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**

[ShortErica]

Those are some great questions for @KNC24. I noticed the synthetic vs. natural is the reason for your purchases. Are you keeping the synthetic or decluttering them with the new natural brushes you are buying?

[KNC24]

@ShortErica I’m keeping my synthetics for now. I Haven’t reallly decided yet what to do with them. It never crossed my mind to declutter them. Lol. My natural hair brushes are kept in a box. I kinda know how to care for them. I’m in the research stage for brush care. I want my routine down so I properly care for them. 

[ShortErica]

Never bad to have a few extra brushes so you use clean ones @KNC24. Let us know how brush buying goes and if you slow down once you get more natural brushes in your arsenal.

[curlychiquita]

@KNC24, I bought a lot of brushes last year because my Sigma brushes were on their last legs.  So I did invest in some high quality pieces.  But luckily now that I have a new collection, I haven't been tempted to purchase more.  Hopefully now that your collection is in a good place, you won't need more brushes.

[KNC24]

@curlychiquita I feel like I’m still building though I don’t need anymore. It’s more my natural hair brushes. My previous collection was all synthetic 

[naturellerocker]

My first post in this thread. I'm doing a low-buy, replacement-based year on makeup, skincare, and fragrance products. After hitting Rouge status near the end of 2018, I decided I should stop purchasing so much since there was no charm left - only a vague feeling of discontent I didn't like.

So far, I've went through January without buying anything except one sheet mask. Pretty good since it's almost mid-February now : )

[lnum]

That’s great! That’s pretty much the model I started using after starting this thread five years ago. I usually stock up on my needs during the April 15% off and the November 20% for rouges. In between that I purchase little things like eyeliner and mascara on a monthly basis when they run out as I find this allows me to get some of the 100 point rewards and still feel like I’m getting a treat. 

Hope you come up with some strategies of your own and glad to hear you’re reevaluating how much of your beauty spending at Sephora is really worth it. 

[ShortErica]

Hear hear @byme4u - you worded that perfectly!

[curlychiquita]

That is great, @naturellerocker!

[ElleElleG]

Quick Check In:  I made it through January without any beauty purchases.  It does not count towards my low buy but I had to do some shopping from one of my BIC babes so I did spend a bit earlier this month.  To hit the free shipping mark I tossed in a concealer I've had my eye on for a WHILE into the mix and I'm not kicking myself over it.  

Hoping I can continue to turn a blind eye toward the new releases that are still to come 😁

[lnum]

Stay away from the spring/summer new releases, found in the wild, and hauls threads! Those are pretty dangerous for me. 😅

[curlychiquita]

@ElleElleG, there are so many new releases that on one hand it can be overwhelming, but on the other, I can always count on something else to come out later that I'll like just as much.

[ElleElleG]

Precisely @curlychiquita  !!  There are definite benefits to waiting, items that come out afterwards and more importantly reviews on the initial product of interest.

[ShortErica]

This is so true @curlychiquita. Less FOMO when even better could be yet to come.

[ShortErica]

You are too kind with your encouragement @byme4u. And you've stayed strong for your own goals - congrats!

[curlychiquita]

Thanks, @byme4u!  Great job resisting the Target beauty bag!

[Guessgal]

Thank you @byme4u! This month is a bit tougher than last in terms of resisting temptations for me. Ipsy is sending me a free bag this month since they messed up one of my orders so my cosmetics spend would’ve been zero... but... I got tempted at Winners and bought a $40 Salvatore-Ferragamo fragrance. I’m hoping this will be my first and last beauty purchase of the month 🤞🏻 

[ShortErica]

Thanks so much @byme4u! Quality over quantity is a great idea to take from @sonnydee. Glad you are getting motivation from all these lovely ladies and hope you are sticking to your goals!

[lnum]

Thanks for keeping the momentum going! Hard to believe this is Year 5!! That’s like 20 years in beauty insider community dog years. 😅

[lustylips]

This is such a great thread!!! I almost bought the new Tatcha serum today but I held back! Gotta finish my drunk elephant one first. Seriously filled up with $300 of stuff in my basket and then deleted it!!! It’s so hard!!! I have spent about $300 so far this year...last year I hit $1000 in about a month!!! UGH... STRUGGLE IS REAL LADIES

[sephoraaddict918]

The struggle IS real @lustylips !!! Between Ulta and Sephora, I have already spent over $500, but I don't feel bad about it because these have been planned intentional purchases, and most of the time, I have used gift cards.