No spend beauty 2019

[Bellsandwhistle]

So after Liberty and M and S advent calanders plus a few presents I’m gonna attempt a no beauty spend 2019. Will eventually need deodorant and shampoo I guess but will see how far I can get before spending....

Fresta yes , I have a couple of showergels in the bathroom (for me)
Nuxe , a Korres Ginger/Lime (bought a gift set well 2 of them that had the Basil one and the Ginger one) and an Elemis showergel.

Just used up a Molton Brown one.

If I'm at work, I need something quick and fresh smelling , I don't want to waste my nice gels on a quick wash, Original Source usually (£1 a bottle , cheap'n'cheerful) .

My lovely DS (19) keeps pinching my Aveda Shampure and trying to deny it , but I can smell it on him, it's very distinctive .

I stopped using shower gel a couple of years ago. Switched to soap. Now have a soap collection. Am afraid to count how many bars! Usually have two in the go in the shower at any one time.

Nice one fresta. I’m exactly the same with body wash. I love love love L’occitaine almond oil wash when I need comforting. Anything lemony or zingy for waking up. Definitely don’t need any more soaps now though as they last so long.

Have to say, I hate bar soap! I find it leaves my skin dry, makes a mess of the shower and always ends up as a slimy lump on the shelf! I won't be switching anytime soon.

Can I join you? I don't have a huge stash, but that's mainly because most of the stuff I have stored up were gifts, and I often use other products on a daily basis. But it's getting out of hand and I'd like to rein it back - to focus on the stash and buy only to replace seems a sensible plan. Somehow both lotion and shower gel seem to last me absolutely ages...I doubt I'll need to buy either one this year. And my 3 small eyeshadow quads should also do me for the year if I avoid temptation.

I'm also tempted to do a no-spend and/or project 333 for my clothing, after reducing by about half last year but still feeling like I have too much. I've downloaded the YourCloset app to make it clear what I'm actually wearing, so maybe that'll help me with decision-making.

I went with DH to a shopping area which has shops I like and I can normally find something to buy. He wanted some trousers so I went with him but I was not even tempted to look at anything for me. I have saved so much money this month.

moimichme welcome the more the merrier. Shoring stories and temptations plus good tips and encouragement is what it’s all about. V impressed at you reducing wardrobe in half - I hope to have done that by end of year.
I’ve def saved money this month and am going to spend what I would normally spend on clothes and beauty on some dental treatment I’ve been putting off.

Also I went into boots today to replace an everyday foundation that I finished this morning and walked in, bought and walked out. Before I’d have had a browse and spent £50 instead of £15. That’s my first beauty spend and I’d run out and just replaced. Might actually keep a running total of annual spend to motivate me. Should have kept last year’s spend but didn’t think that far ahead! Big even in December I spent £300 on 3 advents so if I come in u see that I will be pleased. I hoentalt think I could def get away with less than £300 spend all year.

Fell off the wagon this weekend.

Ordered some stuff from Debenhams including a cleanser and face masks but did have a gift card for half of it.

Then bought a jumper and trousers but both in the sale.

Did get some gifts too for my dm for Mother's Day too.

I do like finding a bargain and my marriage is tough at the moment and the retail therapy helps

woodhill understand marriage problems making you want a treat but can I check if you had any cleanser or face masks on house? Do you need trousers and jumper?
Totally get need to make ourselves feel better but would a walk or a lunch with friend have done the same trick? Just trying to understand our need for things.

I did really well- went to the city on a full day shopping trip- Harvey Nichols, John Lewis etc. I managed to not spend a penny on beauty stuff whilst helping my friend shop for lipstick (although I might have bought a bag and a skirt instead- I did need them though! Honest!)

I'm really enjoying the spaces appearing on my dressing table- I used up a styling spray yesterday- and used the empty spry bottle to decant another one from Tigi which I have never used because I can't get along with the dispenser on it- so now my spray is full again and I can get away without buying another for a while!

Bellsandwhistle To be fair, it was easy (ish) to reduce my clothing because quite a bit was maternity or certain things I had never worn again after pregnancy. Moving house provided inspiration to reduce it further!

I have today, at last, used up a hand lotion that I've had for over 5 years, by using it every day all over my body after my shower.

Well done, Fresta, I need to try that trick with another hand lotion that is impossible to squeeze out of the bottle.

I took DS (19) and DD(16) out seperately to buy them clothes and shoes.

I saw a couple of tops (tunic top in Sainsbury) and a TShirt in M&S and a soft fleece top in M&S which I liked , so I got them.
I tend to buy a few things together , very rarely online and mainly ones I've looked at and then gone back for a couple of days later (or in M&S , I order to deliver to store a few days later)
Cuts down on impulse buys.

Got some bras but they are replacements for a couple that had to go .

I also ordered my Valentines present for DH to give to me (aren't I decent ) some L'Occitane .

I did resist:
some boots in M&S
hair dye
any make-up

I feel a bit like I fell at the final January hurdle - pay check was in and I lost control a bit!

I had to pop out Saturday so I limited the shops I would go into and wrote a list of what I needed.

Went into Primark to get 1 thing (the scalf I was going to wait for my birthday to get - dh said....just get it, it's only £5!) ended up picking up 4 bloody things. Still only came to a total of £18 so not too much damamge.

Went into Boots - had to replace my face serum, face wash and get hairdye.

Well I got 2 facewashes because it was BOGOHP, and I brought 2 dye's because it was on offer also. Now I'm not sure if this counts as cheating because they were replacements for things I use every day and I technically saved money getting them on offer......

I did however also get some eye bag patches as we were going to a party and I was looking dog tired.

Having said that I did manage to get round the rest of Boots without splashing out (even though my shopping came to £40) and I didn't buy anything else whilst we were out.

I'm just going to AVOID going near the shops at all in future!!!

Cleanser nearly run out and 1face mask at home.

Smart Trousers good for work. Don't need jumper but like it.

I agree avoiding shops is key. I’d half an hour free today before lunch amd would normally have had a wander through the shops. I didn’t and so no temptation. I also met a friend and she had lovely m and S outfit on amd usually is have been off googling her trousers and then browsing to see what other good stuff they had. I haven’t and so again have avoided temptation.

Avoidance and keeping busy helps. I had to go to the shops with DH at weekend but managed to avoid buying anything other than food. It is easy at the moment though. I have lots of winter clothes and wouldn't buy anymore at this late stage of the season. Spring will be a testing time for me. Its when I get the urge to splurge.

One of my 2019 resolutions is to keep checking my bank account. Last year I might only have checked it once a month. That's not enough. You completely forget what you bought. Then you get a shock and deal with it by being a bit scared to check your account too often.

Not any more. Now I check it every couple of days. And good job too, as I just saw a big ol payment to my health insurance that I'd forgotten was going to happen. Imagine if I went into Boots and bought a few things? I'd be looking at that insurance payment, then down at the Boots bag, and feeling a bit sick.

Checking it frequently is also going to help me keep track of my spending. In January I spent 55 quid on replacing my perfume. That's all I spent on beauty, I literally bought not one other thing. So looking at my account hasn't been stressful this month. I know it's only gonna have necessary spends on there.

In February my aim is a tenner - I'm counting shampoo and conditioner in my challenge and I'll be running out soon. Though I will probably get them in Aldi so I spend as little as possible. So maybe only a fiver! That'd be fantastic.

I've managing mine by trying to be accountable to my husband. We have joint accounts and I usually spend more than he does. But I work in finance and so it's easy for me to look after the accounts. By telling dh every in and out it really makes me appreciate how much I'm spending. My dh isn't strict at all about spending and we've never felt the need to go through everything together but hopefully starting now will help me be more conscious.

When I was in debt I avoided looking at my bank account. Since I have become debt free and more sensible I check every day. It no longer frightens me. Apart from fares to work, and household direct debits, I won't see anything coming out from my bank account this working week. The same last week. It is a good feeling. At the weekend it was just the supermarket for food.

I get paid mid month. I have saved (into building soc account) a lot of money this month, and I think I will be substantially in the black when I do get paid so I can pay that in too. Apart from vitamins, deodorant, cotton wool pads and varnish remover I won't need to buy any toiletries or make up next month. Or clothes. Or books. I had started slipping into bad ways before I wrested back control from the spending devil on my shoulder. It all feels suspiciously easy at the moment.

I’m still doing well. Total spend this month on beauty was £9.50.

Clothes - warm leggings and a top and coat for walking in winter. DH treated me to that though. And a hat.

My stash doesn’t seem to be reducing much though..........

Well I haven't any empties at all yet. But I've followed enough panners over the last few years to know it takes waaaaaay longer than you anticipate to use something up.

I'm actually almost at the end of a hyaluronic acid serum. I could repurchase cos I'm on a Replacement Only No Buy, but do you know? I don't think I'll bother. I don't really need it and it's 20 quid. I have to ask myself if it's worth it, just for an extra layer of goo.

Being frugal makes you stop and think whereas I would before have been all "I neeeeeed it! And its sexy packaging!!". Yeah actually I don't think I really do tbh.

If you are working, find out what your hourly rate is. Then look at something you want to buy and work out how many hours at work does it represent. Is it worth it? Particularly helpful if you dislike your job.

Bought a couple of hair dyes bogof at Superdrug,other than that nothing.(bought jeans,but took them back)

I've decided to take out a make up product that I'm not using and leave it beside my wash hand basin to either use it up or throw it out. I'm starting with tiny samples so will only keep them there for one week before they are binned; once I've used them up I'll move on to full size products and allow a bit longer for them to be used up.