February No/Low-Buy 2014

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kawaiisofoxy

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Share your goals!  How low can you go this month?  
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Yay! February!

Since it's a short month I'm going to be testing my willpower. I will...

-not buy anything drug store

-cancel my second birchbox sub that i got specifically for Feb's box

-limit swapping and really use what i get

-no cosmetics purchases on instagram

-continue to only eat out 1x a week with my boyfriend -- except we need to structure this better since it becomes a late lunch out, then random coffee and shopping, THEN go to grocery store to get snacks, watch a movie, get drinks with friends...kinda defeats the purpose

I am allowed..

-to buy a replacement Kiehl's bb cream if I run out, provided the Smashbox CC cream I have *really* doesn't match my winter skin (got a full size in a swap. can't decide if its too orange or not)

-buy anything with birchbox points if there's a good code out (~$100 in points)

-have $25 in cash for funsies impulse buys. Let's see how far it can go!

This month I'll be having my first round of exams (woo hoo grad school) for the semester. I need to *not* go to a coffee shop all day and spend crazy money on coffee and meals there. Gotta plan ahead.

 
Yay! I'm going to have to work on my list today/tonight. It's going to have to be another low-buy month simply because SO VERY BROKE *and* in need of some essentials, but I have to be careful because this is really just a two-week state, but once I get back on stable footing and start feeling like I have the budget space for fun stuff, I still have big bills and a Comic Con coming up.

 
I'm jumping on this train, I spent wayyyy too much on makeup and skincare in January.  It's a little lame because my birthday is at the end of the month but I just keep buying and not tossing things.  I need to go through everything I have and check out expiration dates.  

The only things I'm allowing myself to get are 

- Any good birchbox deals because I have $100 in birchbox points and giftcards (i'm hoping for a valentines day box or something)

- *maybe* something acne related for my face because it sporadically breaks out and I have yet to find anything that really helps.  I might try proactive again, its been a while but it worked last time (although I vaguely remember it lightening my skin a bit)

- any birthday freebies, because they're free!

I know Urban Decay's friends and family sale should be coming up soon so I know that is going to test me.  I want a 24/7 liner in Whiskey and my Perversion is getting low but I have other brands I can use in similar colors so I'm going to try and hold out.  

I know I'm getting a pretty decent tax return but I want to shove that straight into my savings but its definitely going to be a test.  

This is probably the worst month to do this but I really need to go through everything and purge! 

 
I'm continuing with my low buy. I used up many items last month but still have a stash surplus.

No hard goals, just replacement items (ha, I don't think I'm about to run out of anything) and mindful purchasing. 

Oh, and of course continue with the Monday Club! That has been so helpful in keeping me from getting bored with what I have and I am discovering HG items. 

 
My goals this month are two-fold - 1) use up what I already have, and 2) not buy any more!  I have been doing an AWESOME job (if I do say so myself) of going through skincare, fragrance samples, and small makeup samples.  But my stash seems never-ending! And of course, it doesn't help that I'm getting an Ipsy bag, two Birchboxes, and a Pop Sugar Must Have box this month.  Ooops. So, here's my rules:

- I am absolutely forbidden from buying any full-size items.  

- I need to tell hubby that the PSMH box is my Valentine's Day gift, and not to get me anything else.

- I will organize and inventory my stash, and trade or give away any makeup/skin/hair items that I *know* I won't use.

- I am giving myself a $25 budget, but hopefully I won't use it (when I put myself on a strict "no-buy", I go crazy and want to buy ALL THE THINGS.  So I have to psych myself out, lol)

- I will keep using up my stash, and posting my empties, because it inspires me to use up more!

Good luck to everyone, and remember - it's a short month!  We don't have to resist for quite as many days!

 
February! woop woop! Well... my goals are still similar:

- use up my items from my P10P project. Or at least, make a huge dent. 

- stick to my low-buy budget. I am only allowed to make purchases when my paycheck arrives (so, every 2 weeks), and for a set "budget" per paycheck. More so than that, though, right now I am trying to remind myself that just because the money is there, does not mean it needs to be spent. 

- continue with the monday club, and play with my items during the weekend to come up with new combinations.

- research items I want to make sure I truly want them, and if they will work with my current makeup -- or, find cheaper alternatives. 

- start getting rid of stuff I never use. 

yep. simple. 

The one thing I am seriously coveting right now is Jo Malone's perfume in Peony and Blush.... OMG. It's worth melting for. I got 2 little sample bottles and it's the most perfect spring smell ever. makes me feel like i've been frolicking in the gardens all day. It even beats Chloe by Chloe (which for me is more of a winter smell). 

 
This month is the start of my ipsy bag and my birthday month, so I will not allow myself to spend $$ on MU. The only thing I'm allowed is replacements for skincare or essential items. Plus, I need a haircut this month, and that will set me back $50. I need to be frugal because I'm getting my wisdom teeth pulled soon and god knows how my insurance is going to work out/how much I'll be paying out of pocket so I need to be prepared for that! I also want to keep up with my $5,000 by 2015 savings goal.

 
I'll be continuing my low buy into February. In January I used up 12 full size items, 10 deluxe/mini items and 5 samples. I also managed to toss a ton of products that didn't work for me. I want to continue reducing my stash as much as possible in February so I'm setting myself a budget of $50 for all makeup, skincare, hair care and body care items I may want to buy this month. Anything I buy has to be something that I've used some up of.

In November, I inventoried my entire stash and determined my ideal number for each product. I took the current number I have and divided it by how many I want to have and that's how many I need to use up to by one. I'll use my lipstick numbers as an example. Don't judge I may have 7 shade lipstick categories in my spread sheet.  I have 12 everyday natural looking lipsticks and I only want 6 that means that every 2 I use up I can buy 1. But I have 6 crazy bright lipsticks and I only want 2 so I have to use up 3 to buy 1. I have 6 red lipsticks but I only want 1 since I have to use up  or get rid of all 6 to buy a new one.

All of my products as inventoried something like that with a list of where each product and shade falls. As of right now I'm allowed:

1 blush because I used up my elf tickled pink blush and my benefit benetint mini

1 tinted lip balm because I used up 2 fresh tinted lipbalms

1 lipstick of any shade I want because I used up 6 lipstick samples

2 skincare masks because for masks I have a 1 in 1 out policy and I used up 2 recently

I don't think I'll buy all of that this month because a lot of it has rolled over from past months without me buying. I'm trying to save a lot of my budgeted money for chic week at Sephora in April so I can get 15% off and make my budget go a lot farther

 
Quote: Originally Posted by GabiGirl67 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I'll be continuing my low buy into February. In January I used up 12 full size items, 10 deluxe/mini items and 5 samples. I also managed to toss a ton of products that didn't work for me. I want to continue reducing my stash as much as possible in February so I'm setting myself a budget of $50 for all makeup, skincare, hair care and body care items I may want to buy this month. Anything I buy has to be something that I've used some up of.

In November, I inventoried my entire stash and determined my ideal number for each product. I took the current number I have and divided it by how many I want to have and that's how many I need to use up to by one. I'll use my lipstick numbers as an example. Don't judge I may have 7 shade lipstick categories in my spread sheet.  I have 12 everyday natural looking lipsticks and I only want 6 that means that every 2 I use up I can buy 1. But I have 6 crazy bright lipsticks and I only want 2 so I have to use up 3 to buy 1. I have 6 red lipsticks but I only want 1 since I have to use up  or get rid of all 6 to buy a new one.

All of my products as inventoried something like that with a list of where each product and shade falls. As of right now I'm allowed:

1 blush because I used up my elf tickled pink blush and my benefit benetint mini

1 tinted lip balm because I used up 2 fresh tinted lipbalms

1 lipstick of any shade I want because I used up 6 lipstick samples

2 skincare masks because for masks I have a 1 in 1 out policy and I used up 2 recently

I don't think I'll buy all of that this month because a lot of it has rolled over from past months without me buying. I'm trying to save a lot of my budgeted money for chic week at Sephora in April so I can get 15% off and make my budget go a lot farther
Way to go on using up a blush!!! they seem to take me so long, yet, somehow, I keep getting them because blush it's my one beauty product weakness.

also, I am seriously impressed with using up 12 full sizes. that's impressive! 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by jaylilee /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Way to go on using up a blush!!! they seem to take me so long, yet, somehow, I keep getting them because blush it's my one beauty product weakness.

also, I am seriously impressed with using up 12 full sizes. that's impressive! 
The blush goes back to when I only had 1 blush instead of 10 so it had major pan showing so I just made myself use it 3 days a week until it was gone

For the full size I used up 2 lotions, 1 body scrub, 1 deoderant, 1 BLUSH!!!!, 1 set of 60 makeup wipes, 1 lip gloss, 2 clear lip balms, 1 lipstick, 1 conditioner and 1 moisturizer.  SO not a huge amount of actual color products but atleast its progress

 
Quote: Originally Posted by GabiGirl67 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  The blush goes back to when I only had 1 blush instead of 10 so it had major pan showing so I just made myself use it 3 days a week until it was gone
Oh man I know that feeling. I remember the first and only blush I ever hit pan on was a little rimmel one I had since high school -- the one and only one I had. after that? I haven't hit pan on a blush once. 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by jaylilee /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Oh man I know that feeling. I remember the first and only blush I ever hit pan on was a little rimmel one I had since high school -- the one and only one I had. after that? I haven't hit pan on a blush once. 
I highly doubt that I'll hot pan on one anytime soon but I did recently hit pan on a bronzer so hopefully that will be gone in a few months

 
Quote: Originally Posted by GabiGirl67 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I highly doubt that I'll hot pan on one anytime soon but I did recently hit pan on a bronzer so hopefully that will be gone in a few months
I have some hopes for my elf tickled pink. I'm nc35 during the winter and it gives a lovely hint of pink -- though it's pretty unnoticeable on me the rest of the year and I have to be heavy handed on it to show up in winter, so I have a feeling that one will be hitting pan this year. 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by saku /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  subbing <3
Welcome! 

 
So excited for a new month to start!  My goals::

1. NO BUY anything except for groceries/household items.  I took inventory and bought skin/hair items this week so the boyfriend and I are well-stocked for a while.  And I need absolutely no new makeup, and I do have an Ipsy subscription that will hopefully keep me from feeling bored.  

2. I am allowed to continue with my trades/swaps on here. 

3. Paying off my Target card.  This is an absolute must and it should be doable if I stick to my no buy. It will feel so good to get that debt out of the way!  

4. Also my last Sephora order was placed on 12/31/13 so I have made it a whole MONTH without an order.  This is a big deal for me and I'm really excited to see how long I can make it last.  

5. Continue with the Monday Club-- it's been excellent so far at helping me de-stash. 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by jaylilee /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
The one thing I am seriously coveting right now is Jo Malone's perfume in Peony and Blush.... OMG. It's worth melting for. I got 2 little sample bottles and it's the most perfect spring smell ever. makes me feel like i've been frolicking in the gardens all day. It even beats Chloe by Chloe (which for me is more of a winter smell). 
I have Peony and Blush Suede and it's my absolute favorite. I'm forcing myself not to use it right now because I have a few half empty bottles of other things, but I want to wear it every day.

 
I did really well in January and only replenished things like shampoo and face wash that I ran out of. I'll probably pick up a new foundation in February because I'm almost out of the one I've been using, but I think I'm going to return the Hourglass one I just picked up for it. I'm trying to resist a Nars lipstick I really want because always forget to use lip products.

 
I'm in for my low buy again, staying strong until April. Other than swaps and Birchbox, I only spent $35 on beauty stuff this month, including a sub I decided I don't really *need.*  I cancelled that sub and am hoping to not buy ANY beauty products this month at all. 

I'm also holding true to my commitment to be on a "low buy" in all areas of life.  I did some projections and if I stick to my budgets I'll be able to pay off all my student loans by 2016 and have a nice looking down payment for a better house by 2020.  Now THAT is motivating.

 

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