We are now mid through the third month since GST first implemented into our lives. Before that there has been a lot of ranting on how the burden of GST will affect our life. I spoke to numerous foreigners working in Malaysia on this matter. To them GST 6% is nothing and that we are too paranoid about it. I don’t blame us. I mean, it is our first time. For sure there will be lots of hoo-ha everywhere. Unfortunately for us beauty enthusiasts, beauty products falls under taxable category. I was told that Sephora was so crowded on the day before the 1st Apr GST implementation 😀 . Are you one of them who did last minute shopping at Sephora? I didn’t and I don’t regret any of it. In fact I did not stock up any of my beauty products at all. Frankly speaking I can foresee GST affecting every other expenses in my life but not beauty products. Someone asked me before. Will I spend lesser on beauty products after GST? The answer is NO. I believe a beauty enthusiast will still buy something she want no matter GST or not. So, does GST affect your beauty spending?
3 Types of Shopping Itch
Like it or not, there are three types of shopping itch.
- The one that want to grab all the latest products in the market.
- The one that buy for the sake of buying. Stress or addiction maybe?
- The one that like to use only new products.
The one that want to grab all the latest products in the market
I certainly did not fall under this category, not last time and definitely not now that I’m income-less 😛 . I remember I am only into everything new from Clarins skincare line but that didn’t last long. I fell off the “everything new” bandwagon and got over it. In fact I find that buying much later than everyone else has more advantage too. There are promotions, GWPs or even discounts. So I don’t buy everything fresh out anymore.
The one that buy for the sake of buying
I think there is one period of time I’m just buying for the sake of buying. I like the feeling to be able to pay and bag something home. It’s an addiction I believe and thank goodness I wasn’t long on the bandwagon as well. One bad thing about me which turns to be good for this situation is that I get bored very fast 😀
The one that like to use only new products
There are girls who like to buy and use what they bought immediately, forgetting what they have in the stash. Then the process repeated. Don’t laugh. There is this unexplainable joy to opening up a brand new eyeshadow palette or a brand new blush and the list goes on. I know I love this feeling 🙂 .
If your answer to my earlier question is that GST really does change the way you spend especially on beauty products and you are DYING ITCHING to get rid of the shopping itch, here are 2 simple tips that I’m personally practising and it works well on me so far.
Shop from your stock drawer
Come on. Admit it. Every beauty enthusiasts will sure have a whole cabinet or two or three containing all new but nothing new stashed in those drawers. I have 3 cabinets for “new” stocks and they barely fits anything anymore. Ever since I started embarking into entrepreneurship, I started to spend lesser as I have much more important expenses to take care off. Whenever the itch to bag something home from Sephora hit me, I try to think what’s in all my drawer that is similar to that something I want to buy and start searching for it. Then I will happily used it the next day and the itch is gone. It is as simple as that but takes a lot of determination and angels on the shoulder to beat the demons on the other shoulder 🙂
Shop from your stash
Before you come to me and said “hey Fiona, not everyone have the luxury to stock up three cabinets”. Girl, not necessary you need to shop from your unused stash. Shopping from the currently using stash is the best way to finish up all the old products so that you can open up a new one. If you keep opening new ones but forgotten to shop at the ‘currently using’ stash, your stash will grow larger and larger. Recently I started to dig into all the makeup products I had stopped using. It’s interesting what I find and wonder why did I ever stop using. Mainly it’s distraction 😛 . Everytime I have the urge to buy a new foundation, I take a look to the left (that’s where my foundation sits) and it reminded me that I have 10 foundation bottle opened up. The guilt helps too 🙂
How is your beauty spending after GST implementation? What’s your story? 🙂
Get Cash Back From Your Shopping With ShopBack!
I have a secret. I found out about a site that gives me cash back from all my online shopping through Says.my a few months ago. I have been using ShopBack since then and I’m still grinning from ear to ear till today. The total cashback amount you see on the left sidebar is real, not fake. That’s how much I’ve earned from just a few transaction!
What is ShopBack?
ShopBack is a cash back site where you will get rewarded with cash back whenever you click through to any of ShopBack’s listed merchants. Besides that you will also be able to find discounts as well as voucher codes on top of getting a certain percentage cash back from the money spent.
You can choose to navigate to any of the merchant through the site’s listed Hot Daily Deals, from the category tabs or even from the recommended popular stores. You know me. I’m very much into anything beauty so for me ShopBack is THE beauty discounts and cashback site.
WHAT I AM REALLY OVER THE MOON is that Luxola is one of their merchant! When I started using ShopBack a few months ago, the cashback percentage was 6% and now it’s 7%! Once you found the merchant that you want, in my case it’s Luxola, click on it and you will be directed to the merchant deal page like the below. Click on the “Get Cashback” tab.
Then, you will be directed to the merchant website. Login to the online site, shop like normal and you will see the credit in your ShopBack account. ShopBack said the amount will be credited in 2 days time but I usually got it within a few hours. However do take note that the cashback amount may take up to 60 days to turn into “Redeemable” (ready for cash out) as some Merchant Partners may take up to 60 days to confirm, including refunds and returns if any.
So far I’ve used ShopBack for Luxola, Zalora and Agoda. You can also earn cashback from referring your friends to join and use ShopBack 😀 . Payout can be done through transfer to bank account, in my case I used Maybank or you can request for the cashback to be credited into your Paypal account. Again, take note that once you requested for Payout, ShopBack will take up to 7 days to successfully transfer to your account 😀
Now that the cat is out of the bag and you now know my little secret, remember to use ShopBack to click into any of the shopping site to earn cashback 😀
Comments (16)
Hehe, a month before GST started, I was already preparing myself mentally. Personally, I don’t think it has that much of an impact on me as a single, working individual. Household items are pretty much still the same price with all the supermarkets competing with each other and having discounts. Most eateries are still maintaining the same price, kopitiam at most increase by 50 cents per meal?
Beauty wise, because I still have crazy a lot of stuff to finish still, I didn’t go on a crazy pre-GST beauty shopping binge. I think Luxola was having some big sales, so I only bought some stuff that were crazy cheap. I think this GST is actually helping my wallet (beauty wise) because I’ve stopped hoarding new items and just using up what I have. Over the last two months, I realise I’ve saved about 500 bucks from not buying beauty items. >< If I can be a good girl and control myself, I technically don't need to buy skincare or make up until 2017!
That’s smart! I didn’t prepare myself mentally (I wished I have) because I was too concentrated on the work at that time. Yes, household pretty much the same, eateries increased the price a bit and implemented the 6% GST.
Urrggghhh Luxola always have sale. It’s non-stop! I stopped because I don’t have anything to buy anymore. Ever since I stopped buying beauty products, I’ve started to use products from my current stash. It has been quite fulfilling I say. Right before the GST, I was in a shopping withdrawal. Nothing excites me. Shoes, clothes, makeup, skincare…they don’t make me wanna buy. I wasn’t in the mood. So I was in the right track 😉
Uh-ohhh…
I’m the Category 2 type (luckily not Category 3 or I’d sound like I’m some sleazy porn actress… LOL!)
Not only skincare/make-up, but household items as well…
Shop for the sake of buying, retail therapy, hoarder… call it what u want…
But I do have use for them (or so I think!)…
Then after a week or two of online shopping, I’d have this horrified realization that I bought too much..
And then I’d stop for a couple of weeks or so, till the next ‘better’ offer comes along…
In fact, I have a box of stuffs that I bought – Uniqlo, household items, toys, knick-knacks in my office that I dare not bring home for the fear of a backlashing or incurring the wrath of someone for spending indiscriminately (when I still have a few new t-shirts, blouses and skirts at home with their tags still on!) YIKES…
HELP!!!
Don’t worry. I’m also in the category 2 haha! Stress is the biggest contributor 😛 . Like you said, you have use for them. I too only buy things that I know I will use. I think at this age we no longer buy everything but processes more on what’s practical before buying.
Bring home one by one lol. No one will notice 😉
Maybe it’s because of “survival instinct” that I keep buying when I see things that are on discount (Blame the sellers for their tactics!)
I have use for them, but then again, I have others that serve almost the same functions too…
So now, whenever I see something that I fancy on Lazada or those online shops, I’d put them into my cart first. And then, I’d let it be in the cart for a couple of days or more before deciding if I really, really need it. If at that time, the stock has finished, or the price has returned to normal, then I’d “console” myself that it’s “fated”. LOL…
So far, it sort of worked for me, unless if I really need it so badly 😀
I blame the sellers too lol. The sale came one after one OMG. I couldn’t even catch up! Wished money grew on tree 😛
The cart thing works. I used the same tactic for iHerb and Luxola 😛 . You are not alone dear.
Thanks for sharing about the shopback.my thingie…
Initially, I thought it was a farce, but i signed up anyway and made some Groupon purchases and forgot all about it.
And after reading your blog, I decided to check again.
True enough, I have RM6.23 in my account now!
Thanks for ‘confirming’ that this is real and not a scam 😀
Haha not a scam. I bought Daniel Wellington watch from Zalora for RM640, used 20% discount code, paid RM512 and I got RM48 cashback in my ShopBack account 🙂
Sometimes I forgot to click in from ShopBack and missed my cashback :'(
Yup, Category 2 shopper here. I get bored easily too. I tend to shop by themes and when I finally get bored, I stop that theme.
Presently all shopped out at the major retailers/ e-tailers…hunting little Indie experiences now.
Been mostly good lately and other than wanting to indulge a little during the current Bath & Body Works sale or buy a book or two, I’m not looking to add much else to the stash too soon.
High 5^! I shop by themes too. We are the same. Sometimes it’s the candle, sometimes it’s blush, sometimes foundation. Oh gosh the list goes on and on. Since Lovisa sale ended, I stopped at the jewelry theme. I’m a bit obsessed with sports wear shopping now.
Saw that you indulged in BBW. I have yet to go. It’s good that I stay so far away haha. But I really want to get a few candles. They are so cheap! And I heard BBW candle scent will spread throughout the whole house. Not sure if it’s true. The Glasshouse candle you gave me did the same as well.
Omg you r a genius with shopback! I’m going to try it with my next luxola order =p.. Thanks!
I definitely fall into the 2nd and 3rd category, buy for the sake of buying and like to use new products only. I only had a beauty awakening in 2013, previously I only have one mascara, two lipsticks, etc…yea, I was that girl. LOL! I have been so much better since the past 4 months or so, I think I am finally over the crazy obsession and have been shopping my stash and falling in love with lots of stuff.
I was wondering how GST would affect Malaysians in general, my family is bitching about it but like everything else, I think the dust will eventually settles down. Now if only they would increase employees pay too…one can dream, eh? 😉
I was that girl too haha! My staple is only ZA powder foundation to hide acne marks 🙂 . Those days one blush could really hit pan. Now? Don’t see a dent at all lol. I’ve been good with beauty shopping as well. I think perhaps I’ve seen so much that I no longer jump into everything anymore. My brain somehow processes everything before ‘telling’ me to go for it. It could be the age also. Not sure 😛
The GST dust has definitely settled down quite a bit. Like it or not, we have to pay as it’s already included in the bill. That’s right. We have to dream on 😀
Guilty. I shopped at Sephora and departmental stores a week before to stock up all the daily necessities. What I have at home could last me for a good 2 years :). GST alone is not a drastic increase. The product price increase itself is too much.
Woooo! Thank you for the info on Shopback. I will try it soon
Do try it. Never say no to cashback 😉