2025 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

WELCOME TO YEAR 11 OF THE NO-BUY/LOW-BUY THREAD HAS ARRIVED

There's been quite a buzz around starting no/low-buys for 2025. I'm excited about the growing interest and hope this thread can help everyone achieve their respective goals.

The original threads were created by @lnum , here's how she described the purpose of this challenge:

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.

Additional insights from @lnum (circa 2016, Challenge Year 3):

Spoiler

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 Other Challenges/Threads that may help your no/low-buy goals? Check here:

Spoiler

Pan It! - 2024 Challenge
Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge
What are you wearing today Pt2
Love At First Sample!!! 🥰
Makeup Challenge of the Week 2021/2022/2023/2024

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

Curious about past threads? Links to all 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...

2022/2023 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2022-amp-2023-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACC...

2024 https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2024-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

I'll share my personal goals in a follow up post.

[faeriegirl]

I did so much better in 2024 than I thought I would! My husband even noticed the reduced amount of packages😂. I didn’t re rouge until October! This year I hope to do even better. I have so much product and backups that I could most likely make it through the year without having to buy anything. I’m going to try to stick to the spring and fall sale for Sephora and point multipliers for Ulta. I spent more at direct sites like Dior because of the GWPs so I am really focusing on not doing that because I have way too much accumulated.

[PrettyPaint]

@faeriegirl That's wonderful that you did such a great job in 2024.

[AMK721]

@faeriegirl sounds like a good plan to wait for the big sales and multipliers. Might have to steal that idea for myself lol because I have more than enough product to last me through the year, I think. 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Congratulations on doing so well! Good luck with these goals for the new year you’re doing great! @faeriegirl 

[CynthieLu]

Congratulations on seeing a positive change this past year. @faeriegirl 🎉🎊 (Ooh I'd love to see your D'ior gwp stash 😉 I bet it's lovely. ) I think you'll do great this year, and we're all here to support you. 💯

[CynthieLu]

Alright, last year I attempted a low buy and it was a sad rollercoaster. I kept getting on and off that ride. 😟

This year I'm attempting mindfulness and curbing my poor shopping habits. 

I hope to:

- Stop buying backups.

- Limit palette's to none or only something very special.

- Use up my stash and pile of foils and mini's before purchasing anything new. I went through my stash, and there are generous sizes of face washes, serums, moisturizers etc.. I want to finish, gift or declutter these by the end of the year.

- Stay mindful of purchases and spend less than the last few years. 

The positive ☮️

Though I did stumble a lot, I did spend quite a bit less in 2024 and I hope to improve more this year with everything I learned from myself and everyone on BIC. 🙏

Money saved is going into a trip for my family this summer and just boring ol' saving for the future. 😉

[PrettyPaint]

@CynthieLu I love palettes too. It is probably the makeup purchase that brings me the most joy, so I totally get it!

[CynthieLu]

That's a great way to describing picking up a new palette, I get that @PrettyPaint. It is really an instant joy holding them and opening then for the first time. 😍

[AMK721]

@CynthieLu I love your list of what you hope to do. Palettes are my weakness so your idea of none unless they are special sounds like a great plan. 

I have a huge amount of foils too. I do like to use them to travel with, but I need to declutter or use them.

[CynthieLu]

Palettes are my weakness too @AMK721  I did better last year than I have in the past and I'm hoping to improve this year. I think saving $$ with a goal in mind, like a fun summer trip will help keep me on track. 

Those foils can add up right? 😅 Do you have a plan to help you go through and use and declutter your stash of them? 

[Ispend2much6]

@CynthieLu  Saving for the near future is an eye-opener, for me.  By the time I divvy up hair appointments, vitamins, toiletries, etc., the budget is pretty well accounted for! Oh, and groceries.

[AMK721]

@Ispend2much6  @CynthieLu take it from an old dog like me, save as much as you can now while you're young (Roth IRA) and you'll be happy you did as you get closer to retirement. That might seem like a long way away, but trust me, the time goes by soooo fast.

[CynthieLu]

I hear you, I think these days every little bit makes a difference. @Ispend2much6 I hope I can be more accountable and hopefully a bit wiser. 🦉🙏

[peculiarzmakeup]

These are fantastic goals @CynthieLu  I love how you used a roller coaster metaphor. I think last year I tried with a stoplight 

🛑 

💛

✅

I think it’s great to list these things cause it really makes it a mindful practice and puts these goals in the back of one’s mind. I feel like it’s a way to know our selfs and weakness’

here’s to a fresh start 🙂 @CynthieLu 

[CynthieLu]

I didn't want to write it out at first @peculiarzmakeup  🫣because then it meant I was really doing this. But I am. I want to save for some special things and make some healthy changes to my purchasing habits. I believe in us! 💯

Lol, a stop light is an excellent metaphor, I need less green lights in my future 😂

[peculiarzmakeup]

Less greens more reds kinda like gummy bears just kidding they all taste the same ahah but yeah I’m with you on that! @CynthieLu 

[CynthieLu]

Lol, total side topic but hear I go. There's are some good ones, have you had Albanese gummy bears? They all have the own flavour 👌😍 

[Ispend2much6]

@CynthieLu   Oh yes- those Albanese gummies!  I confess gummy bears are a "mild" budget breaker for me. 

Have you had the Albanese gummy pumpkins?  They're incredible.  And only available in the fall.

[CynthieLu]

Never have I seen those. 🤩 But I'll hopefully see them pop up next fall? @Ispend2much6 I love how good Albanese gummies are. They are such a good mix of tastes and gummyness. 

[faeriegirl]

Good luck this year @CynthieLu !

[CynthieLu]

We got this girl! 💪🙏 Thank you! @faeriegirl