The start of a new year is the perfect time to take stock of our lives – our health, relationships, professional growth, finances. And the latter includes our shopping habits. If you put yours under the microscope, how do they shape up?
Do you visit certain supermarkets out of habit, maybe because they’re on the way home from work, when you could shop more wisely, and affordably, elsewhere? What do you comfort-buy? What could be cheaper on subscription? Do you waste too much food, or own too many clothes? Do you want to shop more sustainably – or curb an out-of-control Vinted habit?
To help during this time of lifestyle renewal, we asked you. Reader Sophy set herself a £400 budget for clothes last year. “In previous years, with my previously well-paid job, I would happily spend £400 per item,” she wrote. “But I am pleased to say I [kept to my budget]. I [also] made myself a jacket, skirt and trousers. And I am rewearing my old wardrobe.”
But, she writes, “I can’t seem to kick my expensive skincare habit. I am still spending £200-£400 in Space NK per visit. And I don’t trust cheap brands.”
Another reader plans to give up ordering clothes online. “When they don’t fit well or disappoint in some way, I’m unable to return them since they may well end up in landfill or on a beach in Ghana. So I alter or give them away, or wear them regardless but without pleasure,” she says. “In 2025 I’m going back to boutiques and real shops.”
Reader Victoria also told us she wants to buy fewer clothes. “I set this intention every year, but I seem to weaken around June and October. I don’t mind if the budget is the same, I just want less stuff, and it’s a perennial problem.”
Jane Elliott wrote to us to share her food shopping habits. “My cupboards are full of food, so my resolution for 2025 is to shop more wisely. I know all that’s said about making a menu for the week but even though I’m not young, maybe it’s time to begin.
“I will try to shop more frequently so that food is fresh. I eat lots of fruit and veg and could increase the variety. So during January, I will eat up everything from the cupboards and freezers.”
If smarter grocery shopping is also among your new year resolutions, be sure to check out our new series, the Food Filter. Every week, our expert cooks will be tasting and rating UK supermarket ingredients to help you make the tastiest, best-value choices. First up, who has the best tinned chopped tomatoes, and how much do you really need to spend?
Meanwhile, reader Miriam Kerr told us she would like to get smarter with storage. “Should I have all my bathroom cleaning products in the bathroom, or should that stuff all be together in the kitchen? Should there be a rubbish bin and a recycling bin in every room or is that ridiculous?”
Whatever your shopping goals, we’re here to help. We’re covering everything from the best affordable skincare chosen by the Guardian’s beauty guru, Sali Hughes, to supermarket staples, tested and rated by our food experts. Our fashion team will continue to hand-pick the best clothing and accessories to build on our existing guides, which cover all bases – from slippers to men’s coats – and Jess Cartner-Morley’s monthly fashion edit will keep you in the know year-round (we suggest you don’t go shopping, online or in-store, without it). We’ll also be selecting essential homeware room by room, diving into returns policies from online retailers and testing everything from slow cookers to treadmills, blenders to mattresses. We’ve got so much coming up on the Filter this year. And we hope to help you shop more wisely in 2025.
What about you? Drop us a line at thefilter@theguardian.com. And a very happy new year from all of us!
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This week’s picks
The best running shoes to take you from trail to road to marathon, tried and tested by runners
January style essentials by Jess Cartner-Morley: from super scarves to all-weather leggings
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Editor’s pick
Doing Veganuary, or thinking about embracing the diet longer-term? To put together our beginner’s guide to veganism, Tom Bruce spoke to dietitian Hazel Clarke about the supplements you should consider.
A decade-long vegan himself, Tom also shares his tips on the best food and drink swaps out there – and what you should avoid.
Monica Horridge
Deputy editor, the Filter
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In case you missed it …
Keen to get back into healthy habits post-Christmas, but want to avoid the hordes of recent fitness converts at the gym? We spoke to six leading personal trainers about the best kit for exercising at home – and their choices were surprisingly accessible (including this £5.60 skipping rope that “will improve your fitness significantly” in just 10 minutes a day). Perhaps you were too deep into your Brat summer to read this when we first published it back in August.
