So this is probably a bit crazy.
If you're following along at home, you'll know I've been having some Thoughts about shopping. You can blame Hannah Louise Poston over on My Beauty Budget for this, because I've been watching a lot of her videos on her no-buy year and her subsequent budgeting adventures. Back in July she made a video ranking everything she had purchased with her budget in 2019, and it was absolutely fascinating. Maybe I'm just weird like that, I don't know. Either way, I immediately started writing down a list of everything I purchased and I'm here to share it with you. Brace yourselves -- I'm sure you're on the edges of your seats with excitement.
Now I was never planning on doing this post, so here's my disclaimer: I haven't been saving receipts or writing things down throughout the year, so I put this list together just based off of credit card transactions and order histories. I'm sure I've missed some stuff. I guess if I've forgotten them, that tells you a lot about where they'd be ranked, right?
Also, I'm not including boring things like food, bills, housing payments, etc because well, those are boring purchases I have to make. Except maybe that unnecessary jar of cookie butter from Trader Joes, but whatever.
Without further ado, here's my 2019 purchases so far, organized into a few categories and ranked from best to worst.
(FYI: Several of the following links are affiliate links.)
Loves
Thinkx underwear - Absolutely love not having to worry about pads or a cup if I don't want to!
Loewe puzzle bag knock off - This bag is the only bag I've been using. It's cheap and plastic, which isn't great, but I absolutely love the design of the real bag just not the price tag so this is a good compromise.
Shark vacuum - I did not know I could enjoy vacuuming so much. So. satisfying.
Uniqlo U crew neck t-shirt - This is the best white tshirt known to mankind.
Everlane cashmere sweater - I only got this because I had store credit. I would have never purchased a sweater this expensive if I had to see that money come out of my pockets, but I've learned sometimes it's worth it for something this classic, simple and perfect.
Anne Nowak print - You've already heard me talk about this.
New Plant Parent book - I learned so much.
Blue decorative bowl from Danish design museum - Honeymoon souvenir
Glass flower vase from Danish design museum - Honeymoon souvenir
Bowl from Hay - Honeymoon souvenir
The Danish Chair book - Honeymoon souvenir from the best museum room ever
So many books from the library book sale
Palm, pathos, schefflera plants - Plants make my living room look so much cozier
Black decorative bowl from a local artist
Everlane indigo wash blue jeans - I haven't owned jeans in this wash in years. They've been getting a ton of use so far
Everlane blue cotton sweater - A sweater I don't tuck in?? Wild.
Likes
Who Gives A Crap toilet paper - Yes this is toilet paper. It comes in fun paper, it's recycled paper, no plastic and they donate a bunch to charity. It makes me feel happy, and it's not that crumbly, flakey mess that is 'plush' toilet paper from the fancy brands.
Peter Thomas Roth face mask minis set - I like a good Sunday evening mask.
Book haul from Waterstones - I love buying UK chic lit.
Homeostick lip balm - Idk what happened, but this was definitely not 16 bucks when I bought it. Seriously best lip balm ever, especially when you have eternally peeling lips like me.
Lamps from West Elm - These fit my living room so much better than what I used to have
Dishware from West Elm - Just in time for the holiday meal season
H&M oatmeal tank - A lifesaver in the summer.
H&M grey fuzzy sweater - And a lifesaver in the winter
H&M army green linen shorts - I didn't own shorts until this H&M haul. These were super comfy this summer.
Veja tennis shoes - My only pair of tennis shoes.
Birkenstocks - Errand running, summer weather essentials.
Edinburgh Gin Distillery liquor - Another Honeymoon duty free souvenir
Bombay Sapphire gin - We went to this distillery on our Honeymoon!
Sipsmith gin - More duty free purchases
Cashmere blanket from Marshalls - This is the softest blanket ever.
Zanna Van Dijk 'Sculpt' guide - I like having another set of pre-planned workouts to choose from.
Wax Buffalo locally made candle - Got this on our wedding day. It smells like fresh spring trees. I love it.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter - Bottled glow for those of us without our own.
Madewell mules - I love the style of these, and I keep wearing them, but they won't stop giving me blisters. I will persevere.
Flowers from Trader Joes - Sometimes you just need some eucalyptus.
Necessary But Meh
Garden plants - I have a garden every year. Buying plants is kind of meh by now.
NARS soft matte concealer in a darker shade - I've got ridiculous dark circles. This was just a necessary repurchase
Glossier bow brow x 2 - Repurchases of my tried and trues
Glossier lash slick x 2 - Repurchases of my tried and trues
Deciem - Natural Moisturizing Factors - Super solid everyday moisturizer
Deciem - Lactic Acid 10% - Upped it from 5% to 10%!
Deciem - 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil - Nice little natural vitamin A
Uniqlo white crew socks - I really needed more socks.
Kitchen towels from a local weaver - Hemp blends >>> Cotton
CosRx overnight rice mask - This is such a boring product to use, but I always feel like my skin is so much brighter in the morning.
Deciem - Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - Gritty, but works
Deciem - Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3% - VitC combo
Deciem - Squalane Cleanser - Boring, cheap, doesn't hurt my eyes
Everlane black micro rib - Wore too many holes through the elbows of my previous black cotton crew
Glossier cloud paint in Beam - I can't be assed to wear blush most days, but this is good when I do. Easy and natural. Kind of wish I had it in the pink shade instead though.
Glass spray bottles - Sometimes a girl's gotta get some prettier spray bottles for spraying naughty cats or cleaning showers.
Washcloths - Finally purchased a bunch for dedicated face washing.
Reusable makeup remover rounds - Been sitting on this purchase forever as well, for no good reason.
H&M white tank - I needed some basic tanks...
H&M black shorts - And some shorts...
Hourglass blush - For my wedding. I like this, but again I rarely wear blush
Sunscreen - The most basic of purchases
Bed set for guest room - I needed to keep my guests warm? Boring adult purchase
Deciem - “Buffet” - This product brings me no joy whatsoever, but I want those peptides and it's cheap.
Hindsight is 20/20
Black vase from a local artist - I just don't have anywhere for it!
Hydrangea - I planted this in a spot that will ultimately be too small for it once it grows, so that was dumb.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - A repurchase for my wedding, but I never actually fully finished the previous one, so now I just have two when I should have just waited.
Glossier brow flick - This is fine, I just like bow brow better still
Isle of Paradise tanning spray - I'm just pale. It's so much effort to tan. I should just embrace it.
H&M oatmeal linen pants - I like these, but they're a bit more formal than my everyday outfits.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer - This is nice, but I use the NARS one more often
Briogeo hair care minis duo - Eh. Used this up. It was fine. Probably didn't need to spend money on it.
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize - Wore this in my wedding. I like the shade and product, I just probably could have borrowed something from someone else.
IGK hair mask and styling spray - I have been wanting to try IGK stuff for so long, and I found some at Marshalls but both of them have crazy spray nozzles so the product just sprays out in super fast jet stream and so I have to spray it onto my hands first, which is annoying. Maybe just defective products?
Deciem - 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil - I like this, I just don't use it much.
H&M earrings - Again, too formal for most days. Still glad I have options when I dress up though.
Glossier color slide - This just doesn't stay put on my hooded eyes
H&M white shorts - Ok maybe as a pale person I don't really need white shorts? Idk.
H&M jumpsuit - Got this because my mom and sister told me I needed to dress up for my rehearsal dinner which is dumb and pointless when it's your wedding and you don't want to. Whatever. I own a jumpsuit now that I look good in.
H&M oatmeal-colored sweater - Got this oversized, now it just feels a little too oversized
Everlane blue cotton long sleeve - I thought this would be useful, and I have worn it, but it just is maybe a bit too thin?
Terracotta vase from a shop in Seattle - I like this, but I just don't think it fits in with my decor like I thought it would
Plant mister - I just thought this was cute. It is still cute, but also kind of pointless.
Zanna Van Dijk cookbook - I haven't cooked out of this at all yet. I always forget about ebooks.
Vases for guest room - Target finds. Nothing special. Probably not even necessary
Decorative pillows for guest room - Are decorative pillows ever necessary? I don't really love them either, just meh
Throw for guest room - Target again. Not great quality. Thought I needed to "finish" the room when in fact it's still not really that polished.
Total Regrets
Gold and tortoiseshell bracelets - These are cute, but bracelets just kind of annoy me.
H&M mustard tank - Haven't worn it. So much color.
H&M blue and white striped shorts - Haven't worn these either. Getting cute when it's 100 degrees is just not something I'm interested in apparently.
Nail polish - This color just sucks
Essential oil lavender lip balm - I really needed lip balm. I don't actually like this one.
2 pairs of mule heels, one in black, one in leopard - Impulse buy on clearance while with my sister. Haven't worn either.
Lamp for guest room - I don't actually like this at all anymore.
Too Soon To Tell / Just Purchased
JCrew waxed cotton winter coat
Steve Madden heeled Chelsea boots
Wallpaper city guides for Porto and Lisbon
So, some thoughts, in case you're not bored of reading yet.
1) Consumable things don't rank as highly on average.
2) Things purchased on a whim rank lower.
3) Useful things tend to rank higher.
4) Clothing items only rank highly when they slot in nicely with the rest of my wardrobe and they're things I love. Items that are a little too different or statement-y don't get as much love.
5) The longer ago I purchased it, the less likely it is that I think it falls into the 'Love' category. Am I just still infatuated with the things I listed as loves? Will that wear off in time too?
6) I really have my daily makeup routine down pat. No need trying to tweak anything there. The makeup that ranks lowly is makeup that doesn't get used often.
7) Same with skincare. It's boring at this point, but it's a perfectly good and fairly cheap routine.
8) Purchases that help me be more sustainable ranked higher than an equivalent non-eco-friendly purchase probably would have. Case in point, period undies vs regular tampons.
9) Souvenirs from travel rank highly, likely because of the associated memories.
10) Art or locally make products rank highly.
Now that I've done this, I've been extra conscious of my purchases so it was definitely work well worth it. Perhaps it bored you to death, which is fair enough, but I'd definitely be interested to hear your own reflections on your purchases if you do something like this too!
If you're following along at home, you'll know I've been having some Thoughts about shopping. You can blame Hannah Louise Poston over on My Beauty Budget for this, because I've been watching a lot of her videos on her no-buy year and her subsequent budgeting adventures. Back in July she made a video ranking everything she had purchased with her budget in 2019, and it was absolutely fascinating. Maybe I'm just weird like that, I don't know. Either way, I immediately started writing down a list of everything I purchased and I'm here to share it with you. Brace yourselves -- I'm sure you're on the edges of your seats with excitement.
Now I was never planning on doing this post, so here's my disclaimer: I haven't been saving receipts or writing things down throughout the year, so I put this list together just based off of credit card transactions and order histories. I'm sure I've missed some stuff. I guess if I've forgotten them, that tells you a lot about where they'd be ranked, right?
Also, I'm not including boring things like food, bills, housing payments, etc because well, those are boring purchases I have to make. Except maybe that unnecessary jar of cookie butter from Trader Joes, but whatever.
Without further ado, here's my 2019 purchases so far, organized into a few categories and ranked from best to worst.
(FYI: Several of the following links are affiliate links.)
Loves
Thinkx underwear - Absolutely love not having to worry about pads or a cup if I don't want to!
Loewe puzzle bag knock off - This bag is the only bag I've been using. It's cheap and plastic, which isn't great, but I absolutely love the design of the real bag just not the price tag so this is a good compromise.
Shark vacuum - I did not know I could enjoy vacuuming so much. So. satisfying.
Uniqlo U crew neck t-shirt - This is the best white tshirt known to mankind.
Everlane cashmere sweater - I only got this because I had store credit. I would have never purchased a sweater this expensive if I had to see that money come out of my pockets, but I've learned sometimes it's worth it for something this classic, simple and perfect.
Anne Nowak print - You've already heard me talk about this.
New Plant Parent book - I learned so much.
Blue decorative bowl from Danish design museum - Honeymoon souvenir
Glass flower vase from Danish design museum - Honeymoon souvenir
Bowl from Hay - Honeymoon souvenir
The Danish Chair book - Honeymoon souvenir from the best museum room ever
So many books from the library book sale
Palm, pathos, schefflera plants - Plants make my living room look so much cozier
Black decorative bowl from a local artist
Everlane indigo wash blue jeans - I haven't owned jeans in this wash in years. They've been getting a ton of use so far
Everlane blue cotton sweater - A sweater I don't tuck in?? Wild.
Likes
Who Gives A Crap toilet paper - Yes this is toilet paper. It comes in fun paper, it's recycled paper, no plastic and they donate a bunch to charity. It makes me feel happy, and it's not that crumbly, flakey mess that is 'plush' toilet paper from the fancy brands.
Peter Thomas Roth face mask minis set - I like a good Sunday evening mask.
Book haul from Waterstones - I love buying UK chic lit.
Homeostick lip balm - Idk what happened, but this was definitely not 16 bucks when I bought it. Seriously best lip balm ever, especially when you have eternally peeling lips like me.
Lamps from West Elm - These fit my living room so much better than what I used to have
Dishware from West Elm - Just in time for the holiday meal season
H&M oatmeal tank - A lifesaver in the summer.
H&M grey fuzzy sweater - And a lifesaver in the winter
H&M army green linen shorts - I didn't own shorts until this H&M haul. These were super comfy this summer.
Veja tennis shoes - My only pair of tennis shoes.
Birkenstocks - Errand running, summer weather essentials.
Edinburgh Gin Distillery liquor - Another Honeymoon duty free souvenir
Bombay Sapphire gin - We went to this distillery on our Honeymoon!
Sipsmith gin - More duty free purchases
Cashmere blanket from Marshalls - This is the softest blanket ever.
Zanna Van Dijk 'Sculpt' guide - I like having another set of pre-planned workouts to choose from.
Wax Buffalo locally made candle - Got this on our wedding day. It smells like fresh spring trees. I love it.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter - Bottled glow for those of us without our own.
Madewell mules - I love the style of these, and I keep wearing them, but they won't stop giving me blisters. I will persevere.
Flowers from Trader Joes - Sometimes you just need some eucalyptus.
Necessary But Meh
Garden plants - I have a garden every year. Buying plants is kind of meh by now.
NARS soft matte concealer in a darker shade - I've got ridiculous dark circles. This was just a necessary repurchase
Glossier bow brow x 2 - Repurchases of my tried and trues
Glossier lash slick x 2 - Repurchases of my tried and trues
Deciem - Natural Moisturizing Factors - Super solid everyday moisturizer
Deciem - Lactic Acid 10% - Upped it from 5% to 10%!
Deciem - 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil - Nice little natural vitamin A
Uniqlo white crew socks - I really needed more socks.
Kitchen towels from a local weaver - Hemp blends >>> Cotton
CosRx overnight rice mask - This is such a boring product to use, but I always feel like my skin is so much brighter in the morning.
Deciem - Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - Gritty, but works
Deciem - Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3% - VitC combo
Deciem - Squalane Cleanser - Boring, cheap, doesn't hurt my eyes
Everlane black micro rib - Wore too many holes through the elbows of my previous black cotton crew
Glossier cloud paint in Beam - I can't be assed to wear blush most days, but this is good when I do. Easy and natural. Kind of wish I had it in the pink shade instead though.
Glass spray bottles - Sometimes a girl's gotta get some prettier spray bottles for spraying naughty cats or cleaning showers.
Washcloths - Finally purchased a bunch for dedicated face washing.
Reusable makeup remover rounds - Been sitting on this purchase forever as well, for no good reason.
H&M white tank - I needed some basic tanks...
H&M black shorts - And some shorts...
Hourglass blush - For my wedding. I like this, but again I rarely wear blush
Sunscreen - The most basic of purchases
Bed set for guest room - I needed to keep my guests warm? Boring adult purchase
Deciem - “Buffet” - This product brings me no joy whatsoever, but I want those peptides and it's cheap.
Hindsight is 20/20
Black vase from a local artist - I just don't have anywhere for it!
Hydrangea - I planted this in a spot that will ultimately be too small for it once it grows, so that was dumb.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - A repurchase for my wedding, but I never actually fully finished the previous one, so now I just have two when I should have just waited.
Glossier brow flick - This is fine, I just like bow brow better still
Isle of Paradise tanning spray - I'm just pale. It's so much effort to tan. I should just embrace it.
H&M oatmeal linen pants - I like these, but they're a bit more formal than my everyday outfits.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer - This is nice, but I use the NARS one more often
Briogeo hair care minis duo - Eh. Used this up. It was fine. Probably didn't need to spend money on it.
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize - Wore this in my wedding. I like the shade and product, I just probably could have borrowed something from someone else.
IGK hair mask and styling spray - I have been wanting to try IGK stuff for so long, and I found some at Marshalls but both of them have crazy spray nozzles so the product just sprays out in super fast jet stream and so I have to spray it onto my hands first, which is annoying. Maybe just defective products?
Deciem - 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil - I like this, I just don't use it much.
H&M earrings - Again, too formal for most days. Still glad I have options when I dress up though.
Glossier color slide - This just doesn't stay put on my hooded eyes
H&M white shorts - Ok maybe as a pale person I don't really need white shorts? Idk.
H&M jumpsuit - Got this because my mom and sister told me I needed to dress up for my rehearsal dinner which is dumb and pointless when it's your wedding and you don't want to. Whatever. I own a jumpsuit now that I look good in.
H&M oatmeal-colored sweater - Got this oversized, now it just feels a little too oversized
Everlane blue cotton long sleeve - I thought this would be useful, and I have worn it, but it just is maybe a bit too thin?
Terracotta vase from a shop in Seattle - I like this, but I just don't think it fits in with my decor like I thought it would
Plant mister - I just thought this was cute. It is still cute, but also kind of pointless.
Zanna Van Dijk cookbook - I haven't cooked out of this at all yet. I always forget about ebooks.
Vases for guest room - Target finds. Nothing special. Probably not even necessary
Decorative pillows for guest room - Are decorative pillows ever necessary? I don't really love them either, just meh
Throw for guest room - Target again. Not great quality. Thought I needed to "finish" the room when in fact it's still not really that polished.
Total Regrets
Gold and tortoiseshell bracelets - These are cute, but bracelets just kind of annoy me.
H&M mustard tank - Haven't worn it. So much color.
H&M blue and white striped shorts - Haven't worn these either. Getting cute when it's 100 degrees is just not something I'm interested in apparently.
Nail polish - This color just sucks
Essential oil lavender lip balm - I really needed lip balm. I don't actually like this one.
2 pairs of mule heels, one in black, one in leopard - Impulse buy on clearance while with my sister. Haven't worn either.
Lamp for guest room - I don't actually like this at all anymore.
Too Soon To Tell / Just Purchased
JCrew waxed cotton winter coat
Steve Madden heeled Chelsea boots
Wallpaper city guides for Porto and Lisbon
So, some thoughts, in case you're not bored of reading yet.
1) Consumable things don't rank as highly on average.
2) Things purchased on a whim rank lower.
3) Useful things tend to rank higher.
4) Clothing items only rank highly when they slot in nicely with the rest of my wardrobe and they're things I love. Items that are a little too different or statement-y don't get as much love.
5) The longer ago I purchased it, the less likely it is that I think it falls into the 'Love' category. Am I just still infatuated with the things I listed as loves? Will that wear off in time too?
6) I really have my daily makeup routine down pat. No need trying to tweak anything there. The makeup that ranks lowly is makeup that doesn't get used often.
7) Same with skincare. It's boring at this point, but it's a perfectly good and fairly cheap routine.
8) Purchases that help me be more sustainable ranked higher than an equivalent non-eco-friendly purchase probably would have. Case in point, period undies vs regular tampons.
9) Souvenirs from travel rank highly, likely because of the associated memories.
10) Art or locally make products rank highly.
Now that I've done this, I've been extra conscious of my purchases so it was definitely work well worth it. Perhaps it bored you to death, which is fair enough, but I'd definitely be interested to hear your own reflections on your purchases if you do something like this too!
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