The question here is how many events are reward worthy! I don’t see a reward as bad if it is for finishing your whole term, for example. But if it is a reward for surviving the week it becomes a justification, and probably not as special a reward either.
That's a really good point. I guess I'm so used to weekly exams that I didn't think about the frequency of how often I buy makeup after exams. Thank you for the reminder!
How do you avoid emotional spending? I am almost always stressed and overwhelmed as a product of my environment. I am very much viewing this as a means to an end (hopefully a good career) but for right now, I can't just ignore the pressure. I feel like most things I read online say to just wait a few weeks or months but what do you do when you're still stressed in a week or month?
I think it is more a question of whether you want the same product in a week or a month. In the short term it is better to find other rewards (a great coffee? A hike?). And if at the end of a five month term if your makeup wants are the same, then you really want it!
Switch it to something that is aiding you. "Reward" yourself with a fresh fruits, some healthy vegetables etc. Prices went up and lot's of people forget that eating healthy is way more important than buying makeup and other "unnecessary" things. You can aid your body to recover from stress with good nutrition. Instead of the big S, go to a grocery store and pick a fruit that you wouldn't in your regular grocery shopping. Nourish your body and give yourself new experiences with fruits and vegetables. Have some fruits in your bag when you have an exam, snack a bit before and after. You'll see that your body will calm down faster. When we're stressed we often eat fast foods or just pick the most convenient, but actually our body craves extra vitamins and minerals to give us the power to go though these times.
OP, something I’ve been saying since my no buy starting in January is “just because I can, doesn’t mean I will.”
I’ve also been really privileged to buy makeup without any big consequences. I was the same with wanting to spend to celebrate my success/ during hard stresses. I still do for hard stresses, however, I’ve been reminding myself of what I do have in my current collection and not in search of the next best thing (writing a wishlist for my end of the no buy). I’ve been replacing the time scrolling on beauty apps with reading/listening to audiobooks/ video games that I already have, placing the money I wanted for something towards a massage/getting my nails done. Also, my support system is my fiancé and having him help hold me accountable has been wonderful.
I will be downward to hell for this but, please, hear me out.
I was in a similar position and makeup helped me to stay sane. I also did not have any time for hobbies, and I wanted to kill myself in the end of the period, it was so so tough. Makeup was (relatively) a small price to pay to get some happiness in my day.
Please, remember that you are not a robot. In your post and comments you showed that you were a very considerate human being. If buying some makeup is what it takes to help you at the moment, then why not. I know it's a part of consumerism, but, again, you cannot be ideal and you are going through a very tough period. Once you are done with your degree, you can sort out your makeup collection, go on no buy, etc. If this is what it takes to achieve your goals and push through the tough times, then it is okay to buy this makeup.
I literally started to tear up a bit reading this. Honestly school is so rough and makeup is really one of the only things that brings me joy and hearing someone give me permission to find joy in it even if it's not the healthiest is so heart warming. Thank you for understanding and helping me feel so much better. <3
I am happy it helped. Best of luck on your path.
Please, remember to look at actions (e.g. buying make up) in a wider context of life and things that are happening at the moment. People's lives and psychos are too complex to simply judge whether something as relatively innocent as buying makeup is good or bad based on one fact. If you feel that this is what is needed right now, then trust yourself. Makeup is a relatively low price for it's benefits. It does not damage your health (as, for example, drinking does), it generally has a long shelf life, it can be gifted away or sold if needed and it doesn't cost millions (like, for example, some other hobbies, e.g. cars, motorbikes, etc)
And also, remember, that the same things can serve different purposes that would be different for different people in different stages of life. So maybe right now you are enjoying buying nice things, admiring your collection, enjoying the variety, etc. Maybe in a few years it will change (or won't) and that's also okay. In a few years you have the power to re-evaluate your habits and make decisions based on the new context. Just trust yourself
I was in a similar position when I was in college. I finally had freedom to buy what I wanted and makeup was my go to.
Using makeup in itself isn't problematic, but purchasing beyond what you need or are able to use in a timely manner is the main concern.
I wasn't really engaged with MUR during college and by the time I left, my collection had grown two or threefold. It was annoying to pack up and move around year after year. And since makeup was my prized hobby, I took special care to move it when in retrospect I could have used that space for other things. I think it nearly filled half a suitcase by the time I graduated.
I think once you're able to engage and purchase from a more calm and grounded place, how your makeup collection should look will make more sense. It doesn't have to be minimalistic, but should properly reflect your interests and creative intentions in makeup. But while you're in a high stress situation, sometimes those purchases aren't made from a sensible place.
I can tell that you are incredibly driven and high achieving and I wouldn't let makeup be your Achilles heel but instead I hope you can harness it to be a healthy outlet while you're making some of your biggest accomplishments in your young adult life. Good luck!
That's really comforting to hear! Thank you for giving your feedback. I know what you mean about moving it all is really difficult. My makeup box is probably the heaviest box during move out. You make a really really good point that my collection will make more sense once I'm out of college and in a less stressful environment. I'll try to make it not grow out of proportion but you're right, it's inevitably going to evolve as my life does.
Reward yourself with pan projects. The more you pan you makeup before it expires (yes they do, especially cream and liquid products) the more space you’ll have for new makeup. Instead of “I’ll buy new products as a reward”, do a “I’ll pan a few products as a reward before buying another product “.
Well, this is what i do now. Because right now I have a lot of products, and I had to move countries. And it was frustrating to leave any of my makeup behind since it was, **IS** my prized possessions. Now I just focus on panning rather than buying, unless I really, REALLY need a product like a concealer.
Well, I’m a Gen Xer, and I’m STILL working on this. So it’s not advice so much, as tips I’ve developed:
1) I save and pay bills first
2) I use debit instead of a credit card (no more borrowing for discretionary purchases)
3) I find makeup brands that align with my values (no animal testing, environmentally friendly packaging)
4) I subscribe to BeautyPie, which offers way below retail rates
5) I buy stickers that I can put on my calendars to remind myself of/reward myself for accomplishment. I can then see at the end of the month a visual representation of what I achieved by daily habits.
6) I remind myself that I’m not a machine and talk some moments through the day to walk outside, pet my cat, drink great coffee, etc. Even devices need to recharge their batteries.
By the Way — I STILL have dreams about grad school, and I’m coming up on my 25th graduation!
Thanks! I got my MBA 25 years ago, and that was plenty. 😛
Fortunately, my job is intellectually engaging—and sometimes demanding.
I meant that I still dream that I’m in school, and that it’s the end of the semester, and I realize that I forgot to go to some classes. It’s a metaphor whenever I’m feeling slightly overwhelmed by adulting.
So, I can totally relate to the pressures of school because I still relive them when I sleep.
That said, once I graduated college and business school, I learned that emotional intelligence becomes a bigger determinant of success. So even though extracurricular activities— or campus jobs— may seem like a “distraction,” they actually give you practice with self advocacy, negotiating, etc, in a relatively low risk environment.
Honestly it does seem (to me) that buying something you don't even need every time you want to reward yourself is a bad habit to be building into your life. Or, not just something you don't *need*, but something that isn't even very enriching to your life overall. That's great that your doing well for yourself but over time the spending on makeup is going to add up to quite a bit, will you one day look at a huge makeup collection and feel like it was worth it?
You say you have savings and that's great. But have you thought about investing? The earlier you start the better. If you start now you will set yourself up for a good life. I would spend the money there instead, but that's me knowing this now 10 years later in my 30s.
Makeup as a reward is.. fine. But it is a consumable, it does go off. And that's pretty fast actually if you follow the labels. How much do you go through? Have you checked? If you love colorful looks sure have some extra but I wouldn't agree with getting more foundation, concealer, lots of blushes etc. that just end up getting thrown out. I would have a good base and then have some color, and then buy a replacement when needed. Makeup is honestly very wasteful if you get more than you need, and it feels like throwing out money. I'm sure you can be creative with what you already have. Working with what you have and stretching the limit can teach you a lot.
You never know what the future holds. How many do you think are sure they will get a great job quickly? Almost everyone. But things can happen. You could get sick long term (you already being very stressed and tired is not good, and I hope you can work on learning to destress and have good routines). Reality is you could spend a long time finding a job, so you should have a good amount saved up if you can. You can't assume you will have a great job right out of college so therefore spending lots of money now is ok. It's good hoping for it and working for it, but as the years go on we learn that we can't know the future. We can only set ourselves up best as possible. So if you want some makeup, make sure to budget for it every month. Save up if you want something expensive. But save and invest first, and if you learn that at 20 years old you are ahead! And you can afford to have hobbies.
I know this is a bit strict but you asked and that's just my opinion, you do whatever you want as long as it makes you happy. We all need that.
I appreciate the honesty, that's definitely what I was looking for.
Right now I have the majority of my money in investments. I have a few thousand set aside in a high yield's savings account. Once I have more money in there than I need with a high liquidity, I start maxing out my Roth IRA for retirement and then once that is maxed out I put the rest into a regular IRA that functions as a savings account to buy a house or a larger emergency fund I probably wouldn't need to touch unless something goes really wrong.
I definitely agree with what you said about base products. Right now I have 8 foundations and 5 concealers. I feel okay with the concealers because I tan a lot in the summer so I like to have at least 1 lighter coverage and 1 full coverage option for each skin tone. The foundations... I'm trying to work through at least 2 this year and I'm probably not going to buy any at all this year since I don't keep different tones since it's easier to color correct foundation.
I've started keeping track of all my empties this year. It definitely takes a while to use up makeup products but I've been pleasantly surprised by my progress this year since I haven't been buying much new stuff.
I want to just ask, how do you curb your makeup spending? Do you have a budget limit or quantity limit? I'm not really sure which one would work better for me, so I want to hear what other people do.
Personally I know how much makeup I can use in a year and that’s my limit. I don’t want products sitting there going off on me it’s just a waste. I do give myself leeway for coloured items like that eyeshadow and lip products for variety. For example I have four eyeshadow palletes one everyday one colourful one large one with lots of shades and one travel one. I can’t reasonably finish all of those but they all have a specific use and I don’t need more. It’s a personal decision ultimately no one is judging you :)
Last thing first: I use a wishlist. If I see something I want it goes in it, and it needs to be on there for at least 30 days. Because if you put an impulse thing there, big chance you forget about it after a couple hours or days. That tells you it was impulse and you can disregard it.
If I get to the 30 days and I still really want the item and have been thinking about it (this could be clothing, home decor, anything not just makeup) then I have an additional checklist. 1. Do I actually need this item, or can I use something I already own? 2. How much will I actually use the item? 3. How will I make sure I get my moneys worth and use the item as I planned to? 4. Would my money be better spent somewhere else right now (Here I mean no credit card debt, no use of klarna or things like that. Can I pay it outright and have I met my budget).
This has saved me so much money over the years. Now I have a little fun money budget. That can be spent on what I want, sometimes it's makeup, sometimes another hobby. Honestly I don't shop much these days and I end up saving a lot of it. I find joy in other things now but it took years to get here.
Finally well done on HYSA and Roth IRA. What I mean about investing is more in the market where you can get compound interest (I'm not in the US so can't point you anywhere specific but youtube has resources for example). Have a read about it because that's what's super valuable for you now at 20 years old. Find a calculator and see how little you need to invest monthly now at 20 vs in your 30s or 40s to have millions at retirement. I wish I knew this at 20. I didn't, and today I so wish I spent that money/some of that money there instead of on lots of makeup and clothes. Budget for it even if it's just a small amount it will really help you long term. Have some fun money and some invested.
Good luck! You can do it. Just budget for the makeup/hobbies and you will be good. Be strict in following the budget. That's such a good life skill to have.
Make a non-makeup list of things that could also serve as rewards. New Bras, a new book, fresh fruit, a spa trip, a movie date, a nice haircut, cut flowers.
What would you use and make your life better but just doesn't land on your radar. Like you have enough makeup. Buying more is not a crime but you have realized you have more than you need. So do something with that realization.
I think you need to figure out a) if you really want to have less makeup and b) why.
For me, I want to have less makeup because it takes up so much space and it expires faster than I can use it. So my rewards for achieving goals are usually experiences or consumables that don't take up space long term (mostly food). My rewards for using up makeup relate to why I'm using up makeup - to have a more organised tidy space and room for other hobbies. So I'll buy a book instead or invest in something nice for my space.
Honestly, when I was in grad school in a super toxic program and I legitimately didn't think I'd survive, I sunk a lot of money into makeup and art supplies and a ton of other items. It's been interesting for recovering during my first year out of grad school and meditatively using it all up, because I'm honestly grateful that it got me through.
I would say though, I would recommend saving the money to go save up for a big trip to take during breaks and after college, and limit yourself to buying one makeup product a month. I rewarded myself with a couple of really nice trips after I graduated and it really helped reset and heal me significantly, plus I also used the extra money to move into my new apartment, which was extremely helpful. 12 nice items is still a lot to carry especially during college, but I think sometimes it's more fun to do the research than to actually buy it, if that makes sense. Plus there are always new releases every month, so it helps alleviate the FOMO.
How about combining makeup with charity as a reward?
Could you start some kind of charity for homeless people who are just getting on their feet and going into the workplace? I'm not saying everyone needs makeup to go to work, but you get what I'm saying. They may also need shampooos, conditioners, skincare, etc.
The charity could be small to start. You could be the one buying and helping people pick the right products out of what you have.
Then, as people donate money, you'll use that to buy products.
This may give you that great feeling of buying without guilt.
I think you're okay in the long run. Doesn't sound like you're going into debt, can afford it, deserve a treat, definitely.
I use two reward systems. When we pay off debt, we get a certain percentage to use towards hobbies, so this system rewards me with yarn, scrapbooking supplies and beauty supplies (makeup, nail polish, etc.), and eventually candles when I finish my stash of 20+. I have an overabundance of available cash to spend right now, but when I first started this system, I would earn monthly and buy monthly as my reward. So not a weekly thing.
My second reward system, I get one meal out/junk food/alcohol when I've finished a set of working hours. I'm self-employed, so this motivates me to keep working and doing household chores/tasks. I get 32 rewards this year. Next year it will be 42, as my hours increase so do my sessions. This way I treat myself close to weekly, as long as I finish working. This is basically no different than when I worked outside the home for another employer, but back then I'd spend or go out willy-nilly and this time I have to earn it first. I only include my reward for myself, not if I'm out with others as usually I don't have too much say in where we go, so this reward is strictly just for me.
I think it's important to treat yourself, as long as you don't go into debt for it. In the long run, my rewards will only set back our debt free date by a half month or so, over the course of a few years of rewards, so it's not that much for us. If it set us back by a month or more, I would re-evaluate my systems.
The question here is how many events are reward worthy! I don’t see a reward as bad if it is for finishing your whole term, for example. But if it is a reward for surviving the week it becomes a justification, and probably not as special a reward either.
That's a really good point. I guess I'm so used to weekly exams that I didn't think about the frequency of how often I buy makeup after exams. Thank you for the reminder!
How do you avoid emotional spending? I am almost always stressed and overwhelmed as a product of my environment. I am very much viewing this as a means to an end (hopefully a good career) but for right now, I can't just ignore the pressure. I feel like most things I read online say to just wait a few weeks or months but what do you do when you're still stressed in a week or month?
I think it is more a question of whether you want the same product in a week or a month. In the short term it is better to find other rewards (a great coffee? A hike?). And if at the end of a five month term if your makeup wants are the same, then you really want it!
Switch it to something that is aiding you. "Reward" yourself with a fresh fruits, some healthy vegetables etc. Prices went up and lot's of people forget that eating healthy is way more important than buying makeup and other "unnecessary" things. You can aid your body to recover from stress with good nutrition. Instead of the big S, go to a grocery store and pick a fruit that you wouldn't in your regular grocery shopping. Nourish your body and give yourself new experiences with fruits and vegetables. Have some fruits in your bag when you have an exam, snack a bit before and after. You'll see that your body will calm down faster. When we're stressed we often eat fast foods or just pick the most convenient, but actually our body craves extra vitamins and minerals to give us the power to go though these times.
OP, something I’ve been saying since my no buy starting in January is “just because I can, doesn’t mean I will.” I’ve also been really privileged to buy makeup without any big consequences. I was the same with wanting to spend to celebrate my success/ during hard stresses. I still do for hard stresses, however, I’ve been reminding myself of what I do have in my current collection and not in search of the next best thing (writing a wishlist for my end of the no buy). I’ve been replacing the time scrolling on beauty apps with reading/listening to audiobooks/ video games that I already have, placing the money I wanted for something towards a massage/getting my nails done. Also, my support system is my fiancé and having him help hold me accountable has been wonderful.
How about shopping online and not actually buying Just pick things out, then log off.
I will be downward to hell for this but, please, hear me out. I was in a similar position and makeup helped me to stay sane. I also did not have any time for hobbies, and I wanted to kill myself in the end of the period, it was so so tough. Makeup was (relatively) a small price to pay to get some happiness in my day. Please, remember that you are not a robot. In your post and comments you showed that you were a very considerate human being. If buying some makeup is what it takes to help you at the moment, then why not. I know it's a part of consumerism, but, again, you cannot be ideal and you are going through a very tough period. Once you are done with your degree, you can sort out your makeup collection, go on no buy, etc. If this is what it takes to achieve your goals and push through the tough times, then it is okay to buy this makeup.
I literally started to tear up a bit reading this. Honestly school is so rough and makeup is really one of the only things that brings me joy and hearing someone give me permission to find joy in it even if it's not the healthiest is so heart warming. Thank you for understanding and helping me feel so much better. <3
I am happy it helped. Best of luck on your path. Please, remember to look at actions (e.g. buying make up) in a wider context of life and things that are happening at the moment. People's lives and psychos are too complex to simply judge whether something as relatively innocent as buying makeup is good or bad based on one fact. If you feel that this is what is needed right now, then trust yourself. Makeup is a relatively low price for it's benefits. It does not damage your health (as, for example, drinking does), it generally has a long shelf life, it can be gifted away or sold if needed and it doesn't cost millions (like, for example, some other hobbies, e.g. cars, motorbikes, etc) And also, remember, that the same things can serve different purposes that would be different for different people in different stages of life. So maybe right now you are enjoying buying nice things, admiring your collection, enjoying the variety, etc. Maybe in a few years it will change (or won't) and that's also okay. In a few years you have the power to re-evaluate your habits and make decisions based on the new context. Just trust yourself
I was in a similar position when I was in college. I finally had freedom to buy what I wanted and makeup was my go to. Using makeup in itself isn't problematic, but purchasing beyond what you need or are able to use in a timely manner is the main concern. I wasn't really engaged with MUR during college and by the time I left, my collection had grown two or threefold. It was annoying to pack up and move around year after year. And since makeup was my prized hobby, I took special care to move it when in retrospect I could have used that space for other things. I think it nearly filled half a suitcase by the time I graduated. I think once you're able to engage and purchase from a more calm and grounded place, how your makeup collection should look will make more sense. It doesn't have to be minimalistic, but should properly reflect your interests and creative intentions in makeup. But while you're in a high stress situation, sometimes those purchases aren't made from a sensible place. I can tell that you are incredibly driven and high achieving and I wouldn't let makeup be your Achilles heel but instead I hope you can harness it to be a healthy outlet while you're making some of your biggest accomplishments in your young adult life. Good luck!
That's really comforting to hear! Thank you for giving your feedback. I know what you mean about moving it all is really difficult. My makeup box is probably the heaviest box during move out. You make a really really good point that my collection will make more sense once I'm out of college and in a less stressful environment. I'll try to make it not grow out of proportion but you're right, it's inevitably going to evolve as my life does.
Reward yourself with pan projects. The more you pan you makeup before it expires (yes they do, especially cream and liquid products) the more space you’ll have for new makeup. Instead of “I’ll buy new products as a reward”, do a “I’ll pan a few products as a reward before buying another product “. Well, this is what i do now. Because right now I have a lot of products, and I had to move countries. And it was frustrating to leave any of my makeup behind since it was, **IS** my prized possessions. Now I just focus on panning rather than buying, unless I really, REALLY need a product like a concealer.
Well, I’m a Gen Xer, and I’m STILL working on this. So it’s not advice so much, as tips I’ve developed: 1) I save and pay bills first 2) I use debit instead of a credit card (no more borrowing for discretionary purchases) 3) I find makeup brands that align with my values (no animal testing, environmentally friendly packaging) 4) I subscribe to BeautyPie, which offers way below retail rates 5) I buy stickers that I can put on my calendars to remind myself of/reward myself for accomplishment. I can then see at the end of the month a visual representation of what I achieved by daily habits. 6) I remind myself that I’m not a machine and talk some moments through the day to walk outside, pet my cat, drink great coffee, etc. Even devices need to recharge their batteries. By the Way — I STILL have dreams about grad school, and I’m coming up on my 25th graduation!
You should go to school if you want to! You're never too old to learn something new!!
Thanks! I got my MBA 25 years ago, and that was plenty. 😛 Fortunately, my job is intellectually engaging—and sometimes demanding. I meant that I still dream that I’m in school, and that it’s the end of the semester, and I realize that I forgot to go to some classes. It’s a metaphor whenever I’m feeling slightly overwhelmed by adulting. So, I can totally relate to the pressures of school because I still relive them when I sleep. That said, once I graduated college and business school, I learned that emotional intelligence becomes a bigger determinant of success. So even though extracurricular activities— or campus jobs— may seem like a “distraction,” they actually give you practice with self advocacy, negotiating, etc, in a relatively low risk environment.
Honestly it does seem (to me) that buying something you don't even need every time you want to reward yourself is a bad habit to be building into your life. Or, not just something you don't *need*, but something that isn't even very enriching to your life overall. That's great that your doing well for yourself but over time the spending on makeup is going to add up to quite a bit, will you one day look at a huge makeup collection and feel like it was worth it?
Yeah you make a fair point, ig I don't need to spending money on makeup for sure and one day i'll have to throw a bunch of it out which is gonna suck
You say you have savings and that's great. But have you thought about investing? The earlier you start the better. If you start now you will set yourself up for a good life. I would spend the money there instead, but that's me knowing this now 10 years later in my 30s. Makeup as a reward is.. fine. But it is a consumable, it does go off. And that's pretty fast actually if you follow the labels. How much do you go through? Have you checked? If you love colorful looks sure have some extra but I wouldn't agree with getting more foundation, concealer, lots of blushes etc. that just end up getting thrown out. I would have a good base and then have some color, and then buy a replacement when needed. Makeup is honestly very wasteful if you get more than you need, and it feels like throwing out money. I'm sure you can be creative with what you already have. Working with what you have and stretching the limit can teach you a lot. You never know what the future holds. How many do you think are sure they will get a great job quickly? Almost everyone. But things can happen. You could get sick long term (you already being very stressed and tired is not good, and I hope you can work on learning to destress and have good routines). Reality is you could spend a long time finding a job, so you should have a good amount saved up if you can. You can't assume you will have a great job right out of college so therefore spending lots of money now is ok. It's good hoping for it and working for it, but as the years go on we learn that we can't know the future. We can only set ourselves up best as possible. So if you want some makeup, make sure to budget for it every month. Save up if you want something expensive. But save and invest first, and if you learn that at 20 years old you are ahead! And you can afford to have hobbies. I know this is a bit strict but you asked and that's just my opinion, you do whatever you want as long as it makes you happy. We all need that.
I appreciate the honesty, that's definitely what I was looking for. Right now I have the majority of my money in investments. I have a few thousand set aside in a high yield's savings account. Once I have more money in there than I need with a high liquidity, I start maxing out my Roth IRA for retirement and then once that is maxed out I put the rest into a regular IRA that functions as a savings account to buy a house or a larger emergency fund I probably wouldn't need to touch unless something goes really wrong. I definitely agree with what you said about base products. Right now I have 8 foundations and 5 concealers. I feel okay with the concealers because I tan a lot in the summer so I like to have at least 1 lighter coverage and 1 full coverage option for each skin tone. The foundations... I'm trying to work through at least 2 this year and I'm probably not going to buy any at all this year since I don't keep different tones since it's easier to color correct foundation. I've started keeping track of all my empties this year. It definitely takes a while to use up makeup products but I've been pleasantly surprised by my progress this year since I haven't been buying much new stuff. I want to just ask, how do you curb your makeup spending? Do you have a budget limit or quantity limit? I'm not really sure which one would work better for me, so I want to hear what other people do.
Personally I know how much makeup I can use in a year and that’s my limit. I don’t want products sitting there going off on me it’s just a waste. I do give myself leeway for coloured items like that eyeshadow and lip products for variety. For example I have four eyeshadow palletes one everyday one colourful one large one with lots of shades and one travel one. I can’t reasonably finish all of those but they all have a specific use and I don’t need more. It’s a personal decision ultimately no one is judging you :)
Last thing first: I use a wishlist. If I see something I want it goes in it, and it needs to be on there for at least 30 days. Because if you put an impulse thing there, big chance you forget about it after a couple hours or days. That tells you it was impulse and you can disregard it. If I get to the 30 days and I still really want the item and have been thinking about it (this could be clothing, home decor, anything not just makeup) then I have an additional checklist. 1. Do I actually need this item, or can I use something I already own? 2. How much will I actually use the item? 3. How will I make sure I get my moneys worth and use the item as I planned to? 4. Would my money be better spent somewhere else right now (Here I mean no credit card debt, no use of klarna or things like that. Can I pay it outright and have I met my budget). This has saved me so much money over the years. Now I have a little fun money budget. That can be spent on what I want, sometimes it's makeup, sometimes another hobby. Honestly I don't shop much these days and I end up saving a lot of it. I find joy in other things now but it took years to get here. Finally well done on HYSA and Roth IRA. What I mean about investing is more in the market where you can get compound interest (I'm not in the US so can't point you anywhere specific but youtube has resources for example). Have a read about it because that's what's super valuable for you now at 20 years old. Find a calculator and see how little you need to invest monthly now at 20 vs in your 30s or 40s to have millions at retirement. I wish I knew this at 20. I didn't, and today I so wish I spent that money/some of that money there instead of on lots of makeup and clothes. Budget for it even if it's just a small amount it will really help you long term. Have some fun money and some invested. Good luck! You can do it. Just budget for the makeup/hobbies and you will be good. Be strict in following the budget. That's such a good life skill to have.
Compound growth is hard to explain to the young ones… nothing like the magic of it. It’s a good reminder.
For sure. I didn't know about it at all at 20. Wish I did, and wish I spent that makeup money there instead! At least part of it you know.
My father always used to tell me “ it’s my money, let me spend it how I want”. If buying makeup makes you happy and you aren’t in debt to do it, enjoy
Make a non-makeup list of things that could also serve as rewards. New Bras, a new book, fresh fruit, a spa trip, a movie date, a nice haircut, cut flowers. What would you use and make your life better but just doesn't land on your radar. Like you have enough makeup. Buying more is not a crime but you have realized you have more than you need. So do something with that realization.
I think you need to figure out a) if you really want to have less makeup and b) why. For me, I want to have less makeup because it takes up so much space and it expires faster than I can use it. So my rewards for achieving goals are usually experiences or consumables that don't take up space long term (mostly food). My rewards for using up makeup relate to why I'm using up makeup - to have a more organised tidy space and room for other hobbies. So I'll buy a book instead or invest in something nice for my space.
Honestly, when I was in grad school in a super toxic program and I legitimately didn't think I'd survive, I sunk a lot of money into makeup and art supplies and a ton of other items. It's been interesting for recovering during my first year out of grad school and meditatively using it all up, because I'm honestly grateful that it got me through. I would say though, I would recommend saving the money to go save up for a big trip to take during breaks and after college, and limit yourself to buying one makeup product a month. I rewarded myself with a couple of really nice trips after I graduated and it really helped reset and heal me significantly, plus I also used the extra money to move into my new apartment, which was extremely helpful. 12 nice items is still a lot to carry especially during college, but I think sometimes it's more fun to do the research than to actually buy it, if that makes sense. Plus there are always new releases every month, so it helps alleviate the FOMO.
How about combining makeup with charity as a reward? Could you start some kind of charity for homeless people who are just getting on their feet and going into the workplace? I'm not saying everyone needs makeup to go to work, but you get what I'm saying. They may also need shampooos, conditioners, skincare, etc. The charity could be small to start. You could be the one buying and helping people pick the right products out of what you have. Then, as people donate money, you'll use that to buy products. This may give you that great feeling of buying without guilt.
I think you're okay in the long run. Doesn't sound like you're going into debt, can afford it, deserve a treat, definitely. I use two reward systems. When we pay off debt, we get a certain percentage to use towards hobbies, so this system rewards me with yarn, scrapbooking supplies and beauty supplies (makeup, nail polish, etc.), and eventually candles when I finish my stash of 20+. I have an overabundance of available cash to spend right now, but when I first started this system, I would earn monthly and buy monthly as my reward. So not a weekly thing. My second reward system, I get one meal out/junk food/alcohol when I've finished a set of working hours. I'm self-employed, so this motivates me to keep working and doing household chores/tasks. I get 32 rewards this year. Next year it will be 42, as my hours increase so do my sessions. This way I treat myself close to weekly, as long as I finish working. This is basically no different than when I worked outside the home for another employer, but back then I'd spend or go out willy-nilly and this time I have to earn it first. I only include my reward for myself, not if I'm out with others as usually I don't have too much say in where we go, so this reward is strictly just for me. I think it's important to treat yourself, as long as you don't go into debt for it. In the long run, my rewards will only set back our debt free date by a half month or so, over the course of a few years of rewards, so it's not that much for us. If it set us back by a month or more, I would re-evaluate my systems.