A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you buy many things?
2. What is a long time?
3. Do you like shopping?
4. What is a strong feeling?
5. Do you save money easily?
6. What is a used product?
7. Do you worry about the planet?
8. What is a big challenge?
9. Do you think you can stop shopping?
10. What is a clear rule?
11. Do you wear old clothes?
12. What is a small repair?
13. Do you like simple things?
14. What are three things you must buy?
15. Do you think a no-buy year is a good idea?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What is the difference between saving money and a no-buy challenge?
2. Why do people choose to stop buying new things for a year?
3. What are the good things and bad things about repairing old items?
4. How can a person prepare for a no-buy year?
5. Should all schools teach students how to resist advertising?
6. Why is it important to define “essential” items clearly?
7. Do you think a no-buy year improves creativity?
8. What is the purpose of consuming less?
9. How does social media affect the desire to buy new things?
10. What is the difference between buying new and buying secondhand?
11. Do you think a no-buy year is good for the environment?
12. What are the problems when people break the rules of their own challenge?
13. When is the best time to start a major shopping reduction?
14. What are two things a person learns during a no-buy year?
15. How does a no-buy year affect relationships with friends and family?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. What are the rules for politely explaining your no-buy year to a friend?
2. How does the pressure of consumer culture make a no-buy year difficult?
3. Should the government provide tax breaks for people who repair items instead of replacing them?
4. What is the difference between a total no-buy and a minimal-buy challenge?
5. Do you believe that a no-buy year helps fight overconsumption?
6. What are the challenges of replacing broken essential items without buying new ones?
7. How does the focus on buying affect the appreciation for what you already own?
8. What is the idea of “mindful consumption”?
9. Is it fair or unfair when some people can afford to buy what they need and others cannot?
10. How does a lack of repair skills prevent people from participating in this challenge?
11. What are the steps for properly organizing your home before a no-buy year?
12. What is the value of finding happiness without material purchases?
13. Should public media highlight the environmental benefits of reduced consumption?
14. What are the reasons why some people feel they need retail therapy?
15. How does a no-buy year challenge the concept of economic growth?
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. What are the social pressures to buy gifts for others during a no-buy year?
2. What are the moral problems when necessary medical items are part of the challenge?
3. How does constant online viewing of unboxing videos affect the desire to buy?
4. Should retail companies be legally required to disclose the lifespan of their products?
5. Analyze the psychological effect of resisting temptation for a long period.
6. Who is responsible for promoting repair skills and community sharing libraries?
7. What is your view on the practice of only buying services, not physical items?
8. Evaluate the role of personal budgeting apps in helping people avoid unnecessary spending.
9. How does the concept of “status consumption” conflict with a no-buy year?
10. Discuss the concept of “consumer burnout.”
11. What are the problems with having very different definitions of “essential” items among participants?
12. What are the legal differences between a personal saving goal and a consumer boycott?
13. Do you agree that the purpose of a no-buy year is mainly personal financial freedom?
14. What steps should be taken to ensure that people do not simply hoard before the challenge starts?
15. How does the challenge of a no-buy year affect creative problem-solving skills?
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Is it fair that the economic stability of many countries relies on constant consumer spending?
2. What is the right way to think about a consumer’s moral duty to reduce their environmental impact?
3. How do the platform’s algorithms influence the visibility of no-buy year content?
4. When should the government consider mandatory “minimal packaging” rules for all products?
5. What are the moral questions when we talk about encouraging others to stop buying, potentially harming local businesses?
6. How does the focus on quick challenge completion affect the long-term, necessary investment in sustainable life habits?
7. Discuss the impact of a mass consumer shift on the advertising industry.
8. How should leaders use tax incentives to promote repair services over new sales?
9. What is the idea of “voluntary simplicity”?
10. What are the long-term effects on society when the collective belief in material happiness declines?
11. What are the difficulties when courts try to decide if a company is misleading people about a product’s lifespan?
12. How does the search for total self-discipline conflict with the need for reasonable comfort?
13. Do you agree that the most important thing is the political statement against corporate greed?
14. What are the simple moral rules a person should follow when they are constantly asked for money during their no-buy year?
15. Should the government set a legal minimum for the warranty period on all major appliances?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. What is the real difference between a person’s voluntary abstinence from buying and their psychological fear of debt?
2. Debate the idea: Should we completely eliminate the concept of non-essential luxury goods?
3. How does the concept of “wealth” change when it is defined by experiences and time, not material possessions?
4. What laws or rules are needed to control how technology platforms use algorithms to encourage spending?
5. How do historical views of scarcity and thrift affect modern consumer behavior?
6. How can communities maintain economic vitality when citizens stop participating in the consumption cycle?
7. Argue the point that humans should stop all attempts to control consumption and allow the individual total freedom of purchase.
8. What protection should laws give to employees who report excessive waste in their company’s supply chain?
9. How can we stop the problem of using the argument of “choice” to justify unsustainable consumption?
10. What did old thinkers say about moderation, self-control, and the moral use of resources that is still relevant today?
11. What will happen to the need for human production workers if AI and automation lead to a massive reduction in demand?
12. How do people use the idea of “sustainability” to avoid discussing their financial anxiety?
13. How does the experience of a major personal financial challenge improve a person’s appreciation for simple durability?
14. What is the power of a collective movement to demand that companies design products to last a lifetime?
15. If scientists could create a perfect, environmentally neutral product, how would that fundamentally change the purpose of a no-buy year?
