Spending Ban - Week 1

I am starting this by stating I have money (Read last weeks here), this was because the morning of the ban the ATM decided to crash and thus take my card with it. My new card has arrived today, with pay day being tomorrow, there will be no pay day treats as the ban continues.

As yet there have been no new beauty purchases, I'm going to modify one of the rules and that is the walking home rule - this is because of health reasons as I cannot handle the huge hill with my knee. I have carried on walking to work the days I have not had a lift from husband.

At the moment it hasn't bothered me that much, I've managed to take a lunch with me or buy one for around a pound so it doesn't hinder me too much. This weekend is birthday present buying for my brother's girlfriend birthday, so I looking forward to shopping even if is for a present. We are also painting our house ready for the estate agents to give us estimates, so we can finally sell it and finally move on from a huge financial burden.

I hope everyone is coping well and not giving into temptation.

Being a Wee Bit Broke and the Start of Spending Ban

 

I have mentioned a few times before that our funds have been very tight since I had to take a job that was a lower in pay. I'd rather of taken the job that have to watch another minute of daytime TV, it was slowly sucking my soul. A few months back we also moved out of our two bed roomed house into an annex adjoined to my husbands family, its taken time to settle but its getting there.

 

This does mean for a while, while the house goes on the market, funds are slim on the ground. This leads me into the spending ban, I noticed that Tales of a Pale Face was looking for volunteers to do a one month ban, I thought it wouldn't hurt for a month to see if I can not give in to my buying impulses.

 

So these are the rules:

 

1. Obviously, no beauty purchases unless I run out of cotton pads or similar.

2. No Magazines - I have four subscriptions, two of which are free magazines.

3. No books - I have nearly 40 that need to be read

4. Walk - Now the nights are lighter I can walk more home, that big uphill climb will also mean I'm getting some exercise.

5. Take packed lunches to work 4 times a week - I work 5 so the spare is a 'just in case'

6. Birthday presents can be brought during this time, I'm not that mean. (A new outfit does not count)

 

I'm just hoping that my first update is not, "I spent all my money."

 

Blog sale is also coming soon

If I didn't have a mortgage to pay

As being more of a 'maturer' bblogger it takes me a lot longer to purchase the stuff I really want. Most of the time by the time I can afford it, I'm already onto the next big thing that everyone is raving about. Being a blogger I do change my a lot, entry to entry, as I skip through my read list. There are however items that no matter what I still really want.

 

1. War Paint: Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein - Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry

I am a bit of a book nerd, my current to be read list is over 20 books already and my amazon wish list is over 100. This charts of the very first rivalries in the beauty world, before women even given the vote, these women created their own business which are two of the most respected companies in the industry. One of the many beauty books on my wish list.

2. Flake Away by Soap & Glory

 

I love a good scrub, not an exfoliated. I like to feel like it is getting rid of dead skin, not just giving them a little tickle. A mixture of Shea butter, sweet almond oil with the duo of salt and sugar scrub, it's not scrubs but leaves skin super soft. The scent is divine as well, for £7.00 well worth it.

 

3. OPI German Collection - German-icure 

 

OPI and I have a very long love affair from when I was first training about 8 years ago to today. If I won the lottery I would buy all the colours in every part of the range. I literally will have to hold myself back at Olympia Beauty next month, because before I would know it I'd probably buy £100's worth without blinking. I have allowed myself one - this one from the AW12 range around Germany. It's a chocolate brown burgundy shimmer that is on trend for the season. (I might sneak in Every Month Is Oktoberfest, a shimmer rich purple but shh)

 

4. Real Techniques Stippling brush

 

First it was sponges, then it was foundation brushes, now it's all about the stippling brush. It suppose to give an airbrushes finished and can be used with a majority of face products. This is suppose to be the F1 of all the brushes, developed by the Pixiwoo girls and everyone who has used them adore them, the more I read about it the more I want it!

 

5. Konad stamping set

 

I actually missed out on buying one of these earlier this year at The Ideal Home on a massive discount because yet again I was broke (I picked up free tickets to go to the show). I've now seen on lots of nail blogs how fab they look and can be done with them, I'm chopping at the bit to get a set. If any has recommendations of sellers then please let me know.

 

6. YSL Le Teint Touch Eclat Foundation

 

I use the concealer for the days I look a little tired, which currently is everyday. When I read this was coming out I wanted to try it, when I started seeing swatches it upgraded to longing. I will be investing in this as I like the look of the finish and colour range.

Jubilee Weekend

We seemed to of timed our garden party rather well and had it early in the weekend on Saturday, we actually had a little bit of sun in ours. Where we live is in a small community in a cul-de-sac that circles a community grass area, which turned out useful as we didn't need to cut off our car par to join in the festivities.

There was enough food to feed a small army and a lot of people has gone to the trouble of baking fresh cakes and scones - yummy. Our little area was once a over 65's (which recently changed), so a lot of the residents were they for the original coronation and told us stories from there. Toasts were done and national anthem was sung (badly by the younger lot including me) before the bigger kids started playing games.

The celebrations have been great to watch, I was really moved by Prince Charles's speech at the concert last night. It was really heartfelt, warm and humourless, the concert itself was a bit hit and miss but you did have to fit in 60 years worth of different music to suit everyone. The floating pageant was great, it was really a sight watching all those boats floating on the Thames, but I was very glad to be indoors with the Jubilee tea blend.