How do you afford your MAC addiction?

[Meliss1026]

I'm 18 and I just graduated high school and I'm currently going to cosmetology school. I work as an assistant at my parent's hair salons and I make pretty good money doing that. I still live at home so I really have no bills to pay since my parents pay for my cell phone bill and my car insurance since I bought and paid for my own car.

Some months I spend anywhere between $100-300 on MAC and others its less than 100, it just varies a lot and depends on when I need things. Today I went to see the new collection, and only ended up buying 2 shadows from it and one from the perm. collection. I wasn't too impressed with it. So hopefully, I can start cutting back on MAC LE collections and start saving more $$ for make-up school next year =)

 

[stefunnie]

I'm currently 19 & turning 20 in a few weeks. I'm a jobless college student mainly because my parents won't let me get a job. They just want me to focus on my school work and not stress about working. My parents owns a restaurant and I help them out every once in awhile. I usually help out whenever a few of the workers decides to pull a "no show" to work. I don't get paid when I go help though, but my parents never question what I spend my money on & how much I spend. So I'm enjoying it while it lasts, my parents are my fundings to everything. My monthly spending on MAC alone usually is either a little under $500 or a little over. Depending on how often I actually go shopping, but about half of the amount goes towards friends that I have. Most of my friends can't afford MAC so I give them gifts here and there from brushes to eye shadows.

 

[CrouchingAfroHiddenPick]

I have an ok paying job gor the area of the states that I live in! I used to live on my own but due to health problems, I had to move back in with my family( which would give me more money, you think, but I have pesky medical bills)! When I lived alone, depending on how much money I had, I would splurge on mac! When money was tight, I would cut corners, be as cost effective as possible and more discriminating in what I would buy from each collection. I would also sell the make up I don't use/or looks unflatterering on me! Like right now, money is kinda tight and I saw nothing from Technicolor that super impressed me so I passed. As for how much I actually spend, I would say on average, 30 to 70 dollars monthly!

 

[YvetteJeannine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raerae What do you mean he "lets" you?

Um, yeah

....It was sarcasm...hence the quote on "lets".

I was just saying that he's a REALLLLLY good sport 'bout the whole thing. I've seen a lot of husbands/b/f's etc. that aren't nearly as ahem...shall we say accomodating as my Matthew has been...Taking me to the counter every new collection...Looking on the sites w/ me...Helping me pick stuff out...Anyway....yeah...that's what I meant.

 

[stefunnie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YvetteJeannine Taking me to the counter every new collection...Looking on the sites w/ me...Helping me pick stuff out..

i need a bf like your guy!!

 

[joraye]

I work in IT. I used to have a internship with NASA on campus, but I just quit Friday, and taking a break from school so I can start my new job next Monday. It's a $5/hour increase from what I was getting, plus I can get overtime and bonuses, and benefits starting day one! Much better than my internship, but I will miss it.

That's where most of my stuff comes from, just working. But I also have a brand new car that I haven't made a payment on but I will start on in September. It's my freaking dream car (for what i could afford) so I'm not upset. Plus, I eliminated my rent now, so I should be able to stay at the same MAC spending level (car payment and rent are about the same....) which is anywhere from $50 to $200 a month.

Plus, the b/f helps out alot when I'm feeling blue!

 

[giz2000]

I buy when I freelance (becaues that's usually when I go to the counter -other than that, you couldn't catch me at the mall!)...my husband tells me that it costs more for me to take a freelance shift than what I actually get paid doing it!

I don't buy that much anymore because of the massive spree I had at the PRO store on my last day at counter....and I trade products with my girls at the counters.

 

[MelodyKat]

I work there. The thing that cracks me up is that even though we get free stuff I am still at the MAC store dropping $100 a month on "basics". Its funny because every MA at my counter used to buy tons before working there too. I remember going to each event and scrounging my cash before working there too just to buy stuff from each new collection.

 

[mzcelaneous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YvetteJeannine[B I was just saying that he's a REALLLLLY good sport 'bout the whole thing. I've seen a lot of husbands/b/f's etc. that aren't nearly as ahem...shall we say accomodating as my Matthew has been...Taking me to the counter every new collection...Looking on the sites w/ me...Helping me pick stuff out...Anyway....yeah...that's what I meant.[/b]

Do you mind asking your Matthew to give my Matthew some tips on coming with me? Hehe.

 

[booters78]

its so fun to read what other people do. well what i do: I have a really great husband that pays all the bill's and i work for him so i get a paycheck,allowance, whatever its called.but right now i am trying to keep myself to an allowance for my mac because in the past months i have been spending like mad.i am trying to keep it to $300 a month but that is hard because i also consider eyebrow waxing and spa treatments in that, so we will see.

 

[Jaim]

I work and save a lot and my boyfriend buys me things now and then because he's cute. Haha.

 

[YvetteJeannine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mzcelaneous Do you mind asking your Matthew to give my Matthew some tips on coming with me? Hehe.

:nod:

 

[meihwa]

I work 3 jobs to support my lifestyle. I am single, just got rid of a high maintenance boyfriend, and it makes life sooooo much easier to feed my MAC addiction and to do what makes me happy!!!

 

[XxTinker_BellxX]

Hahah, Its nice to see how everyone can afford their addiction. I always wonder when i see people's collections. Hmm, As for me, As of this last month i am a working ( two jobs ) college student... who now has no time for anything. I decided to live on my own with my b/f so money i make goes to bills or to starting my new home. But before.... sadly enough i had money saved in the bank and would sometimes spend a "little" on myself. But .. i have a wonderful bestfriend now turned boyfriend who is the greatest when it comes to MAC. He absolutely despises m/u but he knows it makes me happy so he takes me to the counter and buys and buys and buys and when i say enough ... he buys more. Niether of us make alot of money but somehow he always manages to buy at least 100+ for me when we go. I always feel bad but he said he knows it makes me happy.... so in other words... my darling b/f affords it for me. And yep(!!!!!!!) He goes with me and helps pick it out too!!!!!!!!

 

[beckasings]

Well I have a PPID 30% discount because I'm an actor, and I need make up for my job. (I can also write some of it off every year... not ALL of it because I buy so much, but some and it helps.

)

I don't make a ton as an actor (occasionally some great cash from a commercial, but I do mostly theatre and that doesn't pay that well) - I also teach yoga part time and that is some of my fun money.

I also take advantage of B2M when I can, try not to purchase on impulse (I plan my hauls!), and I swap on MUA for a lot of stuff. That helps too!

 

[Cocktail_party]

I'm a university student working part-time and living at home with my parents. I pay for pretty much everything MAC-related on my own (I don't have a boyfriend) with the occassional present from mom, heehee. I guess you could say I put aside a little of every paycheque for MAC, but I don't actually go out of my way to save a predetermined amount of money for it. I usually only spend about $40-$60 a month (2 eyeshadows and a lip gloss for example) and that's only when there are things that I'd really like to get from a collection. Other times, such as the past July when there weren't too many things on my wishlist, the total only comes up to maybe $35. In other words, I spend on what I want and I usually just wing it if I see something I like, I don't necessarily "save" for it.

 

[Cool Kitten]

i'm a pharmacist and my husband is a VP for a large marketing company, so we do very well financially- no kids yet so we spend whatever we want on ourselves.
I still pick and chose what i buy though just to make sure i actually use everything i get and not just "accumulate".

 

[YvetteJeannine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meihwa I work 3 jobs to support my lifestyle. I am single, just got rid of a high maintenance boyfriend, and it makes life sooooo much easier to feed my MAC addiction and to do what makes me happy!!!

Good for you!!!!

Isn't it nice to be rid of someone whom leeches off of you

and sucks the life outta you!?!

 

[mzcelaneous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YvetteJeannine :nod:

My DF just glanced over on my screen a few seconds ago and said "You're on Specktra again?! STILL discussing make-up?". LOL. When can your hubby talk some sense into him??? Hehe

 

[MissRani]

Easy. Get a job there.

But seriously, even before I began working for MAC, I bought myself anything and everything I want'd.. I never look'd at price, never thought at what my credit card bill would look like.. make up is one of my only vices and we're all entitl'd to indulging in a sin without feeling guilty. As far as my (health) and skin goes, there is no price tag affix'd to looking hot.

I pretty much own everything I want, from both pro and the regular line (I work at the pro store), I just pick up new stuff from time to time...