- - Woman Vowed to Only Buy 12 Things in 2025, Now Says She Has Saved ‘Thousands’ Thanks to ‘Aggressive’ Approach (Exclusive)

Tereza ShkurtajDecember 28, 2025 at 9:30 AM

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Courtesy of Brooklyn Taylor

Brooklyn Taylor. -

Brooklyn Taylor is an influencer from Perth, Australia

The 27-year-old has built a social media presence centered on travel and investing

In 2025, she challenged herself to buy only one item per month in an effort to curb her spending habits

While most people are still wondering what their New Year’s resolution will be, one Australian woman already put hers into practice this year – and plans to keep it going in 2026.

Brooklyn Taylor used to be a big impulse buyer, until she realized that adding a little time and space between decisions helped her make better choices. Instead of swiping and regretting later, she paused and paid attention to what really mattered.

“I think, as a whole, my generation is consuming so much," the 27-year-old influencer tells PEOPLE exclusively. "You can buy whatever you want and have it delivered by the end of the day. I really don’t think that is good for us when it comes to how we spend money and obtain things that aren’t needs.”

In an effort to save and make more conscious decisions, Taylor challenged herself to buy only one item per month in 2025.

“No one needs 10 white tanks, but I had them – they didn’t cost much, but I just kept buying them for no good reason,” she admits.

To break her spending habits, Taylor created a wishlist funded by a savings account she dubbed her “fun money.” Each week, she transferred a set amount into the account, giving herself time to sit with her wants instead of acting on impulse.

Then, on one designated day each month, she chose a single item from the wishlist to buy. If she had money left over, she left it in the account, so there was more to spend the next time she shopped.

“More times than I can count, when it gets to the ‘buying day,’ I delete like 10 things off the list. I don’t want most of the items,” Taylor reveals. “It’s the dopamine rush at the time that makes me want them.”

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Courtesy of Brooklyn Taylor

Jacket seen is one of Brooklyn Taylor's purchases.

Taylor excludes services like haircuts and nail appointments from her calculations, instead focusing on categories she is more likely to overconsume – such as clothes, homewares, makeup and skincare.

“I think of all the times we go out to Kmart, or the shops, and mindlessly pick up a candle or new pajamas,” Taylor says. “You could easily spend $50 to $100 a trip on things you do not need."

Letting go of impulse-buying led to an unexpected outcome: she actually started using what she already owned – and couldn’t quite believe it.

Taylor burned through nearly every candle in her house, something she admits never would have happened in past years. She also didn't purchase any new makeup products, opting instead to use what was already in her beauty stash.

The influencer also cut back on drinking alcohol, went cold turkey on taxis and Ubers, and became much more intentional with her purchases – focusing on quality over quantity, even if it meant spending more in a given month on an item that would last for years.

“I think if you have to save up for a purchase, you’re more likely to think it through a bit more. Some people really hate it, but I live by it, and wait to invest in a good quality item I save up for,” she captioned one of her videos.

Taylor believes in buying higher-quality items that “fill a gap” in her wardrobe, rather than overcrowding it. “Who cares if you are seen in the same dress?” she adds. “Not me.”

Although the resolution sounded daunting at first – to her surprise – it actually worked. And just like that, a small shift turned into a habit worth keeping.

Since implementing her “aggressive” plan, Taylor has saved “thousands” of dollars by limiting her spending to essentials like groceries and rent.

She made a video revealing the wishlist items she bought each month, mostly dresses or athletic sets she had been eyeing for a while, along with an LED face light and a Taylor Swift vinyl.

Thanks to Taylor’s disciplined approach, she has been able to save and invest 66% of her income into high-yield savings accounts and emergency funds – a practice she started in 2018.

“My goal this year was to decrease my spending and increase my investing and saving and I most certainly achieved that goal, and I’m so proud of it,” she shares.

Looking ahead to 2026, some of her new goals include walking every day, investing $700 weekly, and, of course, continuing her one-item-per-month buying challenge.

“I am putting my future self first, and it feels great to see my investments growing,” Taylor tells PEOPLE.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”