24 October, 2012

My beauty bank...

...is a tale of good intentions, of initial triumph, of tragedy, and finally of redemption (I hope) - yay! How's that for a ridiculous introduction?

Behold the Beauty Bank - complete with my lip print*
(*Lip print courtesy of Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick - Calypso)

So how does this story go?  It all started with me telling my son I wasn't going to buy any makeup until after Christmas.  Of course, then I set myself some rules and rewards - how I love those! - and I made a public enough declaration on Twitter to make myself accountable and, thank you, I got lots of words of encouragement in return.  So, the rules are quite simple:
  1. Put $1 in the Beauty Bank each day I don't buy any makeup items
  2. Double the daily deposit and put $2 in the Beauty Bank each day I'm feeling really, REALLY tempted and don't make a makeup purchase
  3. Deduct $1 from the Beauty Bank for every unnecessary makeup item purchased
Week 1 I was going great, and despite a few temptations (I really wanted theBalm's Nude 'Tude palette on THAT particular week because the blogosphere was drowning me in it!) I stuck it out.  I thought it was going to be easy!  Well....then I fell off the wagon THREE times!

Oops #1 - courtesy of my husband.  Not his fault okay.  He just told me about an online beauty sale on discount website Catch of the Day.  Of course I looked, and of course I found a bargain in the form of a random selection of eight L'Oreal makeup products for less than $30.  Bargains trip me up every time.  Deduct $8 from the Beauty Bank. That one really hurt.

Oops #2 - a few days later I was seduced by another bargain in the form of a 'buy one get one free' Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick deal at Chemist Warehouse.  Deduct $1 (or should it be $2?) because technically I only purchased one item - I can feel I'm on shaky ground here.

Oops #3 - the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection launched.  Holy moly I just couldn't let that beautiful LE packaging slip me by as Marilyn is one of my icons.  One lipstick and one eyeshadow pan later and I had to deduct another $2...

So that's the sad part of the tale.  For another week or so I felt dejected and didn't think I deserved to deposit anything in my B.Bank because I'd failed on such a major scale - all in the period of a week!

Now I've come to another week.  I'm willing to give it a try and I'm 'fessing up about my failure so I can start afresh.   Let's see how I go from here...

Thanks for reading my (silly, strange) little confession.  It makes me feel better anyway.

Vita :)

23 comments:

  1. What a good idea... I tried a spending ban but ended up failing (as you'll see very shortly on my blog, all the things I ended up buying during haha) it's such a shame, there are so many great deals out there that suck me in!
    I have an electronic version of this at the moment, alternate bank accounts that earn me interest if I don't touch it, but if I have to take money out if I spend, I lose out :( it's sooo hard!
    Good luck! You'll make it! :)

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    1. Thanks Jasmine! I'm feeling better already - I just thought 'Why bother?' after my little beauty binge but why should it stop me from trying to reign it in again? After all it's not a P10 Pan or anything so I'm not obliged to finish products, just reward myself a little for not spending :))

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  2. I'm sorry for enabling... :( I totally forgot you were on beauty bank!!!

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    1. Guess what? Nail polish doesn't count - it was only makeup, haha!!

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  3. This post made me smile :) I can relate to this so much! But I've never gone on a ban per se may be because I know I won't stick ( or subconsciously I don't even acknowledge my makeup and perfume buying as an excessive addiction. Now that is trouble!)

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    1. Thanks Su - I think I knew I couldn't 100% stick to it either so that's why the 'penalty' is a $1 deduction for each slip up. There are so many of us with this harmless 'addiction' aren't there!

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  4. Ha ha Vita :)

    Good Luck .. n keep it up this week :)

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    1. Thanks Saumya, I'm off to a good start so far! Money's starting to go back in the B.Bank again :)

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  5. Haha this is cool! I've actually set up a specific savings account for my beauty buys..although it doesn't really stop me buying unnecessary makeup! haha

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    1. A separate savings account? Wow, setting up a budget like that is a great idea! That actually sounds sane and sensible Hannah! :)

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  6. LOL! I definitely understand where you're coming from. I really like your idea of the Beauty Bank. I was on a self imposed makeup ban once, I endured it for almost 3 months, fell off the wagon around 3 times and tried to stay on track. after 3 months, I just went haywire! hahaha

    The Holidays are coming and it would be impossible to stop my self from buying makeup since there will bargain and sales everywhere! ^_^

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    1. I hope the sales will be good just after Christmas - then I can let go a bit! I agree it's going to be very hard leading up to then cos I love all the gift packs and deals! :p

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  7. This is such a great idea! I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, Vita. At least you're keeping track! And there is a goal! That always helps :)

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    1. True Larie :) I tripped up then got back on board again - and never mind all that talk about lipstick yesterday, lol - I'm putting together another wishlist for after Christmas!!

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  8. Hey, having a goal is better than not having one at all, and at least you've tried and are trying still! I say plough on. You WILL get there. Think of the bigger picture - you get to buy A LOT more if you put a dollar or two each day at the end of it all! ;)

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    1. That's the plan! Thanks for the encouraging words - I look forward to having a lot of loose change to spend at the end! :)

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  9. Haha, this is such a great idea! I had a crazy one that I never implemented: that every time I'm close to buying an "unnecessary" makeup, I put the price of that makeup into savings instead. I'm afraid to know what the imaginary savings total would have looked like!

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    1. That's such a crazily awesome idea Liz! Yikes I could have put a few hundred dollars away already on that scheme: I've been lemming after Lancome's stunning new highlighting powder, theBalm's Nude'Tude palette (which is around $50AUD) and a luxe burgundy lip shade. Maybe I'm shortchanging myself, hehe!

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  10. I love that introduction, I will admit I had a little giggle. I am not at the stage where I want to go on a ban, but have noticed I've generally been buying things that I truly adore and therefore I don't feel guilty at all. I do, however, take money out each time I haul and put it into savings, to sort of buffer the purchase. So, an essence haul at Target would see me take $30 cash out at the register on top of the purchase to put away. Then I trick my subconscious into feeling like I hauled big, when I still saved cash :) I mind trick myself a lot, haha.

    Great post Vita x

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    1. Thanks Emma :) Another clever idea! I love reading what everyone's thinking on this topic. Funnily enough I didn't think it would strike a chord like it has. Again, I wonder how much money I could have put away if I followed your tactic?

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  11. LOVE this idea Vita!! It's great! I think I will do this starting in January. :) There's no way I can start before then! I'm going on holidays to the US soon, and that trip I know I'll be buying haha!
    You shouldn't feel so bad though! You got great deals!

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    1. Thanks Tracy! I wish I could get back to US and shop with you too! - my husband did some beauty shopping for me late last year when he was in LA and Vegas on a business trip. There are serious bargains to be had for us Australians up there! I'll be interested to hear if you do take up something like this after the Holidays :)

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  12. It is exciting to see the coins add up in the container! Thanks for the encouragement too. If only I'd posted this earlier!

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