As things become increasingly more expensive, saving your money can feel even more difficult, but not for Mia Westrap. After finding herself in some debt as a result of “destroying her financial life” throughout university, this revealed that she was going to challenge herself to a “no spend year.”.

In 2024, Mia Westrap shared online her commitment to spending no additional money that year, outside of what she needs. Leading up to the new year, Mia shared in a video that she earned around £2,000 a month and acknowledged that she could “pay for everything I need quite comfortably,” but that it was the additional expenses that were her problem.

Throughout the unique savings journey, Mia shared her struggles and successes online and quickly gained a large interest in her financial journey, with over 56k followers on TikTok. On January 3 this year, she finally revealed in a video the moment her viewers had all been waiting for: how much she had managed to save.

With a drum roll, Mia revealed that she saved £7,700 in 2024, thanks to her “no buying” year. She said: “I have been so invigorated by saving money this year, I don’t think that’s a habit I’m going to get rid of anytime soon. “

Viewers flooded the comments, with one person writing, “So many people have now made this their New Year’s resolution. I think you’ve started a revolution that can only benefit us and the environment. “

Now, with the big bucks in her bank, the creator shared some extra ‘tips’ for others looking to do a “no buy year.” She shared that you need to “make your bank account your best friend,” as opposed to your worst enemy.

Mia explained that the biggest thing for her was checking her bank account on a daily basis, a habit that has become “pivotal” for saving money. “I now know where my money is going and where it was coming from and how often,” she shared.

She also advised going through some bank statements to see where your subscriptions are going out, what you can potentially cancel, and where your problem areas are.

Her next big piece of advice was to “shop what you have.” This means going through your bookshelves, seeing what you may not have read yet, sifting through your wardrobe to see whether there were any pieces you may have forgotten about, and anything lying around that could become a hobby.

Mia went on to say: “You’re going to tell everyone in your life what you’re doing so that they can be supportive and know that you won’t be willing to go out on lunches or dinners.”

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She said that loved ones may even be “grateful,” as you could be the catalyst for them to address their own bad spending habits.”

The creator also revealed the savings habits from her “no spend year” that she’ll be taking into 2025. Many users were thankful for the advice and said they would take some of her tips onboard.

The first one was not buying products unless they have run out. She explained that she had not been tempted to buy new makeup last year, but that this also included the likes of new skincare, haircare, and cleaning products.

Another habit is sticking to not buying “hot and cold drinks out.” She explained: "I thought I would really miss my iced lattes and Starbucks and things like that, but I haven't really missed out. I’ve really enjoyed making my own coffee at home, finding out the different instant coffees that I really like, and it’s like a little treat for myself every morning."

A big saver for Mia last year was books, “a big problem area” of hers. "I would always buy into the newest releases, and then again they would collect dust on my bookshelves, so now I have a library card. I’ve also got an Oxfam bookshop like five minutes away from my flat, and A World of Books is also an option," she said.

It seems while the TikToker is saving money, she’s also now more considerate about the reasons behind her purchases and living a more sustainable lifestyle, which she encourages her viewers to do too.