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Saying No to New: Why New Things Are Stealing Your Time, Money, and Happiness―and How to Take Back Your Life
New things are everywhere—and they’re causing us to disconnect from what we value most in life. From New York Times journalist Eric Athas comes a groundbreaking solution on how to rewire our impulses to consume new things and reclaim control of our lives and spending habits.
One of the biggest lies of modern times is that new is always better. A new phone is always better than the previous edition. A new pair of sunglasses is always better than the one you wore last summer. The new fitness app is always better than the one you already downloaded. Influencers are constantly promoting the latest trends, and retailers are designing frictionless experiences that optimize for speedy checkouts. Sooner or later, we can’t help but feel like a new product, trend, or fad is too good to resist. Saying No to New recognizes that instead of improving our lives, new things often distract us from our goals. They steal our time, money and attention—and even our joy and happiness.
As a solution to today’s challenges, Saying No to New will help Understand how your own brain may be pushing you to newness for brief dopamine hits Become knowledgeable about the landscape of new things and the forces pulling you in Master the art of detecting persuasion in humans and technology Make smarter decisions about what to embrace and what to deflect Develop a calmer, healthier, clutter-free lifestyle
In Saying No to New, Eric Athas draws upon his experiences and the latest research—as well as interviews with scientists, philosophers, tech insiders, happiness gurus, decision-making experts, and others—to provide a framework for reshaping your relationship with new things. You will learn how to break the flow of new things into your life and take a more intentional approach to the ones you do encounter.
One of the biggest lies of modern times is that new is always better. A new phone is always better than the previous edition. A new pair of sunglasses is always better than the one you wore last summer. The new fitness app is always better than the one you already downloaded. Influencers are constantly promoting the latest trends, and retailers are designing frictionless experiences that optimize for speedy checkouts. Sooner or later, we can’t help but feel like a new product, trend, or fad is too good to resist. Saying No to New recognizes that instead of improving our lives, new things often distract us from our goals. They steal our time, money and attention—and even our joy and happiness.
As a solution to today’s challenges, Saying No to New will help Understand how your own brain may be pushing you to newness for brief dopamine hits Become knowledgeable about the landscape of new things and the forces pulling you in Master the art of detecting persuasion in humans and technology Make smarter decisions about what to embrace and what to deflect Develop a calmer, healthier, clutter-free lifestyle
In Saying No to New, Eric Athas draws upon his experiences and the latest research—as well as interviews with scientists, philosophers, tech insiders, happiness gurus, decision-making experts, and others—to provide a framework for reshaping your relationship with new things. You will learn how to break the flow of new things into your life and take a more intentional approach to the ones you do encounter.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 14, 2026
What a thought provoking and illuminating book.
Athas holds our hand as he walks us through the modern day dilemma of material indulgence. We live in a time where anything is just a click away from our doorstep.
The book is roughly broken down into 1) why we seek the new, the trendy, the upgraded, 2) how marketing and social media flame the consumption fire, 3) the psychology behind wrangling our self determination so our choices align with our values, and 4) practical steps to apply all of the overarching themes.
I enjoyed this book and it has created a wonderful opportunity for reflection.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for the eARC of this book.
Saying No to New will be published Sept 15, 2026.
Athas holds our hand as he walks us through the modern day dilemma of material indulgence. We live in a time where anything is just a click away from our doorstep.
The book is roughly broken down into 1) why we seek the new, the trendy, the upgraded, 2) how marketing and social media flame the consumption fire, 3) the psychology behind wrangling our self determination so our choices align with our values, and 4) practical steps to apply all of the overarching themes.
I enjoyed this book and it has created a wonderful opportunity for reflection.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for the eARC of this book.
Saying No to New will be published Sept 15, 2026.
July 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and associated publishers for the ARC of this book. Overall I sometimes have a hard time reading and not listening to “self help/reflection” books, but I’m going to continue to challenge myself to pick up titles like this that challenges our every day “consumer” culture.
September 25, 2026
Phenomenal read. Part behavioral economics, part social science, part investigative journalism - something that will not only make you a smarter consumer, but a smarter person as well. Can't recommend enough!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Saying No to New: Why New Things Are Stealing Your Time, Money, and Happiness and How to Take Back Your Life by Eric Athas confirms something I've believed for a long time: constantly chasing the latest and greatest often robs us of our joy, time, and money.
Technology is sometimes a good thing. Sometimes it's a very good thing. But sometimes it taxes our minds and our lives. Being too connected isn't always healthy. It makes us want more, buy more, and consume more when perhaps we should simply pause, be content, and enjoy what we already have.
We have become targets of clever marketing and constant solicitation. Social media fuels FOMO and encourages us to believe we always need the next new thing. We've become a culture that consumes disposable products rather than investing in quality. Athas walks readers through the process of identifying which things truly add value to their lives and which things simply create clutter, stress, and unnecessary spending.
I loved everything about this book. It reinforces the idea that less really can be more. In a world filled with fake reviews, endless advertising, and subpar manufacturing, prioritizing your personal values should guide every purchasing decision. And when in doubt, just say no. Don't fall victim to pressure.
My best friend and I have a saying: "When in doubt, do nothing." This book echoes that sentiment perfectly. More than anything, it's a reminder to slow the heck down, take a breath, and make thoughtful choices based on what truly matters. Declutter your life, declutter your mind, and focus on what brings genuine value and happiness.
Thank you to Eric Athas, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Technology is sometimes a good thing. Sometimes it's a very good thing. But sometimes it taxes our minds and our lives. Being too connected isn't always healthy. It makes us want more, buy more, and consume more when perhaps we should simply pause, be content, and enjoy what we already have.
We have become targets of clever marketing and constant solicitation. Social media fuels FOMO and encourages us to believe we always need the next new thing. We've become a culture that consumes disposable products rather than investing in quality. Athas walks readers through the process of identifying which things truly add value to their lives and which things simply create clutter, stress, and unnecessary spending.
I loved everything about this book. It reinforces the idea that less really can be more. In a world filled with fake reviews, endless advertising, and subpar manufacturing, prioritizing your personal values should guide every purchasing decision. And when in doubt, just say no. Don't fall victim to pressure.
My best friend and I have a saying: "When in doubt, do nothing." This book echoes that sentiment perfectly. More than anything, it's a reminder to slow the heck down, take a breath, and make thoughtful choices based on what truly matters. Declutter your life, declutter your mind, and focus on what brings genuine value and happiness.
Thank you to Eric Athas, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As Ethas mentions throughout, it is SO hard to say no to buying new stuff these days! Our brains crave new things and new experiences (all those dopamine hits!) and online retailers have made the process of purchasing so friction-free that it's a minor miracle that we're not all drowning in debt!
I was intrigued by some of the tips he gave for how to take back your life. One suggestion involved thinking about your values (or as I would put it, what you value). Apparently just outlining what you most care about can help you resist quick current rewards in favor of fulfilling your greater dreams. For example, I value travel. However, every click I make on Amazon reduces how much traveling I'm able to do and where I'm able to go. Maybe thinking about this at the point of purchase will give me the power to hit pause and think about what I really want to do. Definitely going to give this a try!
Another key element is to adding more friction to the process of purchasing. Don't save your credit card info. Leave your phone in the other room. Wait a day before making any new purchase. Buy in person and never online. A more diabolical suggestion that I loved involved giving a friend or partner $5 for each unnecessary transaction or donating it to a charity that you HATE. Ooh, that would burn!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley, for this ARC!
I was intrigued by some of the tips he gave for how to take back your life. One suggestion involved thinking about your values (or as I would put it, what you value). Apparently just outlining what you most care about can help you resist quick current rewards in favor of fulfilling your greater dreams. For example, I value travel. However, every click I make on Amazon reduces how much traveling I'm able to do and where I'm able to go. Maybe thinking about this at the point of purchase will give me the power to hit pause and think about what I really want to do. Definitely going to give this a try!
Another key element is to adding more friction to the process of purchasing. Don't save your credit card info. Leave your phone in the other room. Wait a day before making any new purchase. Buy in person and never online. A more diabolical suggestion that I loved involved giving a friend or partner $5 for each unnecessary transaction or donating it to a charity that you HATE. Ooh, that would burn!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley, for this ARC!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews