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**

💜💜💜

[lnum]

Honestly taking a break from BIC can be a good thing. It was really enabling for me to be on here all the time. Avoiding hearing about the new releases also helped me rediscover my collection and narrow down a skincare routine that really works for me. You do what you need to!

[rockstargina]

Once I have birth to my son, I had no time for YouTube or BIC which really helped curb my spending habits. I know if it gets out of hand I will need to take  another break so I’m not tempted further. 

[christyrc]

@rockstargina I’m in the same boat. I’ve been splurging the last four months and I need accountability. I’m ready to go into low-buy mode and focus on being thankful for what I’ve got. In front of dear BIC witnesses, I’m swear I will only buy legit staples (and no backups!) and one holiday eyeshadow palette from now until 2019 (at least). I am onboard!

[rockstargina]

Yes we can all this!  Strength in numbers, right?

[eshoe]

@rockstargina I am planning my low buy through April as well! I would like to go six months but may need to replace a foundation (and may need to switch to a different brand, though I have found one I like thanks to samples!) before then. I tried the foundation yesterday and immediately went online to buy it and thought, why? I still have about 1/3 of the bottle, I will use it up as I don't mind it, and instead I can focus of the upcoming months and gifts! So the timing couldn't be better that I stumbled upon a post here and got a little motivation to get the ball rolling. Good luck, I know you can do this!:)

[rockstargina]

I know the feeling!  I do the same thing with products. I need to stop buying back-ups of things until they are actually needed. I have easy access to Sephora at work of I run out of something and I have plenty of new things to try out to that I won’t get to if I keep buying back-ups!  

We can do this!  You have plenty of foundation right now. It’s just about that gratification of buying something or fear of running out of something!

[eshoe]

Thanks @rockstargina. Pretty excited to do this😊

[JenniferOhJenny]

Has anyone ever gone to the Makeup Rehab subreddit? I find it really helpful in terms of getting ideas to use and be happy with what I have, and just all around support and motivation. I especially love the TMO (talk me out of) threads. I never post, just lurk, but I really like it. I will say that I think sometimes people swing a little in the opposite direction and end up with a "I only want to have one lipstick, one eyeliner, etc. and I'm going to get rid of everything else" mentality, even if it means giving away things they like. I'm not interested in that - I love what I have, I just want to use it instead of buying more.

Incidentally, I only bought nail polish during the sale, and am basically not buying any more makeup or skincare for the foreseeable future. 🙂

[eshoe]

After reading @ShortErica's post here yesterday, @JenniferOhJenny, I went over to that thread because I was a little blown away that she is willing to commit to a full year😳 Found a budget app and just completed it. I’m thinking low buy until May, but this is a first-ever for me so we’ll see how it goes. Keeping my 2 subs so I have a few fun/new things each month to look forward to.  I certainly have enough, and would like to focus on other things for a bit. 

[sprocketta]

Good luck @eshoe  I'm always here to offer encouragement.  You can do it!

[eshoe]

Thanks, @sprocketta! I'm kind of excited to see how well I can adhere to a plan. I counted my sheet masks this morning to make sure I have enough, and looks like if I stick to one a day I am only a few days short of 6 months, lol. I am definitely motivated! 

[JenniferOhJenny]

@eshoe Ooh, good idea! I want to do something similar to that with my sheet masks; I'm going to count them tonight. I don't think I have enough for 6 months, but I'm fairly certain I have enough for 3. 

[eshoe]

I didn’t count my sub, either @JenniferOhJenny@- that adds 7/month. So I have more than enough. Plus this way it will help me use masks I’ve been putting off/don’t care for. Curious how many you end up with!

[JenniferOhJenny]

@eshoe I counted! I have around 75 sheet masks, with the majority being the Dermal ones I bought from Amazon. I don't know that my skin can handle one every day, so I'm thinking one every other day. Either way, I'm making a concerted effort to use them...starting tonight with one of the Creme Shop Hello Kitty masks. Might as well start with a bang 🙂

[eshoe]

Awesome, @JenniferOhJenny! Love your choice to kick it all off, too:)

[sprocketta]

Holy cow @eshoe 1 a day for 6 months?  That's quite the collection! You should post a pic of it.

[eshoe]

It really doesn’t look like that much, @sprocketta! You would be surprised. 

[ShortErica]

I guess I have become a makeup user but have never been a makeup addict. So I am hoping the no buy is doable. I've been keeping a notebook in my bathroom and create a tally when I use products. My last purchase was at the end of October for the BITE BEAUTY - Agave Treat Trio Mini Agave Lip Mask Set and LANEIGE - Kiss and Make Up Set. I also ordered the BOSCIA - MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil to try. That's a part of my skin routine I'm still trying to figure out what's my style. But back to the point, keeping track of product uses made me realize that although some things do pique my interest, it is better to use what I have to the fullest extent before it would expire. For example, the free birthday paaarty blush I've used I think 80 times and it seems like there is barely a dent. I like it plus I bought the tarte blush palette last year so between the two I have quite a few color options and there's no need to buy blush. Why not just use what I enjoy instead of trying to find the next thing? But everyone is different and this thread seems awesome that everyone can set their own goals and learn from each other. Best of luck @eshoe on the low-buy. I love spreadsheets and data and highly recommend tracking uses as a motivational tool.

[eshoe]

Thank you for the advice and encouragement, @ShortErica! My makeup is pretty much the same  everyday, though I have picked up a couple of palettes and a few lipsticks in the past few months. My weakness is skincare. I stocked up enough during the sale though, that I have no need to purchase anything new for awhile. My most frequent consumables are sheet masks, but I am set for a few months on those as well as keeping my sheet mask sub as part of my plan. I am looking at it as a low-buy since I am budgeting a small amount for my 2 subs. Other than that and a replacement for my foundation in the next few months when I run out, I need absolutely nothing 🙂

[JenniferOhJenny]

@eshoe I think that's a good plan - it's important to have things to look forward to for a little bit of a treat, otherwise you'll be more tempted to break your no-buy. I haven't committed to a no/low buy yet; I just haven't really bought anything :). (It helps that I legit do not have the money for it, but I digress.) I'm also trying to really look closely at what I think about buying and make sure the quality is there and I'm not just wanting something because it's new and shiny and pink. So I might ask for one of the smaller PMG palettes for Christmas, and I feel ok about that.

As far as skincare goes, I just absolutely do not need anything. I'll probably need to repurchase a cleanser at some point next year but that's it.

[eshoe]

That would make a great Christmas gift, @JenniferOhJenny! I am going to take a cue from you, and if anything really catches my eye before then, I am just going to ask my husband for it! I also don't want want to be passing down a mindset of see-it, buy-it to my daughter. She's getting older and is noticing these things more and more. Thank you for the words of encouragement, too 🙂