No Buy, Project Pan, Project Use It Up January 2019

[EdithS2 515]

Happy New Year, 2019!🕛

Excited to begin a second year of No Buy. Products I will be starting with:

• Baylis & Harding bath and body gift set (two body washes and a lotion, jojoba, silk, and almond scent - one of my wonderful Christmas gifts.
• Gilchrist & Soames conditioning shampoo mini, another one of my beautiful Christmas gifts.
• Maybelline "The Falsies Push Up Drama" mascara from past Target Beauty Box.
• Yves Rocher Sensitive Vegetal mini face cream. I have five face cream minis left to use up. 

Financial goal: I am already two months ahead on my plan to pay off five credit cards in 2019. On my plan I want to make four extra payments on the fourth credit card by the end of June at the latest. After the four extra payments, it will be gone by the end of the year with just the minimum monthly payment. The first three credit cards are already set to be gone by the end of the year with the minimum payment. Credit card five will get six extra payments in the second half of the year to be paid off. 

I reread my diary from my January 2018 No Buy. I had such a wonderful month. I was using up all sorts of beautiful samples, and watched lots of films on Netflix. It was so nice to relax and not be preoccupied with shopping all the time. I made super fast progress on debt payments. I got Netflix again for a free month, so I am hoping to have a little rest, enjoy using my gorgeous products, and watch lots of films before my free month runs out and I cancel my Netflix. It would be good to keep getting ahead on my debt payment plan too. 

[I was doing seasonal No Buy goals in the second half of 2018, but the time periods were too long. Also when I was doing my empties, I had trouble remembering all of the details about the products I had been using a few months before. So I have decided to do monthly projects in 2019.]

[Nitya 29]

I love this!! Love how you have your financial goals set down clearly too! I don't (yet), but I think I can start out by committing to not buy cosmetics for a month, and put anything, even fifty euros aside instead. 

Is it okay if I list my deathrow items here as well?

-my body lotion

-two bottles of fragrance with a little left in them, any two

-two travel size Q10 moisturizers

-two travel size hand creams

-a pot of lipstick reincarnated as dyi lipbalm

-one cold cream

-one tube of hydrating face mask

-at least one mascara. I need to reevaluate which one is causing me irritation so one tube should also be binnned. 

-one tinted moisturizer

-lush's lipscrub

-two nearly empty tubes of Blistex

 

That's quite a list of products I didn't really need anyway so a little tiring to think about using up, but it'll be nice to see them gone. 

Edited January 3 by Nitya

[EdithS2 515]

3 hours ago, Nitya said:

I love this!! Love how you have your financial goals set down clearly too! I don't (yet), but I think I can start out by committing to not buy cosmetics for a month, and put anything, even fifty euros aside instead. 

Is it okay if I list my deathrow items here as well?

-my body lotion

-two bottles of fragrance with a little left in them, any two

-two travel size Q10 moisturizers

-two travel size hand creams

-a pot of lipstick reincarnated as dyi lipbalm

-one cold cream

-one tube of hydrating face mask

-at least one mascara. I need to reevaluate which one is causing me irritation so one tube should also be binnned. 

-one tinted moisturizer

-lush's lipscrub

-two nearly empty tubes of Blistex

 

That's quite a list of products I didn't really need anyway so a little tiring to think about using up, but it'll be nice to see them gone. 

I love your list and plan. It inspires me to use a few more things. Your list is so well organized, and I love the idea of a lipstick reincarnated as a lip balm! 

[Nitya 29]

9 hours ago, EdithS2 said:

I love your list and plan. It inspires me to use a few more things. Your list is so well organized, and I love the idea of a lipstick reincarnated as a lip balm! 

I mix my lipsticks with calendula salve (another one soon to be on the deathrow), the shade becomes acceptable when toned down, plus it's hydrating. I fear I'll never use up my lipsticks otherwise. 

It's an inspiring thread, I keep thinking of random household items that have overstayed their welcome too! (Vitamin c powder, near empty squeeze tubes of honey, coriander- I mean, that's a brightening detox mask begging to happen lol)

 

[EdithS2 515]

Weekend of No Buy! I did a little shopping for a lamp, because one of the lamps in my bedroom broke. I got a ten dollar, not elegant, but cute little desk lamp, and the base has little organizer compartments. I thought I could organize little cosmetic items with it. Bonus makeup organizer with needed lamp, that's good. I went to the park and saw a cardinal up close. He was so beautiful. I'm going to treat myself to using my Christmas present Baylis and Harding Body Wash. 

Also, I made my January payments on credit cards one, two, three and five already. Got to see about getting myself some chai and croissants. 

Edited January 6 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

I got my new lamp. I found this lamp on WalMart.com for about ten dollars. It is called the Your Zone Organizer Lamp. It has a rotating organizer compartment on the bottom, which I am using for the small samples I am working on. It has room for mini creams, small pencils, perfume vials, etc. It also has a plug for phone charging. It came with a light bulb as well. I am so excited with the small purchase. When I began my No Buy a year ago, I thought I would be finished with my samples and minis by now, and that I'd be getting Birchbox or Sisley Beauty Bag again, but that's not the case. It's good though, as that's less money I need to spend. 

 

 

 

Edited January 10 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

No Buy Program Guide 

I love watching No Buy/Project pan videos on YouTube. These are my favorite videos at the moment. 

Hannah Louise Poston - Miss Poston is a professional writer (MFA), and also a Tango dancer, teacher, and costume designer. In 2018, she completed a No Buy Year with wonderful content. This Renaissance woman has inspired many, and now there are tons of "No Buy Year 2019" videos all over YouTube, all giving credit to Hannah. She is even getting us back into going to the library and reading books. Since she has completed her No Buy Year, she is moving on to My Beauty Budget. She now has a plan in which she has a set amount for spending for each month. She does love Sephora, and glamorous clothes and makeup. Miss Poston stated that the beauty budget may be harder than a black and white replacements only No Buy. On January 6, she posted MY FIRST SHOPPING TRIP AFTER THE NO-BUY YEAR (STORYTIME). This is not the typical YouTube haul video that will make you want to go on a shopping binge. It is a delightful, funny, and insightful story about the work and thought needed to shop in a disciplined way. It actually made me glad I am still on a No Buy - it is easier!

Now as I have said, there are so many people starting a No Buy for 2019 on YouTube, that I cannot keep up. But one delightful vlog from a new No Buy has made me happy this week: Serein Wu posted WTF?! I SPENT OVER $2,000 MY FIRST WEEK OF A NO BUY YEAR on January 6. Now don't worry: the $2,000 was for insurance and business expenses, so this was not a big haul that will trigger you. Serein vlogs about many aspects of a No Buy. She begins with beauty. She has clear glowing skin and natural makeup, and is finishing up some great skin care products. She has just started using fabric cotton rounds - I need to try those. She moves on to food, tracking what she is spending at the grocery store - I am weak in that area. Serein also lists the things she felt like buying, but said no to. What is really nice about this vlog is that it is cute seeing her having fun with her husband, laughing about her No Buy. 

If you guys like this post I will do this regularly, finding YouTube videos to inspire you. It will always be loving and positive.

Edited January 12 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

I'm feeling tempted to get backups of my necessities too early! The only things I need to replace from time to time are shampoo, deodorant, and cotton rounds. Only one backup is allowed - no back stock! 

Shampoo - While innocently looking for food coupons, I came across a Suave Rose Oil Infusion Volumizing Shampoo. It's for me - I love rose. I want to buy it so badly, but still need to finish the shampoo mini I got for Christmas, and half a bottle of Garnier Maple Remedy Shampoo. It's a dupe for Matrix Oil Wonders Volume Rose. 

Cotton Pads - I have three packs of A0A Studio Pure Cotton Rounds (Shop Miss A) coming in the mail. Now normally it would be against the rules to get three packs at one time, but the packs only have 40 count, so I rationalized that three packs of 40 are equivalent to one standard sized pack. I love the A0A cotton, and it is one dollar a pack. It is a dupe for the Japanese cotton. Now, however, I am dying to buy a nice big pack of fabric cotton pads with a pretty little laundry bag to go with them. I am tired of buying cotton pads all the time. I went onto Etsy and fell and love with handmade versions in so many beautiful fabrics. I saw a little set of three that had a Matryoshka doll print (seller is SaritaBaby from Canada). That is for me. I adore Matryoshka dolls. I almost bought them, but I said no because it is against the rules, since I do not need them yet. If I cannot be faithful in small things, how can I trust myself to be faithful in bigger things? 

I do have a little set of three fabric pads already that I bought a few years ago, from a wonderful French lady named MadameSylvine. She has a YouTube channel under this name. The pads have microbfiber cloth on one side, and various Liberty print fabrics on the other side. They are sublime. I keep them like treasures in the little paper bag they came in, and have only used them a few times. They are in the too pretty to use category. I use them once in a while as a special treat, to apply toner to my perfectly clean face. I am afraid of staining them with mascara and makeup. They are machine washable, but what if the makeup pigments won't come out?

You can see MadameSylvine's video about her Liberty print cotton pads on YouTube, though her store seems to be inactive at the moment. Making fabric cotton pads would be a fun hobby or little business to have. I heard about MadameSylvine from a French speaking beauty vlogger called Esthétique SAB. I found Esthétique SAB looking for Yves Rocher videos. I also learned about Shop Miss A from Esthétique SAB. She led me to buying many pretty things. 

Esthétique SAB's video about the fabric cotton pads: Revue Cotons démaquillants Lavables, August 8, 2015. I feel too lazy to wash the pads by hand every time, as Esthétique SAB demonstrates in her video. I want to be able to machine wash them with my regular laundry. 

MadameSylvine's video: Mes Créations #01, September 27, 2013. She also has some No Buy videos! 

Deodorant - I am using up a deodorant I don't like, and have a backup on hand. I want to buy some Avon deodorants next. Avon hit the jackpot - they got the wonderful vlogger from the You Tube channel That Galloway Girl as a representative. I loved her video Show & Tell - Avon Perfumes, Body Sprays & Body Lotion, from December 22, 2018. She compares the Avon scents to several expensive designer scents. For example Imari is not an exact dupe or a copy of Shalimar, but has the feel of Shalimar, and Rare Gold has the feel of J'Adore by Dior. They are in similar fragrance families, such as Oriental. Since I'm not allowed to buy perfumes, I could buy Avon deodorants, which are allowed, instead. 

The lovely creations of MadameSylvine. I feel like ironing them, even though I never iron, and my iron is buried in the back of the dark depths of my closet! 

 

 

Edited January 14 by EdithS2

[Nitya 29]

I can't believe the no buy community is so large and still managed to pass me by! I want to spend my next day off checking out those vlogs! 

 

I also love the lamp with storage idea! I think that's a good way to limit oneself in the amount of products. With a certain number of slots, it seems helpful in not accumulating more than needed for a daily routine! 

[EdithS2 515]

I've finished my Yves Rocher Sensitive Vegetal mini cream, and I have moved on to a mini glass bottle of The Ghost Oil from Poetic Blend (October 2017 Petit Vour box).

One of the great things about the No Buy/Project Use It Up is that it has freed me from my compulsive decluttering. Compulsive decluttering is a real thing that is recognized as a mental health issue. It is a compulsive need to get rid of things and throw things away, in an excessive manner. This is an attempt to control anxiety and other emotions. So many beautiful cosmetics ended up in my garbage pail, not old, well used things, but pretty things I loved and wanted. The compulsive decluttering arose from two primary emotional states, as far as I can tell.

The first was unhappiness with my face and hair and appearance. I would try a product once or twice, then look in the mirror and feel disappointed. I felt I did not look any better. So I would throw away the pretty new items and go and look for something else. Now, I never look in the mirror and pick on myself. Instead, I look at my little jars and bottles and see how close they are to being used up. That is the goal now. It has taken the pressure off of using them and looking for a certain result on my face. Once an item is fully used, I know I have done the best I could with my looks, and that is all I can do. And I enjoy the pretty items. If I do see my face and think it looks bad, I just kindly tell myself I am tired from stress or work. In the past, I never gave the pretty lotions and makeup a chance. It takes time for lotions to work, and experimentation to learn to apply a particular makeup product to one's specific facial structure. 

The second emotion that drove my compulsive decluttering was anxiety about money, about spending, frustration with wanting more than I could afford. I wanted to control all that, and I felt that by getting rid of the things I could make the anxiety and want go away. I would feel better for a bit after throwing things out, but it never solved my problems. I would go out and buy more the next day. Instead, now I use up all my things up instead of buying new, and I have the anxiety, guilt, and compulsive shopping under control.

I threw away so many pretty things, and I regret it so much. I wasted things and money, and hurt myself really badly. I could have enjoyed so much more, saved so much money, been so much happier. The last time I decluttered was in 2017, before I began this No Buy, and it means so much to me. 

**I should clarify that the cosmetics thrown away were new, expensive, and nice. I'm not talking about throwing away old, expired, broken things, or things I was allergic to. And it was not just a matter of a few things; it was just about all my things, for years and years, decades. I would buy nice things, use them one or twice, throw them away, and buy more. I hurt myself so much. I am so glad this is gone now. 

 

Edited January 19 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

Last February, I was looking forward to going to a special ABBA tribute concert. I grew up with ABBA as a teen - I liked to dream that I was Agnetha. I had all of the albums. On the morning of the show, we woke up to find a pipe in the kitchen had broken overnight, and it was absolutely miserable. We are just now getting over the trauma. I was so unhappy and disappointed - of course I missed the show. But the ABBA group returned to my area yesterday (they are from Sweden), and I got to go! The show was magnificent! "Agnetha" was like an angel in the lights with a long gold shimmering cape. She had all of the choreography and mannerisms down pat. "Anni-Frid" had the bubbly personality and sang a song in Swedish. "Benny" played the piano brilliantly, and "Björn" played a great guitar solo. 

The lesson from the universe is, that if I can't have things I want due to some adversity - or my No Buy - they will come to me if I am patient. After all, one of my favorite ABBA songs is I've Been Waiting for You. 

Edited January 20 by EdithS2

[Nitya 29]

I'm glad you mention the emotional states behind compulsive decluttering. I don't throw away things too often, I tend to hoard them, in fact, so in a way I need to learn when to let something go without guilt. On the other hand, some of my "cleaning sprees", rare as they are, are fueled by wanting to "quit the acquisition of things" cold turkey. in that state, I seem to believe asceticism would free me, of guilt, of the claws of consumerism, of inner clutter, etc. 

I appreciate being reminded I won't be in a better place if I "purge" my belongings. So far, my rule is if there's a hygiene concern, or the product works against my skin type and coloring beyond what I can mend by mixing, it can go.  I also keep telling myself I probably won't die tomorrow, so I don't need to immediately either use up or throw something out if it's not going to go bad for months, or even years to come. Just focus on using up the things I can and that'll go bad otherwise. 

I have felt silly quite a few times since starting this. Silly for feeling pressed to be rid of something, "controlled" by my possessions, silly in retrospect (for having bought them), and guilty for buying things, even though my stash isn't even that big, and most of it cheap. I've always been aware of the emotional undercurrent of spending, accumulating, discarding, but I didn't expect I would be brought to face it by simply downsizing my stash.

 

Love that you got to see the ABBA tribute band! How true, the chance will present itself again when the time is right! 

Edited January 21 by Nitya

[EdithS2 515]

43 minutes ago, Nitya said:

I have felt silly quite a few times since starting this. Silly for feeling pressed to be rid of something, "controlled" by my possessions, silly in retrospect (for having bought them), and guilty for buying things, even though my stash isn't even that big, and most of it cheap. I've always been aware of the emotional undercurrent of spending, accumulating, discarding, but I didn't expect I would be brought to face it by simply downsizing my stash.

I used to throw away nice and pretty things because I thought they did not work, or I was afraid I would want more and more. It was not logical. This No Buy and Use It Up system has freed me of that. I just wish I could have been like this when I was younger. My life would have been better. All the lovely things I could not enjoy. All the money wasted. 😭

Edited January 21 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

Project Smile Begins Tomorrow!!!😁I hope.

Project Smile sounds like a dental charity. It's a project I have been wanting to begin for a long time. I have bad teeth. They break and get infected. I hate crowns and bridges. I have lost two teeth so far. I have a broken tooth in the front that looks bad, and a broken one in the back that hurts. I have been putting off getting my teeth fixed. I have been saving my Glossybox full of lip products and told myself when I start going to the dentist and getting my teeth fixed, I can begin using my nice lip balms. But only at night, if I have carefully brushed and flossed before bed. Then when my teeth are fixed I can use my lipsticks. This is how I will reward myself. I don't brush and floss as well as I should either. I am stressed. I am thinking of a big bill and an ordeal. Pray for me - I need it! Consultation tomorrow! If it only looked bad, I would leave it, but I am afraid of all those horror stories you hear about abcesses and having all one's teeth out. 

[Mary McBride 6]

Loooking forward for its result, I'm praying for you as well.

[EdithS2 515]

15 hours ago, Mary McBride said:

Loooking forward for its result, I'm praying for you as well.

Thank you so much. That means a lot to me.

I went to the dentist. I felt very bad after being at work all day. All I wanted was to run out so badly, and I told myself I would not be back. That was my frame of mind while there. The appointment was short and was only $30.00. They just checked the one tooth that hurts. I should have been happy. He said I need to see the root canal dr. I did not schedule anything as I felt so bad, but I am calming down now, and think I will make an appointment with the root canal man. He said I am about to have a lot of pain. I'll just think of one thing at a time. 

[EdithS2 515]

Payday, and progress! I called and made an appointment with the root canal doctor for Feb. 6. I feel really happy about it now. While I was on hold waiting to ask for an appointment, a recording came on that said one should brush for 2 to 3 minutes every night. I decided that will be my goal. I will time myself every night to make sure I brush long enough. I already did so tonight, and it was a lot longer than I usually brush. My teeth look and feel better already. I flossed also. I get to use my lavender lip balm tonight! 

I have made an extra payment on credit card four. Three extra payments to go, and I will have it paid off by the end of the year with only minimum payments. I got a job offer from my second job for March. It will be good extra money for my dental work. I completed my tax return and will get a little refund. 

My empties bag is filling up! Now using Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum from Birchbox. Going to read, eat, and watch films this weekend! 

[EdithS2 515]

Amazing vintage beauty gift! My brother's friend was having an estate sale today, and he went to help out. He got me a vintage makeup organizer for two dollars. It is called "Pretty Neat" and the most magical thing about it is that it has the original box it came in. It is dated 1982, and really takes me back to my high school years. I am sure I bought this very product back then! I am so excited about this special gift. I will treasure the box and display it in my room. 

For now I have organized the minis I am using in the organizer. It is good quality and in good shape. 

I think this is a message from the universe. I was feeling rueful and regretful about all of the cosmetics I have thrown away in years past. I often think of when I was a teen, and all the pretty beauty items I had. We did not have the "project pan/no buy" mind set then. We just had magazines showing new things all the time. I wish the things I stupidly decluttered would come back to me - and one did! 

 

 

Edited January 27 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

No more No Buy. No Buy over. Emarassed, ashamed. 

Edited January 28 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

I am back to shopping. Embarassed. need to stop talking about it.  

Edited January 28 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

I've been shopping a lot now. 

Edited January 30 by EdithS2

[EdithS2 515]

January is over. At least I can't buy any more for the month. This is everything I bought on the binge I have been on since Sunday:

It all began with watching too many You Tube videos ... 

Aliexpress

• 1. It began when I wanted a $2.00 bracelet. When that was purchased, my No Buy was a failure. So I figured I may as well get everything else I wanted. 
• 2. Another bracelet I wanted $1.99. I'm not usually into jewelry, but saw some You Tube videos and began getting interested.
• 3. Bracelet $6.33. 
• 4. Clothing $3.68. I usually do not buy any clothing.
• 5. Pretty makeup brush I fell in love with $2.41.
• 6. Pretty makeup brush I fell in love with in another color $2.41.

I am really into shopping on Aliexpress now. I don't want to stop. 

Yves Rocher

Summer Collection 2018

• Maracuja Botanical Scrub $4.00.
• Maracuja Moisturizing Gel $4.00.
• Bronzing Powder Duo $8.50.

Christmas Collection 2018

• Golden Tea Bath and Shower Gel $2.00.
• Golden Tea Perfumed Body Lotion $3.00.
• Golden Tea Lip Balm $2.00.
• Golden Tea Exfoliating Shower Gel $4.00. 
• Highlighter Duo $9.50. 

Free gift full size Naturelle Perfume. 

Total $37.00 Yves Rocher credit plan due March. 

Guerlain La Petitie Robe Noire Shiny Top Coat $45.98. Opened a new account at one of those buy now pay later credit places to get it. It looks like a little perfume bottle and the polish is perfumed and lasts 24 hours. 

Etsy - Ebook on how to do a project pan - $10.00. I thought if I got it I would stop shopping. Did not work. 

Then I started to look at the sub boxes. I always think that if I find the perfect sub box I will stop shopping. 

Boxycharm - $22.47. I always read that people get so much from Boxycharm and they never need to buy anything. So I signed up with it as an answer to wanting to shop. 

Ipsy - Then I was nervous I would not like Boxycharm and signed up for Ipsy thinking it will make me not want to shop - $10.00. 

Glossybox - Then was nervous I would not like Ipsy and signed up for Glossybox so I would not want to shop - $21.00. 

Beautified You - $7.00. Then I went to My Subscription Addiction and looked through every page of their directory to find the perfect sub that would make me not want to shop. I found this site called Beautified You that has a little sample bag of skin care stuff for $7.00. 

Total for shopping binge: $172.27.

When I see something I want and get it, it makes me want to get more and more and more. The more I shop, the more I want to shop. That makes me feel anxious, so then I buy things I think will stop that feeling, like sub boxes. I'm like a gambler, chasing my losses. 

 

 

Edited February 1 by EdithS2