Announcing another spending ban!

If you read this blog, you'll know that I put myself on a beauty spending ban back in October 2014, which I'd hoped to maintain for a whole year. While I didn't quite make a year, I lasted for around eight months - which I'm rather happy with, to say the least! 

I found it helped me reduce the size of my collection and of course made my bank account a little happier, plus it helped me learn not to make impulse buys from the clearance bin at Priceline whenever I was in there buying nappies.

I ended up breaking the spending ban after eight months because I needed something for me: I became a mum for the first time back in February last year, and after that I lost many of my outlets because I had neither the time nor the effort to do things I really loved. I'm sure I'm not the only parent who would say that!

Anyhoo. I've still maintained my twice-daily skincare rituals throughout the past year, and I've been able to apply makeup every day - even though it sometimes takes half the day to do it. I've wanted to do this because makeup and skincare are like meditation for me, and I've needed those things to help me face the daily challenges that motherhood presents.

Now, however - when our finances are tighter than they've ever been - it's time to bring the spending ban back into action. My daughter is also starting childcare this week (just a couple of half days for now) and I'll hopefully be able to go back to work and contribute financially to household expenses. And of course, part of contributing financially is not spending what little cash you have!

So, as with the last spending ban, I've set out some boundaries:

• No spending on non-essential beauty items
• If I run out of something like body wash, I can replace it - but no replacing things like lipstick
• Re-purpose what I own where possible before buying something new: eg, I've run out of night cream so I'm using my day cream for night and a hydrating primer as my day cream; I could also use things like CC creams as day creams because they have skincare benefits anyway
• Current ongoing subscriptions are allowed: so I've already paid for a year of Marie Claire's The Parcel and Ageless Parcel; and I can keep my monthly Lust Have It subscription for now
• Gift-card spending is allowed: so if anyone wants to buy me a Sephora or Mecca gift card, feel free! ; )
• There's no time limit on this ban: I'll keep it going until we're in a better place financially and I can go back to my $50 per month beauty budget (which I've been doing since I ended the spending ban last year)

In sum

I'd really hoped I never had to do a spending ban again because they're not easy or fun! But in this case it's needed, and the ban is extended to things like meals out, clothing etc (not that I spend much on that stuff anyway - I'm all about beauty); and any other non-essential expenses.

The other benefit of the ban, of course, is that I'll be able to continue streamlining my collection and hopefully finish a bundle of things throughout the year. I don't have truckloads of stuff anymore, but I do have quite a few back-ups of skincare items so I'd like to see more space in my cupboards before buying anything new.

Have you ever gone on a spending ban or low buy? Do share : )