My dear lady, I have had an overspending habit for the past few years. It’s taken me a while to put my finger on why, but I’ve determined it was due to constant caloric restrictions (which began when I had to cut weight for a fitness related comp), over exercising (I teach fitness, as well as train almost daily for my own comps) & overworking (I work full time). I’m also a wife & mom... so my weekends were spent cleaning & cooking - meal prep for the week / bc with my fitness & training there is no time during the weekday to do any cooking. I would get on the internet and surf my fav shoes, or fitness/performance clothing to relieve the stress of it all... because it did give me pleasure / a hit of dopamine to bring new pretty things into my life... you know😉 And then, during the pandemic, my TH-cam feed slowly changed from fitness to beauty gurus & the next thing I knew I had purchased more makeup in three months than I’d purchased in the previous 3 years😐 - and then, THANKFULLY I stumbled upon your channel. It was so great to hear you tell your story, share your vulnerability & how you lovingly have taken your own hand & lead yourself in a healthier direction. I have since quit my fitness job (no regrets), and am currently cruising along on a ‘no-buy-July’ - and I’m pleasantly surprised to feel less stress, as well as the strength to not react to urges to spend (aided in this by unsubscribing or choosing not to watch videos that I now know increase my impulse to buy). Instead to enjoy what I have (its all beautiful) and just keep a watchful eye on myself, and talk myself through any impulses. I love your channel & am so grateful for you sharing your stories! THANK YOU💐
Thank you for sharing that. I believe it’s important to figure out why we over indulge in any behavior. I too very much respect the vulnerability Hannah has shown in working through this in her own life therefore helping others in the process.
Hannah, I feel like I have the exact opposite relationship with beautiful things as you and I wanna meet somewhere in the middle. I was raised with the idea that nice stuff is too ostentatious and spending money is shameful. I wasn’t trying to be on a no-buy, but even so I don’t think I’ve bought anything for myself besides food and socks in like a year. I guess what I’m saying is that I think I’m trying to learn a different lesson from you than many of your viewers, but I really enjoy the channel. In any case, thank you!
I have been going through a lot of changes recently: breaking up with my partner of 4 years, moving out, moving again, adopting my foster cat (!!), and I'm now on a very rainy staycation. Moving twice within two months has meant a great deal of extra expenses, and I'm privileged enough to have the money for it, but this is really not how I envisioned my first year at my dream job. I have had a vision of myself, as a professional, splurging on a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes with my first salary, for as long as I can remember. Instead, the pandemic hit, everything went crazy, my life got turned upside down, and here I am - happily settled in my new apartment, but thousands of dollars poorer than I had expected to be. Those shoes are nowhere near the top of my priority list, but I somehow feel like I'm letting little 14 year old Elisabeth down. Because I'm not giving myself the thing I promised myself, as a reward for my hard work at uni. And typing this out makes me realize how untrue that feeling is. I'm giving myself a comfortable home, and the space in which to grow. I have taken on a new, decade long responsibility in adopting a young cat, and I am coming to terms with how my life has turned out. Besides, buying a pair of stiletto heels makes absolutely zero sense, as I live in a city famed for its cobblestone roads. So yes, 2020 has not turned out how I envisioned it. But I'm going to be okay, and I'll keep working on giving myself love, and bribing my (very shy) cat to let me pet him.
Congratulations on your new cat parenthood :) I adopted my two rescues (who were fostered by a friend - hurrah for cat fosterers!) six and a half years ago and they have changed my life immeasurably. I grew up in the 90s, so was definitely sold the dream of being able to buy designer stilettos with a starting salary (S*x and the City has a lot to answer for). Congrats on bagging your dream job and creating the foundations for your future. ❤️
I LOVE how much your twin roles as essayist and poet are in evidence in this video. The pandemic has caused me to lean into make-up as self-soothing even more than before. I've had the good fortune to be able to work from home and not leave my house save for half a dozen occasions since March. Swatching shadows, taking a 10min break from work to play with makeup on my face (solely to be seen by my cats and myself, possibly my housemate - I work nights!) and watching beauty content have been some of my purest sources of comfort. I think my spend on beauty has been similar to the before times, but it's been more obviously about self-soothing. I've definitely felt all kinds of guilt and shame over the indulgence, and it's been challenging trying to parse out which feelings are unhelpful and which are worth listening to. Thank you so much for unpacking and holding up your (and our) experiences for examination - it's such a valuable service. I look forward enormously to your video on makeup and fantasy, which is something I think about all the time. Seeing Sadie roll into the Supercat position is almost too much for me to handle. I don't know how you wound up with the cat that you did, but she is a treasure and an inspiration.
I feel like I've been saving so much lately because nothing seems worth my money. I've ordered a few things from Black-owned businesses and donated, but otherwise, every time I think about making a purchase, anything I want seems so insignificant compared to saving the money just in case there's an emergency or in case I need to make more donations. Honestly, just online "window" shopping has satisfied the desire for any purchase more than any actual purchase would. Idk if I'm making any sense. haha
Relating to "replacing one vice for another": I stopped spending money completely on makeup, because I have No money to spend right now. So I got really into baking (I am baking a pie today!!) This way of coping is a lot better for me right now.
My spending has not changed much, as I was 6 months into my no buy year once the quarantine hit. I still allow myself replacements and have been a little looser with my rules due to the pandemic. I allowed myself to go $50 over budgeted gift cards knowing that it’s okay. Not being able to go to work or events has curbed my clothes and shoe shopping except for replacing a few worn out items. You inspired my no buy, Hannah, and I thank you helping to keep me on track, I only have 3 months to go, and have made so much progress in paying off my credit card debt.
I know I’m late to the party but I’m watching all of your old videos for the first time and you are the FIRST content creator I have found that I can totally relate to when it comes to shopping and spending. Over the past 3-4 years I developed some really terrible spending habits that have put me in debt. Your content is helping me see I’m not alone, and that there is a way to shop intentionally, and reframe your mindset around spending to make it fun and actually guilt free. I don’t know if I have the willpower to do a no buy year, but I certainly will try a month or two! I am budgeting for “pretty things” as you say for the first time in a decade. Wish my luck! ❤
It’s very interesting hearing you talk about fabric and the way clothes drape. I never think of things like that, since watching you I’ve been much more mindful of what my clothes are made out of 💕
i would honestly love a video of Hannah talking about fabric/clothing recommendations. i have sensory issues and polyester makes my skin crawl, so I mostly stick to cotton and linen but I had never thought about the difference between woven and knitted fibers.
@@sugaCat363 Me too. I have so many sensory issues. I'm actually allergic to poly so I totally understand hating the feel. I am tempted to buy that knit linen shirt just to see if works. Like you I mostly have cotton. I just discovered linen pants, but the woven linen isn't exactly right for my tops sensory wise. I never even though about woven linen before
I had been doing well with budgeting in the beginning of the year. The pandemic changed all of that. My family owns a small bookstore in Germany. We had to shut down in March and were closed for a few weeks. During that time, I was so busy organising everything and trying to fulfill orders and delivering books that I didn't buy anything. But the shops are open again and for the past few weeks I have been shopping like crazy. It is bad. We had been so happy to open back up, but it has been really difficult. People don't like to shop with face masks, sales are still down and the mood is quite somber. All this I have tried to compensate by spending more. Let me tell you, it doesn't work and I am trying very hard to change my behaviour for the next months.
I love these introspection-type videos. I've been watching so much more Netflix and yt recently, and I feel like my brain is going soft from all the passive media consumption without me needing to form my own interpretations or observations on topics. It's nice to have videos that encourage and make me enjoy reflecting on my own behaviors, especially since it's coupled with the topics of personal finance and dressing up (other topics I really enjoy as well). It makes my brain happy
Damn woman those eyebrows are something else! I was doing a no-buy for about 3 months when the pandemic hit, and I just completely abandoned it... I'm luckily not at risk of losing my job and neither is my partner, and I actually have more spending money now because I'm saving a lot on commute/activities/eating out/yoga classes/holidays, etc. I donated a bunch and spent basically everything else on makeup, skincare, clothes and other things. I tried to budget but could not keep any measure. I've felt a lot of guilt but I try to be kind to myself. Just started a 3-month no-buy again, to try to break the habit. Might document... Stay strong
I find the several parallels between your circumstances in 16/17 and now so interesting! That you react so differently now really highlights how far your work on yourself has brought you 💕 My own experience right now is that I simultaneously feel like shopping for things matters less due the seriousness of the global situation, while also having this desire to polish and perfect and edit my belongings (which also in most cases means adding to), as a way to exert control over *something* in a situation the feels so deeply uncontrollable. So, while I recognize that it's behavior I need to keep an eye on, I don't feel like it is out of control, and thus, I am currently letting myself "indulge" a bit in this coping mechanism.
P.S. Your eye look is MAGICAL!!! Please please consider doing a demo of this look. It's gorgeous, but also kind of hard to see what exactly you've got going on there. I LOVE IT. ✨😍💜🌟
We haven’t experienced much change, luckily, and while my hub took a voluntary short term layoff (I was glad for his break!) due to social programs in Canada there was no difference in income. And we have no cases of corona so we don’t have that feeling of anxiety leaving the house. Things have changed a bit on the outside- mask, sanitizer, salons won’t wash our hair, etc. What I have noticed is earlier in the pandemic , way more people were buying second hand makeup , and I think it was because they may have felt guilty paying full price for new stuff but they still wanted to shop and have new (to them) things. I saw a huge increase in demand in local groups.
Because of your content I was inspired to create a budget this year - both for beauty and for the money I was spending going out to shows. Instead of spending on live music I’ve been buying releases from independent musicians and donating to streams. And I’m happily under budget in beauty purchases! Your reflections on buying behaviors and so many things have been a constant go-to.
I have been in a strange equilibrium. I have bought some makeup, because I am enjoying “playtime” a little more, but my clothes purchases have been relatively utilitarian (for me). Basics like tshirts and sweatpants. One area that I have had to be very careful about is homegoods. I am cooking more, and living in my home more, and the temptation for me is buying things because I “need” them for the family, when they are really mostly for me. And I don’t know if I would noticed this about myself before watching your videos and going on my own journey. So yay for some self awareness about what I want vs what I need. ❤️❤️❤️
I relate to so much of this video and I can say the pandemic has definitely changed how I spend my money. Fortunately, my partner and I have been able to work from home everyday since mid March and we will be working from home until probably early next year (?) in March I saw this as very bittersweet. I saw how much money we were saving by no longer having any plans, not eating out at all, each vacation we planned was cancelled and refunded, and a stimulus check. I went crazy spending on all the beautiful things! I also sent some money to debt and was tracking every purchase by writing them down to keep myself accountable but I still feel so, so guilty. I have a bathroom full of beautiful stuff now but I just think how much I actually could have “saved “ if I avoided the shopping sprees. This past week my partner and I actually just got engaged (yes, right at home!) and I have binge re-watched your channel and Whitney’s channel to get myself in a better mindset to actually start saving my money rather than indulging on beautiful things that crowd up my space that I’m stuck in for a long while ...
Just as lockdown was beginning, I moved from big-city Alberta to rural Alberta. We were literally racing against the clock to get the things we needed to pack and move and get out of the city while we still felt we could. Your description of the difference between LA and rural California echoes so much of my feelings about the experience between those settings. Though there's been a lot of personal turmoil, I've had access to so much more of the beauty of nature so I haven't felt as much need to make my own beauty. Being able to sit outside and listen to the birds is such a balm for my soul even when other things feel chaotic.
I haven’t even worn makeup for months. I bought some hair color. I bought a few items of clothes as I lost 70 pounds and needed something to wear. Trying to pay off debt from my overspending and emergencies in the past. I want to come out of this pandemic a better version of myself. Thanks for the video ❤️
I know this video is very old, but your end question got me. I discovered thredup near the beginning of the pandemic so I was buying clothes to cheer myself up, and I was also very much in the "I'm a worm mentality" wearing only sweat pants and t-shirts my work had given me.
At the beginning of Lockdown here in the UK I said to my partner that we would save a fortune with everything shut. However since we're both nurses we have continued to work throughout (thankfully we work in mental health so only a few patients have been infected with the virus). Because I've seen the world stop whilst we carry on I've ended up "rewarding" myself by shopping online. I dread to think how much I have spent. I know I have a problem, it's hard because I justify it by the fact I'm not in debt other than the mortgage and I can afford it. But shopping to ease my feelings is not healthy. I've been on a no buy for tha past month and it's hard, I've been rewatching your no buy year videos and hanging out on the makeup rehab subreddit for support
Same here in NYC. I'm a Social Worker, working from home. It started with the announcement of Neiman Marcus going bankrupt and they had 25 off. I bought 2 bottles of perfume and 3 lipsticks, Pat McGrath, and god knows what else. Then it went to expensive imported groceries. Then I bought a Peloton. Lol. Hang in there.
I don't know if this will help, but is there something expensive or some goal you want to challenge yourself to save up for? I've been able to keep working throughout COVID so far, but business is slow and may result in me losing my job yet in the future (near or far). I've ended up with extra money from not going out and impulse shopping, but COVID has really put into perspective how in flux the world is right now. My focus or goal has been to become entirely debt-free and save 3 to 6 months of expenses so that I'm covered (for the first time ever) if I do end up losing my job. I've paid off more than half my credit card debt since the pandemic started, and I'm on track to be completely paid off AND pay off my car early by October this year. Just seeing progress toward goals has really helped me to keep my spending habits curbed. Just an idea, if you'd like a plan to help you get motivated too! Good luck!
@@dolcegal100 great minds think alike. I'm saving to renovate my house starting with the bathroom. I think I had a realization that despite earning good money we've put off doing up the house because "we cant afford it". The reality is that we have more than enough miney to be doing some of the smaller projects in the house whilst saving for the bigger projects as long as I'm not spending on beauty and fashion.
@@haveyoutakenyourmeds I'll let you know how it is. Hoping it's worth the hype and doesn't hurt my knees or back. I did reach a savings goal and didn't need to buy clothes or transportation so I rewarded myself all these months. Now I'm back in bank lockdown. Best of luck to both of us!!
What you were trying to say about how your trip quelling your itch to spend makes total sense. I am no scientist but my understanding is the joy (however fleeting) we get from "feeding our habits" is the same chemical feeling we get from other experiences, but the addiction tells you it's not the same and it requires immersion to allow yourself to feel it.
Hannah I have been limiting myself to buying 1 makeup product a month for the past 6 months. It has been hard with everything going to not emotionally buy stuff. I had gotten a bit trapped in the wanting of something new. I did let a few makeup products go, and it felt great. I wasn't actually using them and I felt guilty bc I had spent the money on it. Now we are moving and I feel better that I have less stuff.
I have always struggled with compulsive shopping, especially when my anxiety is really bad. At the beginning of the pandemic I bought A LOT. Every day I got at least 3 packages in the mail and I justified it by reminding myself that everything was second hand. This lasted for about a month and now although I still struggle with the impulses I think it's mostly under control. At least for now I'm trying to only buy necessities. It's just really hard for me to find a nice middle place of occasionally buying myself nice things rather than splurging and buying a crap ton of things.
I have found myself spending more than ever during this pandemic. Partially because my Dad passed away in December and I'm still struggling with my grief of losing him. The other half is due to this pandemic, being alone, and trying to fill the void that can't be filled. I have however, decided to do a 3 month replacements only no-buy starting July 15th. To me, this is the only way I can put a stop to my impulsive spending. I just buy whatever catches my attention or things I've lusted after for a while but never bought. I know I have more than enough, so I want to stop before things get more out of hand; plus I'm moving in March, so the less I have to pack the better.
my makeup/clothing spending was out of control for the first two months or so of being in quarantine. Luckily, I caught my self and have sent some low/no buy rules. I liked buying makeup to make myself feel happy but longterm shopping is never going to fill the void.
Very interesting that you should be filming a video talking about changes in your spending during the pandemic when I was just thinking on this myself. I had gotten to a place of content with my things in my life early this year...and then all hell broke loose with this pandemic and I feel like I lost my mind a bit. At least maybe a month into sheltering in place, I succumbed to spending on things that I knew I absolutely did not need just to help me feel better. I did realize it when I was doing it, and felt bad enough about some of it that some (fancy candles with crystals imbedded in them - seriously, who am i??) I gave as beautiful mothers day gifts to the special moms in my life. So at least for part, I tried to make it worth the reasoning for the spending if that makes sense. April was my birthday month and I had plans cancelled which saddened me more than I thought it would, and I made a lot of purchases. Throughout the pandemic, if I’m being honest, not jjust in April. But each time I would at least tell myself To pay attention to what is really needful and will make a difference to us while we are at home and try not to spend frivolously. I am getting back to that point again that, like you, its ok to spend a little here or there if it’s something I will use or is realistic, but I have found myself “window-shopping “ a bunch for this fantasy self that won’t be going anywhere to need a silk skirt anytime soon and just closing my browser. So this video is fortuitous in that you hit the nail on the head with what I think I was feeling and not fully articulating in myself yet. I feel like it will be easier to keep myself in check even more now that I’m aware of what I’ve been feeling. Its been very much like soothing grief over what we’ve lost so far, and how scary everything is right now. I’m definitely trying to give myself some grace about it all.
Due to the pandemic I've been spending way more on sweet and alcoholic treats in the supermarket. Definitely due to self soothing and convincing myself it's ok as they're not expensive (of course when you add it up it is!!). As I've been home more I have become better at using up things or noticing things I never use and reckoning with them.
I've acquired quite the stock pile of beautiful things by; over buying during sales, clearance, buying extra to get free shipping and free gifts at departmentstores (mostly). I've been chipping away at it over the better part of two years and put myself on a loose low buy. Most things we unopened and I stock my shelves with oldest in the front and newest in the back. During the pandemic I started using some of my least favorite things to get rid of them (most my favorites were used already). During the pandemic, some categories I ran out of and ordered them online, so I bought just one of each of the things I ran out of and nothing more no extra fun things. I feel like since I'm going no where, there's no excitement in buying anything. The couple of times I went out, I was excited just to put on my normal makeup.
I think at the beginning I shopped a lot more. I bought a lot of things from small businesses like on Etsy because I kept telling myself I didn’t want other people to have financial hardships. However, in doing that, I was adding to my own debt. I also tried to justify some of my spending because we’re getting married in December
i’ve not gotten myself into extra debt but not been very good about savings either. but i did feel that my makeup bag and skincare routine both needed a refresh since the beginning of the year, so i guess i’m doing okay? i would like to spend less from here on out now though
I can say with 100% confidence that my spending habits and thinking about shopping have changed because of watching your channel. Have I spent money over the course of this pandemic? Yes. Have I been aware of my desire for more stuff and stopped myself spending? Also yes. Do I now wish I could short circuit my inability to make myself exercise? Yes. Do I also need to accept my chronic illness limitations and forgive myself? Eh... also yes. ...
I hope you will write a book about your experience detoxing from your former shopping behaviour and who the fantasy self plays into that. I identify with many of your experience and love how you put into words. Especially, the part about me as a woman has the need to change myself to get closer to my fantasy self that is heavily influenced by society. At the same time, conforming to society is a survival mechanism inherited through time.
Luckily my unwise shopping was mostly solved before the pandemic through the system of rules I have set up to make me shop wisely. Because of that my spending has only decreased this year since my rules make me almost only shop in physical stores and I am very reluctant to do that now. However in the last couple of weeks I have run into two related issues that have been tickling the shopping demons slightly. Two needs have arisen and been sated for now, but the things I bought were not complete solutions so I am still wanting to continue browsing the second hand marketplace. I have trust in my rules regarding shopping, but I do not want to go back to spending so many hours browsing for potential purchases like I used to. When I think about it that is what it is really about, like you have also discussed; at its core it is not so much about the spending as the behaviour and the angst. Even though my shopping has never hurt my economy it is a symptom of the kind of person I am at that time and what habits I have and how they align me towards becoming something else that I might not want to be. Regarding my current situation I believe the thing is that I am trying to tread the fine line between the exciting search for a truly good deal, and the aimless scrolling to find Something Better (but that will never be fulfilling because the need was not for that). I dont know if this makes sense but I thank you for your thoughtful and inspiring words as always!
I've been watching you since about month 2 of your no buy year but this video has made me wonder if I've missed this come up in your videos: do you have a budgeting system outside of beautiful things? I know you have a set monthly budget for specific areas but wondering if you have an overall system for all of your income and expenses? I've gotten really into personal finance over the last few years and other people's budgeting systems is now an interesting thing to me 🙈
I also just wanted to say, in case nobody else has and because you've mentioned this a few times, that you're not the only one who experienced an intense response to the election results in 2016. I live literally halfway around the world in Australia, about as far away from the US as you can go, and we were all watching on in horror. We still watch on in horror, particularly with the way the US is being crippled by covid-19. I just wanted you to know you're not alone in that even if it may feel like it sometimes in the US. Xo
My birthday was last week and my parents gave me a check (I would usually ask for an experience type gift, but that doesn’t make sense now). I feel like I want to spend the gift on clothes and makeup, just to feel happy and get a treat. It’s depressing to be in a pandemic AND realize you don’t need anything.
I have to say I went the other way in this pandemic and spent 1500 pounds in the last two months. I think that's mostly because I did a 3 month no buy, couldn't take it any longer and cracked and went a bit nuts. Im trying to be nice to myself about it though as I do love what I bought mostly (I got the gold palette finally because you say you love it so much and I do too! I love the different tones and textures, it's gorgeous). And in the grand scheme of things I didn't go into debt, it just means I didn't save anything for the past two months. But I think my bender has come to an end, my beast is satiated. But my mind might still sit in a bit of shame for a while. I hope not though.
Hi Hannah! I love your videos, they don't just bring me a sense of calm but they also make me think a lot and look inside a lot, and I didn't use to do so that much, thank you. Also, do you think that moving to a more rural area and building a "new" life would be beneficial for you?
Hi Hannah, I am not finished the video yet, but I wanted to say how struck I have been recently by the parallels between my recent life and yours. I also moved in 2017 for a masters degree (in English) and then moved again in 2018 when I had finished it. I also have recently been pouring all of my energy into cleaning and fixing up my grandparents old house for sale. I also have been looking at my future in a way that I had never expected to, because of the pandemic and many other factors. I will be moving across the country in September. All of that is to say that I have been so comforted by finding your channel recently, and seeing an example of someone else making similar choices to me, and being so graceful while so doing. I am originally from a small town in northern Canada, and so have never really had an example of someone living a life like the one that I want, and have often felt like I am floundering around in a dark room without any confirmation that I might be making the right decision by doing things like going to grad school. Thank you for this channel and your comforting videos and your honesty! Xoxo stay well out there 🖤 ps I've finished the video in the course of writing this very long comment. Recently, most of my usual 'fun' budget has been going to BLM and other social justice fundraisers (although I have given myself a bit of room to support tangentially-- I just purchased the new chimera highlighter from rituel de fille). But I did buy one item just for myself this month -- a sweet, vintage prairie dress. I have been feeling stuck with expressing my femininity in quarantine recently for a host of reasons, and I am hoping that this dress can be a catalyst to me feeling pretty and carefully adorned again :)
I love when you give us quotes from Joe. I go to Twitter just to look for Joe quotes on @lifewithjoe. I'll never see Le Croix and not hear "la cwaa" in my head.
Thanks for the impromptu limoncello review! Saved me some disappointment. Loved this video. I always learn so much about myself whenever you “wax philosophical” :). I definitely said “oh no I’m a worm, I can’t spend anything,” and then once I saw I was improving my financial health I started buying a lot (at least for me). I’m definitely side eyeing myself because I’m financially ok, but I know I wouldn’t normally be as impulsive in non-pandemic times.
Lol my sister gave me a large number of cute clothes 21 pieces for 20 dollars which was different from my usual graphic tee and jeans but this makes me a little sad that i dont have anywhere to wear them to only to remember that i dont even like going out😅
My spending could be summed up pretty well with a meme I saw the other day: "My toxic trait is that I set a budget for myself, then proceed to go over that budget by an offensive amount". Now I'm not putting myself in debt or anything, but I've been stuck in this cycle since May where by the middle of the month, I've already spent my entire budget plus the majority of my budget for the following month. I wish I had half of the self-discipline that you do!
Since I didn't lose my job from the pandemic, my spending has still been a little out of control. But nothing can compare to the way I spent in 2018. I'm much better now, and even better than I was in 2019. Still I have NO need for makeup ... I have so much of it. Any spending I do on makeup at this point is pretty much uncalled for!
I keep finding myself "fake shopping"... I'll go to Target and put stuff in my basket that looks interesting but that I don't REALLY REALLY want (I just want to buy something and have some excitement in my life)...& then I'll put almost everything back before I check out and only sometimes let myself buy something that I don't need. It's weird.
I often do this and then don't buy anything, I just click away from the shop altogether. I think window shopping can have a positive role in some people's lives as long as it doesn't lead to unwise real shopping!
Love your outfit and all your thoughts about how your relationship with shopping has changed this month. I have been wondering if part of your spending habits had to do with living in LA and the fashion-forward culture of LA? *edited to say that the pandemic has changed how you interact with your surroundings so maybe you're not as confronted by the image of "how someone who lives in LA should present oneself." I could be really off base, but I feel like we're all susceptible to the culture where we live.* For myself, I know I've often felt tempted by luxurious/beautiful things, but I can talk myself out of it when I remember that I live in the northeast in a community mostly populated by retirees (who don't care what I look like) or swanky tourists (who I don't want to look like). I feel like my fantasy self is an heiress languishing on a couch in her Tuscan villa with her chiffon robe fluttering in the breeze, but my real self is a sweaty waitress who just wants to go home and talk to her tomato plants. I don't really know where I'm going with this, other than the fact that my fantasy self would look wildly overdressed if she showed up in my actual life.
I believe the lack of want and the lack of shopping is due to the change of scenery and busyness. I online shop a lot. A lot. When we go away though I never even think to buy anything. Routines are changed and I’m just happy in the novelty and newness of the space I guess. If we stay in a cottage for a week or 2 , shopping doesn’t even remotely come to mind. Although if he super uncomfortable knowing I was out of shampoo. Being out of any basics makes me uneasy, whether it’s peanut butter or shampoo. I think I’d just get a cheap drugstore shampoo for my spouse 😉 they’re not all bad. GLISS by Schwartzkopf is a nice one and goes on sale for $4 sometimes .
HANNAH we had the EXACT limoncello reaction at our house! It was SO OFF PUTTING but we drank them anyway. So weird, but not at all what we expected. Very cookie, not very citrus-y
Lacroix means "the cross" in french. your pronunciation (including joe's crow version) is correct. I always wonder why so many american people on youtube seem to butcher foreign words and then tell others that their (correct) way of saying it is wrong... I can't even count how many times I've read comments under videos where people said: "no, you don't say Givenchy/La mer/Clarins/ Sisley like that, you gotta say jeevooonnchaaaay/lamurrrr/claire-inns/Sicily, like I do. " like wtf, leave people alone and just check wikipedia first. (from a bored multi-lingual German speaker. I'll just shut up now.)
La Croix is headquartered in La Crosse, WI! The word might have French origins but the brand itself is Midwestern American based. On the website they specify it's meant to be pronounced similar to "enjoy," la-CROY.
As a francophone, I'd usually agree with you (my gut instinct is also to roll with the French pronunciation), but the inventor of LaCroix, who's from Wisconsin, has explicitly said it's "la-croy rhymed with enjoy" because it's a drink that's meant to almost parody how "fancy" French drinks like Perrier are perceived to be by Midwestern Americans
@@gnomerical thank you for telling me ... I had no idea that this time, I was gonna be the one butchering the word while confidently telling others how it's done...lol. oh well, I learned something new! gonna check wikipedia now, as per my own recommendation...
At first I diverted all money to being prepared, lysol wipes, stuff to make masks, extra food for the pantry etc. Then I went on some sort of hardcore loony lock-down. Finally I realized I'd saved about 75% of every penny for a few months. And then I decided it was ok to have some fun and buy some stuff. My guilt was bizarre and frankly weird. I'm working through this. I've realized this is most likely going to be YEARS. Sanity will likely be quite important.
I feel like COVID resulted in 2 extremes for me. In my mind I compare it to the pendulum swing. So originally I swung hard to the right and did not place orders or spend frivolusly and then as things settled in a couple months later I started spending again in a way that felt excessive. Now I'm balancing out and while I do want to buy a few things it doesn't feel excessive. I hope it stays that way.
Yes, would love to hear you speak more about beauty and the fantasy self! I have definitely been trying to be more conscious and cautious with my spending since the pandemic, but since linen, silk, and cotton are mainstays of my summer wardrobe, I would view the purchase of such an item as practical & utilitarian with a bonus of aesthetic pleasure. Great video!
NorCal air hits the lungs different. I swear rural CA is “gods country”. I’m so glad that you had such a beautiful experience up here. Having manual labor to do daily definitely helps me with not worrying about stuff as much. I find myself much more looking for practical tools or things to make my life easier than just things. So I try to make sure I have a physical labor project daily
I'm always blown away by the glam factor people place on some Italian things. We would never consider something limoncello flavoured to be fancier than lemon flavoured drinks. I think we would just expect for it to be alcoholic. We do it at home, if you're interested I can pass on the recipe
Has the pandemic affected my spending? Yeah big time. Saving up just in case. I'm in the camp that cut down all the unnecessary spending. No takeout food no online orders other than the sunscreen I bought.
Once again, I clicked out of a Japanese language video when I got the notification for this video. Why was I watching a video on the Japanese writing system for the second time this week? A question that plagues me
I've spent less money on clothes/shoes/makeup than normal because I have nowhere to wear it. I especially don't buy makeup because of wearing masks. It's just going to smear or be covered up, so what's the point! It's a big bummer. I bought a few clothing items at the start of the pandemic wishfully thinking this would somehow all be over by summer and I could go places wearing cute things. In my heart, I knew it wouldn't happen... But I bought some dresses and a fabulous summer jumpsuit wishing it would be so.
That’s awesome that your time away and pandemic circumstances have altered your spending even more. My spending has been about the same or less. I’ve changed where/who I’m shopping from, but also have been shopping less because of worries about job and financial security
I completely get what you mean by how you felt uninterested in looking at/buying things when you were taking care of the house. Last year, I was at Columbia University for a summer course from the end of May through June and I felt stunted by the change in surroundings, stressed out by the work and uneasy living with roommates I didn’t know. I was able to return home on the weekends but it would take me about 2 hours to commute each way. I felt zapped of all my energy, even when there wasn’t much going on. I tried to muster up whatever I could to be invested in the experience, but I found myself in my room, reading or watching videos to center myself, not once thinking about shopping. I think the only thing I bought while I was there was coffee and toothpaste.. When we’re in an unfamiliar place or focused on a task I think there is something going on with adrenaline or serotonin levels in our body. Have no idea what actually happens but I think we disassociate in order to adapt
I totally feel this. We were living in a really rich urban city for about a year and during that time I feel like I caught the fever- I wanted to be surrounded by beautiful stuff. But then we moved to a much more rural area, into a house that is very old, in a city that is prone to severe weather and hurricanes, it just kind of dropped off. I didn't want to replace our old couch cause what if it gets damaged in a hurricane? I didn't really want lots of nice stuff cause it's just going into a older house and it would look out of place anyway. I didn't care as much about having super lovely soap cause.... actually I don't know why. It just didn't fit the environment I guess.
Would you ever consider doing a video on how you cut your bangs? I cut my own too but can just never get it quite right and your fringe game is just always so on point... ❤️❤️❤️
I've definitely had an odd relationship with spending during shelter in place. For the first few months, I was ordering a lot of takeout because that felt like a purchase which was valuable, which supported local restaurants, which fed me when grocery shopping wasn't an option, which put good into the world. That got really expensive, so I stopped, and it's been over a month. I've also been sort of split on purchases like makeup and clothing. I made some purchases for an internship only for the internship to go online, making my new clothes unnecessary; I agonize for weeks over making any purchase, whether makeup or groceries or supplies for my move, and it's almost more comfortable to buy something frivolous than to spend on an essential. I think it's because an essential item, like a mattress or cleaning supplies, is something that should ideally last a long time, so there's more pressure on buying a mop than on buying semi-permanent hair dye. With a frivolous purchase, it's easier to just emotionally grab after it and put it in a cart on impulse, but necessary things have to last longer and do more and be better; and then the flip side is that I can absolutely justify something like a new mattress or reusable swiffer cloths, but I can't justify buying a five dollar duochrome liquid shadow. C*vid makes weirdness for us all, I guess.
i completly understand what you are talking about. whenever i leave the big city (and by "big city" i´m talking half a million people, so a fraction of LA) and visit my parents on the country side, i instantly become so clear minded and peaceful. being in nature just makes me get my priorities straight. i dont even bring much makeup with me when i go there, because i wont use it. when i do my usual everyday face at my parents, i suddenly feel overly made up.
what do you think is more out of control in this video, my eyebrows or my metaphors?
Your ruffles!
I love your brows 😍
Haha, both are quite beautiful!
I love your brows in this video!
Your brows are lovely :))) and we love your methaphors
My dear lady, I have had an overspending habit for the past few years. It’s taken me a while to put my finger on why, but I’ve determined it was due to constant caloric restrictions (which began when I had to cut weight for a fitness related comp), over exercising (I teach fitness, as well as train almost daily for my own comps) & overworking (I work full time). I’m also a wife & mom... so my weekends were spent cleaning & cooking - meal prep for the week / bc with my fitness & training there is no time during the weekday to do any cooking.
I would get on the internet and surf my fav shoes, or fitness/performance clothing to relieve the stress of it all... because it did give me pleasure / a hit of dopamine to bring new pretty things into my life... you know😉
And then, during the pandemic, my TH-cam feed slowly changed from fitness to beauty gurus & the next thing I knew I had purchased more makeup in three months than I’d purchased in the previous 3 years😐 - and then, THANKFULLY I stumbled upon your channel. It was so great to hear you tell your story, share your vulnerability & how you lovingly have taken your own hand & lead yourself in a healthier direction.
I have since quit my fitness job (no regrets), and am currently cruising along on a ‘no-buy-July’ - and I’m pleasantly surprised to feel less stress, as well as the strength to not react to urges to spend (aided in this by unsubscribing or choosing not to watch videos that I now know increase my impulse to buy). Instead to enjoy what I have (its all beautiful) and just keep a watchful eye on myself, and talk myself through any impulses.
I love your channel & am so grateful for you sharing your stories! THANK YOU💐
Welcome!
Thank you for sharing that. I believe it’s important to figure out why we over indulge in any behavior. I too very much respect the vulnerability Hannah has shown in working through this in her own life therefore helping others in the process.
I think you actually did an excellent job talking about what you were grappling with up in northern CA and am excited to hear more of your thoughts ✨
Thanks, Amanda!
Hannah, I feel like I have the exact opposite relationship with beautiful things as you and I wanna meet somewhere in the middle. I was raised with the idea that nice stuff is too ostentatious and spending money is shameful. I wasn’t trying to be on a no-buy, but even so I don’t think I’ve bought anything for myself besides food and socks in like a year.
I guess what I’m saying is that I think I’m trying to learn a different lesson from you than many of your viewers, but I really enjoy the channel. In any case, thank you!
thank you for this lovely comment!
I have been going through a lot of changes recently: breaking up with my partner of 4 years, moving out, moving again, adopting my foster cat (!!), and I'm now on a very rainy staycation. Moving twice within two months has meant a great deal of extra expenses, and I'm privileged enough to have the money for it, but this is really not how I envisioned my first year at my dream job. I have had a vision of myself, as a professional, splurging on a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes with my first salary, for as long as I can remember. Instead, the pandemic hit, everything went crazy, my life got turned upside down, and here I am - happily settled in my new apartment, but thousands of dollars poorer than I had expected to be. Those shoes are nowhere near the top of my priority list, but I somehow feel like I'm letting little 14 year old Elisabeth down. Because I'm not giving myself the thing I promised myself, as a reward for my hard work at uni.
And typing this out makes me realize how untrue that feeling is. I'm giving myself a comfortable home, and the space in which to grow. I have taken on a new, decade long responsibility in adopting a young cat, and I am coming to terms with how my life has turned out. Besides, buying a pair of stiletto heels makes absolutely zero sense, as I live in a city famed for its cobblestone roads.
So yes, 2020 has not turned out how I envisioned it. But I'm going to be okay, and I'll keep working on giving myself love, and bribing my (very shy) cat to let me pet him.
Those designer stilettoes aren’t worth their expensive price anyway. :)
Congratulations on your new cat parenthood :) I adopted my two rescues (who were fostered by a friend - hurrah for cat fosterers!) six and a half years ago and they have changed my life immeasurably.
I grew up in the 90s, so was definitely sold the dream of being able to buy designer stilettos with a starting salary (S*x and the City has a lot to answer for). Congrats on bagging your dream job and creating the foundations for your future. ❤️
I LOVE how much your twin roles as essayist and poet are in evidence in this video.
The pandemic has caused me to lean into make-up as self-soothing even more than before. I've had the good fortune to be able to work from home and not leave my house save for half a dozen occasions since March. Swatching shadows, taking a 10min break from work to play with makeup on my face (solely to be seen by my cats and myself, possibly my housemate - I work nights!) and watching beauty content have been some of my purest sources of comfort. I think my spend on beauty has been similar to the before times, but it's been more obviously about self-soothing. I've definitely felt all kinds of guilt and shame over the indulgence, and it's been challenging trying to parse out which feelings are unhelpful and which are worth listening to. Thank you so much for unpacking and holding up your (and our) experiences for examination - it's such a valuable service. I look forward enormously to your video on makeup and fantasy, which is something I think about all the time.
Seeing Sadie roll into the Supercat position is almost too much for me to handle. I don't know how you wound up with the cat that you did, but she is a treasure and an inspiration.
I feel like I've been saving so much lately because nothing seems worth my money. I've ordered a few things from Black-owned businesses and donated, but otherwise, every time I think about making a purchase, anything I want seems so insignificant compared to saving the money just in case there's an emergency or in case I need to make more donations. Honestly, just online "window" shopping has satisfied the desire for any purchase more than any actual purchase would. Idk if I'm making any sense. haha
Relating to "replacing one vice for another": I stopped spending money completely on makeup, because I have No money to spend right now. So I got really into baking (I am baking a pie today!!) This way of coping is a lot better for me right now.
My spending has not changed much, as I was 6 months into my no buy year once the quarantine hit. I still allow myself replacements and have been a little looser with my rules due to the pandemic. I allowed myself to go $50 over budgeted gift cards knowing that it’s okay. Not being able to go to work or events has curbed my clothes and shoe shopping except for replacing a few worn out items. You inspired my no buy, Hannah, and I thank you helping to keep me on track, I only have 3 months to go, and have made so much progress in paying off my credit card debt.
I know I’m late to the party but I’m watching all of your old videos for the first time and you are the FIRST content creator I have found that I can totally relate to when it comes to shopping and spending. Over the past 3-4 years I developed some really terrible spending habits that have put me in debt. Your content is helping me see I’m not alone, and that there is a way to shop intentionally, and reframe your mindset around spending to make it fun and actually guilt free. I don’t know if I have the willpower to do a no buy year, but I certainly will try a month or two! I am budgeting for “pretty things” as you say for the first time in a decade. Wish my luck! ❤
It’s very interesting hearing you talk about fabric and the way clothes drape. I never think of things like that, since watching you I’ve been much more mindful of what my clothes are made out of 💕
i would honestly love a video of Hannah talking about fabric/clothing recommendations. i have sensory issues and polyester makes my skin crawl, so I mostly stick to cotton and linen but I had never thought about the difference between woven and knitted fibers.
@@sugaCat363 Me too. I have so many sensory issues. I'm actually allergic to poly so I totally understand hating the feel. I am tempted to buy that knit linen shirt just to see if works. Like you I mostly have cotton. I just discovered linen pants, but the woven linen isn't exactly right for my tops sensory wise. I never even though about woven linen before
I had been doing well with budgeting in the beginning of the year. The pandemic changed all of that. My family owns a small bookstore in Germany. We had to shut down in March and were closed for a few weeks. During that time, I was so busy organising everything and trying to fulfill orders and delivering books that I didn't buy anything. But the shops are open again and for the past few weeks I have been shopping like crazy. It is bad. We had been so happy to open back up, but it has been really difficult. People don't like to shop with face masks, sales are still down and the mood is quite somber. All this I have tried to compensate by spending more. Let me tell you, it doesn't work and I am trying very hard to change my behaviour for the next months.
I'm sorry it's been so hard
I love these introspection-type videos. I've been watching so much more Netflix and yt recently, and I feel like my brain is going soft from all the passive media consumption without me needing to form my own interpretations or observations on topics. It's nice to have videos that encourage and make me enjoy reflecting on my own behaviors, especially since it's coupled with the topics of personal finance and dressing up (other topics I really enjoy as well). It makes my brain happy
Damn woman those eyebrows are something else! I was doing a no-buy for about 3 months when the pandemic hit, and I just completely abandoned it... I'm luckily not at risk of losing my job and neither is my partner, and I actually have more spending money now because I'm saving a lot on commute/activities/eating out/yoga classes/holidays, etc. I donated a bunch and spent basically everything else on makeup, skincare, clothes and other things. I tried to budget but could not keep any measure. I've felt a lot of guilt but I try to be kind to myself. Just started a 3-month no-buy again, to try to break the habit. Might document... Stay strong
Love these videos as I am trying to wrangle my family into a budget. You are a wonderful calming presence!
I find the several parallels between your circumstances in 16/17 and now so interesting! That you react so differently now really highlights how far your work on yourself has brought you 💕
My own experience right now is that I simultaneously feel like shopping for things matters less due the seriousness of the global situation, while also having this desire to polish and perfect and edit my belongings (which also in most cases means adding to), as a way to exert control over *something* in a situation the feels so deeply uncontrollable. So, while I recognize that it's behavior I need to keep an eye on, I don't feel like it is out of control, and thus, I am currently letting myself "indulge" a bit in this coping mechanism.
P.S. Your eye look is MAGICAL!!! Please please consider doing a demo of this look. It's gorgeous, but also kind of hard to see what exactly you've got going on there. I LOVE IT. ✨😍💜🌟
YES!
I'm pretty sure it's what she did with the Urban Decay Ultraviolet palette she received?? One of the last videos she posted!
We haven’t experienced much change, luckily, and while my hub took a voluntary short term layoff (I was glad for his break!) due to social programs in Canada there was no difference in income. And we have no cases of corona so we don’t have that feeling of anxiety leaving the house. Things have changed a bit on the outside- mask, sanitizer, salons won’t wash our hair, etc.
What I have noticed is earlier in the pandemic , way more people were buying second hand makeup , and I think it was because they may have felt guilty paying full price for new stuff but they still wanted to shop and have new (to them) things. I saw a huge increase in demand in local groups.
LOVING all the Sadie content lately!!!
Your makeup looks incredible in this video
Because of your content I was inspired to create a budget this year - both for beauty and for the money I was spending going out to shows. Instead of spending on live music I’ve been buying releases from independent musicians and donating to streams. And I’m happily under budget in beauty purchases! Your reflections on buying behaviors and so many things have been a constant go-to.
I am LIVING for these eyebrows, they look so good!
Bike shorts ARE cool 😂Trending in my soul since 1990, honestly.
"oh no, im a worm" is going to be my new catchphrase omg 😂😭
same
I have been in a strange equilibrium. I have bought some makeup, because I am enjoying “playtime” a little more, but my clothes purchases have been relatively utilitarian (for me). Basics like tshirts and sweatpants. One area that I have had to be very careful about is homegoods. I am cooking more, and living in my home more, and the temptation for me is buying things because I “need” them for the family, when they are really mostly for me. And I don’t know if I would noticed this about myself before watching your videos and going on my own journey. So yay for some self awareness about what I want vs what I need. ❤️❤️❤️
I relate to so much of this video and I can say the pandemic has definitely changed how I spend my money. Fortunately, my partner and I have been able to work from home everyday since mid March and we will be working from home until probably early next year (?) in March I saw this as very bittersweet. I saw how much money we were saving by no longer having any plans, not eating out at all, each vacation we planned was cancelled and refunded, and a stimulus check. I went crazy spending on all the beautiful things! I also sent some money to debt and was tracking every purchase by writing them down to keep myself accountable but I still feel so, so guilty. I have a bathroom full of beautiful stuff now but I just think how much I actually could have “saved “ if I avoided the shopping sprees. This past week my partner and I actually just got engaged (yes, right at home!) and I have binge re-watched your channel and Whitney’s channel to get myself in a better mindset to actually start saving my money rather than indulging on beautiful things that crowd up my space that I’m stuck in for a long while ...
Just as lockdown was beginning, I moved from big-city Alberta to rural Alberta. We were literally racing against the clock to get the things we needed to pack and move and get out of the city while we still felt we could. Your description of the difference between LA and rural California echoes so much of my feelings about the experience between those settings. Though there's been a lot of personal turmoil, I've had access to so much more of the beauty of nature so I haven't felt as much need to make my own beauty. Being able to sit outside and listen to the birds is such a balm for my soul even when other things feel chaotic.
I ALSO go "La QUWA! la QUWA!" Everytime I here someone say La Croix, I think mine has sometimes to do with "The Claw" from old episodes of Get Smart?
I just love that top! The understated layered arm ruffles make it unique and very femme.
I haven’t even worn makeup for months. I bought some hair color. I bought a few items of clothes as I lost 70 pounds and needed something to wear. Trying to pay off debt from my overspending and emergencies in the past. I want to come out of this pandemic a better version of myself. Thanks for the video ❤️
I know this video is very old, but your end question got me. I discovered thredup near the beginning of the pandemic so I was buying clothes to cheer myself up, and I was also very much in the "I'm a worm mentality" wearing only sweat pants and t-shirts my work had given me.
I realized that when I don't wear makeup often I want more of it. I think it's because I forget how much I appreciate my things when I use them.
At the beginning of Lockdown here in the UK I said to my partner that we would save a fortune with everything shut. However since we're both nurses we have continued to work throughout (thankfully we work in mental health so only a few patients have been infected with the virus). Because I've seen the world stop whilst we carry on I've ended up "rewarding" myself by shopping online. I dread to think how much I have spent. I know I have a problem, it's hard because I justify it by the fact I'm not in debt other than the mortgage and I can afford it. But shopping to ease my feelings is not healthy. I've been on a no buy for tha past month and it's hard, I've been rewatching your no buy year videos and hanging out on the makeup rehab subreddit for support
Same here in NYC. I'm a Social Worker, working from home. It started with the announcement of Neiman Marcus going bankrupt and they had 25 off. I bought 2 bottles of perfume and 3 lipsticks, Pat McGrath, and god knows what else. Then it went to expensive imported groceries. Then I bought a Peloton. Lol. Hang in there.
I don't know if this will help, but is there something expensive or some goal you want to challenge yourself to save up for? I've been able to keep working throughout COVID so far, but business is slow and may result in me losing my job yet in the future (near or far). I've ended up with extra money from not going out and impulse shopping, but COVID has really put into perspective how in flux the world is right now. My focus or goal has been to become entirely debt-free and save 3 to 6 months of expenses so that I'm covered (for the first time ever) if I do end up losing my job. I've paid off more than half my credit card debt since the pandemic started, and I'm on track to be completely paid off AND pay off my car early by October this year. Just seeing progress toward goals has really helped me to keep my spending habits curbed.
Just an idea, if you'd like a plan to help you get motivated too! Good luck!
@@dolcegal100 great minds think alike. I'm saving to renovate my house starting with the bathroom. I think I had a realization that despite earning good money we've put off doing up the house because "we cant afford it". The reality is that we have more than enough miney to be doing some of the smaller projects in the house whilst saving for the bigger projects as long as I'm not spending on beauty and fashion.
@@imalison not going to lie, I've missed the gym and have been very tempted when I see the Peleton ads... must resist.
@@haveyoutakenyourmeds I'll let you know how it is. Hoping it's worth the hype and doesn't hurt my knees or back. I did reach a savings goal and didn't need to buy clothes or transportation so I rewarded myself all these months. Now I'm back in bank lockdown. Best of luck to both of us!!
What you were trying to say about how your trip quelling your itch to spend makes total sense. I am no scientist but my understanding is the joy (however fleeting) we get from "feeding our habits" is the same chemical feeling we get from other experiences, but the addiction tells you it's not the same and it requires immersion to allow yourself to feel it.
Hannah I have been limiting myself to buying 1 makeup product a month for the past 6 months. It has been hard with everything going to not emotionally buy stuff. I had gotten a bit trapped in the wanting of something new. I did let a few makeup products go, and it felt great. I wasn't actually using them and I felt guilty bc I had spent the money on it. Now we are moving and I feel better that I have less stuff.
Thank you, Hannah! You always give me so much to think about. 💜💙💚
Would love to hear your thoughts on any danessa myricks products you own. I’m planning on buying some of her products
this is the only one I have, and I LOVE it. Will review soon.
I have always struggled with compulsive shopping, especially when my anxiety is really bad. At the beginning of the pandemic I bought A LOT. Every day I got at least 3 packages in the mail and I justified it by reminding myself that everything was second hand. This lasted for about a month and now although I still struggle with the impulses I think it's mostly under control. At least for now I'm trying to only buy necessities. It's just really hard for me to find a nice middle place of occasionally buying myself nice things rather than splurging and buying a crap ton of things.
I have found myself spending more than ever during this pandemic. Partially because my Dad passed away in December and I'm still struggling with my grief of losing him. The other half is due to this pandemic, being alone, and trying to fill the void that can't be filled. I have however, decided to do a 3 month replacements only no-buy starting July 15th. To me, this is the only way I can put a stop to my impulsive spending. I just buy whatever catches my attention or things I've lusted after for a while but never bought. I know I have more than enough, so I want to stop before things get more out of hand; plus I'm moving in March, so the less I have to pack the better.
my makeup/clothing spending was out of control for the first two months or so of being in quarantine. Luckily, I caught my self and have sent some low/no buy rules. I liked buying makeup to make myself feel happy but longterm shopping is never going to fill the void.
Very interesting that you should be filming a video talking about changes in your spending during the pandemic when I was just thinking on this myself. I had gotten to a place of content with my things in my life early this year...and then all hell broke loose with this pandemic and I feel like I lost my mind a bit. At least maybe a month into sheltering in place, I succumbed to spending on things that I knew I absolutely did not need just to help me feel better. I did realize it when I was doing it, and felt bad enough about some of it that some (fancy candles with crystals imbedded in them - seriously, who am i??) I gave as beautiful mothers day gifts to the special moms in my life. So at least for part, I tried to make it worth the reasoning for the spending if that makes sense. April was my birthday month and I had plans cancelled which saddened me more than I thought it would, and I made a lot of purchases. Throughout the pandemic, if I’m being honest, not jjust in April. But each time I would at least tell myself To pay attention to what is really needful and will make a difference to us while we are at home and try not to spend frivolously. I am getting back to that point again that, like you, its ok to spend a little here or there if it’s something I will use or is realistic, but I have found myself “window-shopping “ a bunch for this fantasy self that won’t be going anywhere to need a silk skirt anytime soon and just closing my browser. So this video is fortuitous in that you hit the nail on the head with what I think I was feeling and not fully articulating in myself yet. I feel like it will be easier to keep myself in check even more now that I’m aware of what I’ve been feeling. Its been very much like soothing grief over what we’ve lost so far, and how scary everything is right now. I’m definitely trying to give myself some grace about it all.
Due to the pandemic I've been spending way more on sweet and alcoholic treats in the supermarket. Definitely due to self soothing and convincing myself it's ok as they're not expensive (of course when you add it up it is!!). As I've been home more I have become better at using up things or noticing things I never use and reckoning with them.
Watching you cuddle your cat at the beginning instantly calmed me down
same!
saaaame
I've acquired quite the stock pile of beautiful things by; over buying during sales, clearance, buying extra to get free shipping and free gifts at departmentstores (mostly). I've been chipping away at it over the better part of two years and put myself on a loose low buy. Most things we unopened and I stock my shelves with oldest in the front and newest in the back. During the pandemic I started using some of my least favorite things to get rid of them (most my favorites were used already). During the pandemic, some categories I ran out of and ordered them online, so I bought just one of each of the things I ran out of and nothing more no extra fun things. I feel like since I'm going no where, there's no excitement in buying anything. The couple of times I went out, I was excited just to put on my normal makeup.
I think at the beginning I shopped a lot more. I bought a lot of things from small businesses like on Etsy because I kept telling myself I didn’t want other people to have financial hardships. However, in doing that, I was adding to my own debt. I also tried to justify some of my spending because we’re getting married in December
Lemon Cielo La Croix is my favorite! I’m obsessed 🍋🇮🇹
i’ve not gotten myself into extra debt but not been very good about savings either. but i did feel that my makeup bag and skincare routine both needed a refresh since the beginning of the year, so i guess i’m doing okay? i would like to spend less from here on out now though
Patrick Ta on the cheeks? So you did end up buying one? I’d love a review xx
I can say with 100% confidence that my spending habits and thinking about shopping have changed because of watching your channel. Have I spent money over the course of this pandemic? Yes. Have I been aware of my desire for more stuff and stopped myself spending? Also yes.
Do I now wish I could short circuit my inability to make myself exercise? Yes. Do I also need to accept my chronic illness limitations and forgive myself? Eh... also yes. ...
❤️
I hope you will write a book about your experience detoxing from your former shopping behaviour and who the fantasy self plays into that. I identify with many of your experience and love how you put into words. Especially, the part about me as a woman has the need to change myself to get closer to my fantasy self that is heavily influenced by society. At the same time, conforming to society is a survival mechanism inherited through time.
"At the end of the video, I might wax philosophical..." Would it be an HLP video if you didn't?
Luckily my unwise shopping was mostly solved before the pandemic through the system of rules I have set up to make me shop wisely. Because of that my spending has only decreased this year since my rules make me almost only shop in physical stores and I am very reluctant to do that now. However in the last couple of weeks I have run into two related issues that have been tickling the shopping demons slightly. Two needs have arisen and been sated for now, but the things I bought were not complete solutions so I am still wanting to continue browsing the second hand marketplace. I have trust in my rules regarding shopping, but I do not want to go back to spending so many hours browsing for potential purchases like I used to. When I think about it that is what it is really about, like you have also discussed; at its core it is not so much about the spending as the behaviour and the angst. Even though my shopping has never hurt my economy it is a symptom of the kind of person I am at that time and what habits I have and how they align me towards becoming something else that I might not want to be. Regarding my current situation I believe the thing is that I am trying to tread the fine line between the exciting search for a truly good deal, and the aimless scrolling to find Something Better (but that will never be fulfilling because the need was not for that). I dont know if this makes sense but I thank you for your thoughtful and inspiring words as always!
I've been watching you since about month 2 of your no buy year but this video has made me wonder if I've missed this come up in your videos: do you have a budgeting system outside of beautiful things? I know you have a set monthly budget for specific areas but wondering if you have an overall system for all of your income and expenses? I've gotten really into personal finance over the last few years and other people's budgeting systems is now an interesting thing to me 🙈
I also just wanted to say, in case nobody else has and because you've mentioned this a few times, that you're not the only one who experienced an intense response to the election results in 2016. I live literally halfway around the world in Australia, about as far away from the US as you can go, and we were all watching on in horror. We still watch on in horror, particularly with the way the US is being crippled by covid-19. I just wanted you to know you're not alone in that even if it may feel like it sometimes in the US. Xo
Loving the eye lewk!
My birthday was last week and my parents gave me a check (I would usually ask for an experience type gift, but that doesn’t make sense now). I feel like I want to spend the gift on clothes and makeup, just to feel happy and get a treat. It’s depressing to be in a pandemic AND realize you don’t need anything.
The election/pandemic comparison was iconic! ❤️ Omg
My fave lacroix is the pink one called pasteque. It’s supposed to be watermelon I think. So good.
pasteque = French for watermelon :)
😂
I love the pasteque flavor!
Oh Sadie
Sadie and that blouse are just amazing
I have to say I went the other way in this pandemic and spent 1500 pounds in the last two months. I think that's mostly because I did a 3 month no buy, couldn't take it any longer and cracked and went a bit nuts. Im trying to be nice to myself about it though as I do love what I bought mostly (I got the gold palette finally because you say you love it so much and I do too! I love the different tones and textures, it's gorgeous). And in the grand scheme of things I didn't go into debt, it just means I didn't save anything for the past two months. But I think my bender has come to an end, my beast is satiated.
But my mind might still sit in a bit of shame for a while. I hope not though.
Hi Hannah! I love your videos, they don't just bring me a sense of calm but they also make me think a lot and look inside a lot, and I didn't use to do so that much, thank you. Also, do you think that moving to a more rural area and building a "new" life would be beneficial for you?
Hi Hannah, I am not finished the video yet, but I wanted to say how struck I have been recently by the parallels between my recent life and yours. I also moved in 2017 for a masters degree (in English) and then moved again in 2018 when I had finished it. I also have recently been pouring all of my energy into cleaning and fixing up my grandparents old house for sale. I also have been looking at my future in a way that I had never expected to, because of the pandemic and many other factors. I will be moving across the country in September. All of that is to say that I have been so comforted by finding your channel recently, and seeing an example of someone else making similar choices to me, and being so graceful while so doing. I am originally from a small town in northern Canada, and so have never really had an example of someone living a life like the one that I want, and have often felt like I am floundering around in a dark room without any confirmation that I might be making the right decision by doing things like going to grad school. Thank you for this channel and your comforting videos and your honesty! Xoxo stay well out there 🖤
ps I've finished the video in the course of writing this very long comment. Recently, most of my usual 'fun' budget has been going to BLM and other social justice fundraisers (although I have given myself a bit of room to support tangentially-- I just purchased the new chimera highlighter from rituel de fille). But I did buy one item just for myself this month -- a sweet, vintage prairie dress. I have been feeling stuck with expressing my femininity in quarantine recently for a host of reasons, and I am hoping that this dress can be a catalyst to me feeling pretty and carefully adorned again :)
I love when you give us quotes from Joe. I go to Twitter just to look for Joe quotes on @lifewithjoe. I'll never see Le Croix and not hear "la cwaa" in my head.
Joe is a true gem :)
I didnt know linen came in Jersey.
The amount of different La Croix flavours available in the US is mindblowing.
Thanks for the impromptu limoncello review! Saved me some disappointment. Loved this video. I always learn so much about myself whenever you “wax philosophical” :).
I definitely said “oh no I’m a worm, I can’t spend anything,” and then once I saw I was improving my financial health I started buying a lot (at least for me). I’m definitely side eyeing myself because I’m financially ok, but I know I wouldn’t normally be as impulsive in non-pandemic times.
Lol my sister gave me a large number of cute clothes 21 pieces for 20 dollars which was different from my usual graphic tee and jeans but this makes me a little sad that i dont have anywhere to wear them to only to remember that i dont even like going out😅
Even though the stores were closed, the internet wasn't. There were so many good deals online. i did get some clothing and shoes.
I love that shirt it makes me smile because it’s such a beautiful happy print
My spending could be summed up pretty well with a meme I saw the other day: "My toxic trait is that I set a budget for myself, then proceed to go over that budget by an offensive amount". Now I'm not putting myself in debt or anything, but I've been stuck in this cycle since May where by the middle of the month, I've already spent my entire budget plus the majority of my budget for the following month. I wish I had half of the self-discipline that you do!
self-discipline can be developed! The brain is plastic, not static! You can have it too if you want it :)
Since I didn't lose my job from the pandemic, my spending has still been a little out of control. But nothing can compare to the way I spent in 2018. I'm much better now, and even better than I was in 2019. Still I have NO need for makeup ... I have so much of it. Any spending I do on makeup at this point is pretty much uncalled for!
That dress is my flower dream!😍
I keep finding myself "fake shopping"... I'll go to Target and put stuff in my basket that looks interesting but that I don't REALLY REALLY want (I just want to buy something and have some excitement in my life)...& then I'll put almost everything back before I check out and only sometimes let myself buy something that I don't need. It's weird.
I often do this and then don't buy anything, I just click away from the shop altogether. I think window shopping can have a positive role in some people's lives as long as it doesn't lead to unwise real shopping!
Why don't y'all live in Joe's dad's house and save your coin? Well I don't know if that's even an option.
Alas, it's not that simple! I wish it were.
Love your outfit and all your thoughts about how your relationship with shopping has changed this month. I have been wondering if part of your spending habits had to do with living in LA and the fashion-forward culture of LA? *edited to say that the pandemic has changed how you interact with your surroundings so maybe you're not as confronted by the image of "how someone who lives in LA should present oneself." I could be really off base, but I feel like we're all susceptible to the culture where we live.* For myself, I know I've often felt tempted by luxurious/beautiful things, but I can talk myself out of it when I remember that I live in the northeast in a community mostly populated by retirees (who don't care what I look like) or swanky tourists (who I don't want to look like). I feel like my fantasy self is an heiress languishing on a couch in her Tuscan villa with her chiffon robe fluttering in the breeze, but my real self is a sweaty waitress who just wants to go home and talk to her tomato plants. I don't really know where I'm going with this, other than the fact that my fantasy self would look wildly overdressed if she showed up in my actual life.
I believe the lack of want and the lack of shopping is due to the change of scenery and busyness. I online shop a lot. A lot. When we go away though I never even think to buy anything. Routines are changed and I’m just happy in the novelty and newness of the space I guess. If we stay in a cottage for a week or 2 , shopping doesn’t even remotely come to mind.
Although if he super uncomfortable knowing I was out of shampoo. Being out of any basics makes me uneasy, whether it’s peanut butter or shampoo. I think I’d just get a cheap drugstore shampoo for my spouse 😉 they’re not all bad. GLISS by Schwartzkopf is a nice one and goes on sale for $4 sometimes .
HANNAH we had the EXACT limoncello reaction at our house! It was SO OFF PUTTING but we drank them anyway. So weird, but not at all what we expected. Very cookie, not very citrus-y
:)
Lacroix means "the cross" in french. your pronunciation (including joe's crow version) is correct. I always wonder why so many american people on youtube seem to butcher foreign words and then tell others that their (correct) way of saying it is wrong... I can't even count how many times I've read comments under videos where people said: "no, you don't say Givenchy/La mer/Clarins/ Sisley like that, you gotta say jeevooonnchaaaay/lamurrrr/claire-inns/Sicily, like I do. " like wtf, leave people alone and just check wikipedia first. (from a bored multi-lingual German speaker. I'll just shut up now.)
Sophie Serendipity As a francophone, I totally agree with you. It’s such a weird phenomenon.
La Croix is headquartered in La Crosse, WI! The word might have French origins but the brand itself is Midwestern American based. On the website they specify it's meant to be pronounced similar to "enjoy," la-CROY.
As a francophone, I'd usually agree with you (my gut instinct is also to roll with the French pronunciation), but the inventor of LaCroix, who's from Wisconsin, has explicitly said it's "la-croy rhymed with enjoy" because it's a drink that's meant to almost parody how "fancy" French drinks like Perrier are perceived to be by Midwestern Americans
@@psingh135 Thanks, I didn't even think of such a possibility!
@@gnomerical thank you for telling me ... I had no idea that this time, I was gonna be the one butchering the word while confidently telling others how it's done...lol. oh well, I learned something new! gonna check wikipedia now, as per my own recommendation...
At first I diverted all money to being prepared, lysol wipes, stuff to make masks, extra food for the pantry etc. Then I went on some sort of hardcore loony lock-down. Finally I realized I'd saved about 75% of every penny for a few months. And then I decided it was ok to have some fun and buy some stuff. My guilt was bizarre and frankly weird. I'm working through this. I've realized this is most likely going to be YEARS. Sanity will likely be quite important.
I feel like COVID resulted in 2 extremes for me. In my mind I compare it to the pendulum swing. So originally I swung hard to the right and did not place orders or spend frivolusly and then as things settled in a couple months later I started spending again in a way that felt excessive. Now I'm balancing out and while I do want to buy a few things it doesn't feel excessive. I hope it stays that way.
Yes, would love to hear you speak more about beauty and the fantasy self! I have definitely been trying to be more conscious and cautious with my spending since the pandemic, but since linen, silk, and cotton are mainstays of my summer wardrobe, I would view the purchase of such an item as practical & utilitarian with a bonus of aesthetic pleasure. Great video!
Brows on point 👌🏽🌈
NorCal air hits the lungs different. I swear rural CA is “gods country”. I’m so glad that you had such a beautiful experience up here.
Having manual labor to do daily definitely helps me with not worrying about stuff as much. I find myself much more looking for practical tools or things to make my life easier than just things. So I try to make sure I have a physical labor project daily
I'm always blown away by the glam factor people place on some Italian things. We would never consider something limoncello flavoured to be fancier than lemon flavoured drinks. I think we would just expect for it to be alcoholic. We do it at home, if you're interested I can pass on the recipe
Looking amazing!
Super excited for this❤️
Has the pandemic affected my spending? Yeah big time. Saving up just in case. I'm in the camp that cut down all the unnecessary spending. No takeout food no online orders other than the sunscreen I bought.
Good for you 👏 I haven’t had this strength
@@tianastroshin7031 I'm going to give my sister some money to go back to school - I think having a goal like that made it easier to save.
Once again, I clicked out of a Japanese language video when I got the notification for this video. Why was I watching a video on the Japanese writing system for the second time this week?
A question that plagues me
I support your choices.
:)
This dress looks amazing on you.
thank you! It's one of my favorite things.
Beautiful inside and out!
I love your blouse. It’s so pretty ❤️
I've spent less money on clothes/shoes/makeup than normal because I have nowhere to wear it. I especially don't buy makeup because of wearing masks. It's just going to smear or be covered up, so what's the point! It's a big bummer. I bought a few clothing items at the start of the pandemic wishfully thinking this would somehow all be over by summer and I could go places wearing cute things. In my heart, I knew it wouldn't happen... But I bought some dresses and a fabulous summer jumpsuit wishing it would be so.
I like your top.
So much Sadie lately!! We are getting spoiled ♥️😻
That’s awesome that your time away and pandemic circumstances have altered your spending even more. My spending has been about the same or less. I’ve changed where/who I’m shopping from, but also have been shopping less because of worries about job and financial security
I completely get what you mean by how you felt uninterested in looking at/buying things when you were taking care of the house. Last year, I was at Columbia University for a summer course from the end of May through June and I felt stunted by the change in surroundings, stressed out by the work and uneasy living with roommates I didn’t know. I was able to return home on the weekends but it would take me about 2 hours to commute each way. I felt zapped of all my energy, even when there wasn’t much going on. I tried to muster up whatever I could to be invested in the experience, but I found myself in my room, reading or watching videos to center myself, not once thinking about shopping. I think the only thing I bought while I was there was coffee and toothpaste.. When we’re in an unfamiliar place or focused on a task I think there is something going on with adrenaline or serotonin levels in our body. Have no idea what actually happens but I think we disassociate in order to adapt
I needed to hear this today... thank you!
I totally feel this. We were living in a really rich urban city for about a year and during that time I feel like I caught the fever- I wanted to be surrounded by beautiful stuff. But then we moved to a much more rural area, into a house that is very old, in a city that is prone to severe weather and hurricanes, it just kind of dropped off. I didn't want to replace our old couch cause what if it gets damaged in a hurricane? I didn't really want lots of nice stuff cause it's just going into a older house and it would look out of place anyway. I didn't care as much about having super lovely soap cause.... actually I don't know why. It just didn't fit the environment I guess.
Would you ever consider doing a video on how you cut your bangs? I cut my own too but can just never get it quite right and your fringe game is just always so on point... ❤️❤️❤️
I've definitely had an odd relationship with spending during shelter in place. For the first few months, I was ordering a lot of takeout because that felt like a purchase which was valuable, which supported local restaurants, which fed me when grocery shopping wasn't an option, which put good into the world. That got really expensive, so I stopped, and it's been over a month. I've also been sort of split on purchases like makeup and clothing. I made some purchases for an internship only for the internship to go online, making my new clothes unnecessary; I agonize for weeks over making any purchase, whether makeup or groceries or supplies for my move, and it's almost more comfortable to buy something frivolous than to spend on an essential. I think it's because an essential item, like a mattress or cleaning supplies, is something that should ideally last a long time, so there's more pressure on buying a mop than on buying semi-permanent hair dye. With a frivolous purchase, it's easier to just emotionally grab after it and put it in a cart on impulse, but necessary things have to last longer and do more and be better; and then the flip side is that I can absolutely justify something like a new mattress or reusable swiffer cloths, but I can't justify buying a five dollar duochrome liquid shadow. C*vid makes weirdness for us all, I guess.
i completly understand what you are talking about. whenever i leave the big city (and by "big city" i´m talking half a million people, so a fraction of LA) and visit my parents on the country side, i instantly become so clear minded and peaceful. being in nature just makes me get my priorities straight. i dont even bring much makeup with me when i go there, because i wont use it. when i do my usual everyday face at my parents, i suddenly feel overly made up.