No Buy July

Do you ever feel like you have been spending too much money lately? That’s sort of how I feel right now. My boyfriend and I are eating out a lot less, and enjoying home cooked meals a lot more often, but I still think there is some space to trim things from my monthly budget. This month I will be attempting a “No Buy” (get it? No Buy July, because it rhymes?) where I will cut back on the useless spending I have been getting into lately. Every week (probably on Saturday) I will do an update post to keep myself accountable. I will grade myself on the 5 metrics (Makeup, Lunch, Clothes, Junk, Uber) and if I succeed in my goal for the month I will let myself pick one (reasonable) thing off my beauty wish list!


The Rules

• No buying makeup
• No buying lunch
• No buying clothes
• No buying useless junk (which I normally justify by calling it a “blog prop”)
• Less Uber

I have so much make-up. I really have no business spending any more money at Sephora. However, I spend an average of $100 at Sephora. For the month of July I will not make any (more) purchases, other than when I run out of my daily skincare products (skincare isn’t make-up). This means no more lipstick, lipgloss, blush, or any of those pretty things.

I find my average purchased lunch costs me $12. That means if I buy lunch every day of the week that would cost me $60, or the cost of SOMETHING REALLY COOL. If I buy lunch every day of every week that would cost me $240 per month (roughly the cost of the Kate Spade purse I have my eye on). Realistically I purchase lunch three days a week at work, costing me $144 a month (or one really good Sephora haul). That can easily be avoided by bringing my lunch from home by either making it the night before, or bringing leftovers.

I’m actually really good at not buying clothes. Last month I had a little but of a splurge while in Poland and then when I got home because I needed some new blazers. This one should be easy as I don’t need any more clothes until the fall.

On my way home every day I pass a Winners, and usually end up going for a little stroll. I am really bad for picking up something, deciding it would be a great piece of décor for my blog, and then buying it. While I have found some neat things (like this Canada mug) I think I will be able to get by with out adding any more useless junk this month.

One of my greatest weakness is being tired after a day at work and opting to take Uber when I already have a metropass. I’m not saying no Uber this month, I’m just saying I am going thin kit through and be more selective about when I use Uber. A always thin twice about a cab, but with Uber being connected to your credit card it is easy to forget that those $7 rides add up.

What this means for my blog

Don’t worry! There will still be lots of posts and product reviews. Other than reviewing my subscription boxes (Ipsy, Birchbox, Julep), I will still have round up posts and single product reviews of both PR samples. And products in my existing collection (including goodies from the CBB meet up and some treats I picked up for myself last week).

The Prize

If I succeed I will purchase Bite Cashmere Creme in "Sherry", and LUSH's solid shampoo in "Ultimate Shine".  Let the no-buy begin!

Wish me luck!  Happy window shopping!