The ‘Replacement Basis Only’ Challenge

If you want to improve your finances without feeling like you’re missing out, try the new Replacement Basis Only Challenge with me. Whether it’s ‘New Year, New You‘ or ‘New Year, Oh No!‘ it’s completely free to join in.

There’s something unique about January, isn’t there? We’re either brimming with a zeal for self improvement, or focussed on immediate issues like balancing the books or tidying up in the aftermath of Christmas and New Year.

Either way, it’s a good time to shake things up a bit. That’s where this thrifty challenge comes in.

The Replacement Basis Only Rules

‘Replacement basis only’ is mainly about physical items that you might purchase, and keeping outgoings at your usual level or lower.

General rules for the challenge:

• If you use anything up you can get a new one – ideally same price or cheaper.
• If anything wears out you can get a new one.
• If anything breaks beyond economical repair, you can get a new one.

That’s it – nice and simple.

The Replacement Basis Only Challenge is going to run for three months, starting this weekend. I’ll be creating regular check-ins for everyone, and also updating with my own progress.

What’s NOT included?

• Anything you need for work or study – it can vary so be flexible
• Whatever you need to get for kids or pets
• Gifts for friends and loved ones
• Medicines, other essential health items
• Ongoing subscriptions such as travel cards or gym

Benefits of going ‘Replacement Basis Only’:

There are all kinds of benefits you can gain from a replacement-basis only challenge. Here are just a few examples of ways it can help, challenge and even inspire:

• Spend less and save more (yay!)
• It encourages mindful shopping
• A break from the pressures of consumerism
• More time to do other things away from browsing & shopping
• Less build up of physical clutter
• A way to short-circuit impulse spending
• You won’t run out of essential items
• Easier to stick to than a no-spend challenge
• You can still have your favourite things

Tips for ‘Replacement Basis Only’ success

Time to think about everything you bring into your home, and what your personal spending patterns are like. If necessary, you might like to unsubscribe from a few marketing emails and alerts from shops that tempt you to make impulse purchases.

This shouldn’t have a negative impact on your social life, health or fitness, or regular hobbies. You can still have a coffee with friends, go to the cinema, get a haircut or go out for a swim.

Food & Drink: Groceries are a good place to start. It’s helpful to stick mainly to your regulars, and buy similar items as things start to run out.

You can also plan for healthy eating here. For example, if you’re trying to have five a day fruit and vegetables, you don’t need to have exactly the same thing each time – you can pick different varieties in this category from week to week.

Health & Beauty: Don’t forget things like toiletries and cosmetics. Change the type of item if you like, for variety or to make seasonal changes – but stick with the same price bracket or cheaper wherever possible.

Clothes, Shoes & Accessories: If any item you regularly use goes past the point of repair, you can buy a replacement. So if your sports trainers or fitness clothes wear out, you can pick up suitable replacements. If you need something for work, or a job interview, get it – don’t compromise your employment if there’s a dress code.

Everything else: You can also apply ‘replacement basis only’ to homewares, appliances, fitness equipment, craft materials, and so on.

By the way, during this challenge buying something second hand is classed the same as getting a new one, because it’s new to you.

How to join in with this challenge

Keep yourself accountable by making a note of any non-food replacement items you buy, and make a weekly summary. It might be too much to note down all your food and drink items, but you can track the total weekly groceries spend to see whether it makes a difference, if you have time.

You may also like to make a note of any empties of things you’ve used up, and things you’ve had to throw away or recycle. Also write down anything you manage to mend, repair, repurpose or upcycle – what did you manage to keep?

I’ll be posting regular updates on here every fortnight, including tips, inspiration, and personal progress. Be sure to check back regularly.

You might also like to sign up for the Penny Golightly weekly mailing list if you havent already joined it. There will be weekly progress updates in that, plus other site news, freebies and bargains.

What’s happening at Golightly Gardens?

So far, January’s not been too kind to us. For starters, our kettle has packed its bags and headed up to small electrical goods heaven. We’ve had to replace it, of course – nobody needs to be without a plentiful supply of hot drinks at this time of year, that’d be absolute barbarism.

The good news is that we had an Argos voucher plus some Nectar points to cash in, so we managed to get a decent replacement for less than half price. The Tea Gods must have been smiling upon us, since we’re only £14.00 down.

Meanwhile our much-used kitchen microwave looks like it’s on its last legs, although to be fair it is several years old and has lasted longer than most models. We have a couple of Christmas vouchers to put towards another one so let’s see how much longer we can hold out.

A new year wardrobe declutter has also turned up a few pairs of ratty-looking socks and undies that are about to wear out. Let’s see how those are going to end up being replaced!

So far, so good on the toiletries and makeup front, but the toothpaste tube’s nearly empty and who knows what fresh horrors the weekend might bring?

Total spent so far: £14.00 for the kettle (and worth every penny, frankly)

Enjoying this post? You may also like:

• My quick January personal finance detox
• The ‘heir & a spare’ household management technique

Will you be joining in with this early 2026 Replacement Basis Only Challenge?

The more the merrier! Leave a message in the comments box below, or look out for the regular updates.