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Temptalia Asks You - How do you budget for your makeup addiction?
How do you budget for your makeup addiction? How do you manage to fit in makeup into your budget? Do you give up other things instead?
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As a college student it’s sometimes hard to justify paying for high end cosmetics such as MAC..but I just can’t seem to help myself :). I save on other things which don’t make me as happy as face and eyes cosmetics:
– buying generic/Suave body wash
– buying storebrand body/hand lotion
– buying drugstore lipgloss and lipbalm (Revlon, Rimmel, Chapstick)
– not getting my haircut every 6 weeks (I know it’s bad..)
– not buying perfume (a money pit if you ask me!)
– buying drugstore items which are rated high on MUA (ie: Olay Complete SPF face lotion just like Christine!!)
I also try to save money by making sure I return things to MAC and Sephora which I don’t like. That way I can use the money for something else. I also try to take advantage of sales and free shipping whenever possible!
I lucked out that my parents covered all my living expenses, so I used money I got from working to fund the shopping habits. I miss those days, that’s for sure!
And yes, returning things is an EXCELLENT idea! Don’t ever feel bad for doing it!
im not very good at budgeting, but i make sure i cant go over what i have in my bank and i still live at home so my parents pay for everything im 17. I have around 300 euros a month to do whatever i want with a month and most goes toward makeup because i dont have to buy my own clothes
Very lucky Zoe, enjoy it while it lasts!
I prioritize. Lately I have gone on a huge makeup binge, but I haven’t been buying much else (clothes, etc)
Yep, I do the same. If I blow a bunch of money on makeup, no room for shoes or clothes!
Just as of recently I’ve slowed down on makeup, only because I’ve switched jobs and have made bad budget moves =P but before when I was stable, I used the money I earned working towards makeup and less on clothes. And I mix drugstore too with MAC (drugstore mascaras, bronzer.. MAC eye shadows, pigments)
That’s a good way to do it 🙂 I used to be all about drugstore mascara, too!
My dad is nice enough to support my makeup addiction since I’m his “baby girl that isn’t married yet”. Most of the time when I get moonies to go shopping, I’ll separate about 40% of what I have just for MAC stuff. But most of the time I’ll be overbudget. Oh well. 🙂
Aww 🙂 That is so nice, Fie! Lucky you!
I’m not a trust fund baby, (I’m still daddy’s girl even though he doesn’t pay my bills anymore!) so I, too, prioritize makeup over other things (example, for cleanser — use cetaphil). I gave myself a $35 MAC budget every paycheck ($70/month). That’s pretty ridiculous… think about it, it’s $840 a year!!
Yesterday, for instance, I went shopping intending to buy jeans. Instead, I came home with a concealer brush, Of Beauty powder in soft flame, and the Warm Pigments holiday collection. $73. I was $3 over budget, but couldn’t say no.
However, I will say that being an independent young woman who feels confident and beautiful is worth every penny I spend at MAC and Lancome.
Wow, Julieah, you are a very good budgeter! $3 isn’t bad at all. I don’t even have a real “budget” when it comes to my spending. I’m awful!
My approach is very similar to Tiffany. I splurge in some areas and am rather tight fisted in many others.
The funny thing is that our family income allows me to spend as a wish, but I was raised to never pay full price for something with a little effort I could find at a better price. I also stay away from magazines and TV so I feel a little less compelled to “need” the newest/biggest/brightest/most expensive new make-up type items.
Limiting myelf to only one brand of make-up also helps keep me focused on not over spending. Keeps me from needing the newest “it” item from every line. LOL this way I am only tempted by the new “it” items from MAC.
I also hate going to the mall so much that I really have to WANT a new item of make-up to put myself through the torture of stepping foot into mall hell. I also won’t buy make-up online.
Lastly, I wanted to applaud Julieah for her approach to budgeting and money management. We would have radically debt free society if more people used your approach to their spending. Congrats on good planning. Before becoming a SAM (stay at home mom) I used a very similar approach (after getting myself into trouble financially) and was able to put away for some big purchases – vacations abroad etc.
I agree about being drawn to only one line! I can’t afford to heavily get into any other line, because I’m happy with MAC and love their collections. I’m more open to making purchases from other lines now, though, but it’s unlikely you’ll see me building up a full collection for another brand, though.
I’m not that into designer clothes and shoes, fortunately 🙂 That saves quite a lot of money!
I splurge on primer, foundation, concealer and powder (mostly MAC and Clarins). For color cosmetics that need to be replaced frequently, mainly mascara and lip gloss, I opt for drugstore brands. I also buy items on sale whenever I can. Since my family and friends know I love cosmetics and perfume, I get presents/gift vouchers so that I can fund my perfume addiction (thank goodness!) and budget the money I have for brands like Christian Dior and Laura Mercier, which I buy occasionally.
Lucky! I’m not into designer anything, but I do love me a good shoe!
Great ways to save, Tonee 🙂
I get paid twice a month, one check pays the mortgage on my house. The second pays for my car payment and 1/2 the food for the month (my husband pays the other 1/2 and the rest of the bills since they add up to almost the same that I pay for mortgage and the car). At the end of the month I have about $300 left.
I put $200 in savings for our son, he’s disabled, and the other $100 I can do whatever I want with.
Normally I donate most of what is left over, but this time of year I tend to splurge a bit.
You really have it down pat, Mindy. It’s so good to hear people putting away money for savings and making sure they don’t overspend!
Ugg! I’m horrible at budgeting. I put aside $100 for MAC, but every month I go over. Part of the reason is I’m a university student, and I use MAC as a reward after finishing a difficult project. And this is a very hard semester!
To compensate, I never use my credit card for makeup and I bring a brown bag lunch to school. 😀
Credit cards are awful if you don’t intend to pay them off every month! I tend to use my check card so it automatically takes money out from my bank acccount.
I hope your semester ends well, Tekoa! Good luck on any tests/projects 🙂
I quit eating fast food!! thats saves awhole lot of money.. instead for lunch i go home and make me a 200 calorie microwave meal and enjoy and hour of peace and quiet before returning to work.. in return ive been able to fit into my size 2 express jeans agian and i save almost $35 a week!!! sooooo thats $140 a month for my makeup obsession!
Losing weight AND saving money, now that’s a combination I like.
I shop for cheap clothes, im not a shoe person either. i used to love perfumes, but husband got sick from the smell. I have no hobbies and nothing else interests me other than makeup. So there. And oh, I get to choose from eating out every weekend or shop at MAC instead. I chose shopping. eating out is a waste of money and will make u fat. hehehe.
lol, it’s good for your makeup budget to have fewer hobbies!