Autumn Winter No Buy/Project Use it Up 9/23-12/31 2018

[EdithS2]

Almost Christmas! I'm so excited. I'm having fun with my cousin - we've received the boxes of gifts we mailed each other and are exchanging fun emails. In the past I was not always a family member you would want to be with for Christmas. I would get down and sulky. I was struggling with shopping too much for me, and the stress and guilt. 

I'm so happy because I will have a rest from work! I am so tired and burned out! Today is the last day, and there is a party at work. Then I have the weekend, and Monday I only have to work 8 am to noon!!!! Oh, it will be such a relief without the long afternoon. Then I have Christmas Day off. It's practically a four day weekend, since 8 am to noon is so easy. Then when I go back I will only have three days until the next weekend. New Year's week I'll have the same wonderful schedule. REST! SLEEP! PEACE! 

 

[EdithS2]

I did a lot this weekend! I got Netflix back for one free month. I recalled that last year I got Netflix during the holidays, and enjoyed watching films at the beginning of the year. But usually I don't have energy to watch anything but small You Tube videos. I watched a ton of TV episodes and several films this weekend. And I cleaned, did laundry, organized my work bag a little, and rewrote notes from a training I had at work Friday. Maybe the No Buy Christmas is so relaxing for me, that it's made me less depressed. I did not open new charge accounts this holiday season. No new bills to worry about, and I'm excited for my 2019 payment plan. 

 

[EdithS2]

Wishing everyone a magical Christmas ?

My magical No Buy Christmas

My Christmas wishes came true. After being on No Buy for a year, and getting ready for another year of No Buy, I asked my father for journaling/planning supplies from the dollar store, and a large supply of facial cotton pads from Sams Club. I asked my brother for cosmetics from the dollar store--any kind. 

Dad got me great journaling supplies so that I can plan and document my 2019 No Buy. How did he know unicorns were such a big thing these days? He also gave me some money, and a lot of Rocher chocolate. My cousin gave me a mini 2019 Tea Time calendar that is so sublime. 

My brother never disappoints. He's awesome. He got me:

• Baylis & Harding body wash and lotion set - very pretty and pink
  
• Yardley of London Shea Buttermik and English Lavender bath soaps
  
• Little bin of four April Bath & Shower bath poufs colored like the rainbow - the tag says "replace every 30 days" - perfect for No Buy - I'll know when they can go into the empties! 
  
• April Bath & Shower Japanese Blossom shower gel and body lotion
  
• Huge bottle (50 % more it says) of Silkience Lavender and Vanilla body wash 
  
• Gilchrist and Soames shampoo mini
  
• Her Royal Highness perfume - version of Vera Wang Princess - and I adore the name!  
  

Dad went to Costco and instead of getting me a giant supply of cotton pads, he got me a huge bulk box of makeup cleansing cloths with hibiscus and silk extracts, made in Germany. I'm so happy with my gifts. I'm going to put them in a pile and just look at them for a week, and after midnight on new year's I can begin using them. 2019 is looking very promising! 

 

[EdithS2]

Is it not kind of a relief to be done with Christmas, and the pressure it can bring? Time to get ready for New Year's Eve, and an exciting new No Buy project. ?

• It was on December 26, 2006, that I first undertook a No Buy through a beauty forum. 
  
• I woke up on that day really ill, and called in sick from work. When I felt better I went on the computer, of course. I think I was meant to be ill that day, because on a beauty forum (not this one, unfortunately), I read about people who were forming a pact of "not buying any more beauty products until I use up what I have". You know that moment when something just clicks for you? I felt instantly happier. This was for me, it gave me hope, and my depression lifted. 
  
• In the days before New Year, I had a last shopping trip before the No Buy began. It was a fun, fulfilling, guilt free shopping trip with lunch out. At that time there was a big, special bath and Body Works store by me that had extra luxury brands. I got some great things in the end of year sale. I remember being so happy to find the Fresh Memoirs of a Geisha beauty products in the clearance bin. I had wanted them so badly when they were first released, but could not afford them. They had a rice powder face wash, and sake bath products. I got as a gift with purchase, a soft denim tote bag. I think I still have it. I should find it to use as my empties bag! 
  
• I cleaned and organized my room, and every week I would vacuum it and clean it. I always kept everything arranged the exact way I had organized it at the beginning of the year. I remember a stack of glossy yellow boxes. Those were from Yellow Box Beauty, a beauty sub box that was around before Birchbox. She sent you lavish boxes. I should clean and reorganize my room this weekend. 
  
• I was so happy on that project until May. Unfortunately I crashed because I fell and purchased something and could not get over it, but the whole project is a memory of a happy and peaceful time. 
  

 

[Twitter Beauty]

Is it not kind of a relief to be done with Christmas, and the pressure it can bring? Time to get ready for New Year's Eve, and an exciting new No Buy project. ?

• It was on December 26, 2006, that I first undertook a No Buy through a beauty forum. 
  
• I woke up on that day really ill, and called in sick from work. When I felt better I went on the computer, of course. I think I was meant to be ill that day, because on a beauty forum (not this one, unfortunately), I read about people who were forming a pact of "not buying any more beauty products until I use up what I have". You know that moment when something just clicks for you? I felt instantly happier. This was for me, it gave me hope, and my depression lifted. 
  
• In the days before New Year, I had a last shopping trip before the No Buy began. It was a fun, fulfilling, guilt free shopping trip with lunch out. At that time there was a big, special bath and Body Works store by me that had extra luxury brands. I got some great things in the end of year sale. I remember being so happy to find the Fresh Memoirs of a Geisha beauty products in the clearance bin. I had wanted them so badly when they were first released, but could not afford them. They had a rice powder face wash, and sake bath products. I got as a gift with purchase, a soft denim tote bag. I think I still have it. I should find it to use as my empties bag! 
  
• I cleaned and organized my room, and every week I would vacuum it and clean it. I always kept everything arranged the exact way I had organized it at the beginning of the year. I remember a stack of glossy yellow boxes. Those were from Yellow Box Beauty, a beauty sub box that was around before Birchbox. She sent you lavish boxes. I should clean and reorganize my room this weekend. 
  
• I was so happy on that project until May. Unfortunately I crashed because I fell and purchased something and could not get over it, but the whole project is a memory of a happy and peaceful time. 
  

Great!  I'm following your NO BUY.  It's soo hard not to buy, but following along with yours is a highlight for me. thanks for posting it up.  

 

[EdithS2]

Christmas and my birthday have now passed. They have been tough, with very little relief from stress and strain. Work has been so hard. We are not getting time off for New Years Eve any more. And of course being on No Buy, I can't treat myself. I used to feel down if I could not go to the mall for Christmas and my birthday and get the Estee Lauder sets. If I got beauty gifts that were not from the department stores, I was disappointed, and had to go and buy them for myself. My brother made my Christmas and birthday special with the wonderful gifts he gave me. The beauty gifts were from the Dollar Tree for the most part, but I love them as much as I used to love the more expensive department store things. I truly mean that. Being on No Buy has made me less spoiled. For my birthday my brother got me a Mama Cass TV special DVD. He knows I love 60s music. This was a fabulous gift. I love Mama Cass. He also got me for Christmas a bath and body gift set from an English brand called Baylis & Harding. He said he bought it at Walgreens, and it is stunning. I checked out the brand's web site and it is a gorgeous brand. They had a lovely advent calendar-I'm not sure if it was available in the US or only in England. I found a new brand to love. Being on No Buy makes me appreciate things more and enjoy them more. 

 

[EdithS2]

Thank you Makeup Talk family, for providing me this little room to post on my goals (I do go on and on and repeat myself) and for all of your support. It meant a lot, as I was finally able to stay on No Buy for an entire year. My No Buy is not ending, as it has become a normal habit for me, my hobby or lifestyle, something I enjoy.. I don't want to be a "Minimalist" or "Anti-Consumerist." I just want to watch my money so that I can live a nice life, and I want to get the maximum enjoyment out of the things I have. It's just a way of taking care of my life. In the past I was very wasteful with money and things, and I regret it. I could go on and on about it, but I'm too busy carrying on with my 2019 No Buy, which is habit and routine now, a well worn path. Thank you again for helping me. 

 

[Geek2]

Thank you Makeup Talk family, for providing me this little room to post on my goals (I do go on and on and repeat myself) and for all of your support. It meant a lot, as I was finally able to stay on No Buy for an entire year. My No Buy is not ending, as it has become a normal habit for me, my hobby or lifestyle, something I enjoy.. I don't want to be a "Minimalist" or "Anti-Consumerist." I just want to watch my money so that I can live a nice life, and I want to get the maximum enjoyment out of the things I have. It's just a way of taking care of my life. In the past I was very wasteful with money and things, and I regret it. I could go on and on about it, but I'm too busy carrying on with my 2019 No Buy, which is habit and routine now, a well worn path. Thank you again for helping me. 

Thank you for being such an inspiration and help to others while sharing your journey!! You have inspired me to take on the path as well. I'm so grateful that for the first time in years I didn't not shop last year like I used to. My purchases were thought out and I wasn't just shopping for the sake of shopping. The beginning was rough and I would get angry but as the time went on, I felt so much better. I'm now able to just look at new makeup and beauty items without having the need to purchase them or feeling left out or frustrated if I couldn't purchase them. I'm enjoying looking at beautiful things and will only purchase something if I absolutely need it and I'm mindful of the price and the money I'm spending. Thanks again @EdithS2 for being such an inspiration to the MakeupTalk family and sharing your journey and helping so many others in the process!!

 

[Twitter Beauty]

Thank you for being such an inspiration and help to others while sharing your journey!! You have inspired me to take on the path as well. I'm so grateful that for the first time in years I didn't not shop last year like I used to. My purchases were thought out and I wasn't just shopping for the sake of shopping. The beginning was rough and I would get angry but as the time went on, I felt so much better. I'm now able to just look at new makeup and beauty items without having the need to purchase them or feeling left out or frustrated if I couldn't purchase them. I'm enjoying looking at beautiful things and will only purchase something if I absolutely need it and I'm mindful of the price and the money I'm spending. Thanks again @EdithS2 for being such an inspiration to the MakeupTalk family and sharing your journey and helping so many others in the process!!

I agree.  Great inspiration!  Thank you for posting this and keeping us all on the edge of our seats.  I am not spending much these days either