2018 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

*updated 11/25/18*

The 2019 thread is now available here: 

Spoiler

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2019-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...#M342753

Hey all!  For the last few years the lovely @lnum has hosted this thread to help us stay motivated on our no-buys and low-buys. In an effort to keep her work alive, here is the 2018 edition.

The purpose of this thread (from lnum):

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

Feel free to share your goals, items that tempt you, missteps (we don't believe in failures), and any successes.  Above all else, encourage and support one another.

Here's the OP from 2017 as well as the link for those interested: 

Spoiler

lnum wrote:

Welcome to Year 3!

My motto for this thread is that I strongly believe, even on a budget, you can have the things you want that make you happy without feeling like you're limiting yourself. 

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

I am so excited to spend another year with you all. If it wasn't for the first two years of this thread, I would never have been able to cut down my beauty spending. My goal for this year is to maintain low spending on beauty, and cut down my clothing purchases. I will be funneling that money into traveling, which is what I have done in the past and it's a great goal that truly motivates me. 

I'm still so proud of everyone for making it through 2015 and 2016, limiting ourselves in the beauty product area in order to improve our lives in other areas. We all did great and here's to another year of learning and saving!

Here is a link to the 2015 thread: http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB-ROUGE/2015-The-No-Buy-Low-Buy-Budget-Buy-Accountability-and-Supp...

2016 thread: 

http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2016-The-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/td...

 2017 thread: https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2017-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/m...

Interested in Some Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash?  Check Out These Threads:

Spoiler

Pan It! 2018 Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Pan-It-2018-Challenge/m-p/3604337#M317498

Use Your Foil Samples Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Use-Your-Foil-Samples-Challenge-January-2018/m-...

The Perfume Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Perfume-Posse/The-Perfume-Challenge/m-p/2633976#M18939

Mask of the Week Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/3615125#M44343

**are you participating in a challenge that I failed to mention?  if so please let me know I can link it here**

💜💜💜

[Aaliaa]

I really like the idea of tallying up what you've used up simultaneously while tracking what you spent. Congrats on Reverse-Rouge @fieldsofclover!

[sprocketta]

@fieldsofclover both your mindful approach to spending and evaluating usage of products you already have are inspirational for all of us. Thanks for sharing.

[fieldsofclover]

Thanks @sprocketta, I'm never sure when I'm just rambling to myself, but I always enjoy reading about other people's thought processes so I try to give back what I get. ❤️ 

[ElleElleG]

Nice job using up your stash.  The Sephora promos may look good now but it's not unusual for promos to reappear later in the year.  Unless you have to make a purchase I wouldn't go out of the way to spend $$ for a promo 

[fieldsofclover]

Thanks @ElleElleG! Yeah, I'm holding fast to not spending anything just for promos... I don't like to keep backups of things either so I just have to hope my periodic restocks of things every month or two line up with some fun extras.

[curlychiquita]

Congratulations on reverse rogueing, @fieldsofclover!

[fieldsofclover]

Thank you @curlychiquita!

[trishavt]

I hope everyone is doing well with their no/low buys! Ive been trying to be good and focus on saving money by shopping my stash. I’ve also donated a lot of stuff which is a great feeling because who doesn’t love surprises? And it has helped clear up some space in my room. All in all, I’m super happy that I’m making progress on using things I own instead of buying more things that I don’t really need. Sending you all good vibes as you work on meeting your goals 🙂 

[curlychiquita]

That's great, @trishavt!  I'm trying to shop my stash, too, particularly all of my samples!

[ElleElleG]

Glad to see you @trishavt !  Donating is a wonderful idea, I need to look into local options and see what I might can do.

[DreyHI]

Who do you donate to?  I have lots of makeup I'm not going to use, but struggle with how to find someone who might want it.     

[fieldsofclover]

@DreyHI Unused products and samples are much appreciated by women's shelters and similar programs! A lot of orgs with websites will have a page of info describing the kind of items they're especially happy to receive.

For makeup that's already been used, friends and relatives are the way to go here since it generally can't be donated even if it's been sanitized.

[actingirlll]

You can ask your friends if they want any of it!!👍🏻

[blackkitty2014]

Hello beautiful @trishavt! I need to check in this thread often too 🙂 Otherwise i will be an old lady with lots of old makeups and no retirement 🤪🤣

[sprocketta]

Just checking in.  Been on the strict no buy for almost a month now after skipping the sale completely.  That was slightly mitigated by going shopping at a new Ulta with my mom and her insisting on buying me the Smashbox petal metal lipstick in In Bloom. I was pretty clear upfront that I wasn't going to buy anything but she insisted on going and we had a great time.  Today I needed face wash so no getting around that.  I had a Macy's gift card so I spent $2.76 out of pocket on it.  As much as I want to consolidate my Clinique purchases to Sephora with everything else, the wonderful rep at Macy's is a doll, lives across the street from me and always gives me extra free stuff when I buy from him.  I got a makeup bag and coin purse for spending $2.76 cash.  Win!

[curlychiquita]

That's great, @sprocketta!

[sprocketta]

Thanks for the support @curlychiquita. Hope you're having a fabulous holiday weekend.

[ElleElleG]

Sounds like things have been going fabulously (only $2.76 spent 😯😯😯).  Keep up the amazing work!

[sprocketta]

I'm trying @ElleElleG. All these weekend sales are making it tough!

[ElleElleG]

you can do it @sprocketta !  I haven't seen any sales that are above and beyond the sales offered later in the year.  It's almost over

[scott1201]

I love all the GWP that Clinque offers at Macy's and Nordstrom. Great job managing your no-buy, @sprocketta