March haul

In March and in April now, i had some unexpected purchases that i needed, and other things that i just bought because i wanted them. 

As well did way too many aliexpress purchases that i'm still waiting to receive, some needed items and some not so :D

I decided to share my purchases, and maybe will do with my other online purchases as well.

Latvian skin care company Dzintars completely rebranded, and released  their new and improved products last month, and i had to buy them. Love the way their new design looks, minimalistic but fresh and different, and they have Latvian flag on them (all products are made in Latvia). You can check them here. They dont have fancy over scented products but they are amazing, fragrance is natural and not so overbearing , my favorite so far is Dzintari line - lip balm and hand cream.

I used to write reviews about my online purchases, good ones and fails, maybe i'll start to do it again soon. 

Not that i needed new make up brushes, i have way too many already, i decided that i need travel set, as if we can travel now :D but hey they were cheap and looked nice. Quality is very good good and they are so soft. I love them, but there is too many eye shadow brushes and less for face. I need 1 for concealer/foundation and 1 for powder and 1 for blush/highlighter, so if i would travel somewhere i'll need powder brush. But other than that such a lovely set, they had different colors tho choose from. If you want to check it, link here.

Last but no least aliexpress purchase is light bulb string for decorating Christmas gifts. I though it was cute and i just bought it. Looks lovely and i havent seen something like that in stores near me. Link here.

Lastly i thrifted some books of ebay. Since second had shops were not open when i ordered them, and honestly, they just opened yesterday, and i'm not that crazy to run to stores on first opening day since lockdown just to buy things that i dont really need and stand in crazy lines. You can buy second had books on ebay as well and yes they are more expensive but there is better selection.

That was part of my few online purchases that were more interesting.

Till next time!

No spend February fail

 

 

February update

 

February started promising but then I treated myself - slipped, but still I didn’t overspend! But this month is a fail, because I felt urge to shop and I caved in and done that.

 

Had some name days and birthdays I needed to buy gifts for, and I managed to find thoughtful and useful gifts for overall not that bad price.

Spent little bit more than 20 euros on hair related products and some other things, actually wanted to buy few things, started browsing and found something more and then I didn’t want to pay for shipping and spent more money till free shipping, yeah that’s not good! Hopefully new hair masks will work well, because I decided not to repurchase Olaplex one, because it’s too expensive for how little product there is. As well purchased hair color to lighten my hair and make it pink again. This time I bought ashy blond color and pink toner, will see if it works, if not I have back up pinkish hair color. SO together I spend more than 50 euros on beauty things.

 

Not necessary purchase was another book! I still haven’t read all books that I have! But I saw interesting tv show trending on Netflix and it was based on book, and decided to buy and read book before continuing to watching it.

 

Another but very useful purchase are wellies. I don’t own rain boots, and weather is getting little bit warmer, snow is going to melt and my regular boots not gonna survive another slushy mush on streets. They weren’t cheap but looked almost like normal boots, and if I don’t like them, they are very easy returnable. Thwy fit perfect and was worth the price!

Bought black knitted cardigan and trousers for summer/ warmer weather.

 

I was doing so good with meal prepping but work bullshit got to me, and when I feel sad I love to treat myself and I get lazy with things! That’s why it’s easier to purchase something ready and not to cook after work, because I feel physically tired. That’s maybe excuse but it’s hard to do work that takes all team to do, but half of them don’t show up (university and other excuses) and manager don’t say anything! Honestly I cant wait when work will open again, and I will have my weekly hours to work and everyone will need to show up on work.

But if I don’t buy that much -  lunch deal ( coffee and  sandwich or salad + something sweet) is just 3 euros, and it’s not that bad!

 

And I bought some things on Aliexpress! Do I needed them definitely not, but I wanted them. Maybe I’ll show my purchases once I’ll receive them. I’m little bit embarrassed to say how much I spend on there! Bought some things for scrapbooking. A long time ago thrifted scrapbook as gift for someone, but didn’t end up gifting it, not because I wanted to keep it for myself, but I found some other things as gift and that doesn’t looked good together. And recently I printed some favorite pictures of my few travels and thought of scrapbooking, will see how that will work out, but I’m excited about that.

 

Positive things – I haven’t bought any new products of my list! But soon I’ll have to buy serum because I’m running out of it.

Sadly our planned trip had to be rescheduled and because of tickets my friend bought if we wanted to change dates we had to pay extra 100 euros each to do it, but luckily for us, our flight were canceled, and we will just find new ones probably at the end of summer, I hope that by then we will be able to fly somewhere!

 

Still haven’t found SPF for face, saw some good candidates on Iherb, but not sure if it will be worth it to pay taxes and shipping or find something available here. That’s my next big purchase!

 

As for March I finally have to make Dr. appointment that I had to make few months ago but I kept pushing it back, now I don’t really have chance, and it will be expensive, but I really have to do it, not looking forward to it, I’m scared to get some not good remarks about why I haven’t do it faster, but it is what it is!

 

My goal for next month is shop less and no more buying clothes and things unless I really need them!

 

 

 

Till next time!

Project hit the pan product list

 This year i decided not to buy new skincare related products unless i run out of some of them or use up the ones i already have!

I'm subscribed to Lookfantastic beauty box for more than year now, and i accumulated  a lot products, and i have no idea for what i was saving them for, and  just put them in  box and rarely  looked there. This year i wanted to start to save money and spend less on unnecessary   things or stop buying something unless i run out of it, because i have so many unused products but i just kept buying more.

I separated products different categories , and i'm allowed to buy something new when i run out of all products in that category.

1. category - Eye creams

Currently i'm using  Verso one, and i dont mind it. My under eyes gets very dry in winter and this definitely is not for my needs but i mixed it with oil, and that works for me.   

2. category - Serums

From this category I used up 1 (Balance me) and currently using Dr. Denniss Gross serum in morning  and Caudalie one at night. So soon i'll have to think about purchasing something new. Not gonna lie, i looked at serums online, because some i liked was on sale and i almost bought it, but decided wait and use up, and decide on what kind of serum is best for my needs. Love vitamin C serum, so when i'll use all up i might buy it, not exact brand one.

3. category - Face creams 

From these i'm currently using Fist aid beauty one at night, and Elemis one in morning, because it's a day cream (the scent of this one is so strong!). With this category i'm sorted for long time, and i'm glad for that! No need to spend money on this for now.

4. category and last one is Face masks

Nothing really to say about this category, cause i'm not using anything from here. Because if i use face mask it is for calming down my skin - acne problems. But my goal is to try and use at least one of these products!

These all are products that i have more than 2 of same product pieces, and other things like cleanser/ micellar water and different products that are not in these catagories i just have 1 product of each thinsgs i need.

Something that i'll buy soon is sunscreen, cause i dont have one (my old one i had from last summer had weird scent so i threw it out!), and my skin is prone to bad sunspots, so i really need this product! But i havent decided on one i'll buy, because thanks to Brexit , cant repurchase one i like, because i dont want to pay more on taxes cause it's quite expensive.

I'll update my progress or show new things in each category if i'll receive them in beauty box.

Till next time!

Project hit the pan January update

 

 It's mixed with hit the pan and no buy...

Little recap – I wanted to save money, stop buying things I don’t need and use up ones I have so they don’t go to waste!

 

I did save a little bit less than I wanted to(not bad but there is still some things that needs to be improved), because most of money(69% ) I spent was on food and takeaways on weekends. I’m not proud of that! That food is not good for me, and that plus my illness and meds, sitting at home, just helps me gaining more weight. So I have to work on this!

 

Other things – I bought pair of black jeans on sale for 12,99, hopefully they will fit, if not I’ll return them. Bought them because all my black jeans are quite worn out, are ripped and it’s too cold to wear them! I actually needed them, so fingers crossed they will fit!

Then I bought 1 book. I know I don’t need new books, but I’ll blame goodreads for it, because when I was updating my profile – was done reading 1 book, it suggested me this one . And it sounded so interesting , that I bought it. Wasn’t that expensive 5,57, but shipping, thanks to Brexit, from UK took almost month, so I haven’t started to read it, but my plan is to start today!

Bought printer color I needed to do that before, but never had or wanted to spend money in last few months for that, but finally decided to do that.

 

Beauty related things – My total for that is 35,82. Most expensive purchase of that was lookfantastic beauty box 15,50, it has it’s hits and misses but I’ll continue ordering it till maybe June, when we’ll have to pay taxes for all orders outside European union. Then I needed new shampoo, my hair is little annoying, I haven’t found shampoo that I actually like, and since I run out of shampoo , I’ll try new one, hopefully it will work with my fussy and damaged hair. Last purchase of that category was hair color, my hair looks awful, I haven’t color it for months, and I kinda hate how it looks, it’s ok when I toned it, but that shampoo/ toner dries out my hair even more, and if we will have to start to go to work again (honestly not sure when they will open stores, each day there is new and different/mixed info on that) I want my hair to look better. Got good deal on hair color J

 

Haven’t bought any skin care or make up things, and I have had no need for that! Love that for me!

While a lot of people are bitching that the stores are closed and we can’t buy all things (poor ones, never heard of online shopping!), I’m kinda happy about that, that really helps me not to buy things in spur of moment. Sometimes in my evening lunch break I  grab takeaway coffee and walk around shopping center, usually I go in some stores and look around, sometimes I find some things and if the price is good I buy them.

 

Things that I need to buy in February :

Need new sunscreen for face, don’t have one, haven’t decided what and where to buy one, but I want to be ready for when it will start to get sunnier.

Don’t know if I’ll repurchase Olaplex hair mask, it’s so expensive and it didn’t last that long, obviously you cant see any results after few uses but it’s very expensive. I haven’t decided on that!

 

 

Till next time!

 

 

 

 

Project hit the pan

 

 This is mine version of hit the pan project were you use up certain things before purchasing something new.

There are sales everywhere, and sometimes when I’m bored I tend to browse things online and sometimes I see things I really like, and just buy them. Not that I regret my purchases, but honestly I don’t need them, I just bought them because I was bored, and I love online shopping.

But because of that I might have way too much the same products and I can’t use them all!  I decided to do something and hopefully this will help me save money, and don’t spend on things that I already have.

 

 

I’m subscribed to Lookfantastic beauty box, and in December I had Douglas advent calendar, so I have a lot of different size skincare products, and my goal is use them up all, maybe leave few smaller ones from each category – face cream, serum, eye cream for as travel product, when we will be able to travel again (actually have travel plans in March, but I’m not sure we will be able to go!).

Honestly i don't even remember all products that i have or what are they for , and this is just part of them!

 

Products I want to stop buy unless I run out of them:

• ·         Eye shadow palettes - goal is to use up at least 1. Usually I get bored of them, maybe use up few colors and then get rid of them or never really use them again. Obviously I know I’ll never use up all colors from 1 palette but at least most of them!
• ·         All skincare samples, mini sizes. I’m not sure that I even know/remember all products that I have I need to categorize them and use them finally!
• ·         Not makeup related – but candles are other thing that I buy. Don’t get me wrong I love to burn them, especially in winter, but I need to burn all of them before buying new ones (actually before this almost ordered new ones, because they were cheap not that I needed more!). I was lucky enough to receive a lot candles as gifts for Christmas, usually only my best friend and brother gift me candles, I never receive them from others :D Do I really need more now?!
• ·         Read all my thrifted books – I usually buy books either online or second hand because they are cheaper and online selection is better than in stores here. Second hand books in thrift store, where I usually purchase them,  are cheaper than 1 euro and sometimes they have 50% off sale. That means if I find something I like – crime/thrillers, I’ll buy them. Sometimes I have urge to read sometimes I’m just too lazy for that. But that means they pile up just like other things on this list and takes too much space! Decided to read all of them, donate or recycle the ones I dint really like, and stop buying more of them.

 

The goal is to use up all things mentioned above and only then buy something new. I spend more money that I wanted this year, not that I over spend for myself on things that I don’t need or spend way too much money for Christmas gifts, I had some health related things that were expensive. As well I have to make doctor’s appointment in the beginning of January or no later than the end of February, that’s not gonna be cheap! Need money for potential travel plans, and in summer I want to restart my road to FINALLY!!!getting drivers license! Maybe this will help me to stop online shop because I’m bored and stop impulse purchases. Not gonna lie, because of emergency state in country, thanks to rules that we are not allow to purchase certain things in stores, that helps me a lot not to buy unnecessary things!

 

I started to carefully follow my budget this month and see on what I spend way too much money on, want to see what I can change or where I can save.

 

Fingers crossed it will work for me!

 

No spend September update/fail

Actually didnt saved anything , and spend more than i wanted, and had to borrow money from my savings.

From my list of things i need to buy , i just need to buy 2/3 more things that i need to buy. Need new  hair mask. Bought new shampoo and will see how it will work, my hair is very picky with shampoos! Brow gel - i liked my previous one but hopefully i'll find something cheaper without ridiculous shipping price!

Drank less/spend less on  take away coffee, actually didnt drink that much coffee at all this month. Bought 2 over priced ones but very tasty coffee's pumpkin spice latte and maple syrup latte, they were worth the price! So maybe i can treat myself once a week with more expensive and different tasting coffee than just regular one, not bad idea. 

Found good pair of jeans from Pepco for just 10 euro! That's bargain and they look good, and wasnt in that ugly blue color that cheaper jeans have, but in dark grey :)

Treated myself with candles and they were worth it, possibly will buy something from them next month again, because i like to support local business and they are good candles, and price inst that bad too! And now they have new fall scents and i really want to try them! Will see.

Had some unexpected things to come up - more dentist appointments than i was hoping for ! I still have to go more and after x rays will see if i have more cavities or not! Fingers crossed just 1, but i'm not that hopeful, cause i think my dentist suspected more cavities. 

Had to buy my expensive meds , sucks to have chronic illness but it is what it is!

Maybe next month will go better ! Still have dentist appointments but other than that maybe less other expenses! But i think i'll need to start to do Christmas shopping if i want to order something online, takes way to much time to get here and i dont want to receive something for Christmas on February like last time :D

Till next time! :)

Candle haul

 Mini candle haul

So i wanted to buy new candles because i was running out, and it's finally cold enough for burning them. I recently bought 2 very cheap ones for 1 euro each, burned 1 already and other is half burned, and found i have another new one, while cleaning.

I prefer scented ones over regular ones, cause i like that the aroma fill the room and it makes it more cosy. But i'm picky with scents and i dont like very strong ones as well! May or may not found winter candle in H&M, that's on my wishlist :D

My favorite candles are from Yankee Candle but in here you cant really buy them in good selection or price. Last winter i ordered bunch of them on Amazon but i didnt liked all scents in that bunch because if you buy them separately it's more expensive. But then again buying something cheaper but not sure if i'll like them it's still waste of money!

That's why this time i decided to order something i know i'll like and support local business as well. 

I ordered them from Latvijas sveces and they ship worldwide as well and they have good selection.

I spent 23.70 together with shipping (shipping for me was 3 euros).

I'll start with 2 bigger ones , i havent burned them but their scents are amazing.

1. Mint & Watermelon - this ine i was looking forward the most - because i love all those scents! It doesnt smell like mint and watermelon :D but something fresh , something like fancy had cream but i mean that in best way! And packaging is cool! Cant wait to burn it soon.

2. Passion fruit & grapefruit -  yes please! Love it. It has zesty aroma . Grapefruit is my autumn candle scent  as we dont really have that huge autumn scent selection and cinnamon and apple is more Christmassy for me.

3. Soy wax candle  with  HEATHER, BERGAMOT AND GRAPEFRUIT scent - yes another one with grapefruit scent and i'll repurchase this one next time(probably next month :D )!

4 and 5. Lemon ice cream scented candles - Last 2 ones were soy wax lemon ice cream scented ones - i wanted 1 in different scent but they were sold out and i choose lemon one instead. But these ones were kinda little bit  disappointing- they almost didnt smell like anything or scent was so faint i couldnt smell almost anything. So for me - i wont repurchase them in this scent!

I'm already planning to buy more candles next month from this brand :)

Till next time!