Stockpiling

Reading the posts about stockpiling beauty products forced me to look at my stash. It's absolutely ridiculous - the result of too many TSVs. It will probably take me about two years to work through my stockpile. No more purchases until they're done. On the plus side, I won't need to spend any money on products for a very long time! Would love to hear all of your TSV avoidance tactics. This forum is helping me immensely.

Only 2 years...I'm not sure I'll live long enough to wade through mine :wonder:

I go thru phases where this forum stops me buying more...but then we get advance notice of TSVs and OTO thanks to Sazza, SCW and others and I weaken!

Thank goodness for ebay when I come to my senses and realise I have overdone it again!

Jude xx

I have posted this before, so sorry if you already know/read this but paying by cheque is your friend. When they ask "do you want to pay with your card on file" reply "no I would like to pay by cheque please."

It gives you a chance to calm down and really think about your purchase before you part with your money. I then either go on line and change the payment method to my debit card or dust off my cheque book. Also use your debit card as apposed to your credit card. I have had to learn the hard way, if you don't have the money in the bank then you can't really afford it. This has really worked for me, I hope it helps others.

This is going to sound obsessive compulsive but the way I control my spending is like this.

I have 3 lists. First is a list of what beauty products I actually need to buy and I am ruthless about what goes on it. I don't put "moisturiser" on it until I've only got about 10 days worth of moisturiser left and no spares in the cupboard. It is a short list because I have a bit of a stockpile.

Secondly I have a list of products I know work for me and which I will only buy if I have enough money left at the end of the month, things like Decleor face oils or hair masques, the "extras" if you like. I work my way through this slowly and only if I can truly afford it.

Lastly I have my wish list. I put down things I'd like to try, that I've seen demoed or read reviews on. I use this as birthday present suggestions for people (I'll be lucky) or if I just HAVE to treat myself - at least then I can be sure that what I'm buying isn't an impulse buy, it's something I have wanted for ages.

My rule is that if something comes on QVC that wasn't already on lists 1 or 2 I don't let myself buy it under any circumstances but I am allowed to put it on list 3. It helps me avoid the TSV impulse scenario anyway.

Not sure if this is useful for others or if it just shows up my Control Issues. :doh:

Thanks, RedRose. That's a method worth trying. :up:

Akimbo said:

Only 2 years...I'm not sure I'll live long enough to wade through mine :wonder:

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Ditto ........ I went 'ordering crazy' when I first got Freeview. :blush: I've got enough stockpiled beauty products, shower stuff and make up now to set up a stall to rival Boots. Oh, and a stockpile of Yankee candles, tarts, scented tealights and votives.

Luckily, steered in the right direction by this forum I no longer fall for any sales banter or hype and when I order something now it's an item I've used before and need to replace. Perhaps I should try opening the copious amounts of unopened goods in my stash and using those before ordering anything else, but somehow that never happens.

Maybe one day ................. :wink:

I stopped stockpiling from QVC when I lost my job in December 2008. I now wait for Christmas and birthdays to ask MrM for cosmetics and he usually buys me enough for another stockpile which I'm currently working my way through. I've had a few temp jobs that have meant I could buy myself beauty products but haven't spent anywhere near as much as I used to and have finally come to my senses that even if the TSV is great value what is the point in paying for it for only one or two items that I want. I now wait and buy the items I really want individually.

it was illness, redundancy and this forum that calmed me down, TSVs don't do it for me anymore as it is just more clutter to get a couple of things that I really want. Redrose, I really like your triple list system and think I might try that as it seems a good way of making me think long and hard about what I need. I have just gone back to work after a long period of ill health and am a bit worried that I am just going to fritter my wages away on a lot of silly stuff as I have had to be so careful about money for ages . Really do not want to get back into my old ways.....qcut was like the crack cocaine of shopping for me!!

so many of the beauty products skincare on paticular are so loaded with fragrances and spot inducing essential oils that upset my skin that i dont stockpile on them anymore.

now the l'occitane range is absolutely addictive but i buy most of the tsv's (not all) and sometimes wait until the kits are older and then buy them as needed not just cos its a tsv..

I am reformed but it did get stupid at some point, especially when Molton Brown was on, I could have bathed the whole country and still had stuff to spare! I no longer fall for Alison Young's hype over anti aging stuff that doesn't do the job, nor do I pay high prices for cosmetics, I rediscovered the high street brands and so far my face hasn't fallen apart. I did buy two of the Gatineau TSV's at xmas because I use it all the time, and I don't buy kits with cleaners in.

I have to get my craft spending under controll before I have to move out of my house to make room for it!

boffy said:

so many of the beauty products skincare on paticular are so loaded with fragrances and spot inducing essential oils that upset my skin that i dont stockpile on them anymore.

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:hi: Ditto for me Boffy. Fragrance, essential oils, PEGS, silicones, mineral oil, Propylene glycol, Avobenzone ...almost all the skincare I've ever ordered from QVC has a few of these in - and I don't want them!

Over the last decade I've tried a few things from pretty much every skincare regime at QVC except for Perricone, Judith Williams and Prai - but now I've stopped buying skincare from QVC. (Unless they do a particularly amazing A'kin bargain. :sun

I'd like QVC to put ingredients lists on the website, and I'd like manufacturers to do ingredients lists like Nude do where next to the ingredient they says what it is - essential oil, preservative etc. It would help restore my lost trust and save me a lot of googling time.

*dismounts hobby horse*

I like your plan RedRose. :heart: :up:

We have a "buy freely when bargainous" list for items that we use up regularly and love. I just put some A'kin shower gels in the (currently tiny) stockpile for that reason. They were almost half price in Clearance. :mysmilie_14:

Then there's a limited amount of money a month which I can spend on me - clothes, magazines, books, beauty treatments, jewellery - whatever. It's enough for about two beauty TSVs a month so long as I do all my beauty treatments myself at home, get my reading matter from the library, and don't buy any clothes or jewellery. Last month I spent it on the MyFace TSV, Instyle magazine with free Nails Inc Mink nail polish, and about £45 worth of Jemma Kidd. (The Myface TSV may well be going back though. :headbang

And I have a long Birthday/ Christmas / Mothers Day / Easter list with all kinds of frivolous stuff on it for other people to buy me!

I've been operating pretty much on that system since I realised that my stockpile was insane. I've had stricter limits, and less strict limits, and where I am now works for me. I feel as if I am in control, but not restricted. I just have to choose either/or.

I really enjoy the transformational power of make up, I love trying all the new stuff that comes out, and making up myself, my friends and my family.

I'm too old and have too many figure flaws to feel comfortable in the latest fashions clothing-wise but I can keep up to date with make up. My eyeliner never makes me feel fat. :grin:

When I can't buy anything it makes me want to buy everything! Having the flexibility to try anything I want so long as I am prepared to go without something else works for me.

There's a certain little thread over in The Drop on the Whatever You Want board for anybody who wants support managing their spending. :wink: Loveheart & Co do sterling work talking people out of purchases.

I wouldn't have it under control without them. (Thanks Guys :heart

(mum writes)

I did well for a few weeks, due to not having money (Thank goodness I don't have a credit card after stopping work due to ill health) but I've been on a bit of a binge just lately. I worry that stuff I've stockpiled will end up going off in the cupboard and so I end up giving a lot of it away. I'm sure family members are fed up receiving "smellies" for Christmases and Birthdays. I have a feeling that most of what the postman is currently lugging up the stairs will end up going back and then I'll receive another Letter!

Now my son makes sure that items go into the website basket before I buy. More often than not, once the 30 minutes period is coming to an end, I've changed my mind or forgotten about it altogether! It really works for me.

I've been lucky in that the TSVs for products I love (OPI, Ojon, Lola Rose, Kipling, Honora) haven't sparked my interest - just being OK isn't enough for me to buy them, I have to be desperate to get my mitts on them! (the Sugar and Spice Honora bracelets def fell into that category).

I don't buy skin creams from QVC so I can avoid that temptation but nail polish has been my biggest weakness - I must have got about 50 in the last year. So now I have written down exactly what I have (and the amount!) to remind me not to buy further - I promised myself that the Leighton Denny TSV was going to be absolutely the last splurge and no more polishes afterwards as I cannot justify buying anymore as there is no colour I don't have LOL.

Been watching the Honora shows but since I had to shell out £200 at the weekend for vet bills I can't even think about buying anything!!!!

I simply don't watch as much as I used to.

I also limit myself to £40 a month - and once this is gone..............well its gone - although theres really been nothing to tempt me lately - and its nice keeping my £40,in case I see something in the "dreaded high steeet"

Looking on here to see any info on tsv's does help.It helps me to think and really focus to see if I really want it.For instance I love birkenstocks.the last 2 tsv's haven't been for me - I was given the info on them,on this forum - knew I didn't want them - so I didn't even tune in to qvc on those days - whereas I might have waited up - seen they weren't for me - but watched the reast of the shows and bought something else instead.Having no interest in qvc that day,made me keep my money!

I also tell myself that qvc is actually not good value these days.TSV's are normally only a saving of about a fiver - so I'm not really saving that much by buying it on that day.I tell myself,I'll wait and read the reviews - and actually within a couple of days,I've forgotton all about it.

Its taken me a while (ok years) to realise - that qvc is a habit.If you watch endlessely - you do get sucked into their world - and if I went out shopping everyday - of course they are things I would want.Watching qvc everyday,as I used to - theres always gonna be something I want to buy - and I used to sit on my settee,thinking,well I'll just try this and that - its all very easy.

I still like QVc and still enjoy watching it - but I don't do it every day for long periods like I used to.I don't tune in for my fave shows - kipling,birkenstock,tiana b,bobbi brown,jewellery - simply because I don't want to spend.What I don't know about,I can't buy!!! And the thing is with QVC,you're never really missing out - because theres always something else you want around the corner!!

HI everyone - first time poster, loooong time lurker, just felt the urge to join in re this thread. I have just stopped myself buying a Bobbi Brown eyeliner duo (with brush, no less), even though I don't even like one of the shades. And I need an eyeliner brush like the proverbial hole in the head. And another eyeliner? So I wanted to say thanks for your common sense, glad I'm not the only one who can't move indoors for random sets of 'stuff' that I convince myself I'll use one day. I didn't even buy the Ojon TSV, not my hair type.....and I bought the litre sizes of the Ultra Hydrating not too long ago. but I did get a supersize mist. so I'm not completely cured!! So thank you ladies and gents. I'm £30 better off....wonder what I can treat myself to?!!

I'm loving all of your 'avoidance' tips. I've often found TSV's arrive and had to give myslef a good talking to! When I am tempted by one I ask myself 'would I pay the non tsv price for it, inlcuding postage'. Even though it may only be a few £ difference it gives me a bit of a reality check. I also do what was suggested about putting items in basket and going back to it within half hour. If I'm unsure then that 'cooling off' time helps (There's a Mario De Luige set in my basket right now - someone tell me not to do it!)

Think most of us have 'seen the light'! I used to be tempted by many more TSV's than now ( have just ordered the Ojon!) I usually look at what I want in the TSV & then the items I am not bothered about.If the latter is greater then I don't bother, it's just not a 'bargain'.I also think can I get into a shop & buy without the P&P?I go into the L'Occitanne shop & walk out without buying--but on QVC I would be pressing the 'Add to cart' button!maybe the QVC customer is more savvy than we give ourselves credit for?I laughed & laughed at the post some time ago when someone's OH was nearly knocked out bt her stockpile falling out of the spare wardrobe!!!

Thankfully, my stockpile is getting smaller too. I have fallen out of love with Liz Earle, so can stop going for every TSV. I love A'kin, but thankfully buy it much cheaper elsewhere, and with no P&P.

My one real weakness is Laura Geller - whenever she has a TSV containing balance and brighten, I just can't help but buy two or more! I reason with myself that I am paying only a bit more then what the BnB would be by itself, and getting so much more. This would be fine, but despite using it nearly every day, a BnB seems to last well over 6 months!

I have not bought the last few L'occitane TSVs, as they seemed to contain the shea body lotion, which I don't really like. I think I will limit myself to a L'O TSV every Christmas.

Thank goodness I don't paint my nails, or obsess about my hair, so it is pretty much make-up and skin care that is a vice for me. I have also stopped coveting diamoneeeek, alkthough I did buy Tova's gorgeous TSV ring, and love it.

My stock pile now fits into one very large shelf in my bedroom cupboard, and I am really trying to do a little bit of pampering every day, and a proper pamper session on Sundays, so that I enjoy the bloomin stuff!

My Mum had a stockpile that beggard belief! But she too has seen the light and is working through her stash. On a slightly controversial note, I did have a bit of a stockpile and it has come in really useful when times have been lean, ie having something in the cupboard I could give as a present, running out of cleanser and having no money to buy any more etc. So I don't feel so bad to stock up when times are good. I know some would say put the money in the bank and save it up. But I know the kids would need something desperately or an unexpected big bill would come in and I would have nothing left in the kitty for me! Or am I just deluding myself again. I do always make sure the bills are paid and all the family are sorted before I indulge.

I did wonder if my habit is because skin care, nail polish and make up doesn't make you feel fat in the same way clothes shopping can. I know it does for me and I am a 12/14 and if the shop is a silly designer shop a 16:headbang:

have really enjoyed reading your posts - thanks to you all. I packed up work when I was 55, so for five years, till I hit 60, I had no money of my own so my QVC habit had to stop. I just stopped watching it, nothing else I could do. But then I started drawing my state pension almost 3 years ago and the watching and spending has started sloooowly building up again! It's not like spending money is it, that's the prob..pick up the phone, hit the Q-Cut buttons and away you go! Like many of you I have a stockpile of stuff, in my case it's cleansing and moisturising kits..! I quite enjoy the being able to chop & change and think oh tonight I'll use my Liz Earle/Decleor/Gatineau. But recently discovered Boots Botanicals range which are cheap & cheerful but they do work well. And last week in Wilkos I saw a new brand in nice bright pink packaging (a definite draw!) and tried the eye cream - well £2.97 I think so worth a try..I find it's working well, so maybe I won't need the Gale Hayman in future..?! My other weakness is silver Diamonique - I have so many rings, but because I piled on weight when I hit the menopause I can't wear them any more...boo hoo! I think that reading that other people have the same problems is a great help so we must all support each other...!!