2019 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

updated 12/31/19* The 2020 Thread is here 2020 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

Hey all!  Welcome to Year 5 of the No/Low Buy thread 😲. 

Since 2019 is LITERALLY around the corner so I figured it was time to get this thread started.  The 2018 thread can be located here: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2018-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

For reference here's 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.

The 2017 OP and link:

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...

Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash:

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**

[newcarlee]

Congrats on holding back, @lustylips.  The struggle is real and I gotta say - it’s hard to hold back on Tatcha.  Great job using up what you have before purchasing more!  It really is SO HARD!! 

[Lazybeautybeast]

Thank you for starting this thread again @ElleElleG!

I realized how crazy my spending and stash got the end of last year. So I stepped away from the BIC in Dec/ Jan so could avoid temptation. But while I have been away, I successfully went 50 days without any beauty purchase!!!! 🎉 I have actually enjoyed using up my stash and it has allowed me to focus more on products I enjoy and planning future purchases. I also have big bag of products to donate but I'm having trouble having somewhere locate to bring them. 

I broke my no-buy for February for my birthday. I placed an Ulta order yesterday to get perks, the gwp buy, and redeemed $125 in points so I have only spent $26 year to date! Additionally, I redeemed my points for a $100 Rouge Reward but I think I'm going to wait to redeem it because I don't really want/need anything right now. I also plan on placing a Target order for some Sweet Chef products and possibly some items from FFF add-ons. But those are the only planned purchases right now.

My goal this year is not to re-Rouge until the October sale or later. I will probably aim for the same time frame for Ulta but I may not end up at diamond. My other goals are is minimize waste, recycle empties, and focus on ingredients. 

[ElleElleG]

50 Days down 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽, go @Lazybeautybeast .  Isn't it fun finding things you love within your stash?!

Best of luck with your goals for the year, you can do it!!

[Buootiful]

Congratulations on sticking with it @Lazybeautybeast !!!. I'm glad you can celebrate your Birthday and get some almost free goodies, great job!!

Happy Birthday, too!!

I am focusing on getting something if there is a good gwp when I need a product and if it all has good ingredients. I am very tempted to get a Caroline Herrera gwp but I dont really like the scent so why do I want it? Because the gwp purse is cute and I like the shoe shape bottle. That is not a good reason to get it so Im going to try to not to buy. *fingers crossed*

[curlychiquita]

That is great, @Lazybeautybeast!  Happy birthday, too!

[sephoraaddict918]

Congratulations on sticking to your low buy and above all else ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @Lazybeautybeast !!!!! I hope you have an AMAZING birthday month enjoying your stash!!!

[CC3616]

@Lazybeautybeast Congrats on the great work! 

[elthom]

You've been doing well! Congratulations!! You mentioned waiting to use your Rouge Reward - but just a reminder that it will expire in 90 days from when you claimed it - so don't wait too long!!

[eshoe]

Happy Birthday @Lazybeautybeast !!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!!

[rockstargina]

Since finding out I am pregnant at the end of 2018, I have spent $0 for 2019. So far, so good!

[Buootiful]

Congrats on your pregnancy!! @rockstargina 

[rockstargina]

Thank you!

[curlychiquita]

Great job, @rockstargina !  Congratulations on your pregnancy, too!

[rockstargina]

Thank you!

[eshoe]

Congratulations @rockstargina! Very happy for you on both accounts😊

[rockstargina]

Thank you!

[WinglessOne]

Congratulations @rockstargina (on both your pregnancy and $0 spend)! 

[rockstargina]

Thank you!

[WinglessOne]

January progress report on my low-buy lipstick goal (number and space limits on the total amount of lipstick in my collection). 

Online purchases: 

Spoiler

  - 4 bullets

  - 8 liquid lipsticks (3 are a mini trio, 2 are a FS duo)

  - 7 crayons

I’m giving one of the liquid lipsticks to a friend. 2 of the bullets wound up not working for me. At least I didn’t pay full price for them. But yeah, I was definitely lured by some really good sales. I have zero regrets about 5 of the crayons I bought; in fact, I had regretted not buying them back when they first launched, and was excited to get another chance—and at a fantastic price! 

In-store purchases: Just one bullet! 😮 

Declutters: 9 bullets (including 2 of the new purchases). 

Other acquisitions: 1 liquid lipstick in my Beautylish Lucky Bag, plus 6 liquid mattes via lucky bag trade. I’m including these because I got them all in January, though my original lucky bag was a December purchase. 

Total lipsticks in my collection (as of today): 

Spoiler

  - 125 bullets (below strict 160 limit)

  - 10 crayons (still got room for a few more) 

  - 27 liquid mattes (not out of room yet) 

  - 37 glosses & other liquids (room for a few more) 

 199 total

Conclusion: 

I did amazingly well in stores! I’m so proud of myself for not walking out of any store with an armful of lipsticks. All but 2 of my online purchases were sale priced, so I didn’t break the bank. Still, a couple of them were duds—which reminds me that I need to be more mindful when tempted by online sales. 

I’m still in declutter mode, so I’ve got more purges to make. Glad I’m still below my 160-bullet limit, and haven’t run out of storage space for liquid lipsticks yet. So far, so good! 

[curlychiquita]

Good start to the year, @WinglessOne!

[CC3616]

@WinglessOne Good job! I think having a set number is a great way to stick to your goals 🙂