No Buy Year 2, Month 8, Jan 12-Feb 12 2020

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I'm changing the way I keep track of the time on my No Buy in order to motivate myself more. I didn't realize until today that I'm in month 8 of my second year! Four and a half months until completion of Year 2! I want to finish my mini sample products by June 12, 2020. Here is a partial inventory:

  • Shampoo minis - all used up!
  • Face cream, and face cleanser minis - all used up after a great deal of work and patience! 
  • Mini body scrubs - 1 
  • Mini shower gels - 7
  • Mini face primers - 8
  • Mini toners - 9
  • Mini face masques - 12
  • I still have to add up mini body creams, hair conditioners, and perfumes. I should reorganize them all to get a new perspective. 

 
I haven't given in and bought anything yet, though I wanted to. I went to bed early (I think it was 5 pm), and I was listening to Elle S 365 Days of Samples playlist on YouTube. It is inspiring. Elle is detailed, persevering, and creative. I was very cozy, and I dreamed I was going to a spa in Europe. I was so excited about the spa, and about the skin care products the spa was going to have in the room for us. My mother was going with me, and I told her I was going to bring a minimal amount of beauty products in my suitcase, because we would be getting some from the spa. When I woke up I was sad, because the dream was so nice. Now I just woke up and I'm hot and thirsty, but the craving to shop has gone down somewhat. Before I went to sleep I looked in my sample boxes. I saw a beautiful mini lotion with a gold bow on the package that I got for Christmas and had already forgotten about. The glittery gold bow sparkled beautifully in the light. 

This while experience today of realizing I have been on No Buy so long without realizing it has been interesting. I have been keeping busy with other things. I began going to a a new religious congregation a month after I went back on No Buy (a different religion I wanted to learn about for a long, long time) and have been busy with that, and have been making new friends and socializing more. The new religion is one that fills my need for intellectual and artistic (through its liturgy) stimulation. I've met wonderful people. It's not always easy to keep going there, as I'm shy and reclusive, but I've kept it up. Maybe this is what made the time go so fast without me knowing it. 

I guess I'll go and listen to some more 365 Days of Samples. 

 
I made it through the night with no buying! I slept through the shopping craving like it was an illness. I woke up after the 12 hours of sleep and as I was waking up I thought of a happy time in the 90's. I was young; all my family members were alive. I was at a Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies, (I love James Bond and don't know what I am going to do when his new film is released, since I'm not allowed money for entertainment on my No Buy). On the floor near my feet was a big bag of Estee Lauder products that I had just gotten with my birthday and Christmas money. I had a full size moisturizer and a huge PWP, beautiful. The film had a great ending. The Bond girl was underwater, running out of air, and just in time, there's James Bond, the theme music resumes! Great scene! And walking around the mall after, how happy I felt! And today I am sad that time is gone, many family members are gone, life is sadder, time is running out, and I did not use that bag of Estee Lauder products up! I probably used them a few times and then threw them out and bought something else. And maybe if I had used every drop, in my mind, I could have held on to life, to time, to happiness. At any rate I would have had more money. If only we knew about No Buys and Project Pans then! This is just one of a million examples of how I think about this. 

When I woke up Elle S was still analyzing her samples! She was talking about how her project taught her to evaluate (excellent video, Oct 1, 2017). 

Last night in bed I took some photos of samples I need to use up. Sorry for so many long posts, but I've really had to work on this for the last 24 hours. Primers, shower gels and body scrub, toners, and masques. 

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No Buy Program Guide  

I found a great new No Buy channel on YouTube (well it found me; it was in my recommended videos), a new No Buy channel from a New York concert pianist, Natalia Lavrova. I find this fascinating, because I love the world of classical music. Here is someone in my dream life, who loves shopping, and beauty subscriptions, who has credit card debt, and is doing a No Buy! I'll be fascinated to watch this channel and hear how this artist's No Buy goes as she is preparing for concert tours abroad! Ms. Lavrova has a really good Shop My Stash video with great tips on winter makeup colors, like icy pink highlighter. I looked for her piano performances on YouTube and they are stunning. This is going to be a big inspiration for me! 

 
I want to shop, but I'm fighting it!

Since I realized I have only four and a half months to go until the end of No Buy year two, I've changed my financial goal. I had a plan to pay $100 per month on my credit card, to have it paid off my the end of 2020. I now resolve to pay $200 a month on my credit card, to have it paid off by June! I have already paid $100 in January; I paid an additional $50 today on it, and that was fulfilling. I want to pay $50 again next week, and then $200 per month going forward. Current balance is $846.80.

Also, since I finished using all my mini face creams, I'm now using up my mini primers and foundations. I'm currently using a little Hourglass Mineral Veil sample in a glass bottle that came in a 2017 Sephora Luxury Play! bag (the one that came with the Tarot cards), and a mini Touch in Sol foundation that came in an Ipsy bag. I'm starting to enjoy using primer and foundation every day, which I would usually be too lazy to do. 

What I'm watching right now: (in my free time, I watch No Buy videos on an endless loop) - That Galloway Girl - Get Ready With Me - Bad Habits & Positive Changes - May 20, 2019. 

What I'm tempted by now. I'm ashamed to say it. Aliexpress. I began looking at it again. I look at it and see endless amounts of pretty and very low priced things. Then I think, what's the harm of buying as the prices are low. But there are endless things I like, and there would be no way to limit myself. Before I know it I would have spent a lot. I'll set myself a limit, like I am only allowed one item a week, but I would not be able to stick to it. I have to avoid looking at it completely. It's not a good venue for me. A good venue for me is Dollar General. I feel safe going there, as the inventory is small and predictable. I don't impulse buy there. I buy what I need and a bag of potato chips! 

 
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Ali is so tempting! Best to stay off! If it helps, China does a lot of testing on animals for their beauty products. It used to be mandatory. Now it's not mandatory (expect in some cases), but for sure it's still done. Anyway good for you for sticking with your financial goals and your No Buy policy to pay off your card! That's a great goal & you'll feel so good for completing it. Four months will go by faster than it seems :)  ?

 
Ali is so tempting! Best to stay off! If it helps, China does a lot of testing on animals for their beauty products. It used to be mandatory. Now it's not mandatory (expect in some cases), but for sure it's still done. Anyway good for you for sticking with your financial goals and your No Buy policy to pay off your card! That's a great goal & you'll feel so good for completing it. Four months will go by faster than it seems :)  ?
Thanks so much for the support! 

 
No shopping this week. I also returned a tithe for the second week in a row (that is, 10% of paycheck before deductions to my church). I have begun to believe in tithing, but it's hard, a sacrifice, for someone like me to tithe. Last week was the first time I ever did it. I feel like I am two people who keep fighting; the good one and the bad one.  The bad one was SO upset I tithed yesterday, and told clergy I wanted to get back into some ministry projects after I had quit. WHAT DID YOU DO! she said. You give all the money away and I wanna shop and eat out! But church was so inspiring. I have something in mind that may satisfy both parts of the divided self. My friend is having an estate sale next weekend! She is moving, and wants (maybe needs) to declutter and earn cash. She said, "I am selling all of my shampoos and conditioners." Now I can't wait to go to her estate sale, and figure I am allowed to shop there, even if I am on No Buy, and don't need anything, because it will be helping my friend. Then I will have some of her things, and if she regrets having sold them or misses them, I can give them back to her. I just need to budget on payday, and do some cash envelopes. I need to set aside some cash for my tithe and the estate sale, and watch the eating out budget. Now I'm dreaming of the estate sale, and watching You Tube videos of people finding cool vintage perfumes and jewelry at such sales (though I'm only allowed to shop this one time at my friend's sale; no more after that). I hope all of the shampoos and conditioners don't sell out before I can get there. The lady who is organizing the sale (who earns a living setting them up and gets a cut) told my friend that people will want to buy her cleaning products! Imagine that! 

 
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Danger weekend! I went to Dollar General, my safe store, to get a few snacks, and the usually dead market had pretty and tempting things. There was a $6 little gift set of body sprays by Olivia Grace, with pretty packaging, and a pink sweatshirt in my size that almost is like a fake fur, $12.50. The clothes were buy one get one 50% off. I wanted those things but that's not allowed, and I left the store with no snacks, nothing, sad, afraid of going overboard. Then tomorrow is my friend's estate sale. I was going to be good and not go to it, I'm not in the mood any more, but I am expected. People will be upset if I don't go. I really don't want to cheat on my rules. And I don't feel like going out either. I hope it goes okay. 

 
 Now I am excited for my friend's estate sale again! Last night I dreamed I was there, and there were rooms and rooms full of vintage beauty products. This morning after searching, I found the ad for the sale with photos, and there are beauty products. I can't wait to go now. Just this one time, I am allowed to shop freely and get what I want, as it is to benefit my friend. But now I am afraid things will be gone when I get there. I will report back! 

A few hours later ....

Oh, but the estate sale was so much fun! I got a huge bag of stuff that reminds me of the past, my teen years. I will be posting about it in detail. I got $60 worth of stuff, based on the price tags, but the lady in charge would only take $25! I tried to give her $40, for my friend, but she said no, insisted on $25! I got hair products; makeup; nail products; jewelry; 1980's magazines (the best kind); towels; battery powered face and body cleansing brush; and perfumes that still smell good. I want to go back and get more. That's the problem with my shopping. It makes me so happy I want to do it again and again once I get going. 

 
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Declutteree Diaries, part 1 

There are so many declutter videos on You Tube now. It has become a huge, popular trend. There are also those who are upset about the trend. I was upset about it, because I used to compulsively declutter way before it was trendy. It hurt me badly, and never helped me. No Buy and using things up have helped me so much more. But now I am on the other end. I am a declutteree. Decluttered goods can mean something to the receiver. They can do good in this world. I went to my friend's estate sale. I got a big bag of stuff, which is magical to me. 

Saturday, February 8, 2020, 10:00 am

It was a glorious Saturday morning. I arrived at my friend's house for her estate sale. She was in her car with her dog on her lap, and she was sad. She had to leave her home for the day, and was headed to a friend's house. She was sad because people only offered her $200 for her dining room set, and she was hoping for $1000. It was hard for her, turning her home inside out, parting with things that meant something to her, and then finding others placed a low value on them. So much effort and so little result! 

I went into her house, and it had been turned into a magical antique store, where I found so many things that brought back my younger years. So many beautiful memories. The sunlight poured through the windows, and I thought what a pretty house my friend had, and though she acts like she will be free if she gets rid of her stuff and her house, it cannot be all that easy. Each of the items in the sale meant something to her at some point.

I had an exciting time at the sale, and left with what I call my magical bag of stuff. 

I have the same hair type and coloring as my friend, but sadly I'm not petite like she is, and could not get any of the pretty clothes. 

Last night my friend did not show up for church service. She must have had so much to deal with. It was so lonely without her. I felt sad and tired and quite bad at church, and wondered why. It was probably me crashing from the shopping high. After I left my friend's house, I wanted to go back and do it again, like when I was a kid coming off of a roller coaster. 

Disclaimer: I am going to talk about old and expired cosmetics. But I am afraid to use them. They could give me a really bad infection. They are dangerous. I bought them more as keepsakes from the past than as things to use. Please be careful if you are ever a cosmetics decluteree! Especially with eye products. You don't want to go to the eye doctor with a serious eye condition. 

I only got one shampoo at the estate sale. It is Senscience Inner Hair Care Energy Shampoo for normal hair. It was made by Shiseido. It is about one third full. It was a salon brand. I think this is a pretty old discontinued bottle. It seems to have lost its pretty scent. I was a bit afraid to use it. But I did use it this morning, and it was like a miracle for my hair. The bottle says that it has fluids that are like those in the inner core of the hair, called "Inner Cellular Membrane Complex, or ICM". Never heard of this! I have not been to a beauty salon since 1996, and I've been using Suave shampoo from the dollar store, so this made a big difference. 

I'm going to talk more about the magical bag of stuff, and what it means. 

 
The declutteree declutters! ? Tonight is garbage night, and I decluttered some things. I decluttered 3 lipsticks, 3 conditioners, 2 nail polishes, and the shampoo from my friend's estate sale. They were in really bad shape and obviously expired. They no longer smelled or looked pretty. I decided that they are not safe for me to have, however much I want to relive the old days and wish I could use them. I decided it's not healthy for us to have old cosmetics or cosmetics from other people, even friends. I don't feel too guilty about the waste. It's a lesson. That Moon Drops Mister Melon lipstick and nail polish were once gorgeous, now spoiled. It's a lesson to not have too many things, to use them up, and not let them go bad! 

New YouTube No Buy vid today from the glamorous and lovely concert pianist Natalia Lavrova! Check her out for inspiration for a pretty pink Valentines look - using what one already has. 

 
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I think I am at the end of my Month 8! I've finished up these little things:

  • One Secret deodorant - Tropical Orchid
  • One mini shampoo - June Jacobs Green Tea and Cucumber 
  • Two mini body washes from Advent calendar - Shea Butter Balm, and Mango Coriander 
  • Two mini primers from beauty boxes - MAC Strobe Cream and Hourglass Mineral Veil
  • Since the New Year, I've paid $200 off of my credit card. Excellent start! 


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