A lot of people have asked me how I went as soon as the calendar ticked over into August after my No-Buy July project.

I fully expected to be racing around Rundle Mall like:



but I've actually been quite restrained!

I bought the black French Connection dress I wore to the WaterAid Gold Ball and the striped Ally Fashion skater I wore to the Paige Rowe runway show both from the Salvos for about $6.95 each. 

While there, my eagle eye spotted a very jazzy Betsey Johnson necklace for $10. 



I picked it up, I ummed and ahhed . . . and I put it back. I regretted it before I even walked out of the store but I told myself I didn't really need it and it was SO jazzy I'd probably never wear it. But I'm still thinking about it. So I probably should have got it. 

Annoyingly, I just googled for that image and found it on a Pin on Pinterest that said it was rare, hard to find and worth about $175. I should have got it.

SEE, THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BUY THINGS.

I tried a few bits and pieces on during a trip to my local Westfields but didn't commit to anything.

In particular, this pair of 7/8 jeans at Cotton On. 

The skinny high-rise 7/8 $49.95 currently $37.46

Well, they might be 7/8 length for normal humans . . . on me they are the perfect full length. I had identified the need for new jeans during No-Buy July and had decided to experiment with a light wash as I've seen them styled so nicely for S/S 15. 

I tried them on, liked them, considered them, then thought to myself that Cotton On ALWAYS has random specials like 2 for $X or percentages off and they were obviously a basics item that weren't going to sell out so I held off. 

No less than 2 days later came an email alerting me to 25% off full priced denim! So you better believe I waltzed on down there and picked those bad boys up. Well, after I had to show said email at the checkout after being rung up at full price and confirm yes it was in-store as well as online, see, right there up the top. Note to shops, if you're going to have promotional offers, please let your staff know as well as your customers - this poor girl kept apologising and it was totally not her fault!

Apart from those few items, I have managed to hold off - even from my desperately needed new wallet - because I have booked myself a little getaway to Sydney in a couple of weeks for some serious shopping me time! So I've been scrimping, saving and flogging stuff on eBay to build up my budget. My trip is essentially free, using Frequent Flyer points and the $250 Webjet voucher I got from signing up with ING Direct so that's been a huge bonus!

To add to my kitty, I got the spectacularly awesome news, that I won A Quirky Bird's 100 Style Challenge!! Keep an eye out for what I end up scoring with that . . . I'm curently torn (as usual) between quality over quantity. There are quite a few places on my hitlist (oh hai Sephora, Top Shop, H & M) so I'll be like a kid in a candy store with my prize money!

I'm also planning a meet up with Christina from Love That Lippie (and I am HANGING to see which colour she'll be wearing) as well as catching up with some old workmates. I haven't been to Sydney very often - mostly for work or stopovers to and from overseas - and I am yet to have had a fully awesome experience there so hopefully that's about to change!

Do you dig Sydney? Any hot shopping tips? I'll be in the CBD with limited time so probably won't make it out to the Homebush DFO but eager to hear of any city-based bargain locales!

Today marks the end of No Buy July, and in the immortal words of Shangela:



If you follow Almost Posh on social media, you may have seen me talking about it on Channel 9's "Mornings" program on Tuesday. I promise this blog post is the last you'll hear of it. 

Well, I'll try.

It was a lot of fun, even if I failed to mention the name of my own damn blog like a complete chump, but being "live via satellite" was pretty cool. 

The day before was spent liaising with the show, getting some material together, talking over the questions and hunting down some "shopping" photos to use in the promo which included Miss L lying on the floor in front of the trolley at Costco and my attempt to make it onto People of Walmart the last time I visited Texas.





I had to be at Channel 9's studios in North Adelaide for a live cross. Upsettingly, I had to do my own hair and make-up which was a bit daunting, but I kept it pretty simple by just washing and blowdrying my hair out (disrupting my hairwashing schedule for the week!) and beating my face with just a bit more product than usual.

The wardrobe was more challenging. I had planned to wear my favourite stripy top and blazer but at the last minute they said "no stripes and nothing white". ALL of my nice tops were either striped, white, white with pattern or a bit see-through. DOOOOM. A frantic try-on ensued. Too frumpy. Too shabby. Too fat-looking. 

Time was ticking away. So I panic-wore an ancient Witchery silk top and a Millers blazer. Not happy with the end result but it's done now! I plan to write about panic-wearing in an upcoming blog post. Do you do it too?

Here I am in the car, preparing to go in.



And pausing for a quick selfie:



I was met by the camera man and taken into the "green room" (read: staff kitchen) to wait.



I had about twenty minutes to wait so tried to go over my notes and think about what to say, as the Channel 9 newsteam looked on encouragingly.




Then I was led into the studio.




Yasss, green screen!

"Good evening, I'm Beth and this is the Almost Posh news. Grave fears are held that Sephora will never open an Adelaide store in this lifetime."



SO much fun.



I was miked up and had an earpiece in that I could hear the program through but I wasn't looking at the presenters when I was speaking to them, I was straight down the barrel of the camera which made it kind of challenging to converse naturally.

Before I knew it, it was all over, the adrenaline shakes kicked in and I was on my way home to watch it, much to Miss L's delight. "Mum on the big TV!" [looks to the TV, looks back at me] "Two Mums!"

The segment only lasted a few minutes but the messages of support and congratulations from friends and family came through all day which was brilliant.

You can catch it here if you're interested.

Rest assured, I have stayed well away from the comments section on their Facebook page. Apparently not buying stuff is the norm for some people. Bully for them!

Join me next week when normal shopping activity resumes. 

Or will it?

Yes, you're so welcome for that earworm.



80s hair rock anthems aside, there are only four more days of No-Buy July to endure, so here are the items I have prioritised procurement of upon my return to retail:

Purse (wallet)

Do you say purse or wallet? I've always said purse but depending on your country of origin, you may use this term to refer to your overall handbag. Anyway, I'm referring to the receptacle you keep your cash and cards in.

My old one is bulky, heavy and busted so it needs to go. I'm also sick of the press stud coming apart in my bag, thus spreading out the purse to take up even more room and get caught up in things like headphones and tissue packets so I'm aiming for a zippered version. I've had this one on my radar for some time:

Kate Spade New York Cedar Street Lacey Wallet in Fuchsia Saks Fifth Avenue - $256

Obvs I am not looking to pay $256 so I have eBay and Gumtree alerts set up and have been scouring the internet for bargains. Yes, I did see it on the Kate Spade website earlier this month. Yes it was on sale with a further 25% off sale prices. No, I don't want to talk about it.

iPhone cover

Seems like a minor thing but I have been sans cover for a while now, which is rather a dangerous place to be as the mother of a toddler. What I'm hoping for is one with a slot at the back for my Metrocard; a proximity card for Adelaide's public transport system. I want to be able to tap and go so it needs to faciliate this without me scrabbling to get it out every time. Critically, I don't want a wallet or flip-style cover, being that I'm on a mission to reduce the number of such items in my bag, and I don't need a wrist strap, cartoon motif or swinging charm because I am not 12. It also needs to have a nice grippy texture because I am fussy. Then I can be mostly rid of my card holder as I have the Stocard app for keeping all the details of my loyalty cards.

Something like this, maybe:

Card Slot Bar Hybrid Hard Rubber Cover Case for iPhone 5S AliExpress - $6.57 USD

With the reduction in purse size and the phasing out of the card holder (which also comes unstuck and/or buries itself deep in the darkest recesses of my bag just as the bus pulls up, necessitating the one-handed frantic pull-out of ALL THE THINGS), I can save a whopping 785 cubic centimetres in bag space, which is all leading up to the ultimate goal of a smaller handbag. I hope you appreciate that I don't do maths for fun but I am committed to bringing you All The Facts.

Boots

Spendless boots, assorted prices

I still proper need some new boots even though there is not a lot of winter to go (yay). Spendless have the ones I was eyeballing reduced and have added some new ankle ones to the mix that are worth a look. I'm still trying to decide if I will get good wear from the brown pair or stick to the black for now. That's what No-Buy July has been good for, rationalising and really thinking through purchases without any buyer's remorse to show for it.

Almost Posh: As Seen on TV

I am pleased/terrified to be able to share with you all (which I may regret, depending on how goofy I look) that I will be talking about my No Buy July experience tomorrow on Channel 9's "Mornings" show. Yes, for reals. So tune in at about 10.10am Sydney time to see how that goes! 

Well, I’m just over the halfway point of No-Buy July and am still managing to stick to the commitment of not buying clothes, shoes, accessories or non-essential beauty items. Who knew I actually bought that much? 

Actually, I don't even know that I *do* buy that much really (#denial?), but cutting out all the associated looking, browsing and quick ducks into Priceline has certainly left a noticeable gap.

As previously stated, it’s been extremely challenging during the time of mid-year sales both in store and online. I am getting notifications e'rry day of a further reduction in sale items and the FOMO is at a record high.

Let’s be real though. I’m not expecting a medal for managing not to shop for 31 days, and even as I explain it to some people I feel like it’s all a bit #firstworldproblems. Regardless, I'm going to tell you how I'm getting through it. 

Blogging

[image credit]

Supporting

Guys, did you know The Iconic had 40% off essentials??

It's good to know people are there with me on the journey; Mica from Away From The Blue, Christina from Love That Lippie, Wendy from Beach Style Mum and Jen (@lady_lambkin) are all sharing the struggle! It's nice to get supportive messages and comments and read how others are going on the journey. 

I apologise wholeheartedly for use of the word "journey". What's next, tears and the makeover episode?? Gag. 

Reflecting

[image credit]

Seriously though, I’ve used this time to reflect on my shopping habits. I’ve realised that shopping is an actual pastime for me. A hobby. And because my purchases are generally minor and at low price points, it has been sustainable, even on a reduced wage. Working in the city, right next to Rundle Mall, means that lunchtime is often spent in unavoidable proximity to retail outlets. On my days off from work, checking out the shops is something to do or somewhere to meet family and friends under cover in cold weather.

Having the time to really mull over my potential purchases with a month lag time has helped to clarify needs versus wants. I am confident in my need for a new purse as my old one is officially shabby and busted. So when August comes around, I won't feel any guilt in purchasing a new one. Do I need to test out a potential dupe for Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder? Probs not critical. Why don't I save my money for the real deal?

Clearing

I’ve managed to list and sell a bunch of items on Gumtree and eBay and donate a few big bags to Savers. This has given me greater visibility on my wardobe and helped me really identify the gaps. I've also decided not to buy any more cold-weather items and focus on transseasonal pieces so I don't arrive into Spring and be all "I have nothing, therefore I must BUY ALL THE SPRING THINGS."

I've given up on trading due to too many dealings with people who aren't firmly grounded in reality, however Stacie (@indigo_daydream) is doing very well out of it. So it's possible to succeed if you have the patience.

Redirecting

I've identified lunch time on my work days as a vulnerable time so I've tried to steer clear of temptation. Instead of walking through the Mall, I might take a walk along the river. I've picked up a tai chi ballet class on Fridays that I'm really enjoying. On my non-work days, my daughter and I enjoy some at-home time in front of the fire with books and toys and TV. And new camera effect apps on the iPhone.

Happily I haven't redirected my free time into eating. Yet.

Gifting

I participated in the Sisterhood of The Travelling Gift gift exchange and sent off my parcel to Leanne this week. A day later, I received my gift from Erin, which was amazing!! Check out all the lovely and pretty and thoughtful things! So that was a lovely buzz that didn't involve me shopping for myself.








17 days down, 14 to go.

As an aside, I may or may not have been interviewed by a major publication about No Buy July. 

More on that as it comes to hand.

So I was all fired up to tackle No-Buy July like it was some kind of 31-day famine (which, essentially, it kind of is) and totally knuckle down to the task of not buying clothes, shoes, accessories and non-essential beauty items.

Guess what. I failed within the first 8 hours.

Not even joking.

Here's the story though, and hopefully you'll cut me a break on it.

I had signed up to do a free pilates class offered at lunchtime on Wednesday, 1 July and I was most excited and keen to get started. After the usual morning drama of getting Miss L up and ready for daycare, whereupon she generally wails and clings to me like a limpet, I detached her, sped home, snatched up my handbag and made the bus with seconds to spare.

It wasn't until I got off the bus in town that I realised I had forgotten my gym bag.

DOOM.

What to do. 

You know what to do.

Head down to Kmart (which mercifully opens at 7.30am in the city) and grab a few items to allow me to undertake the class as planned during the free trial week. 

So here's my No-Buy July buy:

Short-sleeve print top - $8 Singlet - $2 Leggings - $7 Not pictured - 3 pack of crew socks - $3

Luckily, pilates doesn't require shoes and I had a pair of casual loafers in my work shoe collection that I could wear to walk there that didn't look ridiculous. 

As you can see, the above outfit cost me a very reasonable $20 and when I was explaining my fail to my friend Lindell, she suggested offsetting the expenditure with a donation to charity. Luckily, a guy from the Alannah and Madeline Foundation came a-knocking at my door the next day and I was able to help him out a little. Not quite to the "between $30-$1280" (!) tune he was hoping for but help nonetheless.

I've also had to buy a couple of gifts, one for my Sisterhood of the Travelling Gift sister (a fun gift exchange project hosted by Fashionista in Surburbia, Icadoo and A Quirky Bird) and a <$5 lucky dip for our Christmas in July work function. 

It's been difficult to avoid the shops, email alerts and general internet advertising of awesome sales and bargains. Sure, No-Buy July rhymes but it's a REALLY DUMB TIME TO NOT BE SHOPPING. I feel like I'm losing money by missing out on the sales. 

Maybe next year I'll go for NoSpenderSeptember.

Are you participating in No-Buy July? How are you tracking?

You may have picked up a recurring theme here at Almost Posh; I don't mind engaging in a bit of shopping activity from time to time.

As recently pointed out in 6 Ways To Being Better With Your Bucks, this is not a habit that aligns itself well to my part-time budget and current status in life as a mortgage-paying parent who springs for daycare twice a week and has such mundane expenses as eating, council rates and nappies.

Mica from Away From The Blue mentioned she was thinking of giving the No-Buy July challenge a go, which made me wonder if I could commit myself to it*. 

Could I??

But I like things and stuff!! What to do??

Trading

"Are you a size 7.5? OMG ME TOO!!"

Enter the sustainable and ethically responsible world of trading.

My friend Stacie recently added me to the TRADE*LAIDE group on Facebook where people are busily trading all manner of items they don't want or need for things that they do.

I listed my old Kindle DX and got loads of offers. I ended up with clothes, accessories and even a spinning toy top for Miss L.

For a bottle of wine, I am pending receipt of some snazzy leopard-print Top Shop sneakers.

Since no money is changing hands, it's not buying at all. IT'S TRADING. You should see if there's an FB group in your area. People seem to like fruit and veg (organic), baked goods and other food (vegan) as well as art, musical intruments, services like sewing and are willing to trade fun stuff for them.

You may have to pick through multiple posts of people whose expectations of value don't align with yours and there may be trade requests for organically-grown items of questionable legality but if you can look past that, you might get yourself some decent deals. 

Cleaning Out

"After" shot of my wardrobe. Lolz. [image credit]

Instead of adding to the stash, I plan to do some massive wardrobe editing; including shoes, accessories and jewellery to allow better visibility and identify potential gaps to fill when August arrives. Do I need a large and varied selection of "slop around the house" clothes? No, I do not. Can I maybe list some of the better stuff on eBay to bank in PayPal for August? Yes, I could. 

Cashing In

Illustrative purposes . . . we have a trailer and wheelie bins [image credit]

I am lucky enough to live in South Australia, where we have had a very sensible Container Deposit Scheme for the last 30 years, whereupon we get a 10 cent refund on cans and bottles. Our collection is at the point where it's bankable, which will net a healthy cash return . . . that in turn will probably be spent on things that come in bottles. It's also all environmentally responsible too. Up to 85% of cans and bottles in South Australia are recycled. We don't have plastic bags at the supermarkets either. Go SA!

Gift Cards, Store Credits and Vouchers

In case of emergency, I have a few things of this nature chilling that I can pull out if I really need a retail buzz, including Savers vouchers, store credit at SWOP, a quarterly Priceline voucher and even a Harvey Norman gift card. Okay, technically, it's still BUYING but it's not strictly speaking SPENDING. And only in an emergency. It's like shopping methadone. #selfenabler

Will you be giving #NoBuyJuly15 a go? What would you find hardest to stop buying? 

* obvs does not apply to groceries, petrol and basic living needs like lunch