How My Low Buy Is Going, Three Months In

Last year, I decided that I was doing a bit too much shopping and wanted to slow things down in 2020. 

I could never do a “No Buy”, because I just love shopping and can’t cut it out of my life, so I thought a Low Buy would be the way to go. I even wrote a blog post with my Low Buy Goals for 2020, which you can read over here. We’re just over three months into the year now, so I thought I’d let you know how I’m getting on.

The whole thing is actually going surprisingly well! Yes, I’m surprised, too. Last year I set a monthly budget for makeup and clothing (the two things I wanted to buy less of in 2020) and for the most part, I’ve been sticking to it. Here are three things I’ve been doing that have helped me keep on top of my spending.

I’ve been keeping track of my finances.

As I said earlier, I had a monthly budget in mind for how much I wanted to spend on makeup and clothing, so monitoring my purchases has been a very important part of my Low Buy. I like to add every transaction to an excel spreadsheet, which automatically adds up my monthly totals so I know when to put the debit card away. Even the smaller purchases can add up quickly, so keeping on top of them has been really helpful.

I’ve been thinking more carefully about my purchases.

I love buying makeup, but when it comes to actually wearing makeup I’m definitely a creature of habit and wear a lot of very similar looks. Every time I’ve seen a new launch that I’d love to try, I have a rummage through my collection and see if I already own something similar. Some products are different enough to buy, but most of the time I have something else that will do the job.

When it comes to a potential fashion purchase, I like to ask myself a) when I’m going to wear something, and b) what I’m going to style it with – if I don’t know the answer, I don’t buy it. I’ve also been making more notes on the gaps in my wardrobe and times I’ve struggled to put an outfit together, so I’m buying more things I actually wear and get use out of.

I’ve been making small adjustments to my content.

If you were to glance at this blog and my YouTube channel, you probably wouldn’t assume I’m on a low buy as I’m still doing hauls and product reviews. However, there have been some small changes behind the scenes to compensate for buying less products. Instead of constant fashion hauls, I’ve introduced What I Wore This Week videos and lookbooks to my channel, to show how I’m styling the pieces I’ve picked up recently. I’ve also been filming Will I Buy It videos, chatting about new beauty launches and what I think of them, so I can share my thoughts on products without necessarily buying them. It takes a bit of creativity, but it’s definitely possible to be a beauty/fashion content creator while being on a low buy!

Are you on a low buy this year? Do you have any tips? Let me know in the comments.