2022 & 2023 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

Hello, hello! Welcome to Years 8and 9 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!

Curious about the past threads?  Check Here:

Spoiler

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...

2021 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2021-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

Community Challenges (These Can Help You Use Your Stash):

Spoiler

Pan It! - 2022 Challenge
Makeup Challenge of the Week 2021/2022
💕😌Mask of the Week Challenge 😌💖
100 Days of Lipstick Challenge
Show Me Your Nails 2.0
100 Shades of Eyeshadow Challenge

*Feel free to PM me if there are additional challenges that should be added*

[faeriegirl]

That is a fantastic idea @heartsmyface!

[lmaster]

@heartsmyface this is so smart! It will definitely hold you accountable, you've got this doll 

[heartsmyface]

@lmaster Thanks:). I’ve completed a whole day now!  😄

[Mellmars1185]

@heartsmyface I like this! It would definitely help me keep accountable.

[heartsmyface]

@Mellmars1185  Right?  It’s a tangible source of encouragement!  

[curlychiquita]

That's a great idea, @heartsmyface! Great start! 😀

[QueenMarceline]

@heartsmyface Lol oh my gosh, you are too funny 🤣

[heartsmyface]

@QueenMarceline  Haha, but will it work??  

[QueenMarceline]

@heartsmyface Hey, I believe in you. If it helps, we are in this together! 🤣 How long are you doing your no/low buy for? 🙂

[heartsmyface]

@QueenMarceline   I’m starting off with a one month goal.  It’s a huge amount of time for my shopping addicted brain, especially with me thinking about it, so maybe I’ll celebrate after every 24hr period for the first week with little self congratulatory posts😅 small victories! 
It should get easier the longer I go so we’ll reanalyze the situation at the end of September;) 

[QueenMarceline]

@heartsmyface Haha! Same here, a month seems like a long time but that's my current goal and similarly to you I'll see how it goes from there. Strength in numbers, strength in numbers 🤣

[QueenMarceline]

August No-Buy Week One Update: Okay, I'm starting to realize where my "weak points" are currently. Although I have not felt seriously tempted to buy any beauty related products thus far, I have been extremely tempted by clothing specifically: a Coach hoodie and Burberry shoes. 👀 Definitely hard-passing on these this month and hopefully, forever. I genuinely want to apply this no-buy to all areas of my life: clothing, beauty, home goods, candles, jewelry, etc. at the very least for one month (but ideally, a few more than that). I think the first few weeks of my no-buy will be the most tempting since it's such a culture shock to forbid myself from shopping at all, going cold turkey so to speak... that the realization of that denial is triggering some weird bounce back effect where I think everything I see I now need. At the end of the day, I know this is not true and it's my brain trying to trick me into saying "okay, I'll start the no-buy again next month" but I'm determined to have a better relationship with spending and saving money. Here's to hoping that next week is a bit easier and less tempting. 🍹

[heartsmyface]

@QueenMarceline   Awesome that this is also a self discovery journey for you.  I personally enjoy the dopamine rush of shopping so I plan to replace the shopping rush with another source of dopamine that is more memorable.  

I feel like I should be putting a set amount aside every seven days as a ‘good behaviour’ reward on top of my count up timer as ‘money in the beauty bank’ that won’t reset my clock.  I’ll have to determine an appropriate amount that won’t leave me feeling I’m punishing myself. $50/wk? which I can save or spend freely?  That should cover any palette or item release I REALLY want.  

[QueenMarceline]

@heartsmyface I love that, that's honestly a great approach to a no/low buy! Maybe if you hit the 7 days and don't feel like purchasing anything that week you can either add it to the reward the following week or save it for a rainy day 🙂 

[heartsmyface]

@QueenMarceline  Pusheen’s gonna have to acquire a little $$ jar😎

[QueenMarceline]

@heartsmyface Omg please do it. Pusheen needs a $$ jar, maybe even a piggy bank 🐷💰

[Mellmars1185]

@heartsmyface @QueenMarceline Great ideas!!

[Mellmars1185]

@QueenMarceline That is a great outlook. I have been wanting to cut back on spending in so many aspects of my life. I eeally don't need anything right now. I saw an article once where a person went on a no buy for 1 year of clothing and other items and she saved a ton of money.

[QueenMarceline]

@Mellmars1185 Oh whole year would truly be amazing. If I do a strict no buy before the VIB Fall Sale I won't feel as guilty picking up some goodies. 

[heartsmyface]

@QueenMarceline  Good plan!!  At this point I know I’ll be needing more DDG peel pads by then but I’m good for everything else.

[Mellmars1185]

@QueenMarceline Yes one day/week/month/season at a time 😊