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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:
We are here for you @sprocketta.
I strayed from my low buy and didn't check in for a while. I see a pattern of falling for promo codes. Though I try to replenish items I need, I also add unecessaries to reach the spend limit. I am going to restrict myself to a no buy until I actually run out of something, since I don't need multiple back ups. My only exception is for mini fragrance promos, since I am an avid collector. I can pass on the other promos. I really didn't need a La Mer eye concentrate mini when I have been disappointed by La Mer in the past. And who cares if the Caudalie promo was valued at $100+? I already have a skincare routine!
@fieldsofclover@ElleElleG @ShortErica thanks for your comments and support! 🙂
No problem @JiMi2006
@JiMi2006 Your spreadsheet is nice! It's gratifying to finally use stuff up and get rid of all the extra backups, and going through all the excess stash when the temptation hits can help too! I had promo FOMO big for a while and you have a great point which is what I started to feel too, a lot of them are disappointing or not as good as what I use and I have a routine of things I love! Thanks, that was a good reminder 🙂
Great job tracking. I love your table @JiMi2006. It is nice to hear you are learning your temptations and modifying your spending plan. Keep it up!
Hi all! Hope everyone is doing well with their goals, can't wait to get some free time and read through the posts. I had fun looking back at the early pages to find my goals (like seeing the adorable dumpling money stickers @eshoe got, so cute!) and wondering how everyone is doing with theirs also?
I had checked in earlier this year that I was continuing to curb spending because we wanted to finish paying off my fiances debt and start to build/buy a house by summer and am SUPER EXCITED to share that we did it and we've been in our new home for 2 months this week! We are also working hard at his debt, within months of paying it off and have a great plan for it that allowed us to get into a home and also keeps us living life.
I am admittedly feeling weak and getting burnt out of our strict budget (coincidentally I'm the one who makes it "strict" haha) always having money on the mind etc while working at his debt because thankfully it's not a way I've ever lived before but I am trying hard to stick to it because I know what kind of freedom it allows us in the near future and I really want to go into our marriage without this financial stress! I have been toying with the idea of a "cheat month" in the near future to really stock up our fun money accounts, get some new clothes (it's been a hot minute for both of us and I might have washed a jack black chapstick in my scrubs and ruined a whole load of our laundry ;)) and maybe try to get in a little fall vacay too.
My goals for the year were:
So my 2019 "guidelines"
And I feel I've done well with them! Our grocery budget has been mostly in check. I think I restocked some sunday riley with the spring space NK goody bag (but honestly that was so long ago, LOL) and have done well with only restocks otherwise. I am starting to pick up on restocking spend because I've been working through tons of things, a good thing. I did recently re-VIB but I do buy moon juice supplements at sephora, my "actual" beauty spend for the year at sephora is under $75 and not far from that at ulta either. We were spending like crazy on the house but are finally "settled" as far as main living spaces go.
That's so exciting. Way to achieve your goal @CC3616. Congrats on the new home!
@ShortErica Thank you!
Congrats on the new home purchase! I love hearing stories like these that inspire me to stick with my budget. However, I don't blame you for incorporating some fun money now! You are almost there, and you definitely deserve some fun stuff within reason. I'm happy that met one goal and close to reaching the other.
@JiMi2006 Thanks so much! We are really happy and loving it here and it's nice to see the work transpire into something tangible 🙂
Congratulations on your house, @CC3616 - that is an amazing feat! I am so very happy for you😊 glad you got a kick out of the stickers!
Thank you @eshoe ! Are you still using them or do you use any other planner tools? I got the snap in tracker for the life planner but we are so dynamic with things that I haven't found any weekly stickers that work well.
You know @CC3616 life changes so much. It worked until I adjusted my mindset. Now I just have leftover stickers.
June check-in: Bought some more masks this month but nowhere near my expenses from last month. I’m hoping to be even better in July. Considering it’s halfway through and I’ve only bought eye patches and makeup removing cleansers (which I’m out of), I’m pretty confident I’ll succeed. But who knows how those discount stores will tempt me?!
Totals for June 2019:
Makeup (no buy) - $0
Skincare (low buy) - $55.39
Haircare (low buy) - $0
Totals for my year (November 2018-October 2019) to date:
Makeup (no buy) - $25.56
Prior purchases
Skincare (low buy) - $388.85
Prior purchases
Haircare (low buy/smart buy) - $182.04
Prior purchases
Hopefully my late post still helps others. I am good on makeup and haircare so that should mean I just have to keep my skincare purchases in check.
I feel like you did really well!!! I also like how organized you are with tracking your purchases in categories. @ShortErica
Thanks @heartsmyface. My products had been taking up so much space so I'm trying to only buy what I need or will use before the end of the year if it's on sale. Minus face masks..I'm addicted.
Two down. It’s great you only have one thing to watch
Thanks @howconnie. I stocked up my haircare the end of last year and the beginning of this one. Now it has been testing and using all of the products to see what works for me. Then I'll hopefully know what performs and can search for if something is better once the low buy ends if I need to.