UK Beauty and Lifestyle Blog

August 27, 2013

Spending Ban: Day 50 Update (Important lessons!)


August 2nd- 25 days
August 27th - 50 days
September 21st- 75 days
October 16th- 100 days

I began my spending ban adventure on July 8th which I have to admit feels like it was ages ago now! In my last update post (which you can read here if you'd like) I hadn't completely committed to the concept of a "100 day spending ban". If I'm totally honest I still thought that the prospect of lasting one hundred days without spending any money on anything 'frivolous' would simply be impossible for me, and I wasn't readily going to set myself up to fail.

In the twenty five days since I published that post quite a lot of things have changed for me. First and foremost I have successfully completed fifty days without buying any make-up, beauty related item, magazine or any clothing. My only 'purchase' was made using some of my Boots reward points which I spent on replacing an anti-perspirant, which I consider as an essential anyway. For me this success has proved that my will power is a lot stronger than I ever considered it to be before - lasting one hundred days is therefore not only genuinely possible for me but for the first time I feel positively confident about achieving the feat. Secondly, in this second quarter of my spending ban I have stopped obsessively compiling my "post spending ban wishlist". Before I wrote my previous spending ban post I spent a lot of my spare time thinking about shopping, stalking #haul on Instagram, desperately wanting to buy things I saw and adding said beauty items to a rather incredible and indulgent list that, as it has been left standing, has a total value of approximately £280. This wishlist, and indeed the idea of any wild spending spree once my spending ban challenge has been completed, has become irrelevant to me now. I've come to realise over the last twenty-five days that this spending ban is about a lot more than not buying stuff for a protracted period of time.

It has taken fifty days of self control to realise that for me my shopping habits were unhealthy. I may not be in debt and I may not have shopped every day but what I had definitely done was forge an emotional connection with spending money. Every time that I was upset I would go shopping. Now, this may not be a revolutionary statement and I am well aware that shopping to make oneself feel better is not entirely abnormal, however, it isn't a healthy coping mechanism. Emotional shopping is different from impulse shopping, it isn't about being enticed by packaging and advertising. Emotional shopping is an attempt to fill an emotional void or soothe an emotional wound with accumulation of things and/or with the thrill of spending money. I personally think people everywhere, unless constantly holding their wits about them, will inevitably be lured into impulse purchases and this isn't always necessarily a bad thing. But I also think that people everywhere don't experience this same 'shopping buzz' or that they necessarily experience the same emotional connection with obtaining new possessions. It is this relationship with shopping that I have identified in myself through the process of giving up shopping for my spending ban.

Removing a coping mechanism inevitably causes issues. For me, these issues presented themselves in my obsessive writing of wishlists and my initial promise to myself of great rewards 'if only I could last out my allotted time'. Now that I have acquired a much greater level of self awareness I realise that these issues and that mind-set is flawed, especially if this spending ban is to have any positive and lasting effect on my life and emotional well-being. I want to confront my emotions directly and deal with them healthily so I am going to endeavour not to return to old, unhealthy patters of behaviour once my spending ban ends. This means no post spending ban 'haul' and a revised attitude towards shopping. The best way to set myself up to succeed (which we should always try to help ourselves to do) is to come up with a couple of rules and tips for once my spending ban ends. I am in the process of constructing just such a plan and hope to share this in my next spending ban update post. 

I know this has been a long and serious post but I think that my improved level of self awareness was something worth sharing. Especially when I am regularly asked "what is the point of a spending ban challenge?" Challenges, self imposed goals and tests always have the potential to teach us a lot about ourselves and how we can improve ourselves, we just have to pay attention. I'm not just going through the motions and I try and never do that in any area of my life. For whomever has read this post beginning to end, thank you ever so much for your patience and your interest. I hope you found it worthwhile and I wish you luck with any challenges or goals that you might have set yourself. It's important to remember that at any time we, as individuals, are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Good luck, and hopefully see you again in twenty five days time!


Share:

17 comments

  1. Good for you! It sounds as if you've learnt a lot through your spending ban, you're doing fantastically well, keep it up :) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow. Well done!
    It sounds like you've learned so much from this so far.
    Before the idea of a spending ban never appealed to me, but it genuinely sounds like an extremely worthwhile experience!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well done, you've done amazing. This was such a great post to read. I'm so glad you've achieved so much.

    Hayley
    Water Painted Dreams
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring post and congratulations on doing so well so far with your spending ban :-)

    This part was lovely:

    "The best way to set myself up to succeed (which we should always try to help ourselves to do)..."

    How often to we set ourselves up to fail by just not believing in ourselves and then we have the perfect excuse to not even really try.

    I look forward to reading your next update xx

    The Miss Beauty Saver Blog

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay half way there. I didn't think I would last a week never mind the 80 odd days I did mine for and it was worth it in the end because I did learn that I don't need to buy something just because I want it xx

    Lots of Love Beautyqueenuk!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This sounds like you have come so far! So glad you have found why you were spending so much! Hopefully you can spend healthily when you are off your ban! :)

    www.gingerbreadsmiles.blogspot.co.uk

    x

    ReplyDelete
  7. You're doing so well! I'm on day 44 and feeling so happy with no need to indulge or overspend!

    Tamsyn-Elizabeth
    Peach Pow XO

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great post! I enjoyed reading this and I wish that I was emotionally strong enough to do this.

    Congratulations on getting so far and good luck reaching the next milestone (which happens to be my wedding anniversary so I will remember and pop back then to see how you have done.)

    Jodie x
    www.retrococktail.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  9. really inspiring post especially as I begin to consider a spending ban, I feel like this was a perfect time to read it!

    writingwhimsy.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I started my spending ban last Monday and have been trawling through loads of blogs looking for help so to speak ! I'm so glad I found your blog, your post above is exactly what I needed to read :) It's like it came out my head and now I don't need to write it out!! Your doing great, positive words from me, although I think you are definitely on the road to complete your 100 days and probably more :D !! x

    ReplyDelete
  11. you are doing an amazing job so far and sounds like you are learning a lot about yourself and your spending habits! Good luck with the next 50 days, sounds like you are going to do just fine!

    ReplyDelete
  12. wow great post, i need to get on your boat! i too often 'treat myself' for a hard day with beauty treats. But it never really solves the issue at hand.
    Really inspirational, you've got me thinking, AND i'm a beauty blogger too so a sister shopaholic :P
    www.fioccobianco.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  13. I first stumbled on your blog when you was about to embark on your spending ban so I decided to do the same. I have now completed 30 days and can totally relate to how you feel. When I first told friends I was doing the ban they laughed and said I couldn't do it. I was never a massive spender so it was not a money issue but I can now look back and see that I would buy new stuff to cheer myself up which is NOT healthy. After a tough event in the past 30 days I was tempted to break the ban but now I am so glad I didn't. Thank you for the inspiration :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My friends and family didn't understand my reasons for starting the challenge either. I'm proud of you for not giving up and if my post helps motivate you then that makes me incredibly happy. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to xx

      Delete
  14. This is a really good post, well done on getting to 50 days. I definitely relate to the whole emotional shopping thing, I'm tempted to do a spending ban, but I think i'm going to ease myself in and start by writing down everything I buy in the hopes it'll scare me straight! Good luck getting to 100, I'm sure you will!

    ReplyDelete
  15. massive congrats, it's difficult breaking habits like these- when you're a blogger and constantly seeing new things all the time it makes it even harder! I need to go on a spending ban, I waste money something chronic and the joy from new stuff is so short lived I know I'd be much happier saving and putting it to something more substantial (rather than buying variations of things I own a hundred times over). I make wishlists a lot every time I'm trying not to spend too, and I find after a few weeks things I desperately wanted at first I'm no longer fussed about! Great post Angelica x

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm currently on a spending ban too and I totally agree, It really raises your self awareness about what you're buying and why. Good luck with the rest of yours!!
    Lots of love, Alex from Bambella Blog xxx

    ReplyDelete

© One Little Vice | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Designed by pipdig