No buying unnecessary toiletries in May - Challenge

dippykitty

Hello everyone! I really need to join with this challenge again. I don't seem to have bought many toiletries lately but my stash has definitely grown so it's time I set myself the challenge of using it all up. For real this time! I started this and did quite well but I lapsed, as you can probably tell. Must stop being a sucker for offers!

trudij

I need to do my updated stash list girlies - because apart from the bars of soap, I do believe im very nearly down to one (or at most one on the go and one spare) of what I have (except deodorant and toothpaste, and lets face it - they dont really count, cos they all get used!)

Id graduated from the majority of my stuff pretty much in the first year of doing this (Im one of the originals who was in with Katie Clampett!!) but there were some stubborn areas that I really couldnt get down, Ive barely bought anything new but I never seem to have not had anything Ive needed....

so will get my bum in gear for June and start then with a new stash list and still be hanging around while i work out what my HGs are !!!

forgot to say - UU tonight, the last of a little bottle of NEXT bubble bath. WIBA? no - there are nicer and better and bubblier IMO

InaPickle

Hi all,

Another UU: Corsodyl Daily mouthwash. WIBA? HG product, cos my dentist said so, so another from my supplies will be opened tomorrow morning.

Well done trudij on being so near to graduating. I'm a bit like you in certain areas, but I've got AGES to go on body scrubs etc. thanks to that pesky S&G OOTW I bought Christmas before last at Mr. B, so it looks like you guys will have to put up with me for another while!

Right ladies, I have an observation to make. I'm doing pretty darn well on this challenge (I know I only have 46 UU this year compared to many other peoples millions, but they have all been full-sized ones, which is harder, and my 10 non-essential ins from this year were all in one box set, which was gifted to me). In the past few months or so (maybe a bit longer, if I'm honest) I have noticed a phenomenon wherby people say 'Aw, I've been rubbish this month so I'm writing it off to start again next month' and 'Count me in this month' at the start of the next one, and a variety of variations on this theme. I've realised that this is, in my ickle humble opinion, a dangerous thought process for those who really want to progress in using up their stashes: it's kind of giving yourself carte blanche to buy toiletries between the point of saying that and the start of the next month so that it 'doesn't count' as given the start of next month it will be their 'new' start to the challenge. But if you look at it overall, it's still increasing the size of the stash. I personally think of myself on a long journey, and that if I buy something/use it up, it's not just about this month, but about the whole journey and stash. I find it really works for me, and although I won't graduate for a while due to several large S&G body scrubs which are going to take FOREVER to use up, I swear that I am a reformed toiletriesaholic.

Just a thought for those who want to really make progress.

mcculloch29

I'm glad it's not just me who thinks that way Pickle - although I wouldn't want to make anyone think that they couldn't start again.

Martin's Money Mantra of "Do I NEED It? Can I Afford It? Have I Checked Prices Elsewhere?" surely has its place here.

Are you buying because you genuinely believe that the product is infinitely better than anything else you have?

What will you do with the rest of the products of the same type in your stash if that is the one that you will now use from now on?
Can you do something else to make yourself feel good rather than buying things you don't need?

I hope I've got toiletries cracked, but I'm struggling with the clothes thing at the moment, I have to get ruthless and get rid of clothes that I don't wear but have 'just in case'.
But I don't NEED anything at the moment, realistically.... I set myself an annual budget of £100 for clothes in January for the year, and I've spent £56 so far.
It's June in a few days and I'll be looking for a no spend month in both toiletries and clothes. Good luck if you are looking for one or both too.

InaPickle

mcculloch29 wrote: »

I'm glad it's not just me who thinks that way Pickle - although I wouldn't want to make anyone think that they couldn't start again.

Course not! But it's so easy to fall into the 'Oh, darn, I bought something I shouldn't have...oh, sod it, I'll just write this month off and ooooh isn't this, this and that pretty? I'll just get them now before starting again next month.' instead of saying 'Right, shouldn't have done that, but straight and narrow here I come!'

mcculloch29 wrote: »

I hope I've got toiletries cracked, but I'm struggling with the clothes thing at the moment, I have to get ruthless and get rid of clothes that I don't wear but have 'just in case'.
But I don't NEED anything at the moment, realistically.... I set myself an annual budget of £100 for clothes in January for the year, and I've spent £56 so far.
It's June in a few days and I'll be looking for a no spend month in both toiletries and clothes. Good luck if you are looking for one or both too.

Ooh, well done you on the clothes! :T That (well, that, DVDs and books! :eek:) are my next challenges to get back to next month once I've finished my college course. I've been really busy all this year so far, hence this is the only challenge I've had the chance to keep up with as much as I would like, but when it's over I will have the chance to increase my UU/TA/GA totals for those challenges, too! :cool:

Best of luch to everyone UU all their stashes, whatever they are made of!

InaPickle

trudij wrote: »

Id graduated from the majority of my stuff pretty much in the first year of doing this (Im one of the originals who was in with Katie Clampett!!) but there were some stubborn areas that I really couldnt get down, Ive barely bought anything new but I never seem to have not had anything Ive needed....

I'm an 'original', too. Whatever happened to Katie Clampett, though? Did she graduate or just disappear? I haven't seen her in ages!

amyb_2

trudij wrote: »

Id graduated from the majority of my stuff pretty much in the first year of doing this (Im one of the originals who was in with Katie Clampett!!)

Lol I started this when Katie first suggested the idea but i am nowhere near graduating.

InaPickle wrote: »

Right ladies, I have an observation to make. ......In the past few months or so (maybe a bit longer, if I'm honest) I have noticed a phenomenon wherby people say 'Aw, I've been rubbish this month so I'm writing it off to start again next month' and 'Count me in this month' at the start of the next one, and a variety of variations on this theme. I've realised that this is, in my ickle humble opinion, a dangerous thought process .
Just a thought for those who want to really make progress.

I did used to dip in and out likeing the idea of using everything up but not really having the commitment. My shock horror moment was when whe moved house last November and my stash took up 5 large removals boxes (although my horror paled in significance to my BFs
I was packing and kept finding more and more stuff hidden here there and everywhere. That made me realise that i had no idea even what i had and was buying identicals products to those i had stashed.

I have made good inroads over the last six month and am now less embarrassed by what i have - i also no keep it on one large bookcase (one shelf for face, one for body, one for hair, one for make up, one for overspill and randoms)

But shock horror - i also never ever plan on graduating!!!!

I like a small comfort blanket of products. I enjoy cosmetics, smellies and browsing my stash to much to stop buying. But i do now have a few fluid rules i will stick to.

1. I will stockpile my favourite products if they are on offer - if i know i will use them it makes financial sense.
2. I won't buy multiple products i have never tried before just because they are on offer/reduced.
3. I will try to use products up before replacing them (as i am a sucker for new products and want to try everthing ASAP). This is the hardest for me
4. I will try and use/throw away the really old products. If ive had them stashed for over two years and never felt tempted to try them i doubt i ever will.
5. i won't count nail polish - i am more than happt to increase my 250plus collection of bottles. Everyone is allowed a vice!
6. I won't create lists of products/use ups. I can tell that stash is reducing visually and i don't what to make the process a chore.
7. I won't punish myself when i buy new products.
8. Finally I will enjoy every product i have and treat every day like "best".

My problem area is shampoo/conditioner - i must have had about 50 bottles. I am slowly getting though them using a different system. I'll put them in the bathroom and if i don't like them after a few washes i will sling them (previously i would re stash them!)
Last month i had a body lotions cull using the same system.

I enjoy this thread and wish everyone the best of luck if the plan is to graduate completely but i just wanted to make the point for some it is all about cutting down on their stash rather than getting rid of it completly.

InaPickle

amyb wrote: »

I enjoy this thread and wish everyone the best of luck if the plan is to graduate completely but i just wanted to make the point for some it is all about cutting down on their stash rather than getting rid of it completly.

That's a fair point, well made. And I like your rules: one of two of them wouldn't work for me, but everyone is different and has their idea of what works for them, but I just thought some people might think 'Ooh, actually, I hadn't thought of it like that - maybe that's not a bad idea to look at our stash journeys like that.' (I also stockpile 6 mouthwashes/toothpastes when they are on offer as my dentist makes me use a very expenive brand and it would be ridiculously pricey otherwise...but I wouldn't buy multiple body butters etc. as it takes a ridiculous amount of time to use them up and they go off - I might not have come to this realisation if it wasn't for this challenge, though.) I also like your culling system...I may employ that in the future!

amyb wrote: »

My shock horror moment was when whe moved house last November and my stash took up 5 large removals boxes (although my horror paled in significance to my BFs

I was packing and kept finding more and more stuff hidden here there and everywhere. That made me realise that i had no idea even what i had and was buying identicals products to those i had stashed.

I have made good inroads over the last six month and am now less embarrassed by what i have - i also no keep it on one large bookcase (one shelf for face, one for body, one for hair, one for make up, one for overspill and randoms)

OhEmGee, but well done on all the resulting UUs! :T (I can just imagine the look on you BF's face! _pale_ :rotfl:)

Kaz2904

Phew, I took a couple of days off to finish knitting my cardigan, then the weather turned and I've just not been able to get back on here! I have finally caught up now. Pickle, I fully agree. I think it's much better to pick yourself up, dust off and think "oops, shouldn't have done that, best crack on!"
I'm an original and was all but graduated last year when the body shop had their £19.76 sets. Combined with a couple of other offers and voucher codes, I actually got tonnes of stuff. Namely about 12 body butters :eek:. I've actually used up almost all the shower gel (1 left in use now), and opened up the first body butter on Saturday evening.
I had a UU of my sanctuary creme souffle. WIBA?: oh yes! I think that this is a HG for me. I will try to buy it when it is 3 for 2 as it's £10 so will be stock piling to an extent as that's a years worth of product. Won't be ready to restock until Christmas at the earliest I imagine .
It's DH's friends birthday today. He will be getting smellies from the drawer I imagine unless DH has something better in mind.
I think the shampoo is on it's last use tonight. Already been replaced by tresemme which I'm dreading using. The bottles are just too unwieldy. Unfortunately, I can't undo the lid of the Alberto balsam or I would stick it in there.
Right, best go do some housework now

dolly84

Inapickle and AmyB, those were interesting thoughts, I agree with both of you really, I have a bit of an 'oh sod it i've blown it for this month' type of attitude (also to food unfortunately) but also love cosmetics and feel about them the same way other ladies feel about nail polish - I love them and will always be buying them.

Before joining this challenge I had woken up during the night and was laying there worrying about using up all my body butters, lotions etc and felt stressed about how many I have. Even though I use them everyday they will take ages to use, no-one should lay awake worrying about body butter (admittedly I wasn't awake long) and it was a reality check for me and I haven't added to that area of the stash in a while now.

Mcculloch - £100 for this year on clothes would be amazing, does this include shoes? I would be very hard for me as I am tall with very long arms and legs (my arms don't look long but clothing manufacturers must think they are) and cannot buy anything long sleeved from anywhere but Long Tall Sally or Next Directory tall range.:(