Beauty Box 5 - July 2014

I'm still a bit bummed about the shipping increase (although it is relatively minor) so I'll make this one short. This month's Beauty Box 5 is apparently about defining moments. It is always nice to have an inspirational message even if I don't get how the products connect to the theme.

Revlon Bold Lacquer Mascara, full size, $7.99 and a coupon for $1 if you love it.
Hask Argan Oil Intense Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment, full size, $2.49
Body Drench Candy Licious Lips, full size $3.99
Anna Naturals Glowin Mama Walnut Face and Body Scrub, full size $10.99, estimated sample $2
Miss Jessie's Multi Cultural Curls, full size $16.00, sample size $1.88

Not an over-whelming box, but I will use the mascara and the lip balm. You can never have too much lip balm! I'm excited to try the Argan oil, I've heard so many good things and the package claims that you can get multiple uses. The face and body scrub smells nice, and it's worth a try. I'm not sure if the hair mask will work for me, so I'll be debating about using it or giving it.

Estimated box value $18.35.

Feel free to use my link to sign up if you're interested in leaving your $12 or $15 dollars up to fate.

Top Box - July 2014

I feel so lucky to have received the Prive Top Box for Benefit!

I requested this box because I really want to try the push-up liner (I'm trying to learn how to do a winged cat eye) and I felt like I would love the mascara. Which I do! My eyes look so lovely today :)

I'm too lazy to do the math which I suspect might be lacking compared to what Canadian Subscription Box Addict was able to come up with, so I'll just steal her numbers. Hopefully, she doesn't mind as I'm willingly giving her the credit.

From Left to right:
They're Real make up remover: $3.30
Stay, Don't Stray Primer: $7.50
They're Real Push-up liner: $2.18
They're Real Mascara: $10.25

All are in super cute, super tiny versions. I tested the primer on my hand, and it seems to blend out that I don't think it will show even on my super pasty white skin. I'll test the eye liner this weekend *excited!* and I used the mascara today with yesterday's Bare Minerals from Ipsy. I feel like my eyes look pretty :)

Total Value: $23.25, my cost $12 plus tax.

Oh, I also added on a bonus mystery beauty product! I was kind of annoyed at the name "Amazing Grace"  because it could be interpreted as religious but the reviews are pretty good, and the cost at Sephora is $31. I'm still likely to gift it, but at least I feel like I did receive well over my $10 plus tax add-on total.

Beauty Box 5 - Shipping to Canada update

I just got the email that Beauty Box 5 is going to charge Canadians an additional $3 per box shipping starting TODAY. This is still really cheap, and each box would be $15 US or less. However, I just checked, and it looks like the additional charges are not active. So, if you were thinking of getting a subscription, now would be the time! If you sign up for a year at $99 now, you'll pay $8.25 per box compared to $11.25 per box. Both are cheap, one is better deal. :)

TGIF - Ready for the weekend!

First, I need to give myself a huge pat on the back. I've been continuing to put (what feels like) everything up on e-bay, and using the funds to pay down my baby student loan. So today, I've made the payment to get the total to under $4000! And, I should have it down just enough, it's not going to cross that line again, as I've planned to make another additional payment this month when I get paid. That's right, 4 months ago I owed $5500, 2 months ago I was so happy to get it under $5000. I'm hoping I can keep this feeling of success with me through the weekend. My no-spend weekend :)

I'm hoping to get back into exercising again. You'll notice my Sunday Funday hasn't been up. That's because I've been a bit down, in a lot of pain, and have had to go to emergency. I've been trying to take it easy because I don't want to go back, but I think it's time to push myself a bit. I've taken the pug out for an early morning walk twice this week (another pat on the back for me as it's hard to pull myself out of bed, especially with 3am, 4 am and 5 am toddler wake-up calls) and I'm looking forward to a long walk with a good friend on Saturday. I'm also thinking I might take a long lunch today and walk outside. I did a 3.6 km jog last Sunday, I hope to do that again today.

I'm also taking a break from ebaying as soon as I get paid for one last item. Why? My boyfriend has noted I'm very stressed about it. I know I have too much stuff, but I have no idea what to remove. The weight gain I'm experiencing isn't helping, nor is the house in a huge mess from renovations. I hope hitting three very large goals this month (my credit card paid!!! my small loan under $4000!!! My total debt squeeked under $50,000!!!) will help give me the peace to fight the demons that tell me I'm not doing enough towards my debt. I also want to free up some energy including the wasted emotional energy. Personally, I get so drained even folding laundry as I feel I should question every garment I have if it could be sold, and how much could I get from it. It will be nice to have a break from these thoughts. There are so many better things I could be doing. Like living in the moment with my toddler. <3

Happy weekend everyone! Please let me know what summer fun things you have planned.

Ipsy July 2014 Glam Bag - Sensationally Sunkissed

Great name for July! Again, I made a decision to purchase a year of Ipsy when I felt like I had a permanent (or at least a likely) home. I hadn't bought any make-up or make-up like products but a nail polish and replacement shamppo/condition in three years+ and had actually packed most of my supplies in storage for my "temporary" move... that lasted over a year. I decided to go through (and I'm still in the process of this) and toss much of what I had. I've had some of my creams/shadows for over six years! Enter the subscription box solution - low cost to introduce to what is out there, saves the trouble of hauling a toddler to the store and/or my own over shopping while there, and hopefully the products are used at the the same rate they arrive. It was a bit of an emotional purchase, and I'll know by the end of the year if it was a good one. Based on this bag, I think it is.

Here's a quick run down of what I received in my July Glam bag - which I'm pretty darn excited about.

Bare Minerals Ready eye-shadow 2.0: Full size, $20. I love pinks and the two colors are Muse (light pink) and Passion (dark purple).

Derma Cream bb cream with SPF 25: Full size $29/60mL, estimated sample volume 10 mL or $4.80 (?)

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Lip Balm: Full size £12.00, estimated mini $7.00 in unique pink. I love this! It feels so nice on and has a nice minty taste.I don't notice any lasting stain, but I think I have the lightest shade they make.

Pop Beauty Sun Kissed Bronzer: This may look dark, but it actually goes on my skin quite light. I've been wanting to buy a bronzer, especially since the brilliance beads I ordered from the body shop aren't working for me and I hoped I would get one soon. Full size (?), Estimated $15.00

Pur-lisse pur-protect essential daily moisturizer SPF 30: I'm so excited for this. I actually ordered the fab fit fun box to get the full size bottle. I was totally going to try it out today but forgot in the herding to get my daughter ready. Full size $55, estimated sample $16.00


Even though the bag which I thought I would love smells and feels awful, I love this bag! Total estimated value $62.80.

Ipsy is $10 month plus $4.95 shipping to Canada. Feel free to use my link here.

Temptations

My biggest temptations loves include Lululemon and Starbucks. I've done really well at slowly over several years allowing the Starbucks demon to rest. For the past 8 months, I've allowed myself a gift card on which I put money, and once or twice a month when the time is right, I can do. It's guilt-free as it doesn't affect my budget at all. Oh, having high blood pressure, then being pregnant, and then breastfeeding have gone futher to silence my Starbucks consumption than my budget ;)

Now for Lululemon. I have done great this year! Since Late February (but it's felt like much longer) I've only made (and kept) a few purchases including a summer dress, two bigger bras and a bigger tank. I've also sold over 200 of my old Lululemon items. I've decided that when my need to purchase over comes me like it did earlier this week, and thank goodness I'm awesome and fought it, I should put that money on my smaller student loan. I really want to be rid of that guy soon. So, like this week, I did something somewhat dumb - I was going to buy the clothes using my line of credit. Instead I've taken that amount and put it on my loan. I hate paying debt with debt (as I fell into that habit so easily last year and thought I was getting ahead but was actually falling behind) but it's much better than buying stuff with debt? ... Right?... right?...

I had the same experience with Julep - check out my side bar link ;) - with the announcement of the truth or dare boxes. I love the foot cream from them, but I just finished my Avon bottle, and opened that one. I needed to talk myself out of getting a second months before I needed it (assuming the kidlet doesn't use it all up in her hair). And a very pretty duo of nail colours. For these two items, I have also put a payment on my loan.

I hope seeing the physical, numerical? loss of money from my account will help me prioritize where I am putting my money, and keep me on track to debt repayment and reasonable living. I'm planning I will only need to do this one more time to get the message, because I need lots of my money for my basic expenses! I think this plan will work when the stranger test has failed.

How do you stay strong? Have you had any crazy plans to spend your money on debt/savings before you can frivolously spend it?

The Stranger Test

I've had this come up so many of the PF bloggers I read, I don't know who I would even link back to. Just to let you know, this wasn't my idea.

Let's say you're grocery shopping, or looking for a gift for a loved one when something amazing catches your eye. You tried to walk away and forget about it but you find yourself back in front of it. You can think of 5 immediate reasons why you need it. Heck, if you knew about it, you would already have it! As you reach for it, the stranger test is to image a stranger offering you the item or "free money" for the value of the item. Which will you pick?

The key points are to use a stranger - people you know come with emotional attachments. Your shop-aholic friend will tell you to go for it. Your MBA friend will tell you to take the "free" money. It has to free money to help weigh how important this item is to you. When you think of your own money, it's easier to let go. And it has to be a person, not an object.

I've put some on my unplanned purchases to this test. Almost all of them, I would take the item. There were the fries before a dinner invite - great because they hadn't even started cooking when we showed up and I was starving! A Tim Horton's sandwich meal on a day I ate my whole lunch by 10 am. A $1 drink on a hot day while working outside. A Christmas present for my sister, something I think she'll love. Tums for my constant heartburn. Actually... I can't think of any purchases this week where I would take the money over the item.

Maybe it's time to up my food budget?