I realized my spending was out of control and started a 'no-spend era.' Since June, I've saved over $5,000.

• Stephanie Noble, 37, felt as though her shopping was getting out of hand.
• In June, she decided to start a 'no-spending' journey.
• So far, she's saved over $5,000, found healthier ways to get dopamine, and regained time.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephanie Noble. It has been edited for length and clarity.

For over a year, I had been slowly realizing that I needed to change my spending habits, but I wouldn't do anything about it.

I constantly saw new makeup products influencers were trying out on platforms like TikTok and heard the messaging that told me, "You need this. It will change your life."

Influencer culture and chasing dopamine hits contributed to my spending habits getting out of control. I don't think you have to be an addict to fall into unhealthy spending habits. But I'm personally in recovery for drug and alcohol use, and I think another factor influencing my shopaholic nature was just following into addiction easily. Since June, I've been on a no-spending journey that's not only saved me money but also given me time back.

I felt overwhelmed with how much stuff I had and knew I needed a change

This June, I was cleaning out my office, and it was overwhelming to see not only how much stuff I had but also how many brand-new products I had with tags still on them.

Something clicked in me, and I knew I had to make a change. I had to allow my internal voice to be louder than any influencer taglines I was hearing and center the fact that my worth is not tied to how many makeup products I have or how much money I can spend, regardless of the narratives being sold to me.

I haven't shopped since June 20. My no-spend journey includes makeup, skincare, hair care, clothes, shoes, purses, and jewelry. I don't repurchase any new products until I've used what I have. For example, there's a tinted sunscreen I really like, and I recently ran out. But I already had a tinted sunscreen in my collection I could give use, so I'm doing that instead of replacing the one I ran out of. Although I don't like the one I'm trying now as much, I'm still going to use it until it's gone. Then, when I run out of it and repurchase a new tinted sunscreen, I'll choose the brand I know I love. That's my mental system, so to speak.

Since June, I did buy a $7 body lotion on Amazon because mine was completely out — I was quite literally scraping the product out of the sides. Later I found a body lotion in my closet and was like, "Oh crap, I already had one," but beyond that accidental purchase, I haven't had any slip-ups, and I haven't run out of that many products.

I've also stopped spending as much on food

My no-spend journey with products has also made me pay more attention to my food spending habits. My husband and I are vegans, so it's not necessarily easy to eat out. We order groceries online every week and eat out maybe twice a month. Luckily my husband is a great chef, so he makes dinner for us every night.

We've prioritized eating at home since the start of the pandemic, so our food routine isn't new. But I did take DoorDash off my phone. I realized ordering one sushi roll would cost around $35 with delivery and tip included, and I had to ask myself, "What am I doing?"

It's not always easy, but I've learned to get my dopamine hits elsewhere

But watching the recent fall decor and clothing haul content has been difficult. I had to look in my closet at my sweaters and pull out my fall decor. I realized that not only is my stuff still so cute, but the trends have not changed much from last year. It's the same pattern, colors, and vibe.

I used to get a dopamine hit from shopping, but now I've been getting a dopamine hit from going on walks, listening to new songs, getting out with nature, sharing memes with my husband, and doing just about anything with my dogs. I don't just let those moments of joy pass me by. I intentionally sit with them, wire them into my brain, and make a list of those moments of gratitude. Journaling has also been a helpful tool I've used for years when wanting to make a change.

Saving money has been great, but getting time back has been better

After paying bills, with the way I used to shop, I normally wouldn't have much to put in savings. I'm starting to notice what I have left over since I've stopped shopping and moving it into a different account, and I've saved a little over $5,000 at this point. I plan to add the money to a high-yield savings account, but beyond that, I haven't decided what I want to do with the extra money. My husband's great with finances, and I want to talk more with him about it. But what I do know is that I want to spend the money on experiences.

While saving money has been great, the biggest benefit of my no-spend journey has been getting time back. I've been going to bed earlier, waking up earlier, journaling every morning, taking longer walks, and just being more present overall.

Time can't be bought, and I'm being more intentional about how I spend mine.