No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries in November Challenge
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sarah*a
Posts: 2,778 Forumite
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN FOR ANOTHER MONTH! As usual this initial post has been shamelessly copied from the many previous months! A big THANK YOU to Trudji for starting us off last month.
Welcome all newbies and regulars to this very friendly and chatty thread where we give lots of lovely tips on how to use up your stash and lots of support and encouragement if you need them.
Keep up the pampering and keep down the spending. Let’s make the naughty step an empty and lonely place this month (rather than one so long that it can be seen from space! ) - will this be the month when the "usual suspects" rein it in a bit? Let's see..... (but I doubt it!)
Remember - those products do nothing for you while they are locked in drawers, boxes and cupboards!
We are eternally grateful to Katie Clampet who set up this fab challenge in January 2010.
Here's her original challenge post:
"No buying any new toiletries, cosmetics, perfume etc... until I have used up ALL the ones I already have. I got a huge amount of (really nice) stuff for christmas but I am going to resist the urge to browse Boots, Asda, Superdrug etc, and pop another tub of cream, face scrub, shampoo or conditioner into my basket. I reckon the stuff I have will last me until possibly June. I have decided that the money I save I will put into my special holiday account.
Anyone else?"
Lots of us have taken part in the challenge over the past few months and are making great progress in reducing our stashes and unnecessary/excessive spending.
Regulars ignore this, but a quick resume is always helpful for newbies;
Why not add the challenge to your sig as a reminder?
We have a "Swaps Group" on Facebook when you can swap good condition items with other like-minded addicts. PM Sarah*a or xoxo or Trudji for more info on joining.
How about taking a bit of time to do a stock-take and see if there are any gaps in your stash that you might need to spend on this month? Some of us set a budget for the month for essential purchases or to help with withdrawal symptoms, others like to go cold-turkey!! Other ideas which some people find useful: Listing everything out so you can cross things off as used to increase the sense of achievement, and putting a sum of money in a pot each time you use up an item to save for something you really want, or simply to assist in making future essential purchases "cash neutral".
Remember the challenge is about making the most of your money, enjoying your products, finding which products really suit you best and are worth buying, giving yourself a well-deserved pampering and breaking the habit of buying for the sake of buying. In money-saving tradition, it should also be about making your products l-a-s-t as long as possible (although the temptation of using an unloved shower gel extravagently to finish it off is sometimes too much to bear!)
Brand new products (or opened perfume) sell well on ebay
Unsuitable products can be used for other jobs (shower gel/shampoo as handwash etc)
Some items can be returned to certain stores for exchange (for essential items or gifts!!) without a receipt
Unwanted items can be recycled as gifts or for gift hampers (saving the money you'd have spent on gifts)
Unsuitable items can be donated to charity as mentioned earlier.
It helps to avoid the places where temptation lurks for you; be it QVC, Boots, Bodyshop, the supermarket toiletries aisles, grabbit board, online toiletries browsing, seductive department store beauty counter offers etc. Remember retailers are making offers and promotions all the time, so there willl always be another deal!*
*Honest!
Good luck all for November and remember to keep popping in for inspiration and support, and to report your UU's and IN's.
Welcome to all newbies - the more the merrier . Please introduce yourselves so we can welcome you properly!
Oh - and anyone thinking "OMG my stash is FAR bigger than all of theirs, I cant possibly join" - believe you me, we have been doing this challenge for well over a year some of us - you wont scare us, and I can almost guarantee that someone somewhere will have had more and survived.... we are very supportive (and protective - so dont be scared !!) oh - and we are nosey!!
Useful abbreviations!
WIBA? - Will I Buy Again?
UU - Use Ups
IN - Self explanatory - stuff you've gained into your stash - warning, lines may be given out for unnecessary purchases or you may be sent to the naughty step!
WNBA - Will Not Buy Again!
Glitch - when a shop/online store make a pricing mistake so you end up paying less or even get freebies!
PYN(M/T/W/Th/F/Sa/Su) DELETE AS APPROPRIATE! - Paint Your Nails Monday/Tuesday...... it allows everyone to try and finish those dastardly nail varnishes with group support! You can never be too groomed for this thread Also see PY(T)N... - for toenails!
Splutterer - the stage where an item is nearing the end of it's life and spluttering - also the most annoying and seemingly never ending stage!
GWP - Gift With Purchase - a sample or mini sized item
HG - Holy Grail - this is the product you would go back for time and time again, it does the job brilliantly, and is either economical, or so fantastic price becomes no object!
NPI - Near Purchasing Incident (OMG we all have those!)
LHJ - Long Haul Job - for those products - love 'em or hate 'em - that never seem to end no matter how often you use them
PRCP -Pink Rose Candle Philosophy. From Erma Bombeck who said, 'If I had my life to live over again I would have burned the pink candle sculptured like a rose that melted in storage'. Don't keep things 'for best' or 'for a special occasion'. That day never arrives. Give the best to yourself now and enjoy it. (Thanks to McCulloch29 for introducing this thought provoking sentiment to us)
GA- for an out that was given away rather than binned or UU, to charity, as a present, or "just because!".
If anyone can think of any more we can add to the list so newbies won't be intimidated by our jargon!
Graduates
Here is a list of our lovely, fragrant ladies who have polished and pampered their way through their products and managed to get their toiletries stash under control. Ladies - congratulations You are an inspiration to the rest of us, xx . Thanks also to Inapickle who suggested we start the Graduate list. To join the list of graduates let us know by posting that you are graduating in big colourful letters, that way the OP can easily spot you and add you to the list, or better still - pm the OP as the thread can move really quickly! You may also wish to add how many products you have used up during the challenge, good luck ladies xx
1.mineallmine - graduated with honours March 2011
2.Bronnie - graduated with honours March 2011
3. lostinrates - graduated with honours around June 2010
And finally - in case you need to refer back to a previous stash list or product review - here are the links for the past few months challenge threads:
October: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3520791
September: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3457221
August: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3392750
July: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3330436
June: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3264270
May: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3201982
Welcome all newbies and regulars to this very friendly and chatty thread where we give lots of lovely tips on how to use up your stash and lots of support and encouragement if you need them.
Keep up the pampering and keep down the spending. Let’s make the naughty step an empty and lonely place this month (rather than one so long that it can be seen from space! ) - will this be the month when the "usual suspects" rein it in a bit? Let's see..... (but I doubt it!)
Remember - those products do nothing for you while they are locked in drawers, boxes and cupboards!
We are eternally grateful to Katie Clampet who set up this fab challenge in January 2010.
Here's her original challenge post:
"No buying any new toiletries, cosmetics, perfume etc... until I have used up ALL the ones I already have. I got a huge amount of (really nice) stuff for christmas but I am going to resist the urge to browse Boots, Asda, Superdrug etc, and pop another tub of cream, face scrub, shampoo or conditioner into my basket. I reckon the stuff I have will last me until possibly June. I have decided that the money I save I will put into my special holiday account.
Anyone else?"
Lots of us have taken part in the challenge over the past few months and are making great progress in reducing our stashes and unnecessary/excessive spending.
Regulars ignore this, but a quick resume is always helpful for newbies;
Why not add the challenge to your sig as a reminder?
We have a "Swaps Group" on Facebook when you can swap good condition items with other like-minded addicts. PM Sarah*a or xoxo or Trudji for more info on joining.
How about taking a bit of time to do a stock-take and see if there are any gaps in your stash that you might need to spend on this month? Some of us set a budget for the month for essential purchases or to help with withdrawal symptoms, others like to go cold-turkey!! Other ideas which some people find useful: Listing everything out so you can cross things off as used to increase the sense of achievement, and putting a sum of money in a pot each time you use up an item to save for something you really want, or simply to assist in making future essential purchases "cash neutral".
Remember the challenge is about making the most of your money, enjoying your products, finding which products really suit you best and are worth buying, giving yourself a well-deserved pampering and breaking the habit of buying for the sake of buying. In money-saving tradition, it should also be about making your products l-a-s-t as long as possible (although the temptation of using an unloved shower gel extravagently to finish it off is sometimes too much to bear!)
Brand new products (or opened perfume) sell well on ebay
Unsuitable products can be used for other jobs (shower gel/shampoo as handwash etc)
Some items can be returned to certain stores for exchange (for essential items or gifts!!) without a receipt
Unwanted items can be recycled as gifts or for gift hampers (saving the money you'd have spent on gifts)
Unsuitable items can be donated to charity as mentioned earlier.
It helps to avoid the places where temptation lurks for you; be it QVC, Boots, Bodyshop, the supermarket toiletries aisles, grabbit board, online toiletries browsing, seductive department store beauty counter offers etc. Remember retailers are making offers and promotions all the time, so there willl always be another deal!*
*Honest!
Good luck all for November and remember to keep popping in for inspiration and support, and to report your UU's and IN's.
Welcome to all newbies - the more the merrier . Please introduce yourselves so we can welcome you properly!
Oh - and anyone thinking "OMG my stash is FAR bigger than all of theirs, I cant possibly join" - believe you me, we have been doing this challenge for well over a year some of us - you wont scare us, and I can almost guarantee that someone somewhere will have had more and survived.... we are very supportive (and protective - so dont be scared !!) oh - and we are nosey!!
Useful abbreviations!
WIBA? - Will I Buy Again?
UU - Use Ups
IN - Self explanatory - stuff you've gained into your stash - warning, lines may be given out for unnecessary purchases or you may be sent to the naughty step!
WNBA - Will Not Buy Again!
Glitch - when a shop/online store make a pricing mistake so you end up paying less or even get freebies!
PYN(M/T/W/Th/F/Sa/Su) DELETE AS APPROPRIATE! - Paint Your Nails Monday/Tuesday...... it allows everyone to try and finish those dastardly nail varnishes with group support! You can never be too groomed for this thread Also see PY(T)N... - for toenails!
Splutterer - the stage where an item is nearing the end of it's life and spluttering - also the most annoying and seemingly never ending stage!
GWP - Gift With Purchase - a sample or mini sized item
HG - Holy Grail - this is the product you would go back for time and time again, it does the job brilliantly, and is either economical, or so fantastic price becomes no object!
NPI - Near Purchasing Incident (OMG we all have those!)
LHJ - Long Haul Job - for those products - love 'em or hate 'em - that never seem to end no matter how often you use them
PRCP -Pink Rose Candle Philosophy. From Erma Bombeck who said, 'If I had my life to live over again I would have burned the pink candle sculptured like a rose that melted in storage'. Don't keep things 'for best' or 'for a special occasion'. That day never arrives. Give the best to yourself now and enjoy it. (Thanks to McCulloch29 for introducing this thought provoking sentiment to us)
GA- for an out that was given away rather than binned or UU, to charity, as a present, or "just because!".
If anyone can think of any more we can add to the list so newbies won't be intimidated by our jargon!
Graduates
Here is a list of our lovely, fragrant ladies who have polished and pampered their way through their products and managed to get their toiletries stash under control. Ladies - congratulations You are an inspiration to the rest of us, xx . Thanks also to Inapickle who suggested we start the Graduate list. To join the list of graduates let us know by posting that you are graduating in big colourful letters, that way the OP can easily spot you and add you to the list, or better still - pm the OP as the thread can move really quickly! You may also wish to add how many products you have used up during the challenge, good luck ladies xx
1.mineallmine - graduated with honours March 2011
2.Bronnie - graduated with honours March 2011
3. lostinrates - graduated with honours around June 2010
And finally - in case you need to refer back to a previous stash list or product review - here are the links for the past few months challenge threads:
October: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3520791
September: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3457221
August: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3392750
July: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3330436
June: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3264270
May: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3201982
0
Comments
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I've had a really slow November - thankfully in IN's as well as UU's. I still need to re-do my stash list - which I am determined to do this month ahead of the (oooh totally unexpected
) christmas IN-flux :rotfl: :rotfl:
Good luck to all for November :cool:0 -
I'M IN AGAIN!!!
I'm the same Sarah, I need to be super good and get the stash down ready for the influx at Christmas! haha0 -
Right, I'm in. I am not allowed to buy anything except Shampoo/conditioner, more deo and toothpaste. I have multiples of everything else. And NO make-up at all. And NO perfume as I've enough to last out the month and its my birthday in December as well as Christmas.
And I am going to Ebay some unused nail polishes (NARS & Chanel) as I have way too many nail polishes. I am being good, honestly. I mean it this time
Ooh, one of my Chanel polishes has just sold on eBay!!! Yay That will cover any expenditure on shampoo etc. 0 -
I'm in again, obviously!
Working hard through Nov & Dec to hopefully get plenty of UUs in time for the boots sale christmas :j:j0 -
Count me in for this month - I'm really going to make an effort to use up the items I don't really use, like body lotion and perfume. And with Christmas approaching, I need to focus on purchasing only the holy grail items and save some pennys.
Good luck to all!!In the end the journey's brought joys which outweigh the pain.
No buying toiletries in November: INs 1 OUTs 10. Total OUTs since October: 260 -
Im in again !!!! thanks for starting the thread Sarah-a and while iM here, PLEASE can people click on this linky and vote for chester??? hes my friends horse and they are flagging in the competition !! its only on till tomorrow i think, so time is now of the essence !!! (hope the link works for him!!!)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150346865198759&set=pu.22606573758&type=1&theater
I confidently predict some Ins at some point in the next few days - Im going back for at least one more ted baker set.... Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup0 -
Thanks for starting off the Nov thread Sarah.
((Lady M))
Sawan - your nails look fab
Happy Birthday Seaside Dreamer - I hope you had a lovely day.
October wasn't too bad a month for the UU but my spend on INs was far too much.
18 UU 10 IN costing £24.99
I will have some INs this month as it is my first trip to the States in 3 years so I will be steping into Sephoria :smileyhea
My mum is off to the Dr's tomorrow so we will see what develops from this - hopefully some progress.
I had a rotten day at work as well
I am glad I am home now.
Also PMN tonight - Next Metal (GWP) again as it chipped really badly when I painted them over the weekend. Now that I am looking at my nails again it has already chipped after just a few hours. Not good.No buying toiletries Graduated May 2017Decluttered 2016 2469 items, 2017 1580 items :j2018 3060 itemsSealed Pot Challenge No 0380 -
Im in again !!!! thanks for starting the thread Sarah-a and while iM here, PLEASE can people click on this linky and vote for chester??? hes my friends horse and they are flagging in the competition !! its only on till tomorrow i think, so time is now of the essence !!! (hope the link works for him!!!)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150346865198759&set=pu.22606573758&type=1&theater
I confidently predict some Ins at some point in the next few days - Im going back for at least one more ted baker set....
Take it I just "like" it?
Done No buying toiletries Graduated May 2017Decluttered 2016 2469 items, 2017 1580 items :j2018 3060 itemsSealed Pot Challenge No 0380 -
Yup - its that simple - just "like" the main photo of him, and thats it....the girl who is in second place at the moment (only 10 behind!) has been going on all calas links to Chester saying that she has been being really abusive towards her and that she shouldnt be so nasty - unfortunately Cala only found this out tonight, so shes had to remove whole posts to get rid of the nasty comments from this other girl - so Chesters entry has gone from being "it would be lovely to win some feed" to being the principal - you really dont have to be so underhand and nasty to get votes !!!
THANKYOU !!! Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup0 -
*creeps in at the back*
Hi - can I join in please?
I'm told this is the place to come if you want other people to be as excited as you are when you use up part-used showergel....
Currently working my way through a huge stash of toiletries, so this challenge is perfect for me - I'll sort a list later.
Thanks
Nora.0
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