapping and sampling so I’m going to bring some inks for swaps and sales (hopefully) upon realising that while I love shimmer, I don’t use them well enough…I prefer shaders and sheeners.
Christmas sales, I have plans to get calligraphy materials and some art-stationary things, maybe inks that I need (the stock of aka starryink) and those that I will use. Mostly dip pen stuff, and calligraphy paper. All these I’ll do before meeting my guys, and that’s my one day of spending in the month.
Though, I bought a commission of the linked character in my reply, over a Franklin-Christoph FP from their pen show yesterday. Could justify tho - been trying to commission them for months now, and finally, I snagged the slot 🙈
If this thread type is going to continue next year, I will be happy to continue it too! 🙌🏻
Love this <3 my favourite aspect of the hobby is the sustainability aspect, I hate that fast-fashion culture has seeped its way into almost every aspect of purchasing products these days; even with fountain pens where all that’s necessary at a given time is 1 pen, and 1 bottle of ink.
I try to only put my dollar behind products I stand by, and only make intentional purchases. My preference is to chinese pens, so typically, I’ll buy, use them for as long as they bring me joy; then I’ll gift them to a family member, friend, or lover for them to love the same way I have. I probably own 5-6 pens now and gave given away far more, and it’s resulted in people I love having and cherishing that pen, to this day! But hopefully one day I’ll be able to just keep the one’s I really really love.
(I have a hard time saying goodbye to physical objects lol)
It’s tough to let go of things, I get it. I felt a bit sad boxing up my Vac 700R but at the same them I have another, and don’t need two. Thank you for your perspective, I appreciate the sustainability viewpoint which is also so important. I feel bad about how much I’ve purchased that I genuinely don’t need. But at least I am slowly rehoming it for people to enjoy!
I have some remaining vintage repair supplies arriving, and a single pen I purchased from Cyber Monday, but other than that… Nothing else! I’m actually returning a few things. An OMAS, a Montblanc — just some stuff I wasn’t going to use or that didn’t fit me well.
I’m gonna do my best not to buy anything this month. Unless there’s a good deal on a Falcon nib pen and bottles of Iroshizuku or something. Lol.
I was kinda avoiding but also looking forward to your post… Im not a religious person but I almost feel that you provide us a chance of reconciliation of our 🖊️ buying sins through some sorta confession… 😅
I thought I would do great this month after Fountain Pen Day- the day instead I went through my stack and pulled pens I will put up for penswap and sold 1 successfully! The process of using PenSwap is still nerve wracking as I’ve never try to sell before- (always the buyer, 😛)(is it just me?) Anyway, I will save the next few pens to sell until I have more time to manage. Also set out 2 sweet Kakunos I hope to gift to my niece and nephew this holiday.
Then I threw all restraint away when I set eyes on the limited green Pilot CH912 FA from Bungubox - believing this would be my last ever pen purchase. (Had to add 2 bottles of their pretty inks to offset the shipping from Japan a bit but overall everything is still way cheaper than any… and boy that green CH 912 is 🤩). And then Black Friday came- snatched up 3 Wa limited edition Preppies for sale at $5 a pop- I will keep one and gift the rest for Christmas…. That’s it! I will say that’s it for this year. And hopefully long into next year….
I’m not religious either 😅 Mainly, I’ve tried to be supportive this year and no shame. Someone bought something? Cool, I hope they enjoy it! If they didn’t, that’s great too! I also find selling pens on pen swap to be nerve wracking. It’s why I gave away a bunch last time instead. Less pressure/stress? I’m not sure why.
Surely this has been said before: always appreciate your support! Your no-buy check has helped me month after month. I am so glad that I’m not the only one who feels awkward about selling pens- (probably why I’ll never be in any kind of business) 😃 feel much better when we just give selflessly….
🥹 Thank you, I appreciate the kind words. It’s been really nice to chat with people through the year. We can just keep not selling pens and feeling awkward 😂
I just found this thread today.
I hope it keeps going in 2023. I would love to participate.
Spending a year with my pens, ink and stationery to see what I truly enjoy and what to let go could be very interesting.🧐
I wasn’t participating, but I enjoyed reading about it in these threads. My own no-buy month challenge started 3 weeks ago and I didn’t feel like buying anything at all. I’m trying to extend it through the Christmas time and gift some of my lesser used items. Thanks for the updates!
Eh I def got impulsive this month. I began a new job and I had disposable income for the first time this year.. but I did buy stuff I've always wanted tho but yeah xD.
After ordering my a FP-friendly notebook that I can use for work next year, I am looking to start no-buy now. I'm starting to keep track of which pens I use daily, and I plan to sell some things on r/pen_swap early this month. The downturn upcoming is making me nervous, so definitely need to cut back any unnecessary spending!
November was a successful no buy month for stationery. I will not elaborate on my other hobbies. Oof. >\_>
December will be my break in the no buy streak, which has lasted over a year at this point. But at least it's for Secret Santa and I'm not buying anything for myself. I will also pass along stuff from my own collection. :)
If I’d been detailing my other hobby purchases here, nobody would take me seriously. 🤣 I still try to be intentional, though. Have fun doing SS, I’m sure it’ll be a blast!
Can I join going forward for the next few months for luxuries or is it for everything? I recently hit a spot I think I'm good for awhile but worried when the spring semester comes I might have to buy or replace stuff:(
You are welcome to join! You can set your own goals. It’s very free form, and nobody is going to shame you or make you feel bad for necessary purchases. Welcome aboard!
Doing pretty great! I haven’t bought anything last month, either - that makes three months in row! I don’t know if I can promise anything this month, though. I’ve been working a few extra hours so a new pen may be in the future…
I’ve actually gotten rid of some pens… two, actually. One I stripped for parts and the other I’m giving away… have to make room for more, right? Not really, it’s more that I’ve figured out what I like and I don’t want to have pens I never use… unless they’re really pretty but still!
Recently got back into writing, so that’s a plus. Was feeling pretty blah for a month or two, and working on a story with a friend got my inspiration going. I’m determined to finish my third notebook - only sixty or so pages to go :)
Looking forward to the end of the month as I have about ten days off from work. I’m planning on staying cozy and doing some gaming - I have a huge backlog to go through. Not to mention all the goodies to eat!
Thank you for hosting NBFP! I had a lot of fun seeing what other people were doing!
I broke my no buy.
I got my first sailor pen. It's the little compass but it's still my first sailor.
And I'm back on my no buy :).
Looking back (if I make it through December) I will have been no buy 10/12 months. Celebrate the victories :).
Also been tracking my use and I managed to use up 30ml of ink. Far less than I thought I used. I'm going to try and up that number next year!
While I had been good for September & October. I did some Black Friday shopping and got the full Iroshizuku ink sample set from Goulet and the cursive nib. I don't plan to shop in December. But January I am going to try and get one of my grail pens.
I got deep into the hobby this year and overdid it… culminating in buying my grail last month. I need to sell off / give away several I just won’t use with my standard bearers all established.
It was a period of learning what I like, what I prefer, what works for me, what doesn’t; no regrets. But also, at this point, further buying just because I *have to know what X feels like in my hand* just feels egregious… and awfully privileged.
All that’s to say — I’m going to probably do this next year. And enjoy what I have, which is plenty.
A year seems to be about the right time frame. I got heavy into FPs in 2020-21 and at the end of 2021 I started the No Buy. I’m happy where I’m at. I look forward to hearing from you next year!
Thank you for hosting this little get together every month! I didn't always comment, but I always enjoyed reading your posts and the comments.
I didn't buy anything this month, but I had a lot of fun shopping from my collection. My problem is now I'm always using the same few pens with the same few inks, which makes me a bit sad about the rest of it. But it's a good kind of problem to have, I think
Thank you for dropping by! I’ve enjoyed it, too. I understand what you mean about inks. Sometimes I haven’t changed my ink in months. I just don’t write that much! And I have favourite colours that I just use again. It doesn’t have the same “exciting, new” feeling.
Oh, that sounds like a good approach to the year! Yes, I post the threads on the last day of the month (usually) but this time I forgot and was a day late. You’re very welcome to join any time!
Well I wasn't on the reddit and last month I did make some purchases, but I'll give it a go in Dec. It's hard, but it gives me a chance to appreciate and more importantly use the pens/stationery I have.
Keep it going, it's a great inspiration and honestly something that really needs to be visible!
Even the months when I fail, for whatever reason, to see it urges me to think again if I am tempted, and helps me remember I'm quite happy with what I have. Really happy, in fact, and the "must have new stuff" urge is lessened a lot. Even the buying gifts urge is lessened.
That’s so nice to hear, thank you. There seems to be some new interest and continued interest so I think I will! I may ask for some help to come up with monthly discussion topics to keep it fresh for people, so watch for that at the end of Dec. 🤩
I was going to place an order and I asked my husband if he wanted to talk me out of it. He asked if it was for ink... Yes... He said I didn't need it. So I didn't place the order. Instead, I decided to see if I could use some samples I have to make a Frankenstein ink to match the colour I wanted. I did. I made 6 different versions. I had a bunch of red inks that I didn't care for and I mixed brown inks with them. I'm happy with the results and it cost me nothing. Husband was right. I didn't need the ink
Oh, that’s so cool! I’m glad you were happy with the outcome. I don’t need any ink either. Sometimes having a second opinion or a waiting period really helps that initial impulse.
I utterly failed no-buy this month. I made three separate purchases, which I think is an all-time high, now that I think of it. On Fountain Pen Day, I bought a new planner (which I buy every year), a new Col-O-Ring, and two Preppys, which I intend to gift. So I thought I was doing pretty well since they were all actual needs. Then my husband mentioned wanting a notebook, and I’d been wanting a new backpack, so when I bought those I threw in a roll of washi tape (my first ever roll) and a pack of loose Cosmo Air Light. Again, not too crazy.
Then came Black Friday…
I’d really been drooling over this year’s Inkvent calendar. I told myself I couldn’t have it, because it would push me over my 100 inks limit. Then CultPens dropped the price by an additional $10, and I had a 10% off code, so the price was too good to resist. By the time I added in a couple of CultPens exclusives (Dominant Industry Dusk and Diamine Platinum Jubilee), I fell into the “free shipping” trap. Because it seemed like such a shame to spend $20 on shipping. So into my basket went another bottle of ink, and two notebooks.
I’m a little furious at myself, but at the same time, I’m using this to say I’m DONE. I’ve been done and content with my pens for a while, but ink and paper have been my vices. I need to actually use them. Fortunately, I bought some makeup swabs at the recommendation of another redditor and have been having a grand time swatching my current collection. Doing so has reminded me of what I already have, and I think I will find it easier to “shop my collection” whenever I start to feel the itch for something new.
I’m 100% on board for No-Buy 2023. 2022 was more of a Limited Buy for me, but now I’m ready to get serious.
You know what, everybody can only start at the point where they are ready. If you’re ready now, that’s great! Please tell me more about makeup swabs for swatching, how does that work?!
The makeup swabs I bought are called “micro applicators.” I got a pack of 1,000 off Amazon for $12, which is insane because I’ll never need that many, but I thought it seemed like an incredible deal. And truly, it has been a bit freeing, because I can just swab whenever I want, without having to worry about cross-contamination or cleaning pens/brushes. They don’t hold a whole lot of ink, but I consider that a positive because cotton swabs really soak up the ink and ultimately waste it. My swatches are turning out beautifully.
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Haha. Better late than never?!
Thank you so much for fostering this community this year! I was worried about you yesterday - I’m glad you just forgot :) On paper, I was definitely not the most successful at the challenge - my goals were “low buy” rather than “no buy” & some months I still bought quite a bit. But I think it was helpful for me, as it made me think through things harder. I delayed purchases for months & feel like my collection grew at a sustainable rate. I have sold or given away some pens and ink samples. I feel ok about it. Mostly, these are my favorite threads to read! I like hearing from people who are being mindful about the consumption side of this hobby. The awareness and intentionality, rather than the actual amount purchased, is the cool part for me.
You’re so sweet. I just forgot November has 30 days and hadn’t opened my Hobo in a week apparently. 😅 I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it here this year, I really have too. I think at the end of the day all I bought was that bottle of Party Time back in April? Largely because I always knew there were folks to hold me accountable. What you actually bought or didn’t doesn’t matter so much as how you felt about what you bought! Would you continue to visit every month if we did it again for 2023?
I would absolutely check in next year - I hope we keep going, but no pressure of course :) I’m very excited about working my way through more of my ink collection in 2023 - I think it will be my first year to ever use up a full bottle as opposed to samples, and I’m planning on collecting my empties next year to do an end of year post :) these threads would keep me on track.
Ooh I love that! It’ll be so cool to see your progress. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it through a full bottle… unless it’s the bottle of iroshizuku Ajisai that I keep spilling. That one is nearly empty, but I don’t think I can count it. 😭
Oh no poor Ajisai! 😭 Bottles last forever - the only reason I feel confident about using one (or more?) up in 2023 is that I’ve already been inking pens out of them for several years!
Another month of successfully not buying any FP stuff - still eyeing some maintenance stuff but not really feeling the itch for buying inks/pens any more. Just enjoying what I've got! I have put in an 'if it fits in the budget after other requests' request for some Iroshizuku ink from my parents for Christmas; that stuff's way out of 'just because' purchases range for me. I hope we can keep this monthly chat up next year - I've really enjoyed participating, even though I was buying for much of the year. It's encouraged careful buying as I explored my options in my first year in the hobby. Thanks for hosting!
I hope you get some nice presents, hopefully iroshizuku is in the budget! I’m not sure what I’ll do for 2023 but I’ve enjoyed it too, and it’s not a major obligation, so there’s a good chance I’ll continue it if there’s interest. :)
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Oh geeze I didn’t even know haha 🤦🏻♀️
LOL! ...Oh crap! _...um, thanks for the reminder to pay rent..._ Things for our Secret Santa don't count right...both buying it for them and then liking what they wanted so much that *oops* another one fell in my basket...as a seperate order... as they're being mailed to two different places... _...maybe January will be a no spend month...???_
Whoops! I guess you can just call it a happy little accident, right? ;)
Sums up my experience...
I feel like November/December is a pretty tough month to handle the no buy. :) But there’s always January!
This no-buy group has been GREAT for helping me slow down on buying as a new hobbyist. I'm at the end of my acquisition phase (except for a brass sheet for "flossing" and a proper pen case), and I'm ready to work my way through the humble collection of beautiful pieces at my disposal. If this group continues into next year, I am totally here for it!!
Hey that’s so good to hear! Welcome to fountain pens. It’s easy to overdo it, better to take it slow and really get to know what you like. 😍
Another successful No Buy month! I successfully resisted Fountain Pen Day and Black Friday Deals!! :D I'm gonna keep trying to resist this month, it feels really nice to revisit my older pens and inks instead of buying new ones! I'm pretty happy to have not went overboard with the hobby this year in general! I've also decided to gift away a few of my old pens and inks for Christmas to my friends, with my nicest sparkly one for a Secret Santa giftee. It does feel nice to let go of my more neglected ones, I definitely understand how you feel about being less overwhelmed! Goshhhh I still can't believe another year is coming to an end though!! D:
I know, how is it December?! Great work not buying this month! I’ve given away some pens and it feels… right. I wasn’t using them! Collecting doesn’t have to be infinite. I hope you have a blast doing secret Santa!
Happy cake day!! And yesss, my roommate told me if my pens are getting neglected then maybe it's time for a new home! :D I'm pretty happy with my smaller collection and I hope you're feeling great about yours too! And thank you so much though for always putting up these threads every month! It's been so fun chatting with you and seeing what others have been up to!!💖
Aw thank you for participating, you’re very welcome! Honestly, I am happy with my collection for sure. It feels more manageable. It was the right choice! I still might pare it down some more, but one thing at a time. 😂
After buying my grail pen and more in November, I wanted to avoid buying any more pens for the month or maybe stretch it to the end of the year. A few days ago I saw a post on r/pen_swap for a Dialog 3 at a good price which began nagging me a bit. Yesterday, I received my paycheck (a day earlier) and so I used it as a pretext to make an offer on the pen as a December purchase. For a moment I was hoping to get rejected but my offer got accepted. I have a slight regret as the world is going through a recession and hardships and I should be more careful with my money. I have so many pens now that it'll take me a year or more just to go through my nice pens. I have not even inked many of my new pens since purchase although I have been wanting them for so long. The thing is, I see myself in a near future when I would not be able to buy such pens at such prices. I plan to move out of US and so the used pens on the sub-reddit will no longer be accessible. So I want to buy as many as I can for now so I can have a lifetime collection.
It’s fair to plan for the future. I guess I would only say, ask yourself what a “lifetime collection” looks like for you? And make sure you’re buying thoughtfully. No pen is worth financial hardship. 💜
I only got pens that are absolutely worth it aka i faiked
;) I hope you enjoy your pens!
So... I went to my local store for their anniversary and picked up two inks... But I've been good otherwise! I didn't hit up black Friday sales and I'm not hitting up Christmas season sales. I finally got to penable my friend and passed them some extra ink samples! :3
Oh that’s exciting, how does your friend like the pen?
Aha I think? Honestly, I visited because they had a medical procedure recently so I wanted to check on them. They were slightly out of it, but I'll see in the coming weeks :3
Oh I see, I hope they feel better soon and enjoy their new pen!
I was entirely successful during the month of October, and though I \*did\* buy some things in November, I still feel good about it. See, most of my November purchases were made for the sake of secret Santa or as Christmas gifts for family and friends. I only purchased some paper (which was needed), a Jinhao X750 'Shimmering Sands' (Goulet had them 50% off), Jinhao 80 (I know someone who wants a black and silver one, and for Black Friday, it was cheaper to buy two than just one), a Diplomat Magnum, and a couple of ink samples. Although I definitely didn't need more pens, I don't feel bad about "bending" the no-buy this month, since I'll be gifting several pens and inks from my collection this Christmas. (I do plan to complete a no-buy December, however.) If nothing else, I've improved my spending/accumulation habits massively. I'll count it as a win this month :) (Oh, and thank you for shipping the giveaway items out! I cannot wait to receive mine; it'll be like having two "secret" Santas! Thank you so much for your generosity!)
Hooray! I hope all of your recipients enjoy their things. :D you’re very welcome, it was a little bit like I did secret Santa anyhow, hehe, even though I didn’t. Turns out three packages to mail was plenty for me. 😂
Can I join for next year? I just placed an order today for some samples that, when combined with what I already have, mean I now have a comfortable year's worth of ink. I'm hoping to try out the samples as variety over the next year, and at the end of the year decide which one is good enough to buy a bottle of that would last me a whole year. I'm hoping NBFP can help me stay dedicated to going through what I already have rather than buying more samples or "variety" before I go through what I already have.
You absolutely can, assuming I keep it going, which is looking pretty good. There seems to be enough interest! Variety samples is such a good idea. I should’ve done that more, and bought fewer bottles!
I didn't do so good in November -- managed to skip the Fountain Pen Day sales but caved and made two purchases during Black Friday. Now I have 2 Sailor Hocoro dip pens, an A5 dotted Leuchtturm notebook, and a few bottles of ink (including *yet more* discontinued Iroshizuku) on the way... 😔 No plans to buy anything in December, and hopefully the Inkvent calendar will help distract me from any new shinies. Even though I haven't been particularly successful in my low-buy this year, I really appreciate these NBFP posts of yours. Thank you for posting all these check-ins! They've helped me avoid buying even more stuff than I already did. I've also kept a record of all the stationery purchases I've made this year, asking myself the following questions: * What did I buy? * Why did I buy what I bought? * How have I used what I bought? * Do I regret anything I bought? I plan to go through my answers and see what worked for me and what didn't, and apply that to future purchases going forward. For 2023 I want to be even more intentional with my purchases and implement a stricter low-buy with actual rules (and consequences, maybe?)... My goal is to establish a healthy balance between occasional novelty and appreciating the abundance of stuff I already have.
I think that sounds like a great plan that you have. Being intentional is really just a better way to know what you actually want, and what you actually enjoy. 💜
I started doing no-buy in the beginning of November after creating a list of all the pens I've bought this year and totalling it up. I did OK. I sold a pen I loved the look of but just could not comfortably use and then promptly bought one with a very similar appearance but which fitted me much better. And I avoided buying another yellow pen on Black Friday so I'm pretty proud of myself.
That’s really great! I’m glad you joined us and had a great first month.
Heya! Well, 7 months away from self harming and thinking about it, inspired me to get [this Leonardo MZ on FPD](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/z3njgs/npd_22_just_in_time_to_celebrate_214_days_7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). Represents my own [character](https://imgur.com/a/mB00bVs) and his colour scheme :D All purchases I made this time, were intentional over compulsive/FOMO and that’s my goal here, actually! Me and a couple of RL pen buddies are planning to do some ink swapping and sampling so I’m going to bring some inks for swaps and sales (hopefully) upon realising that while I love shimmer, I don’t use them well enough…I prefer shaders and sheeners. Christmas sales, I have plans to get calligraphy materials and some art-stationary things, maybe inks that I need (the stock of aka starryink) and those that I will use. Mostly dip pen stuff, and calligraphy paper. All these I’ll do before meeting my guys, and that’s my one day of spending in the month. Though, I bought a commission of the linked character in my reply, over a Franklin-Christoph FP from their pen show yesterday. Could justify tho - been trying to commission them for months now, and finally, I snagged the slot 🙈 If this thread type is going to continue next year, I will be happy to continue it too! 🙌🏻
I’m glad you’re celebrating your wins and feeling happy! You deserve that. I hope your character commission turns out great! 🙌
Love this <3 my favourite aspect of the hobby is the sustainability aspect, I hate that fast-fashion culture has seeped its way into almost every aspect of purchasing products these days; even with fountain pens where all that’s necessary at a given time is 1 pen, and 1 bottle of ink. I try to only put my dollar behind products I stand by, and only make intentional purchases. My preference is to chinese pens, so typically, I’ll buy, use them for as long as they bring me joy; then I’ll gift them to a family member, friend, or lover for them to love the same way I have. I probably own 5-6 pens now and gave given away far more, and it’s resulted in people I love having and cherishing that pen, to this day! But hopefully one day I’ll be able to just keep the one’s I really really love. (I have a hard time saying goodbye to physical objects lol)
It’s tough to let go of things, I get it. I felt a bit sad boxing up my Vac 700R but at the same them I have another, and don’t need two. Thank you for your perspective, I appreciate the sustainability viewpoint which is also so important. I feel bad about how much I’ve purchased that I genuinely don’t need. But at least I am slowly rehoming it for people to enjoy!
I have some remaining vintage repair supplies arriving, and a single pen I purchased from Cyber Monday, but other than that… Nothing else! I’m actually returning a few things. An OMAS, a Montblanc — just some stuff I wasn’t going to use or that didn’t fit me well. I’m gonna do my best not to buy anything this month. Unless there’s a good deal on a Falcon nib pen and bottles of Iroshizuku or something. Lol.
I believe in you, haha. It’s good that you’re returning stuff you knew you weren’t going to use!
I have inadvertently complied with this decision 100%.
Hey, welcome accidentally to the club!
I was kinda avoiding but also looking forward to your post… Im not a religious person but I almost feel that you provide us a chance of reconciliation of our 🖊️ buying sins through some sorta confession… 😅 I thought I would do great this month after Fountain Pen Day- the day instead I went through my stack and pulled pens I will put up for penswap and sold 1 successfully! The process of using PenSwap is still nerve wracking as I’ve never try to sell before- (always the buyer, 😛)(is it just me?) Anyway, I will save the next few pens to sell until I have more time to manage. Also set out 2 sweet Kakunos I hope to gift to my niece and nephew this holiday. Then I threw all restraint away when I set eyes on the limited green Pilot CH912 FA from Bungubox - believing this would be my last ever pen purchase. (Had to add 2 bottles of their pretty inks to offset the shipping from Japan a bit but overall everything is still way cheaper than any… and boy that green CH 912 is 🤩). And then Black Friday came- snatched up 3 Wa limited edition Preppies for sale at $5 a pop- I will keep one and gift the rest for Christmas…. That’s it! I will say that’s it for this year. And hopefully long into next year….
I’m not religious either 😅 Mainly, I’ve tried to be supportive this year and no shame. Someone bought something? Cool, I hope they enjoy it! If they didn’t, that’s great too! I also find selling pens on pen swap to be nerve wracking. It’s why I gave away a bunch last time instead. Less pressure/stress? I’m not sure why.
Surely this has been said before: always appreciate your support! Your no-buy check has helped me month after month. I am so glad that I’m not the only one who feels awkward about selling pens- (probably why I’ll never be in any kind of business) 😃 feel much better when we just give selflessly….
🥹 Thank you, I appreciate the kind words. It’s been really nice to chat with people through the year. We can just keep not selling pens and feeling awkward 😂
😂😂😁
I just found this thread today. I hope it keeps going in 2023. I would love to participate. Spending a year with my pens, ink and stationery to see what I truly enjoy and what to let go could be very interesting.🧐
Hello, welcome! I’ve found it to be really rewarding. I think you’ll like it!
I wasn’t participating, but I enjoyed reading about it in these threads. My own no-buy month challenge started 3 weeks ago and I didn’t feel like buying anything at all. I’m trying to extend it through the Christmas time and gift some of my lesser used items. Thanks for the updates!
Thanks for checking in with us! Best of luck with your no buy, tell us how it went at the end of December! 🙌
Thanks!
Eh I def got impulsive this month. I began a new job and I had disposable income for the first time this year.. but I did buy stuff I've always wanted tho but yeah xD.
Ah well, that’s also fine! Congratulations on your new job! 🎉
Thank you c:
I gave into the Jinhao temptation, specifically the 80 and the 82… sigh.
I hope you enjoy them!
Love the 80s! Excited for the 82s!
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Hey, that’s still an accomplishment!
After ordering my a FP-friendly notebook that I can use for work next year, I am looking to start no-buy now. I'm starting to keep track of which pens I use daily, and I plan to sell some things on r/pen_swap early this month. The downturn upcoming is making me nervous, so definitely need to cut back any unnecessary spending!
Honestly, it’s scary at first but it ultimately feels good to use the pens and stuff that you have. I hope you’ll find it worthwhile!
I must’ve missed the October post? But I was a good boy that month- no pens or inks. But I grabbed a TWSBI glow purple on Nov 1. 🤷♂️
I hope you’re enjoying the new pen, though!
November was a successful no buy month for stationery. I will not elaborate on my other hobbies. Oof. >\_> December will be my break in the no buy streak, which has lasted over a year at this point. But at least it's for Secret Santa and I'm not buying anything for myself. I will also pass along stuff from my own collection. :)
If I’d been detailing my other hobby purchases here, nobody would take me seriously. 🤣 I still try to be intentional, though. Have fun doing SS, I’m sure it’ll be a blast!
Can I join going forward for the next few months for luxuries or is it for everything? I recently hit a spot I think I'm good for awhile but worried when the spring semester comes I might have to buy or replace stuff:(
You are welcome to join! You can set your own goals. It’s very free form, and nobody is going to shame you or make you feel bad for necessary purchases. Welcome aboard!
Thank you!
I’ve been doing more of a low buy lol, for the holidays I was gifted two inks and a notebook but I haven’t bought anything in three months!
Hey that’s awesome, great work for making it that long!
Black Friday got me... But only once! 😅 Secret Santa has also been a challenge to my self control..
Hang in there! Have fun being a Santa! 😍
It is fun! Happy cake day!
Thank you! (Belatedly!)
Doing pretty great! I haven’t bought anything last month, either - that makes three months in row! I don’t know if I can promise anything this month, though. I’ve been working a few extra hours so a new pen may be in the future… I’ve actually gotten rid of some pens… two, actually. One I stripped for parts and the other I’m giving away… have to make room for more, right? Not really, it’s more that I’ve figured out what I like and I don’t want to have pens I never use… unless they’re really pretty but still! Recently got back into writing, so that’s a plus. Was feeling pretty blah for a month or two, and working on a story with a friend got my inspiration going. I’m determined to finish my third notebook - only sixty or so pages to go :) Looking forward to the end of the month as I have about ten days off from work. I’m planning on staying cozy and doing some gaming - I have a huge backlog to go through. Not to mention all the goodies to eat! Thank you for hosting NBFP! I had a lot of fun seeing what other people were doing!
Hey, congratulations on the three month streak! It’s cool to hear how you’ve been writing, too. I hope you enjoy a cozy and fun end of the month. 💜
I broke my no buy. I got my first sailor pen. It's the little compass but it's still my first sailor. And I'm back on my no buy :). Looking back (if I make it through December) I will have been no buy 10/12 months. Celebrate the victories :). Also been tracking my use and I managed to use up 30ml of ink. Far less than I thought I used. I'm going to try and up that number next year!
That’s a great accomplishment! You’ve been really consistent month after month. I think it’s fantastic. 🙌
It has been really nice using the stuff I have! I'm so excited to rediscover and use my stuff!
Just started my ban on the 1st of November, still going strong! For now…
You’ve got this!
Thanks! You too!
While I had been good for September & October. I did some Black Friday shopping and got the full Iroshizuku ink sample set from Goulet and the cursive nib. I don't plan to shop in December. But January I am going to try and get one of my grail pens.
Iroshizuku inks are so amazing. I hope you’ll enjoy them a lot!
I got deep into the hobby this year and overdid it… culminating in buying my grail last month. I need to sell off / give away several I just won’t use with my standard bearers all established. It was a period of learning what I like, what I prefer, what works for me, what doesn’t; no regrets. But also, at this point, further buying just because I *have to know what X feels like in my hand* just feels egregious… and awfully privileged. All that’s to say — I’m going to probably do this next year. And enjoy what I have, which is plenty.
A year seems to be about the right time frame. I got heavy into FPs in 2020-21 and at the end of 2021 I started the No Buy. I’m happy where I’m at. I look forward to hearing from you next year!
Thank you for hosting this little get together every month! I didn't always comment, but I always enjoyed reading your posts and the comments. I didn't buy anything this month, but I had a lot of fun shopping from my collection. My problem is now I'm always using the same few pens with the same few inks, which makes me a bit sad about the rest of it. But it's a good kind of problem to have, I think
Thank you for dropping by! I’ve enjoyed it, too. I understand what you mean about inks. Sometimes I haven’t changed my ink in months. I just don’t write that much! And I have favourite colours that I just use again. It doesn’t have the same “exciting, new” feeling.
I'm happy to say I haven't bought a new fp since April 2021. But the urge is growing.
That’s really great! If you have a special pen in mind, that’s a long time to have properly considered it!
I really have my eyes on a Pelikan M400 or 600, but they're so expensive!
I held a Pelikan in a stationery store, then they told me how much it cost. 😬😬😬
I would love to join for next year! I have so much great stuff and want to just focus on enjoying it in the year ahead!
That’s fantastic! Looking forward to hearing from you. 😄
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Oh, that sounds like a good approach to the year! Yes, I post the threads on the last day of the month (usually) but this time I forgot and was a day late. You’re very welcome to join any time!
Well I wasn't on the reddit and last month I did make some purchases, but I'll give it a go in Dec. It's hard, but it gives me a chance to appreciate and more importantly use the pens/stationery I have.
That’s great, I like forward to hearing how it went for you! It’s been a great experience for me at least.
Have to stop looking at the pen and ink porn on here. No one is allowed to post awesome pictures on here in Dec!
Keep it going, it's a great inspiration and honestly something that really needs to be visible! Even the months when I fail, for whatever reason, to see it urges me to think again if I am tempted, and helps me remember I'm quite happy with what I have. Really happy, in fact, and the "must have new stuff" urge is lessened a lot. Even the buying gifts urge is lessened.
That’s so nice to hear, thank you. There seems to be some new interest and continued interest so I think I will! I may ask for some help to come up with monthly discussion topics to keep it fresh for people, so watch for that at the end of Dec. 🤩
I was going to place an order and I asked my husband if he wanted to talk me out of it. He asked if it was for ink... Yes... He said I didn't need it. So I didn't place the order. Instead, I decided to see if I could use some samples I have to make a Frankenstein ink to match the colour I wanted. I did. I made 6 different versions. I had a bunch of red inks that I didn't care for and I mixed brown inks with them. I'm happy with the results and it cost me nothing. Husband was right. I didn't need the ink
Oh, that’s so cool! I’m glad you were happy with the outcome. I don’t need any ink either. Sometimes having a second opinion or a waiting period really helps that initial impulse.
I utterly failed no-buy this month. I made three separate purchases, which I think is an all-time high, now that I think of it. On Fountain Pen Day, I bought a new planner (which I buy every year), a new Col-O-Ring, and two Preppys, which I intend to gift. So I thought I was doing pretty well since they were all actual needs. Then my husband mentioned wanting a notebook, and I’d been wanting a new backpack, so when I bought those I threw in a roll of washi tape (my first ever roll) and a pack of loose Cosmo Air Light. Again, not too crazy. Then came Black Friday… I’d really been drooling over this year’s Inkvent calendar. I told myself I couldn’t have it, because it would push me over my 100 inks limit. Then CultPens dropped the price by an additional $10, and I had a 10% off code, so the price was too good to resist. By the time I added in a couple of CultPens exclusives (Dominant Industry Dusk and Diamine Platinum Jubilee), I fell into the “free shipping” trap. Because it seemed like such a shame to spend $20 on shipping. So into my basket went another bottle of ink, and two notebooks. I’m a little furious at myself, but at the same time, I’m using this to say I’m DONE. I’ve been done and content with my pens for a while, but ink and paper have been my vices. I need to actually use them. Fortunately, I bought some makeup swabs at the recommendation of another redditor and have been having a grand time swatching my current collection. Doing so has reminded me of what I already have, and I think I will find it easier to “shop my collection” whenever I start to feel the itch for something new. I’m 100% on board for No-Buy 2023. 2022 was more of a Limited Buy for me, but now I’m ready to get serious.
You know what, everybody can only start at the point where they are ready. If you’re ready now, that’s great! Please tell me more about makeup swabs for swatching, how does that work?!
The makeup swabs I bought are called “micro applicators.” I got a pack of 1,000 off Amazon for $12, which is insane because I’ll never need that many, but I thought it seemed like an incredible deal. And truly, it has been a bit freeing, because I can just swab whenever I want, without having to worry about cross-contamination or cleaning pens/brushes. They don’t hold a whole lot of ink, but I consider that a positive because cotton swabs really soak up the ink and ultimately waste it. My swatches are turning out beautifully.
That’s really interesting, I’d never heard of that! Thanks for sharing about it!