@conmama ,a plastic surgeon told me he puts glycolic acid on his face every day. He uses a prescription strength though.
@conmama, I have that lotion on the recommendation of Angie. Haven’t used it long enough to know if it will work or not. It is a little sticky feeling but the sticky sensation goes away quickly and you can dress right away. I can’t weigh in on whether you should buy it now, in March or not at all but, if you are going to, I’d google it as it is available for less than through the link you posted.
@doschicos, Angie (hot and flashy) very, very rarely benefits from the products she recommends and, when she does, she’s very up front about it. I suppose she could be deceiving her viewers and maybe I’m being naive but, after watching the number of her videos I have, I have chosen to believe her.
Day 5 and, so far, I’ve yet to buy anything that falls into my “mindless spending” definition. I unsubscribed from numerous lists, haven’t gone to my favorite sites to just see what’s there and haven’t been on slickdeals. I do have a return at Nordstrom Rack that I’ll be making tomorrow. I’m hoping i can just go straight to the register, make my return and walk right back out!
I really like this thread and said that I’m going to be more mindful this month, too, but we’ve been living in a hotel in Dublin since the beginning of January and have no reason to buy anything other than eating out twice a day which is mostly covered by my husband’s per diem (he’s working here on a project). I took out all of our receipts last night to help DH with his expense report. After removing all meal, transportation, and laundry receipts (covered by his company), I was left with personal receipts for:
Several tours (experiences)
One tube of toothpaste (we ran out)
One tee-shirt from the Guinness storehouse (21st BD gift for son)
One pair of earrings (gift for my mom)
Two skeins of Irish wool (I spend some of my time here crocheting)
That’s it. The euro is against us, about $1.25 to 1.00, so I’m not inclined to buy anything if I don’t have to. I’m hoping that I can keep this up when we get home. Our biggest downfall at home is alcohol (DH belongs to a wine and spirits club), food (both grocery and restaurants) and, of course, DH’s Amazon habit over which I have no control. We won’t be back home unti the end of this month, so I will have to use March as my true trial month. I hope this thread continues.
@Dietz , how long have you been using the lotion. I think Angie said she used it for 6 months to show results. I have purchased 3 skincare items she uses and I can tell a difference after 3 months. The little bitty wrinkles starting to form above my upper lip are gone. The small ones around my eyes are so much better. My face looks clearer and smoother.
She does get a kickback from a Timeless and is upfront about it. I believe the pro deuces work, but what she does that I don’t like like is tell you to use more than you need. I’ve noticed in more recent videos when she’s done another review of the products, sometimes it’s 30 to 40% more to use each day nor evening than before.
She has a before and after on her elbows and knees of this lotion and I’m impressed. @collage1 , how long have you been using yours?
^^. Admittedly I haven’t been using it as regularly as suggested. Mainly due to the sticky feeling. I’ll finish the bottle and then return to my Aveeno.
Momentary tangent…I have started using this product https://www.beautylish.com/s/the-ordinary-100-plant-derived-squalane and LOVE it. Love the company, love their pricing and they have great reviews. I use this on the back of my hands and my face.
@conmama, I’ve only been using the lotion about a month and probably every other day. So I need to become more compliant. Sorry for continuing the tangent but I’ve not noticed the issue about how much of a product she uses but I’ll pay more attention to that…I will say that she often doesn’t reference the place that’s least expensive. As they say, google is your friend.
I am trying to live within the spirit of this thread, and I can ant claim perfection, but I do try to think about needs vs wants, and not just waste money. For example, if I buy more black pants, I will need to get rid of some, unless size is an issue. I am not buying just because something is on sale, unless it’s something I will definitely use (like when staples go on coupon at Costco). We do go out a lot, and we take nice vacations, without worrying too much about cost. I am thinking of cooking in more, but I’m not giving up travels. We decided we are taking more trips now, even if it means working a little longer.
But it’s not a needed purchase, yet. It’s possible that over the month of February she will find she doesn’t want it at all, an outcome not possible if it is bought now.
This is not deferring the purchase of toilet paper or laundry detergent.
I opened an email from REI today advertising a new Patagonia jacket that stuffs into its pocket. I like the concept of a warm jacket that stuffs small but I don’t need it. Without this thread I would have contemplated buying even though it’s expensive. After thinking about it I came to the conclusion I live in California and I don’t have any trips planned to a cold location or any camping trips on the horizon. I own a Patagonia down jacket and a Marmot alternative down jacket. What I need is a down vest as my kid took mine home with her.
I think the biggest insight from rethinking purchases is that many of the items will still be available if at some point I need them. I have no reason to have to have them now.
One thing I am trying to think about.
People used to blog because they wanted to write about and share their lives or some subject they were very interested in. Now they are called influencers. It’s marketing https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influencer_marketing
So is it something I need or is it something an influencer is telling me I need?
Had to go to Home Depot tonight. We had a few shop lights that broke in the basement so replaced them.
I don’t really feel that shop lights are mine anyways. 
I don’t think necessary home maintenance qualifies as a “want”, but a “need”!
This is really working for me. I’ve been thinking twice and not online shopping. I was ready for this plan.
@deb922: I think you are an influencer with this thread.
Decluttering and tossing items in the donation box is working well to support a spending freeze this February.
I worked on some closets Sunday and Monday. When you’ve got extra space, it’s easy to just forget about what you already have!
Yikes.
Wanted to ask whether or not wine is a need or a want. We drink a glass of wine each night with dinner (not expensive stuff), so I consider it in the same category as groceries and toiletries?
^ @kiddie there are health benefits to a glass of wine each night, so I’d say same as groceries.
But of course, it depends on whether your glass is 6 ounces or 16 ounces…
And how much you spend per bottle! 
A glass of wine has 100-150 more calories than a glass of water. We reserve our vino for weekends. That way, we can drink Rombauer and Mark Ryan without worrying too much about weight or $$.
If I apply that rule to food - lobster and filet mignon don’t count as groceries - only hot dogs and tuna fish.