Everyone’s talking about “no spend January” like it’s a clever financial strategy. Here’s the thing nobody mentions: January is literally the worst possible month to stop shopping.
You’re not being financially responsible by avoiding stores in January. You’re actually costing yourself money.
Sound backwards? Let me explain why the “no spend January” trend is terrible advice, and what you should be doing instead.
The Cruel Irony of No Spend January
Picture this. You proudly make it through January without buying anything. You feel virtuous. You pat yourself on the back for your incredible willpower.
Then February rolls around. Your winter coat is falling apart, so you buy a new one at full price. You need new storage containers for your garage, so you pay the regular retail price. Your favorite moisturizer runs out, so you reorder it without any discount.
Congratulations. You just spent way more money than you would have in January, and you earned exactly zero cash back on any of it.
January isn’t called “clearance month” for nothing. Retailers are desperate to move winter inventory, holiday overstock, and last season’s products. We’re talking 50-70% off items you’ll actually use. Combine those rock-bottom prices with cash back offers, and you’re looking at the best savings opportunity of the entire year.
Skipping January sales to do “no spend” is like refusing free money because you’re on a budget. It makes no sense.
What January Sales Actually Look Like
Let’s get specific about what you’re missing by avoiding January shopping.
Winter clothing is on clearance. Coats that were $200 in November are $60 in January. Boots, sweaters, scarves, and gloves are marked down 60-70% to make room for spring collections. If you live anywhere with actual winter, you’ll need these items next year anyway. Buy them now at a fraction of the cost.
Home goods and organizational products flood the market in January. Everyone’s in “new year, fresh start” mode, so retailers stock up on storage bins, closet systems, cleaning supplies, and organizational tools. Prices drop significantly because demand spikes. This is when you stock up on household essentials you’ll use all year.
Beauty and personal care items go on deep discount. Holiday gift sets get marked down, brands clear out packaging changes, and winter skincare products hit clearance before spring launches. Your shampoo doesn’t care if you bought it in January or June, but your wallet sure does.
Electronics and appliances see significant price drops, too. Black Friday and Cyber Monday get all the hype, but January tech clearance can be just as good. Retailers need to clear space for new spring models, so last year’s perfectly good products are discounted.
The Math That Makes “No Spend” Look Silly
Here’s what strategic January shopping actually looks like with real numbers.
Say you need a new winter coat. In January, that $180 coat is on clearance for $70. You shop through RebatesMe at Macy’s and earn 15% cash back on your first order (or 9% on orders over $100). That’s $10.50 back in your pocket. Your actual cost: $59.50 for a coat that will last years.
If you wait until next fall after doing a “no spend January,” you’ll pay full price ($180) and earn zero cash back. You just spent $120.50 more for the exact same coat.
Multiply this across everything you actually need, and the “savings” from not shopping in January start looking pretty expensive.
The average RebatesMe user earns $128 in cash back each year simply by shopping through the platform for items they would buy anyway. That’s over $10 a month in free money. January’s massive sales, plus high cash back rates, mean you can hit a significant portion of that annual total in one strategic month.
How to Shop Smart in January (Not Spend Zero)
The goal isn’t to spend nothing. The goal is to spend strategically on what you genuinely need at the best possible prices while earning money back.
Make your January essential items list. What do you actually need that you’d buy this year regardless? Winter clothes for next year, household basics, toiletries, kitchen items, and organizational supplies. Write it down.
Check January clearance prices. Before you buy anything, check whether it’s on clearance. Most items you need routinely go on sale in January. If it’s not on sale yet, wait a week. If it won’t be on sale, consider if you truly need it right now.
Always shop through RebatesMe. This is the step that turns necessary purchases into money-earning purchases. Walmart gives you 7% cash back on January purchases. Sephora offers up to 10% back on first orders. Belk is running 12% cash back right now. You’re buying these items anyway. Why wouldn’t you earn money on them?
Stock up strategically. If something you use regularly is 60% off plus cash back, buy multiples. Your future self will thank you when you’re not paying full price in July.
Track what you save, not what you spend. Shift your mindset. Instead of obsessing over paying $0, track how much you’re saving through clearance prices plus cash back. Watching your cash back balance grow feels way better than feeling guilty about buying toilet paper.
Your Week-by-Week January Cash Back Strategy
Week 1 (Now through January 6): Winter clothing clearance is at its peak. Shop Macy’s (up to 15% cash back), Belk (12% cash back), or Walmart (7% cash back) for coats, boots, and cold-weather gear you’ll need next year.
Week 2 (January 7-13): Home organization and storage solutions. Retailers are fully stocked with organizational products. Hit Walmart (7% cash back) or Home Depot (2% cash back) for bins, shelving, and cleaning supplies.
Week 3 (January 14-20): Beauty and personal care. Sephora (up to 10% cash back on first order, 4% after) and Ulta (up to 6% cash back on first order, 2% after) are running winter sales. Stock up on your regular skincare, makeup, and hair products.
Week 4 (January 21-31): Final clearance markdowns. This is when prices hit rock bottom (70-90% off), but the selection gets picked over. If you’re flexible on colors and sizes, this is your week. Shop whatever’s left at the retailers above with maximum discounts plus cash back.
What This Actually Looks Like in Real Life
Let me show you what happens when you shop strategically in January versus doing “no spend.”
Scenario 1: No Spend January Person
January: Spends $0. Feels proud.
February through December: Buys winter coat at full price ($180), restocks skincare at regular prices ($120 over the year), buys storage bins in May when they’re not on sale ($60), purchases household items at normal prices throughout the year ($200). Earns $0 cash back because they never shop strategically.
Total annual cost: $560
Scenario 2: Strategic January Shopper
January: Buys winter coat on clearance ($70), stocks up on skincare during beauty sales ($60 for year’s supply), gets storage bins during organization season ($25), purchases household essentials at clearance prices ($80). Shop everything through RebatesMe and earn $20 in cash back this month alone.
Rest of year: Already have most essentials. Only needs to replace items as they run out, and continues earning cash back. Total annual cash back: $128.
Total annual cost: $235 minus $128 cash back = $107 actual cost
The “no spend” person spent $453 more than the strategic shopper, and that’s a conservative estimate.
The Purchases That Make Sense in January
Not everything should be bought in January. But certain categories are absolutely worth shopping right now.
Buy these in January: winter clothes and accessories; bedding and towels (white sales); storage and organization products; beauty and skincare products; small kitchen appliances; cleaning supplies; fitness equipment (New Year’s resolution pricing).
Wait on these: Spring/summer clothing, outdoor furniture (buy in August), certain electronics that have spring release dates, holiday items (obviously).
Never skip these: Anything you genuinely need, regardless of the time of year. Toiletries don’t wait for sales. Neither do broken appliances nor kids’ growth spurts. Just make sure you’re shopping through RebatesMe to earn cash back on necessary purchases.
Why Cash Back Changes Everything
Here’s the difference between random shopping and strategic shopping: cash back.
When you buy something at full price without cash back, you’re just spending money. When you purchase something on clearance through RebatesMe, you’re getting a discount on a discount. The clearance price already saves you money. The cash back gives you money back. You’re coming out way ahead.
That $128 average annual cash back isn’t theoretical. That’s real money RebatesMe users actually earn. Some earn more, some earn less, but the average user gets $128 back just by clicking through RebatesMe before shopping at the same stores they already use.
Think about what $128 means to you. That’s a nice dinner out. That’s part of a car payment. That’s your streaming subscriptions covered for several months. That’s money you already spent that’s now being returned to your bank account.
All because you took five seconds to shop through a cash back platform instead of going directly to the retailer’s website.
The Real Financial Responsibility Move
Financial responsibility isn’t about deprivation. It’s about optimization.
Refusing to buy things you need doesn’t make you financially savvy. It makes you financially stressed. You’ll eventually buy those things anyway, probably at worse prices without any cash back.
Real financial responsibility looks like this: Buy what you actually need, when prices are lowest, while earning money back on purchases. January is when all three of these factors align perfectly.
The “no spend January” crowd will tell you that any spending is bad spending. They’re wrong. Bad spending is paying full price for things you need later. Bad spending is missing the one month a year when everything’s on clearance. Bad spending is leaving cash back money on the table because you’re trying to hit some arbitrary $0 spending goal.
Smart spending is recognizing that January sales plus cash back equals the best value you’ll see all year. Smart spending is stocking up now so you’re not scrambling later. Smart spending is tracking the money you earn back, not just the money you spend.
Your January Action Plan
Stop feeling guilty about necessary purchases. Start feeling smart about timing and cash back.
Make a list of things you genuinely need this year. Check if they’re on clearance right now (spoiler: they probably are). Shop through RebatesMe at retailers offering the best cash back rates. Watch your savings stack up.
By the end of January, you’ll have the essentials you need at prices that won’t return until next January. You’ll have cash back money in your account that you earned just by shopping strategically. And you’ll wonder why anyone thinks spending $0 is more impressive than spending smart.
The retailers mentioned here all offer cash back right now: Walmart (7%), Macy’s (up to 15%), Sephora (4%), Ulta (up to 6%), Belk (12%), Home Depot (2%), and hundreds more.
January isn’t the month to stop shopping. It’s the month to start shopping smarter.
Fine Print: Cash back rates are accurate as of December 31, 2025, and are subject to change. Rates fluctuate based on promotions, merchant agreements, and seasonal offers. Always check current rates on RebatesMe.com before making a purchase. The $128 average annual savings figure is based on actual RebatesMe user data and individual results may vary.
