February 2013 No buy/low buy thread

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Let's do it again! Make outs, no buys, low buys, all are fair game for discussion.

Let's try not to announce sales and hauls in this thread, keep them in the shopping forum!

 
Well, I was successful last month. Didn't spend a penny on makeup. I was planning on getting something today but the universe reined me back in . Funny how it works like that. Looks like I'm in it for the long haul. After this month I think I'm going to attempt to let myself buy makeup, but not at an out of control rate. 

 
Spent too much money in January. I'm going to try very hard to do a no-buy this month. I don't need anything.

 
I don't need anything either. I went to the Urban Decay site and just totally emptied my cart, telling myself exactly why I didn't need any of those items. Felt pretty good! I still want the Glinda palette, and I'm going to ask my husband if he would get it for me for Valentine's Day. If he does, fantastic. If not, I think I'll manage to survive. 

The budget for this month is $70, and I've decided that is going to include everything I consider 'essential'. I'm glad I've started keeping track of empties again. My husband thinks it's weird to have a bag of garbage hanging around, but seeing all of the product that I'm using up and all of the space I'm clearing out just helps to spur me to hold tight to really limiting myself when it comes to beauty products. 

Here's to a great month for all of us!

 
I ended up signing up for Yuzen for this quarter, but it's only because some of the things in the box were things I was planning on buying separately lol, so it's a better deal this way. but other than i'm trying to do a low buy again this month. 

we can do it!

 
Just got my Julep box with points, and I already paid for a yearly sub with BB, canceled ipsy for this month. I'll probably drop $15 on Bloomspot for the Julep coupon, just to grab stuff in the future, but I really really just don't need more stuff right now. I've no plans to buy makeup/skincare or like anything this month after I dropped nearly $600 on furniture in January.

I soooo badly want to get this camera lens though, it's like 40% savings!! It's basically everything I was looking for in a lens at a better price than most. A bunch of places already sold out and I don't know how much longer they're going to be in stock at the other stores. :C I'm just like... ugh i can't start off the month with this kind of purchase and call it my splurge because undoubtedly I'm just going to buy random BS no matter what. ;~~; what do I do. Just hope the price stays the same and buy it in the middle of the month (more justifiable to me)?

 
I need the support of this thread, for sure.  I bought a few things from theBalm on Hautelook again.. but I'm really going to try to make Feb a NO BUY for me.  PS: What's a make out?

 
Originally Posted by angiepang1e /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I need the support of this thread, for sure.  I bought a few things from theBalm on Hautelook again.. but I'm really going to try to make Feb a NO BUY for me.  PS: What's a make out?
A lot of youtube vloggers are doing it, Pinksofoxy started it. Basically in my words/world its a pledge to have a more minimalistic bathroom.

 
I already screwed up thanks to a little black website. 
icon_redface.gif
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 BUT I can always cancel (and in doing so, I'm pretty sure my account would be cancelled, making it unlikely for me to do another one ever again..)

 
Originally Posted by amberlamps /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I already screwed up thanks to a little black website. 
icon_redface.gif
icon_twisted.gif
 BUT I can always cancel (and in doing so, I'm pretty sure my account would be cancelled, making it unlikely for me to do another one ever again..)
I've successfully made them hate me so much I've had 3 accounts suspended lol. Worked out for me and my wallet and really it was my goal.I will not ccreate another email to have an account on there.

 
Originally Posted by Playedinloops /img/forum/go_quote.gif


I've successfully made them hate me so much I've had 3 accounts suspended lol. Worked out for me and my wallet and really it was my goal.I will not ccreate another email to have an account on there.
Me too. I have to stay away! I'm going to do this thing. I'm not going to buy anything non essential.

 
LBB's customer service made it easy for me to quit cold turkey. And I had been a loyal customer for 11 months now.

So I say thanks to them for helping me with my low buy :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
Originally Posted by javagirl87 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

LBB's customer service made it easy for me to quit cold turkey. And I had been a loyal customer for 11 months now.

So I say thanks to them for helping me with my low buy :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
Yeah they definitely made it easier by being a-holes. I haven't bought a bag since September and I had been buying 2 bags or so a month before then.

 
Originally Posted by angiepang1e /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I need the support of this thread, for sure.  I bought a few things from theBalm on Hautelook again.. but I'm really going to try to make Feb a NO BUY for me.  PS: What's a make out?
HauteLook made it easy on me by being sold out of the one thing I was interested in when I checked the site. 

I'm low buying for the next few months. I was getting ready to purchase a storage unit for my stash when I realized I didn't need more storage, just less stuff. I'm downsizing by approximately one caboodle (the tackle box size) of skincare/makeup and about ten full size bottles of hair/body stuff. Then, I should have an organized, uncluttered space for my stuff. 

I'm tackling my closet this weekend too. At least 10% is going. Shoes, clothes, and purses. Why am I keeping shoes that pinch my toes??? 

 
Originally Posted by Playedinloops /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Yeah they definitely made it easier by being a-holes. I haven't bought a bag since September and I had been buying 2 bags or so a month before then.
Oooh, what'd they do? I've never joined LBB, but I've always been tempted. If I can have even more reasons to stay away, the better. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
So far I have been very successful in my low buy. Of course it is only the 1st of the month.

Last month was an epic fail, so for this month and possibly next month I am going to try and do a no buy.

(I may have to purchase mascara but I count this as mandatory and exempt because I am prone to eye infections)

I also decided that I am going to keep track of empties.

On a side note, when you guys hit pan on a product do you find the product may get destroyed easily?

For example, my powder products often flake and crumble once I hit plan.

On one hand I am happy that I'm done with the product, but on the other hand I am disappointed that a good product was ruined and wasted.

 
Ouch, I've started tallying all my beauty-related purchases over Nov-Jan and I almost feel sick at how much I was spending!  I never saw it all added up in one big number before!!  And I'm pretty sure there are some purchases that I've forgotten to add.  

After this experience, I'm pretty sure if I hang this list up in my bathroom, then make sure to document every single beauty purchase, it will make the low-buy a LOT easier to stick to!  

Originally Posted by 19ten20 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

On a side note, when you guys hit pan on a product do you find the product may get destroyed easily?

For example, my powder products often flake and crumble once I hit plan.

On one hand I am happy that I'm done with the product, but on the other hand I am disappointed that a good product was ruined and wasted.
The only thing I've ever hit pan on is pressed foundation powders.  If it starts crumbling, you could stick the leftovers in a jar sifter and use it like loose powder, that way you'll be sure not to waste any.

 
This is a bit odd, but I want to know if you guys have experienced it at all either:

I'm almost *trying* to run through my products faster. Like I have a hand cream next to me at my desk that I'm working to finish quicker than I would normally so that when it's done I can buy a new one. It's not like I'm coating them in hand cream and leaving them greasy all day, but I find I re-apply constantly and get a bit of a thrill when I can feel it starting to get empty.

But I already have a second hand cream next to it (from pre-November when I started my low/no buy), so it's not like I'll get to rush out to the drug store as soon as it's done. But this mentality does worry me a bit.

 
Sorry to double-post, but I want to do this before I forget. I keep backsliding on my low/no-buy and a lot of you have told me that writing out my definitive rules make it a lot easier to know for sure where the line is (obviously).

So here are my rules, and please feel free to give me feedback on whether you think it's too soft, too strict, your experiences, your rules, etc. Mostly I want to be kept accountable.

As of February 1st, 2013 for the next nine months:

1) I can only purchase a product when I have 100% run out of all types of that product. For instance, most lotions are hand *and* body. Which means that if I run out of a hand cream, I have to finish all my lotions before I can buy another. There is no allowance for eyeshadow or lipstick shades, because God knows I'm not likely to run out of any red lipsticks or gold eyeshadows.

2) Purchased products should be researched ahead of time and not bought on an impulse. That prevents disappointment, overpaying and the temptation to go back in and buy another because I messed up the first time.

3) If I try a product for a full week and decide that I really won't ever wear it, I can set it aside from my makeup collection. I'm going to do a "two strike" rule where it can only be thrown out if I run out of everything else, try it again and it still doesn't work for me after another week.

4) No cheating with vitamins, skin care, etc. If I'm using it to better my appearance, it counts as a cosmetic and is part of this rule.

5) Expired products may be tossed out.

6) Makeup tools can only be tossed if broken and no buying individual eye brushes during this period, but if a powder, blush or kabuki brush breaks, I can re-purchase. A one-time allowance is being made for an eyelash curler because my current one is absolutely awful.

And that's it. Feedback?

 

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