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 *

[danielledanielle]

@eshoe , I think it's distilled.  Not much happened when I used it.  Ended up using tap water anyhow.

[eshoe]

Huh, good to know, @danielledanielle. Makes me wish I had kept my Living Proof water hardness strip to test it out. Thank you for the update. I think I will just use my own water too, since that’s what I would be using if I bought it!

[ather]

@eshoe  Hmmm that mini beauty blender is cute but I’m puzzled about the water as well. I’m sure anyone who has a beauty blender would have access to water. Strange. Is it a cleaning solution? Very interesting!! Oooo I do love that setting powder! It’s soo good!! I think I may have overfilled my sample bags. I did really good the beginning of January but near the end I didn’t do as good. My bag is still pretty full 😬 I’ll keep working through them tho!

[eshoe]

That’s what I thought about access to water too, @ather! They make a cleansing solution, but the packaging doesn’t insinuate that is what is included 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

That’s ok, @ather - even if the end wasn’t what you hoped for, the new beginning (yay, February!) is on the horizon! I am guessing you  are doing better than you are giving yourself credit for, too☺️

[lnum]

@eshoe Wow great job! I can relate to seeing the empties go and your product stash shrink, super gratifying.

[eshoe]

It’s gratifying and kind of a little sad at the same time, @lnum. I don’t want to be in this spot a year from now!

[lnum]

@eshoe You won’t be! It takes so long to finish products, you’ll start questioning when you’re thinking about purchasing something whether you can really even use it before it expires. I’m still going through the last of my 2019 products, barely started some of my early 2020 skincare purchases. 😂

On the other bright side, look at your credit cards or savings. I’ve become more frugal in all areas because of the beauty no-buy, definite plus!

[eshoe]

@lnum I am very frugal in certain categories, thank goodness. My skin is where I am a bit lax, because my face is just what everyone sees day to day☺️ Nordstrom Rack is my weakness. I’ve only been there once since the whole pandemic hit, and I only brought home one item: comfy pajamas!

[lnum]

@eshoe At least you have impulse control with in store shopping. I avoid it at all costs because I tend to like a lot of things I didn’t know I wanted. I can’t even go inside Target. 😂

[eshoe]

Oh my goodness @lnum, the drive-up option is turning out more challenging than I ever imagined it would be. The ease of buying online and picking up in an hour or two is sooooo helpful when reorganizing the house! I have to say it’s made it much easier for me to be selective and not give in to a purchase ‘just because it is on clearance,” though. 

[lnum]

I forgot stores offer that as an option because I tend to just get things shipped! I can see how it must be so convenient, and you don’t have to go in the store and be tempted to buy things you don’t need. 👍🏼
@eshoe 

[lmaster]

@eshoe that's a great job!! Last month I did really good at low buying, this month,,, I'm really going to push for no buy!!

[ather]

@lmaster  Oooooo I’ve already bough something this month so I guess I’m going for a low buy 🤦🏼‍♀️ No more beauty related purchases until the spring sale!!! 

[lmaster]

I'm ok with not making it no buy @ather however, I have a budget for the year that I'm really going to try extremely hard to stick to

[ather]

@lmaster  That’s a good way to look at it. I think I may try that next year. I’m allowing myself a pretty big purchase this year for the spring sale so I know I’ll blow any budget out of the water but it’s actually a good way to do it. I also thought about allowing a monthly budget and if I don’t use it I can roll it over that way if I want a bigger item I need to wait till I have enough

[lmaster]

@ather yep that's exactly right! May I ask what you plan on purchasing?? 😆

[ather]

@lmaster  The Dyson Dyson Airwrap™ Styler Complete Long  And Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro  I want to bite the bullet and get both. 

[lmaster]

Ohhhh nice!!! @ather i think these will be totally justifiable purchases 😉

[ather]

@lmaster  I think I will use them both often enough to take the plunge. I’ve done my research on them both and I’ve wanted them for a while now!

[danielledanielle]

Whoop whoop @lmaster !

[eshoe]

Wow great job, @lmaster! I am pulling for you!