The Empties Are Piling Up

My beauty shopping hiatus has spurred the urge for me to use up any almost finished products. 
I cut open a lotion bottle today to get the dregs that I couldn't squeeze out.  Tomorrow I'll be doing the same to my face wash.

I stopped by two Dollar Trees and a grocery store today and I bought nothing on my no shopping list.

I reorganized my products and put them in pretty containers.  I gathered up a collection of cosmetics to use daily and I am pretty sure I'll be hitting pan soon.

Right now I am content.  Right now life is good. 

Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do

You Know What Helps?

This whole decluttering/not buying thing I am doing is a lot easier when I don't shop. 

I've been in stores about five times since my hiatus started and I've pretty much bought what I went in for.  I've been leaving with one or two bags and that's it. 

Since unsubscribing from those tempting beauty company emails it' gotten a lot easier to not think about it.   I still love to watch a Dollar Tree haul on youtube. 

I'm hoping my next credit card bill will show my results.  We'll see.
That's about all for now. 

Decluttering, Unsubscribing and Letting them eat cake.

Decluttering is what's going on here.  Yesterday I started remaking over my tiny walk in closet that I share with my husband.  I moved in a dresser from my daughter's room to hold my purses, scarves, swim suits and extra beauty products.  It looks pretty good and I have more room on the floor of my closet.  I got rid of a few purses, clothes and shoes. 

I've been whittling down my collection of samples and foil packets.  I've been deleting and unsubscribing from any beauty company emails.  It's refreshing to let go of all this stuff and I don't need the temptation from a good sale anymore.  I need so little.  And I'd rather have the money.


Today I am baking a birthday cake for my son's 8th birthday party.  It will not be bakery gorgeous.  I don't do that.  But, it will be fun.  I bought Lego shaped candy to decorate it and a big Lego person pen to put on top. 

I'd better get to it.  I'm actually excited about a clean closet.  Isn't that weird?  The happier I become with my house, the less I will want to shop for an escape.

Temptation is Everywhere!

Today I have held steady and not bought anything on my no buy list.

I definitely need to retrain my brain though. 

A Little Cheat on my No Buy List

We stopped by Goodwill on our way home today.  I found a ten dollar Protection System winter coat for my daughter.  I always buy ahead when it comes to our winter gear.   And I  found ten dollars in the pocket when I got home!

I picked up a new Thirty-One soft wallet in Black Parisian for one dollar.  Wallets are on my no buy list.  However, I just donated my old one and the "new" replacement Guess one (bought for $1.90 at a second hand shop) has been chewed by the puppy.  I don't think the Guess will last me a year so I rationalized this purchase.  I like the soft edges which will cram much easier into my heavily burdened purse. 

Also, I picked up a $3 ziplock full of headbands, rubber balls for the dog and a new Hex Bug for the kids.  It just happened to have a brand new Clinique mascara still in the pack.  It's one of my favorite mascaras too.  

So, a little cheat but nothing I feel too guilty about.  I'm pretty jazzed about getting a new $16 mascara and a Thirty-One Wallet for $4.

Shopping With Purpose And Not For Fun

This is going to be a long year.  I have a bit of a bargain store shopping addiction. 

My daughter needed a present for a birthday party.  In December we donated our cache of sale toys for Toys4Tots.  I did manage to scrounge up a new card and gift wrap from my stockpile but I still needed to buy some gifts.  We stopped at 5 Below.  All I bought for myself was a 50 cent bottle of water. 

Soon that won't seem like a big deal.  Right?

Candle Review: Dollar Tree Luminesscence Wax Melts in Fresh Linen and Tealights

I'm a big fan of many Dollar Tree products.  These wax melts are not in that list.  They hardly give off any scent.  The Walmart brand are a much better deal. 

The Luminessence unscented tealights are also not that great.  The tealights are tiny and don't have much of a burn time to them.  I found a better deal at Big Lots.

The First One to Go- Love My Nails Bright Star Polish

My oldest nail polish is too thick to use anymore.  I don't even know if it is still being made.    It's probably 12 years old so I shouldn't be too upset, right?

The 99 cent Love My Nails and Love My Lips brand cosmetics were my go to before I had any real money to spend.  I had a Love My Lips lipstick in a frosted sand color that I used down to the nub when I was in high school. 

 Love My Nails Star Bright, I will miss you.  But, I will not replace you.


I cancelled my Birchbox and Ipsy subscriptions this week.  I am still waiting on my last Ipsy bag to arrive.  I think I should save it until I have a huge urge to shop.  I have been whittling down my email subscriptions to online stores so I don't have any temptations.  If I don't know about a sale it's a good thing.  Less junk email = less shopping= less crap in my way= a more simple life = more happiness and less guilt.  

The kids and husband are off at a birthday party.  My only companions are the noisy dishwasher, two barking dogs and two candles flickering next to me.  Life is good.  I think I'll hop in the tub and use some of my precious bubble bath.  The Bath and Body Works Velvet Sugar bath bubbles a friend gave me for Christmas smell so good.  The bubbles last a long time.  I need to hide it from my daughter.  Once it's gone I'm down to using the kids Superman bubbles before I can buy more. 

A Small Win

I went to Walmart for dog food and walked out with just dog food.  I used a coupon.

Adding to the List of No Buys

No Buys

Purses, Handbags, Wallets, etc.  
I will not purchase another until this date a year from today- February 13, 2015.


Jewelry 
I will not purchase any jewelry for a year.  I am allowed to make anything I want with what I have on hand though.

Storage Containers

I will use all the available storage containers I have or make do with homemade ones for the next year.


Low Buys and Slow Buys
Candles

I will burn all of my candles completely before I purchase a new one.  This includes tea lights and wax melts.  I will use up all my incense and air fragrances.   I don't think it will take me a full year so I am allowing myself to repurchase when my supply is gone.

Shoes
I will allow myself two new pairs of shoes for the next twelve months.  No more.

Books
I can get books from the library but I must read and get rid of a dozen personal books before I can buy a new one.  I will need to keep a list and keep track of this.  I consider books listed on paperbackswap as being the same as donated.


This list doesn't leave me much to purchase for myself.   Perhaps I can spend my time doing other things I enjoy like gardening or walking my dogs.  Shopping has been my go to entertainment for way too long.  Time to embrace a healthy change.

My Face Is Spending My Fortune- Make Out 2014 and Project Pan

I am finally getting around to my New Years Resolutions.

My first and most important one is to stop buying any personal care products or cosmetics for a complete year.  I have gone a lot crazy with Dollar Tree make up hauls, sephora.com, beauty.com, ulta.com, shopmissa.com, etc.  

I will not purchase any of these items until February 13th, 2015.   The only exceptions will be my Birchbox and Ipsy subscriptions (which I plan on cancelling in the next few months) and anything I have used up completely.  For example, if I use up a mascara I cannot buy another if I have another tube in stock.  I mean I need to be completely out of that particular thing.

Any gift items or free samples that come in the mail will not be counted.

I am looking forward to "hitting pan" on many of my items.  I plan on making a list of items to repurchase as I use products up. 

This is scary but also kind of exciting.  A year is a long time but I've got so much stuff to use up.
Here we go.