2021 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

Hello, hello! Welcome to Year 7 of the No/Low Buy Thread.  

        *Many thanks to all who have participated over the last few years.  While I don't

         post often I do read the notifications sent to my email and I cannot say it enough,

         You all are truly amazing!  Thank you for your dedication and support!!

For reference here's the purpose of this thread (from Thread Originator, @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.

A note from lnum (2016):

Spoiler

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!

Interested in past threads?  Check Here:

Spoiler

Past Threads:

2015 https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB-ROUGE/2015-The-No-Buy-Low-Buy-Budget-Buy-Accountability-and-Sup...

2016 https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2016-The-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/t...

2017 https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2017-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/m...

2018 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2018-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

2019 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2019-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

2020 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2020-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash:

Spoiler

* Coming Soon *

[faeriegirl]

I still haven’t re-rouged too @lmaster. Last year it was early April🙌🏻

[lmaster]

@faeriegirl I'm really trying to be conscious of what I'm buying, I realized, buying excess serums and skincare isn't a great idea because it does take time to get through one bottle, just buy when you are getting low, not just because a new product is released 🤣

[SportyGirly125]

@lmaster Wow......so good to hear.  I already re Rouged 😔

[lmaster]

@SportyGirly125 hey, some products,, are worth purchasing 😉 

[ather]

@lmaster  I rouged just on the sale. That’s not including what I spent before it 🙈

[lmaster]

@ather you did get some big ticket items though, and might I add,, well deserved!!

[Samtian]

I've been doing really good over all on my low buy. Just did a smallish order for my birthday month, and beyond that a few sheet masks here and there. 

[eshoe]

Great job, @Samtian! And happy birthday month to you, too🥳🎂🎈

[ather]

@Samtian  Great job. 

[KehDee]

I’ve been doing pretty well with my low buy. I got some gift cards for Christmas and I found one in my wallet (yay!) so that has paid for a lot. I did spend $76 on an order of refill products and I just spent $40 more buying hair texturizing product and dry shampoo but I was out of both so they weren’t impulse purchases. My financial situation has improved dramatically this year so I don’t feel as bad about spending to refill my product. 

[eshoe]

Wow, sounds like things are looking good for you, @KehDee - congratulations!!!

[danielledanielle]

Congrats @KehDee on the improved financial situation!

[ather]

@KehDee  Yay that’s so awesome to hear!!!

[WhereYouStand]

I fell off the no buy low buy goal bandwagon that i was trying to climb aboard  big time. I blame it on the fact I can work transitional duty now part time at work and I feel like now that i can work (partially) that i can shop (partially). I'm hoping to do better next month. 

[danielledanielle]

@WhereYouStand , that's okay.

If you're doing a lot of impulse buying, one of the suggestions from here is unsubscribing from marketing emails.

[ather]

@WhereYouStand  You’ve got this. I fell off hard but I plan to stick to my no buy till the next sale!! 

[KehDee]

@WhereYouStand we all have those times so don’t be too hard on yourself! Today is a new day to start fresh

[danielledanielle]

Checking in...not sticking well to my low-buy.  It's pretty deliberate, but I'm tracking everything.  I figure if I don't hold to it super strictly, I can at least detect patterns and plan for the following year.  For example, I wanted the LNY brush, passed on it last year, and used gift money to get it this year.  I feel like this will help me not feel deprived, but just get me to limit myself.

I also have been taking fewer rideshares and walking more.  That's likely funded some purchases, but I also noticed I'm walking faster, which to me is a big deal.  The place I transferred to last year is pretty big, so getting around quick matters, and if I can walk to my train (vs taking a cab), I save somewhere between 60-75 dollars a week.

[ather]

@danielledanielle  Wow that’s awesome!! Now that the weather is nicer I like to walk to get groceries!! My work is a little too far to walk too

[KehDee]

It sounds like you’re a great planner and have a good system in place. And saving in other areas is a huge help! Way to go!

[danielledanielle]

Thank you @KehDee 

Yeah, the walking was kind of unintentional.  Mass transit here is so unpredictable that I realized I rather walk at times.