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.