May 2014 No/Low Buy: Support, Hugs, Commiseration, and Confessional

[elizabethrose]

I might get a haircut myself tomorrow.  I don't count it against the no-buy because it has to be done.

I don't count haircuts in no-buy.. I bought myself a groupon for a cut and color that I'll have on Sunday.. I'll have to tip but otherwise it's paid for.  I only do this like, twice a year so I figure it's worth it.

 

[elizabethrose]

Also, I'm going to Ulta today to pick up more shampoo (Lush's isn't working and my hair needs fixing STAT.) - the living proof phd set.  But beyond that, lawd help me.  I'm gonna go look at the Electric palette, because I have decided that I'm allowed to buy that since I have major lust.  BUT I really want to wait until the next paycheck comes in.. so... y'know.. there's that.

 

[jaylilee]

I made my Shiro Cosmetics purchase - which I've been planning for a week and a half, so I'm good with that. I also ended up buying fewer things than I anticipated - I only bought The Hobbit Collection (granted, full-size jars because I want the labels) and I resisted the Miyazaki Tints; Gelato Beach Blush; Ditto, Vine Whip, and Bubblebeam from the Super Effective Collection (Pokemon); Mockingjay from the Tributes Collection (Hunger Games); and Plausible Walrus (the new Color of the Month).

This morning when I was putting on my foundation, I realized that all 3 of my foundations will likely be too light for me in the summer. Ulta sent me a 5x points offer for the new bareMinerals BareSkin Serum Foundation valid until May 10th (with free shipping), so I'll think about that for the next couple of days and use all 3 of my foundations to confirm that they will be too light. It's totally possible that I will talk myself out of this, so we'll see.

I don't have any subs and I'm planning on keeping it that way.

I shouldn't have looked....

omg.

I didn't realize such beautiful colors could exist.

I only wish that indie companies would sell their pigments in larger sizes...I'm a bit spoiled by mac's old jar types...and sometimes feel like it's not enough product in an itty bitty jar...but oh well.

 

[chibimorph]

I shouldn't have looked....

omg.

I didn't realize such beautiful colors could exist.

I only wish that indie companies would sell their pigments in larger sizes...I'm a bit spoiled by mac's old jar types...and sometimes feel like it's not enough product in an itty bitty jar...but oh well.

I don't really know how to respond without enabling but... yes.

And even though the jars seem small, just remember that it still takes quite a bit of time to use them up!

 

[meaganola]

Solution for those who did Secret Santa (nails, makeup, or both) on here last year: Join the Midsummer Night's Dream Swap and put indies on your list! Then you can remind yourself that your Fairy Godmother might be sending it, so you need to wait at least until the swap is over!

And I'm going to be seeing all of the Shiro colors love and in person next week. Wish me luck.

 

[kawaiiwoofs]

oopsies. after my morning declaration of "no more clothes buying", I picked up...

1 dress for graduation and will be great at work

1 pair of shoes 

2 tops

buuut... the dress /shoes were from gap and they were on sale so they came out to $40 for both

2 tops were from Jcrew. Originally at $75. Sale sticker marked it down to $50 BUT I knew I *knew* i saw them online for $16...so I got them both for $16, then 40% off of that then 15% off for my student discount.

I feel like I failed and won at the same time...On that note, I menu planned for the 21 Day Fix diet and will now go burn money at the grocery store.

 

[CurlyTails]

After further review of my spending over the last few weeks, until further notice I am on a makeup and skincare NO BUY except that I can keep my existing subscriptions (one Birchbox and Julep, but I have enough Jules for the June box if I want to take a box), and I can buy TRUE replacement items (meaning I have used up the full size products in my stash and have no samples of similar products and I will actually need a replacement within the next week and a half).  There will likely be no replacement items that meet this criteria this month, so I am hoping to make no purchases for the rest of the month. 

I'm off to post my April empties on the Used It Up Thread in order to help motivate me to keep to my new goals!

 

[CurlyTails]

oopsies. after my morning declaration of "no more clothes buying", I picked up...

1 dress for graduation and will be great at work

1 pair of shoes 

2 tops

buuut... the dress /shoes were from gap and they were on sale so they came out to $40 for both

2 tops were from Jcrew. Originally at $75. Sale sticker marked it down to $50 BUT I knew I *knew* i saw them online for $16...so I got them both for $16, then 40% off of that then 15% off for my student discount.

I feel like I failed and won at the same time...On that note, I menu planned for the 21 Day Fix diet and will now go burn money at the grocery store.

The good thing about dresses and tops is that they should continue to fit even after you start to lose weight (unlike pants, for instance).

 

[kawaiiwoofs]

The good thing about dresses and tops is that they should continue to fit even after you start to lose weight (unlike pants, for instance).

excellent point!!! i'm just waiting for it to warm up here in Milwaukee so pants will no longer be necessary!

 

[nolongerhere1723]

My plan for May, a day late!

I started a replacement-only no-buy (with a few categories as exceptions...I put all my crazy details in a Spoiler over on the April thread for the curious) in mid-April after going way too crazy at the Sephora and Ulta sales and have been going strong since then. Hoping to stick with it in May! The plan is to keep to it until November this year (again, with a few previously established exceptions!). 

I don't anticipate needing to replace anything this month from my restricted categories. Possibly will finish up my gentle face wash, but I have samples to use up before buying a new one. Everything else I have plenty of!

Here are my planned  purchases for the month:

-A Lush haul (my first ever!). I've been planning this for months, and it is on the allowed list for the no-buy, even though some things will be from restricted categories. It is my reward for finishing up a big work thing!

-Birchbox subscription, and allowed to take Julep if I like the colors. 

-One nail polish (not a restricted category for me). 

-A bronzer for contouring. I only own one bronzer and it is too shimmery for contouring, and I didn't explicitly ban bronzer in my no buy. Going to keep this inexpensive...maybe Nyx?

-Sunscreen! Necessary. Debating on whether I should be allowing myself to buy the Sephora Sun Safety kit for my sunscreen purchase (when it comes out)...it feels kind of like cheating on my no buy!

-Possibly a candle haul from B&BW if they have a good promo. 

-A new pair of black flats because mine are destroyed!

My big goal for the month is to hit pan on ONE color cosmetic. I have never hit pan on an eye shadow or blush! (Granted, I just got into makeup last year, but still). So I'm going to try to focus on a few eye shadows for the month. This is part of the bigger goal of actually starting to whittle down my stash and use what I have before buying more. 

 

[elizabethrose]

So I bought the Urban Decay Electric palette yesterday, and the Living Proof set (what I actually needed at Ulta).  This is my ONE SPLURGE for the month.  No more using my credit card for realsies.  I went out last night too and I am afraid of looking to see how much I actually racked up in my traipsing around Chicago at too late at night.  I must be stopped.

 

[elizabethrose]

Solution for those who did Secret Santa (nails, makeup, or both) on here last year: Join the Midsummer Night's Dream Swap and put indies on your list! Then you can remind yourself that your Fairy Godmother might be sending it, so you need to wait at least until the swap is over!

And I'm going to be seeing all of the Shiro colors love and in person next week. Wish me luck.

This is my plan.  I need new eyeshadows like I need a hole in my head, but I'm really interested in indies so to the Midsummer Dreamlist they go!  I cannot buy anything on that list!!

 

[meaganola]

This is my plan.  I need new eyeshadows like I need a hole in my head, but I'm really interested in indies so to the Midsummer Dreamlist they go!  I cannot buy anything on that list!!

I have a stash of GDE stuff -- sample baggies that came as freebies in orders, a sample jar or two from when I accidentally ordered something I already have, extra GWP full-size jars from when I placed two orders in the same month, and a few full-size jars that I won and then realized I already had (I don't do duplicates of pigments.  *Ever*.  So these are amazing colors, but these specific jars/baggies need to not live in my collection) -- that I've been setting aside specifically for Midsummer.  I'm desperately hoping my person is an indie newbie -- or an indie fan who simply hasn't tried GDE -- who doesn't have color or brand preferences.  They could get... a nice variety.  To put it mildly.

I'm currently agonizing whether to buy Espionage Cosmetics Clinically Insane nail wraps.  Damian Lillard made an *amazing* shot last night at literally the last second (down two points, nine-tenths of a second on the clock, and that dude made a THREE-POINT SHOT.  That hasn't happened in NBA finals since 1997.  It was *amazing*.  I watched the shot on Vine abut twenty times before I finally went to bed last night because it was just a thing of beauty), and now that series is over.  I need Rip City nails for round two, but I DO NOT do plain red nails, and I feel the need for special nails I can't already do with my existing collection.  (Nail art is out of the question for me because I just do not have the ability to do that!)  I've come up with a simple solution to whether I can get them:  If Bridge City Comics has them (and the Adamantium wraps, because I'll need those for the 24th), I can get them today.  Otherwise, the universe is telling me to not get them.

 

[elizabethrose]

I have a stash of GDE stuff -- sample baggies that came as freebies in orders, a sample jar or two from when I accidentally ordered something I already have, extra GWP full-size jars from when I placed two orders in the same month, and a few full-size jars that I won and then realized I already had (I don't do duplicates of pigments.  *Ever*.  So these are amazing colors, but these specific jars/baggies need to not live in my collection) -- that I've been setting aside specifically for Midsummer.  I'm desperately hoping my person is an indie newbie -- or an indie fan who simply hasn't tried GDE -- who doesn't have color or brand preferences.  They could get... a nice variety.  To put it mildly.

I'm currently agonizing whether to buy Espionage Cosmetics Clinically Insane nail wraps.  Damian Lillard made an *amazing* shot last night at literally the last second (down two points, nine-tenths of a second on the clock, and that dude made a THREE-POINT SHOT.  That hasn't happened in NBA finals since 1997.  It was *amazing*.  I watched the shot on Vine abut twenty times before I finally went to bed last night because it was just a thing of beauty), and now that series is over.  I need Rip City nails for round two, but I DO NOT do plain red nails, and I feel the need for special nails I can't already do with my existing collection.  (Nail art is out of the question for me because I just do not have the ability to do that!)  I've come up with a simple solution to whether I can get them:  If Bridge City Comics has them (and the Adamantium wraps, because I'll need those for the 24th), I can get them today.  Otherwise, the universe is telling me to not get them.

Now I'm wishing for you to be my fairy godmother /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> (to whoever actually becomes my fairy godmother, if you happen to read this in my post history, I will love you just as much, I swear.)  I just want to try ALL THE INDIES!  *insert meme here*  And I love that so many of them are fandom-based and have witty names and are just pretty colors.  Without trying indies, I feel like I'm very into indies.  Bahahaha

Those nail wraps are beautiful.  I think you do need them.  Oooh maybe I can do black nails with a red accent nail for Round 2 playoffs this week!  That's an idea!  I watched a basketball game last night, but for the life of me, I don't remember which one it was (in my defense, none of the TV's at the restaurant that I was facing were playing the basketball game, because the Blackhawks game had just started, and Chicago.).  Everyone who was watching it though who knew basketball were ooh-ing and aaah-ing over it though.

 

[Lolo22]

I don't count haircuts in no-buy.. I bought myself a groupon for a cut and color that I'll have on Sunday.. I'll have to tip but otherwise it's paid for. I only do this like, twice a year so I figure it's worth it.

I really want a haircut too but I just got one lol. The length is perfect now but I want some choppy layers added lol. I can't decide if I should allow it or not since it's like $80.
I'm considering April a successful low buy but now that a new month started and its spring all the fun colors are giving me the urge to get cray cray and get lots of new stuff!

 

[jaylilee]

I don't really know how to respond without enabling but... yes.

And even though the jars seem small, just remember that it still takes quite a bit of time to use them up!

True!

On that note, I spent my $50 allowance for the month -- I got 3 different mac pigments I had been eyeing. I'm thinking, with the amount of product in them, there's no reason to go about buying all the ones that exist. The one I WISH I could find is sunnydaze, which unfortunately goes for ridiculous amounts of money, and there seems to be no true dupe of it (at least that I'm aware of). Currently my fave for every day is Tan...slap it on and go in the mornings. I found out if I just use whatever stuck to the stopper inside, that's all I need! no mess. yay. I feel like I just discovered the secret to the universe.

Anyways, since I spent my allowance on piggies this month, the only other "maybe" purchase I have is the pro palette from lorac, but that's still a big maybe, so I'm calling the rest of the month a no buy.

 

[meaganola]

Aaahhhh! No Big Damn Heroes GCC order for me this month! I have a set from Espionage that I'll use for my _Firefly_ marathon later this month, and I'll pick BDH later. GCC is releasing a new set at 7pm tonight that I will get instead: This Is My Design. Gah. Love that show. It has just about the most gorgeous production design and palette I've seen on tv since _Pushing Daisies_. I've got several episodes stacked up in Hulu, so I'll just wait to watch those until I get the order I will be placing tonight.

ETA: I feel guilty about planning on ordering these, but I did specifically plan for one GCC order, so I need to stop with that guilt! I'm not violating the plan! I'm actually sticking to it! And note to self: Next year, plan for a big spend in May. Shiro *and* innocent+twisted alchemy have anniversaries. I think there's another indie with an anniversary this month I can't recall at the moment. Oh, wait, just remembered. Espionage Cosmetics. But I try to only buy their stuff at cons or at Bridge City Comics if there is a specific event I'm purchasing for (like nail wraps for the Blazers playoffs and _X-Men Days of Future Past_), so I'm not sure that will be a huge temptation unless they have an amazing deal in nail wraps.

 

[BSquared]

Did good today!! I needed glitter glue as going out tonight. Went to walmart to look for the hard candy version. Didn't have it....but they did have a whole new milani display. Grabbed 3 blushes. Wandered, realized I didn't need then, and put them down. Yay!

Then went to ulta to get the UD glitter glue. Left with only that + two of the Gwen stefani opi polishes that were on clearance. Needed? Nah. But I've been eyeing these forever and it was half off plus I got another free bottle of it's a 10 leave in for spending $20 so I'm ok with it. Pop and cargo were half off too and I left with none of it. So I'm proud!

 

[TooMuchElectric]

Has anyone figured out how to use the spoiler function here? I'd like to put my purchase photos under a spoiler just because there's so much.

APRIL RECAP
In order pictured, I spent
$37 Kate Spade Saturday, $4 CB2, $87 Baublebar
$20 Popsugar
$101.62 Ulta
$56.50 Julep

[Edit: forgot I spent $6 on a pencil sharpener because Neiman Marcus was doing a full size NARS primer GWP. Seriously who can resist that?]
 
Total $312. I didn't pay full price for a single item (including the gift cards), I'll get ebates back for a lot of it and $10 back from Ulta because of a packaging/shipping problem. Most of my items I'm super thrilled by (I love my kate spade bag so much I want to send my past self a thank you for giving me such a perfect gift). If I were having a talk with the April version of me, I'd try to talk myself out of the Baublebar gift card. It was a late-night cranky sleep-deprived impulse purchase to make me feel better. It didn't work.
 
I feel like I'm still riding the line between spending my hard-earned money on things that I love and spending too much of my money on frivolous things. On the plus side, I added to my savings a little bit, I got a raise so I'll have some backpay coming to me soon, and this month I'm getting promoted which comes with an additional raise. I also talked myself out of spending money on beauty.com/drugstore.com, and I talked myself out of a LOT of crate and barrel sale items.

 

[TooMuchElectric]

And now for May: Three days in an I've already spent $261. I'd say I've earned myself a no-buy for the rest of the month!

Exceptions: I can use my Julep and Baublebar gift cards, obviously. I have enough Jules to get my next box free, so I can get that if I want. No signing up for any more subscriptions. No drugstore.com/beauty.com/CVS/amazon purchases. No theBalm purchases. There is literally nothing I need. If Loreal or NYX goes to 40% off at Ulta, I can buy the lilac and plum YSL-dupe lip gloss stain, or Alabama, Siren, or Indie Flick lipstick in the store with a $3.50 off coupon. If my lack of makeup purchases bums me out, I will work on my wish list of Hakuhodo face brushes. I will NOT buy any brushes, Hakuhodo or other.

Clothes-wise, I will work on donating/selling/repairing the clothes I have. Food-wise, no eating out unless it's a social thing (I need to do less online shopping and more IRL socializing).