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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:
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:
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:
Well I’m back, I’ve got to get back on the no buy train. I’ve got 5 days of no buy under my belt. Just trying to make it to August 1, 2019 for now.
One day at a time @howconnie - you can do it!
Thanks for the encouragement
Thanks
@KehDee I’ve somewhat curbed my impulsive lipstick spending by listing out names of lipsticks I own and keeping a tally of what I’ve amassed in an excel file. I’m almost certain I got this idea from here many years ago haha. Anyways, it’s helped me realize I have all these forgotten treasures and makes it more fun to “shop my stash.” I also mark down the date of purchase so it serves as a reminder for me that if I buy a lot of lipsticks at once, they’ll all go bad around the same time (this is my biggest makeup fear). These are just some thoughts that keep the buying at bay for me. Good luck with your new collection and good to hear that you’re starting to feel like it is at a good place! 🤗
I haven't been on the thread recently but have you done the 100 days of lipstick challenge @KehDee? I recommend it and set yourself goals along the way. For example you mention considering new blush. Maybe after 30 lipsticks you will realize which blush shade your current collection lacks and can reward yourself with one. While using your lipsticks though, try not to buy anymore but maybe also have set milestones during the challenge when you can buy one.
I vote to stick with your current skincare. Focus on the makeup part of your budget and figuring out your triggers and how to manage them. Then go down the rabbit hole of skincare options next.
You'll be able to achieve it @KehDee! Stay strong.
@KehDee I echo @faeriegirl about organization. Seeing your products can be very eye opening.
I created a spreadsheet of my products and have been tracking uses. So in the future I can know if a blush takes me 2 years to use, sure I can have a few options, but I likely don’t need 20 blushes that will go bad.
I also really like @Asche’s idea of a waiting period. Maybe you will end up still buying but it won’t be an impulse buy.
Also feel free to post here when you are tempted to buy. It is helpful to work through why you want to buy something and everyone can be a good sounding board if you truly need/want something vs. just buying to buy.
Everyone is different but the thread is helpful. You can do it!
@KehDee I'm an impulse shopper too. This is my third year attempting a low-buy and I'm finally starting to be more successful. Here are a few things that have been working for me this time around:
1) Unsubscribing from all e-mails that are sending shopping promotions to my inbox. If I don't see it, I won't know about it so I won't be tempted to jump on something just because it's on sale.
2) Avoid browsing online stores when bored. This is something I'd do all the time and it always led to me inevitably making a purchase. Whenever I feel the urge to do this, I play a game on my phone instead.
3) If there is something I want, I strictly enforce a 'waiting period'. I found that a lot of the time, I'd buy things impulsively and then never touch them once I owned them. Now, I try to wait a couple of weeks. If I'm still interested, I'll try to budget for it. Usually, I lose interest and never end up buying it.
4) I remind myself why I need to stop spending (in my case, I need to pay for grad school). When I actually sit down and work out my finances, reality hits me and I feel stressed. I know I'm only going to feel more stressed if I purchase another makeup item that I don't really need.
5) I look at how much makeup/clothing I already own. I reorganized my makeup recently and it was eye-opening to see how much stuff I own (and knowing how much it all cost). I have made everything more visible so I can always see the quantity of products I already have. I've been trying to enjoy them more rather than focusing solely on the next thing I want.
I hope that's a little helpful. 🙂
Really practical ideas! Good luck with graduate school! @Asche
Thanks @tsavorite! It sure has given me motivation to curb the spending. 😄
@KehDee I am really bad at impulse spending too. I think the one thing that has helped me the most was completely organizing everything. Once I had everything sorted and in place it was shocking at how much I had accumulated and how much would be wasted if I kept buying more instead of using what I have. Now when I’m at home and I’m having impulse issues I go to my closet and see everything I have and remind myself I don’t need more and it has definitely helped.
I truly like this idea! All my makeup is tucked away in cute little bags but...out of sight, out of mind. They end up going unused and I impulsively buy similar items. I need to find a way to display everything and appreciate what I have. Thanks!