Greenify: What do you own?

Don't fill me!- via thetrashcan.org

Awhile back, I participated in a 3-month spending hiatus in which I vowed to not buy anything unnecessary for 3 solid months. One of the happy side effects of this (besides a fatter wallet) was a much bigger awareness of all the stuff I owned- especially things like makeup and toiletries. I realized that I was stuck in a cycle of buy stuff, use stuff, get bored with stuff before it runs out, move on to new stuff, eventually throw the half-full container of old stuff out. Now that I've made the decision to greenify, I've realized just how outrageously wasteful I've been, not only with my money but with the environment too. After all, every thrown-out item is wasted money, product, and packaging, and that can build up very quickly.

So in an attempt to save money AND be more green I decided to really cut back on the amount of stuff (cosmetics, personal care, etc) I use. And in order to do that, I made a (very big) list of the stuff I currently own. And because nothing is more motivating than a little healthy embarrassment, I thought I'd share some of my list with you.

Skincare- Face

• 3 Face Washes
• 3 Facial Masks
• 3 Face Scrubs
• 1 Serum
• 2 Moisturizers
• 6 Acne Spot Treatments
  

Total: 18 Facial Skincare Products

Skincare- Body

• 6 Soaps/Body Washes
• 22 Moisturizing Lotions/Creams/Oils (so much! *blush*)
• 4 Sunblocks
• 5 Body Scrubs

Total: 37 Body Skincare Products

Haircare

• 5 Shampoos (3 of which I hate)
• 4 Conditioners
• 6 Styling Products (mousse/gel/serum)

Total: 15 Hair Care Products

Cosmetics:

• 18 Eyeshadows
• 7 Eyeliners
• 3 Blushes
• 2 Bronzers
• 4 Foundations
• 3 Palettes (with eyeshadow, blush, lip glosses mixed)
• 4 Mascaras
• 2 Concealers
• 1 Brow Powder
• and somewhere around 50 lipsticks/glosses/stains/balms before I stopped counting.

Total: 94 cosmetics

Grand Total: 164 Personal Care Products!

Isn't that nuts? I was shocked at how much stuff I'd accumulated, especially since I tend to weed things out pretty regularly. But years of mindless shopping (and some sharing with friends- I inherited 10 of those eyeshadows this weekend alone) have led to quite a stash, to the point where I'm not sure I can ever get through everything before buying more.

So my current plan of attack is to limit shopping to stuff I am running out of, so I actually use the stuff I own. Easier said than done, right? As for stuff I've bought but really dislike using (not everything agrees with my skin/hair), I'm going to make sure those go to new homes instead of the trash. I know that Goodwill takes toiletries, as do the local women's shelters and most of my friends.

But I'd love to know what you all, awesome readers, do to limit the amount of stuff you accumulate without tossing it all in the trash. And please tell me I'm not the only one with a GIANT stash of personal care items lying around?

Spending Hiatus Update: The Final Week

Money poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

Well everyone, this is it: the spending hiatus is now officially over. I have gone three months without buying (almost) anything unessential. I've slipped up (more than once) and cheated just a little- but overall, I've avoided the mindless shopping and unintentional buys that I am famous for. And you know what? It feels pretty darn good.

I don't have any confessions to make this week. I have been doing background research for what will hopefully be an exciting thesis project, so I haven't had time to even think about shopping. Well, that's a lie. I've totally thought about it- but there hasn't been any time to set foot in a store outside of buying the essential groceries. And on top of that, I knew I didn't want to go out with a confession, because then I'd feel like I didn't make much progress. I wanted to go out on a high note.

As far as what happens now, I'm still not totally clear on that. I thought that after three months of shopping I'd be hitting up the mall like it was my long lost best friend the first chance I got. But honestly? I haven't felt like it. I just don't feel like I need anything right now, and while there are lots of things I could spend my money on, I'd rather save it up for when I really want something. I think the spending hiatus has had the long-term effect of helping me realize that.

There is an official game plan of course. I've set up a maximum amount of money every month for "unessential" items (think eating out, makeup, clothes, etc.). Whenever I buy something unessential, I put a "U" next to the purchase amount in my checkbook- which I have to write my purchases in anyway because I rarely use cash. When the "U" amounts add up to my maximum amount, I'm done for the month. I liked this idea because it gives me the flexibility to buy what I want guilt-free, while still controlling how much I spend overall. I like having the flexibility to spend or save as I wish, because I know I always find my way around rigid "rule" systems, even if I'm the one who set up the rules. Of course, I'll fill you all in on how my new system goes ;)

Oh, and if you're thinking of trying to control spending yourself, here's a list of shopping alternatives I made back in February.

And you can read all of the spending hiatus posts here.

Last chance readers: gimme all your sage spending advice! How do you control it?

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Eleven!

Money poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

Only one week left in the spending hiatus! I'm so excited to be able to get out there and buy a few pretty things for spring and summer, although with the weather like it is today (cold and drizzling rain) it seems like warm weather may never come. Le sigh.

Still, I'm feeling pretty upbeat this week because I did a decent job of avoiding the siren call of stores and spring clearances. I was pretty distracted anyway, with the start of classes. And plus, there's nothing like spending a few hundred dollars on textbooks to make you not feel like shopping, right? Textbooks, of course, being one expense I couldn't get away from.

So this week, instead of shopping, I:

• Got my butt in gear for classes! One week down and nine to go until summer freedom :) (and by freedom, I mean summer jobs)
  
• Did laundry like a responsible adult, with Hilary, on a Friday night. Because we have sweet social lives like that (and because I hate going to the creepy laundromat alone). I must admit, I bought a magazine to keep us occupied while we waited for clothes to wash and dry, so that was a bit of an unessential expense. I don't feel too bad though, given that we would have been bored just sitting there.
  
• Moved my living room furniture around! I know this may not sound exciting to some, but I love the fact that my living room now has a little extra space in it, which is golden in an apartment as small as mine. Plus, I'm pretty proud of managing to move all the heavy stuff myself, with the exception of calling Nathan over to put the microwave on top of the fridge. Mostly because I almost broke it trying to do it myself.
  
• And the Sarahs and I went to the gallery hop on Saturday night, which I talked about doing back in week seven. This time we found a rather amazing little pizza restaurant that made unusual (and delicious) organic pizzas. Then I promptly forgot its name. But I'm sure I'll be back one of these days, and then I'll remember.
  

Gallery Hop Night: via the Short North Arts District

Last week I talked about how I was still working out my plans for "phasing out" of the spending hiatus. I know I've gained a new awareness of spending thanks to this spending hiatus but I also know that all changes can be reversed pretty quickly if you aren't careful, much like a dieter who goes "off" a diet and promptly gains all their weight back. So while I don't plan on cutting spending completely out of my life, I do plan on cutting way back, starting with making a budget that will allow me so much money a month on "unessential" things. That way, I can still shop, but I'm controlling how much I spent. And I plan on writing it down *gulp* and reporting back to you all within a month or so to keep myself accountable. My other challenge will be to avoid all emotional/boredom shopping in general. I've learned that that's when I do the most damage, and it's usually not on things I even really want.

How else do you think I could control post-hiatus spending? Spill your wisdom, dear readers.

And, as always, you can read the rest of the spending hiatus posts here.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Ten

Money poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

Not to sound repetitive and all, but I really cannot believe how quickly this three months of no-spending is going.

Today is my first day of classes for spring quarter, so I will make this update brief.

My spring break was full of relaxation and catching up with people and fun, so there was (surprisingly) little temptation to shop. I had been worried that boredom would lead to shopping, but it turns out that I can usually find something else to do, even if it's just picking up a good book or magazine. This week, instead of shopping, I...

• Visited Grandma
• Cleaned and organized (am I the only person who actually likes this?) so now my place looks fab
  
• Laid around with my old copies of Glamour and Real Simple (my two fave magazines of the moment)
  
• Celebrated my friend Hilary's birthday (woo!)
• Went to the zoo with Nathan (pictures to come, of course)

I had a great week, to say the least, and am just a tidbit sad to go back to classes and responsible adulthood.

I have also started thinking about the end of the spending hiatus. I only have two weeks left (!!!), and I'm not sure how I am going to make sure I don't go back to my old mindless spending ways. The hiatus has made me more aware of how things that seem essential aren't generally that important, and I know that will help me a lot with future shopping. I am also more aware of my habit of emotional spending (under stress or loneliness) and the fact that it really only makes me feel guilty later. I want to make sure that my new awareness lasts, though, so now I am asking you all for your sage advice...

Dear Readers: How do you think I should "phase out" of the spending hiatus? How do you manage your (unessential) spending?

And, of course, you can read all of the spending hiatus posts here.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Nine

Money Poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

I can't believe I'm on the tenth week of my spending hiatus right now! Who knew three months would go so quickly?
Week nine comes in three parts: the confession, the distraction, and the temptation.

The Confession:
I bought nail polish. AND lipgloss. Clearly there was a sale at the drugstore. Want to know the really ironic thing? The nail polish chips easily and the lipgloss is way too light and frosty.
Lesson learned. Things always seem way more necessary/appealing in the store.
Also, I'm potentially making another purchase soon. I've been looking for non-ugly lamps for awhile now, and I found two that I love on Craigslist for a total of $5. Not only is this an incredibly good deal, but it may not be around for long. I'm sure that's cheating big-time, but considering I've been looking for these types of lamps for awhile, I think I might go for it. Thoughts?

The Distraction:
Last week was plenty busy with exams and lots of studying. I also...

• Saw the OSU/Siena basketball game in Dayton. Lets just say I was not happy with the guys in black and white stripes and leave it at that, shall we?
• Got Jeni's Ice Cream with Nathan and walked around North Market looking at all the goodies. So much fun, and now I've decided I should go there more often to pick up fresh produce and homemade foods from local people.
• Went errand-running with Hilary in what I'll call the Great Navy Blue Shirt Expedition. Hilary started a new job this weekend (congrats hon!) and who knew v-neck navy blue shirts were so freaking hard to find?

And finally, The Temptation:
I have to admit I'm already starting a little post-hiatus shopping list. Some of the items are just for fun, others are ones I'm seriously considering. A few of my picks:
Cute colorful sandals from American Eagle (which I wrote about back here).
Clinique's Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator to de-dullify my skin. (via TDO)
Room Sprays to make my apartment smell pretty (and not like Febreeze). (via RiverCitySoaps' Etsy shop)

You can read the rest of my spending hiatus posts here.

Dear Readers: what are your confessions/distractions/temptations?
PS: Check out my centennial post celebration below :)

What I'm Not Buying (Yet): Affordable Bathroom Upgrades

Maybe it's because the weather has warmed up (for now) and put me into spring cleaning mode, but I'm feeling the need to upgrade my bathroom a little. I like my bathroom to be my retreat, my own personal spa since I'm way too poor to be going to a real one. Of course, right now I'm still off spending for another month BUT that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun looking right? Consider this my post-spending hiatus shopping list (items pictured above, from top):

• Thomas O'Brien white towels. These are probably the softest, fluffiest, thirstiest towels I've ever seen for under $10. ($9.99, from Target)
  
• Isaac Mizrahi ceramic soap (or lotion) pump from Target. Probably looks chicer than the plastic Softsoap pump I currently have on my counter. Plus, I'm a sucker for anything with polka dots, and the white color won't make my counter look cluttered. ($14.99, from Target)
  
• Method Shower Daily Cleaner in Ylang Ylang from drugstore.com. I actually own this right now, so listing it here might be cheating a little. But I'm in love with it enough that I will probably run out and need to buy again soon. It's naturally derived, works really well to keep my shower looking fresh, and (best of all) smells AMAZING. Like a spa, in fact, which is what I'm going for, right? All for less than $6. ($5.99, from drugstore.com. I got mine at Target for about $5, though it wasn't on the website)
  

And one not-so-cheap, in-my-dreams item I would love to have in my bathroom (or anywhere):
Jo Malone's Sweet Lime and Cedar Home Candle. Any spicy, woodsy smell always gets to me and this one just sounds amazing. Stacey over at TDO agrees. Unfortunately, at $65, this is one purchase that won't be happening anytime soon.

Images: towels and soap dispenser from Target.com, Method Shower Spray from drugstore.com, candle from jomalone.com

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Eight!

Money poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

Well, readers, it's finally happened.

I don't have anything new to write about the spending hiatus.

To be honest, I am a complete creature of habit. Eight weeks ago, my habit was to shop whenever I was bored, or stressed, or just plain lonely. I also shopped when I was with friends, or when I was "celebrating" something (anything), or whenever I happened to have a few dollars to spare. After eight weeks of not buying things (with, ahem, one teeny cheat) my new habit seems to be not shopping, and I just don't feel the compulsion to buy anymore. Sure there were a couple of times this week when I daydreamed about buying skirts and dresses and sandals and... after all, spring is on the way. But while I would really like to buy a whole new spring wardrobe (like, really) I know that it can wait. And that's really why I think I don't feel the need to buy things lately: I am more aware of what I really need (bread, milk, cat litter...) and what can wait (lipgloss, spring clothes, that candle that smells really freaking good...).

It's also become pretty obvious that having other things to do keeps me from shopping. Some of the things that have replaced shopping lately:

• Time with friends. I wasn't even tempted to shop on Friday, because I had plans with friends. Nothing like bubble tea and a some Footloose to keep a girl out of the stores. (PS: young Kevin Bacon and cheesy dancing make me incredibly happy)
  

• Homework. Lame, I know, but last week was all preparation for exam week. I can't shop and study my Bio at the same time. Well, I could try, but that book weighs approximately 3 gazillion pounds, give or take.

• Going through what I already have. Instead of buying new spring clothes, I drag the ones I already have out of storage and go through them, looking for items that will change up what I've been wearing all winter. The thing is, often when I want to go shopping it's not more stuff that I want, but change of some sort. And change can be free. Plus, going through my stuff often makes me realize that the last thing I need is more stuff.

These are all things I've either discussed or hinted at before, and I hate to repeat myself. But that is really about all I have to report right now. On the plus side, I think the fact that I don't have any "temptation stories" to share shows more progress than anything.

Although as a side note, after exams I have spring break and since I will be spending most of it at my apartment potentially being bored, next week might prove more of a challenge. But I think I'm up to it.

You can read the rest of my spending hiatus posts here.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Seven

Money poster by Howard Sokol via allposters.com

I might as well come right out with my confession.

I bought a shirt last week. A completely unnecessary shirt. It was at Take 2 Apparel, a really awesome "upscale" (i.e. no grandma sweatpants) secondhand store where they sell not used but "experienced" clothing (because experienced sounds so much more positive). I fell in love with this dark purple satin blouse- it fits perfectly and looks fab with both dark blue jeans and my slacks and skirts for work. I have been lusting after a jewel-tone satin shirt for awhile and this one was only $10, being secondhand and all. Plus, there was no guarantee that it would be around in April when this spending hiatus gets over with. And so...I bought it. I felt a little guilty afterward but to be honest shh, I don't feel all that bad. The shirt is perfect, at any rate, and I can't return it- the one downside of buying second hand.

So now that I've confessed, my good news is that I haven't felt the need to buy anything else lately. I know, I know, I keep saying that every week, but it really is true. Once I got out of the habit of shopping all the time, I haven't felt the compulsion to buy things. The one exception lately may be shampoo, because I decided to try out a new brand and it makes my hair frizzy and not at all shiny, le sigh. So I AM tempted to pick up a new bottle, I'll admit. But that would be cheating wouldn't it? I've resisted the siren call of better shampoo so far, telling myself that I will wait until the current bottle runs out (which it can't do fast enough).

Last week was, again, a pretty busy one. This quarter's classes are nearing their end and I've got research projects and exams looming, so I had to work on those during the week. The weekend was great, though, since I decided to take some time off and relax. At any rate, here are some of the things I did instead of shopping.

• On Friday I grabbed sushi with one of my coworkers and her friend. I forget the name of the restaurant we went to, but it was located in the most charming Victorian house right off the main drag and had excellent avocado sushi rolls. I even got adventurous and tried the eel sushi that my friend got, which tasted more like mush than anything.
  
• Also on Friday, we plopped down on my couch and watched Mamma Mia! with Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep. My feelings on the movie are mixed. It was cheese to the extreme, but also hilarious. I am seriously lusting after some long wavy hair now.

via Wikipedia

• On Saturday we (same group as sushi the night before) hit up the gallery hop in the Short North, which is when all the art galleries open their doors the first Saturday of the month and you can walk around checking out awesome art exhibits and street performers and generally have a great time free of charge. This is also when the Shirt Buying Incident occurred, and I blame peer pressure (ahem, Sarah A., ahem). We also stopped by Jeni's, my favorite ice cream place in the entire world, which I wrote about back in January. It was the first warm day of the year, so the place was packed but the wait was worth it for a cup of Riesling Poached Pear sorbet and Honey Vanilla Bean ice cream (mmm).

Gallery Hop Night: image via the Short North website (see link above)

• Sunday I worked on this damned biology paper that would have been easy had the instructions not been vague and contradictory. That, church, and a nap consisted of pretty much my entire day.
  

At any rate, I had what I consider an amazing weekend and I didn't feel too guilty about slipping up on the spending hiatus. I have another 5 weeks to get back on track, after all.

How about you- how was your week/weekend? For those of you doing the spending hiatus, how has it been going?

You can check out the rest of my spending hiatus posts here.

PS: If anyone wants to suggest an afforable shampoo that doesn't turn my hair into frizzy straw, that would awesome! :)

Spring (Pretend) Shopping

It's actually warm-ish today- which simultaneously makes me happy and even more antsy for spring. Can we all agree that the warm weather needs to hurry up?

At any rate, here are some of the things I'd like to wear all spring long (and into summer) if I could:
Colorful flat sandals from American Eagle ($30)
A sweet yellow dress from Mimi's Boutique ($20- marked down from $82! Damn you spending hiatus!)
A pretty shirt from Heavenly Couture via the awesome ladies over at Stuff Under Twenty ($18)
I've always liked the leg warmer trend, and these ones from Etsy are especially sweet ($85, eeps). I'm not entirely sure I could pull them off, though.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Six

Money poster by Howard Sokol via AllPosters.com

This week marked the halfway point in my three month spending hiatus! Woohoo!

The week was surprisingly easy- I just didn't feel the need to shop, and there was nothing unnecessary I really wanted to buy.

I did make one purchase I wasn't entirely sure about: Avalon Organics Vitamin C Vitality Facial Serum. I've been paring down my facial skin care routine lately (not easy with my skin), but I've been wanting something with antioxidants in it, and this seemed like a good choice. Not only does it contain tons of antioxidants, but it also targets cellular repair and renewal, which will hopefully translate into some of my acne scars vanishing (acne + pale skin= ugh). At any rate, after much internal debate, I put this under the "essential" category since I had nothing comparable to it in my routine.

Via Avalon Organics

Is that cheating? I'm not sure. But I have been good so far, so I allowed myself one little potential cheat. And, of course, I'll let you all know if I see any skin differences.

Other than buying facial serum, here's a rundown of what I did instead of shopping this weekend:

• Saw a showing of the play Machinal with Nathan. I was super excited because I liked reading the play, and seeing a play is usually better than reading it, but the show was a teeny bit of a let-down. Don't you hate that?
• Did my own pedicure. I never used to do anything with my feet until my sister Becky staged an intervention this December- now I actually like doing my own pedicures. It's relaxing, and my feet look so much cuter now. I used Lover from Victoria's Secret as my polish, it's a cute rosey pink with a tiny bit of shimmer (and, I'm pretty sure, discontinued).
  
• Chilled out and read. I'm discovering that I really like the Gospel of Luke, and also the magazine Real Simple. Now that I don't shop much, I have more time for just sitting back and reading.
  
• Got rid of stuff. I think being on the spending hiatus has made me more aware of the amount of stuff I have laying around this place. Typically I edit my things pretty frequently, but it still manages accumulate. So this weekend I went through my collections of jeans, lippies, and shoes and got rid of anything that was old or just didn't work for me anymore. Next weekend is sweaters and jackets. Then I'll bag everything up and haul it off to goodwill.

What I learned: not only am I not buying things I don't need, but now I'm more aware of the things I already have. And cleaning house really makes me feel, well, less burdened. It's a difficult process for me, because I do tend to hold onto things, but it makes me feel a ton better in the end.

You can check out the other spending hiatus posts here.

PS: I also tried out a new DIY beauty product that I'll be reviewing later- let's just say I'm getting really into this DIY thing :)

What I Wish I Could Buy: Vintage Bag

Owls aren't the only vintage items I'm loving right now. I also really like this cute vintage travel bag from Olive Vintage. Caramel brown matches everything in my closet, and the size is just big enough for a weekend trip home.

Anybody else love older luggage? I always think vintage suitcases have so much more personality than modern ones, but they tend to be clunky. This travel bag seems like a good compromise (darn you spending hiatus!)

Image via Olive Vintage.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Five

There's not a ton to say about the spending hiatus this week, to be honest. I was so busy with classes last week that I didn't have time to hit the grocery store for food, much less go shopping for anything else.

The weekend was better, though I still didn't have any time for illicit shopping. On Saturday, Nathan and I revisited Baja Sol, the burrito place with the amazing salsa bar that I hit up with a friend during week three. It was, once again, delicious. I'm serious, no matter how down and out I'm feeling, a good burrito or some enchiladas will always make me feel better. I'm going to make Burrito Therapy my contribution to modern psychology. Anyway, we also watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson- fantastic movie if you haven't seen it (also an excellent book, but that's a whole other blog topic).

Watch Me: via Wikipedia

On Sunday my dad and his girlfriend Cindy had a Pictionary party which was super fun. It didn't hurt that I came home with a huge bag of leftovers so that I won't be needing to cook for awhile yet. Most college students I know will agree: leftovers are like GOLD.

So really, I didn't have any time to go shopping last week at all. There are a few things that I've sort of been lusting after lately, though...

The Remington Emi Air Wave:

via drugstore.com

According to the ladies over at The Daily Obsession, this little guy will give me soft beachy waves (as opposed to the Chewbacca hair from my last attempt at beachy waves). It is also on sale for $20 *cry* but the fact that I now have short hair has helped me resist the temptation thus far. I'm pretty sure that if I try to get a wave in my thick, short hair, I'll end up with a fro.

Also, I've been really feeling the need for new workout clothes. I've started running and hitting up the gym again because I, uh, live next door to my university's gym, which is free, and I rarely use it. And I know that technically it shouldn't matter if all the other girls there are way cuter in their workout clothes than I am in my ratty tee...but it does. I know I'm there to sweat, but I still want to look good, you know? I've definitely been liking the cute tanks from the Stella for Adidas line:

via shopadidas.com

How cute is this yoga tank? I love the ruffles on the sleeves! Unfortunately, at $75, it's way more than I want to spend on a workout tank (note to self: find affordable workout clothes).

That's about all the temptation I've had lately as far as shopping goes. I've found that resisting little purchases gets WAY easier with time, though I still struggle when I get bored on the weekend. I keep telling myself that if I really want it, I can have it after the spending hiatus is over.

Here's the part where you all advise me: should (affordable) workout clothes count as a necessity or should I let them wait until after the spending hiatus? Technically I have clothes I can work out in. But also technically, they're fugly. Is cuteness a necessity? You decide.

PS: You can check out the other spending hiatus posts here.

Spending Hiatus Update: Week Four

I've officially made it a month on the spending hiatus! Woohoo- only two more to go!

And you know what? It hasn't been that bad at all. I was surprised, because I thought I would die without my cosmetics fix but instead I've found that I have a lot more time for myself and a lot more money for other things, like going out with friends and ahem, blogging. And according to this blog post from Glamour's Vitamin G, experiences have been more closely linked to happiness than "stuff" so dinner is better than a new lipstick anyway. Good to know, yes?

This week I did really well, though I did have to do a lot of shopping to find a great Valentine's Day present for Nathan. I think it helped that I was pretty busy doing homework and cleaning on Friday so that I'd have time to really enjoy my weekend. Saturday was great, Nathan made me dinner (awww...): salad and crusty bread with melted pecorino cheese (mmm), and this awesome baked lemon chicken with rice boiled in lemon as well. And I made us cute little individual brownies in Valentine's Day muffin cups, which were also pretty delicious if I do say so myself. On Sunday I went to CVS for mouthwash and dark chocolate because I consider both essential (and because chocolate is 1/2 off after V-Day) and I almost broke down on a cream eyeshadow from L'Oreal HIP which was such a pretty cream color and also 1/2 off. I'm proud to admit that I resisted, though, and I don't really miss the eyeshadow after all. Funny how things are so much irrisistable in the store?

One way I have been getting around spending my money on new things is by scouting out DIY tricks on the internet. I mentioned last Thursday that I've been looking at new homemade beauty products online and found a few I've been wanting to try. I didn't get a chance to try either of those, but on Sunday I did try out a honey mask because my skin was feeling close to freaking out (I may or may not have forgotten to take my makeup off on Saturday night, ahem). I'll write more on that tomorrow, but let's just say it was totally worth the $3 or so that a bear bottle of honey costs (see above).

And now I'm on a full-fledged DIY kick, so stay tuned for more tips and reviews :) Anybody have any DIY beauty "recipes" they swear by?

Honey bear picture via Meijer.

Spending Hiatus: Week 3

So last week was week three of the spending hiatus. First, the temptation:

It was $1 sale time at Rag O Rama. As the name might suggest, this is when the store (basically a trendier thrift store) takes a bunch of stuff out of storage and marks it all $1. Yes, a single dollar. Believe you me, I sorely wanted to go and "just look" but I think we all know that never really works (it only $1!) so I stayed home.

And what I did instead of shopping:

I realized on Friday that I was bored/lonely and, thus, tempted to go shopping but instead Iwent to Baja Sol and had amazing burritos with a friend. I might just have to invent a new type of therapy- burrito therapy. I think it would be a hit. They also have an awesome salsa bar at Baja Sol with at least 25 different salsas to choose from which is like heaven for me.

And that was pretty much my weekend, since on Sunday I mostly studied and cleaned. And reorganized my closet. Which sounds lame, except that I love reorganizing. Plus I got to banish my fugly blue clothes hamper to the closet so that it doesn't sit in the middle of the room anymore.

I found that I felt a lot better about going out to eat and buying gifts this weekend because I hadn't already wasted my money on other stuff. I was able to really enjoy myself because I wasn't stressed thinking "I already spent $20 on makeup (or $1 clothes), so I shouldn't really buy dinner..." Instead, I just went out and enjoyed myself. And that was really, really nice to not have to worry about the money all that much. Which is not to say that I will be eating out every night- just that as an every-now-and-then thing, it's not going to kill me IF I keep my other spending in check. Could it be that I *gasp* learned something already?!

How was your weekend? (PS I just realized that half of this post is about food. I like to eat. A lot.)

Also:
The Spending Hiatus
Spending Hiatus Week 1
Spending Hiatus Week 2

Things to Do Instead of Shopping (apparently I should add in eating a whole lot)

Pretend Shopping: Things I Love List

Psst I know this is a late post- I was running around like a maniac today, trying to get things done. Story of my life :-P

You all know by now that I love shopping. Well, since I am on a spending hiatus and all, I have really been enjoying "pretend shopping" which is my internet version of window shopping. I thought I'd share a few of my faves from my most recent "shopping trip."

This gorgeous crystal and lace headband from Jennifer Behr looks amazing (but tricky to wear without looking too formal?):

via The Daily Obsession

I love the earthy feel of this Lily of the Valley Necklace from Etsy (and the price is good too!):

via dahliasforme

The whimsical Caged Bird Tee from Threadless:

Via threadless.com

And this cute clutch, also from Etsy (I love the mix of grey/black and yellow- and the way the print subtly evokes flowers):

via LaVitaLola- who sells lots of other AMAZING clutches that I can't afford.

There you have it: tell me what sorts of things you've been lusting after lately. And am I the only one who does pretend shopping?

Things To Do: Shopping Alternatives

Image via buzzsugar

I came up with a little list of things I have been doing to avoid shopping lately, and here it is:

1. Reading- this one is a given. I have a pile of books that need attending to- and if I ever run out, no need for a bookstore. The Columbus public library system is pretty rad.

2. Saturday Cleaning and Organizing

3. Working out- I actually went to the gym this Saturday for the first time in months and spent 30 minutes on an elliptical. I was proud. Also, I'd forgotten how amazing the post-gym feeling is.

4. Yoga- is something I'm getting back into after a few months off. It's so relaxing once you get into it, but it can also be very, very challenging.

5. Home Pedis- to battle scaly winter feet. I did my feet this weekend and they look a million times better. Keep an eye out for a post on that sometime soon.

6. Me Time- a girly movie that Nathan would hate, and a copy of Real Simple (or Allure, or Glamour, or just about anything...) and I'm a happy camper.

7. Operation Save Domino- I can't make the magazine stick around, but I can nab as much stuff as I can off their site before it goes down. Don't want good inspiration to go to waste.

That's just a few of the things I've been up to- but I can always use suggestions! :)

Spending Hiatus Update: Week 2

It's official folks- the spending hiatus is getting old.

I have managed not to buy anything unnecessary for two weeks now though and I'm rather proud of myself. Granted, it was a lot easier since we had a near-blizzard going on in Ohio so I would have had to dig my car out to go shopping anyway, which was not going to happen. I have realized, though, that I am a complete shopping addict. I just love buying new things, it doesn't really matter what it is. As long as it's something I didn't own before. I walked to Kroger and bought groceries and soap on Sunday and boy, I have never been so excited to buy soap. Not even fancy soap. Plain white bar soap. It was like Christmas.

Really, I do think the spending hiatus is helping so far. I've always used shopping as a form of therapy, I think. It's something I realized Saturday night- I was stressed out and in a sad, lonely sort of mood and couldn't get ahold of anyone and, boy, all I wanted was to walk to the nearest store and buy something, anything. I resisted though- I stayed home and read some magazines
and had a Me Night. Which was pretty nice, in the end.

Today is wicked busy so this is about all I have time to post for now- but come back later for more updates :)

Anybody else use shopping as therapy? If not- what do you use?

Spending Hiatus Update: Week 1

So how'd week 1 of the spending hiatus go?

Pretty good I think.

I did end up buying a new pair of skinny jeans because my only other pair had, er, a hole in the butt after almost two years of constant use. And you guys voted that that counts as a necessity. I happened to find a pair of J Brand skinny jeans at Rag O Rama for just $40 and they fit me perfectly. Which is a freaking miracle- usually I have to try on ten pairs of jeans just to get a pair that isn't too short, too baggy in the thigh, or too small in the bum. Anywho, my new jeans look a lot like these ones:

Disclaimer: not my legs. Image from the J Brand website.

Except a bit darker, which I like. And I considered them a pseudo-necessity, since I was fresh out of jeans that I could tuck into boots. I don't want to call them an actual necessity since, you know, they're still just jeans. Food is a necessity. Heat is a necessity. Jeans- not so much. But they sure are useful.

Other than that and some TP, I haven't bought anything this week. I even went into CVS and came out with NO cosmetics. That, my friends, is a miracle. So overall, I would say things are going pretty darn well.

The Spending Hiatus

Camera from Target.

Joslyn over at Simple Lovely is going on a 3-month spending hiatus and now- so am I! I have always thought of taking some "time off" from shopping but I tend to struggle when there is no one to keep me accountable. But now that we've got a little group of no-spenders going on, I feel like it might be a lot easier. So for the next three months, I'm going to try and refrain from purchasing anything but the "essentials"- food, toiletries, etc.

If this spending hiatus goes really well, maybe I'll even save enough to pick up a digital camera at the end of it. I like the one pictured above because of its cute green color (I'm a sucker for cute colors).

I'll be keeping you all posted on the dilemma's I'm sure to run into on the way.

My first dilemma is this: what counts as a non-essential? Obviously food, TP, and toothpaste but does, say, mascara count? For the sake of not going insane, I'm going to say yes to the mascara. But only after I finish my current tube. I think one of my major problems is that I tend to "replace" cosmetics before I'm done with them which is why I own 4 mascaras and like 40 lipglosses. I'd still be cutting back on spending by making myself use stuff up before I replace it.

I'm also wondering if some clothes aren't essential. My only pair of skinny jeans is its last leg (psh, bad, but I couldn't help it) and I have to wonder if a new pair really needs to wait three months. Because really, bootcut jeans don't look good tucked into boots and I have to have boots on for winter (I walk...everywhere). This one is still up in the air though- let me know what you think in the comments. Are skinny jeans an essential if I wear them all the time and my only pair falls apart?

PS I like these skinny jeans a lot.