How do you all afford Mac?

[joytheobscure]

I am currently not supposed to be buying much
:-X I haven't ordered belle azure I have to wait until after the 20th. If you've read sophie kinsella - you can know how I think - :-X. I am a teacher...my hubby is a cop - I am not employed right now but technically until august I'm on vacation - LOL. I'm praying for another teaching job to support mac. I do also love clothes shopping - but have slowed down on that as I discovered I was spending $40 -50 amonth in walmart on crap that I didn't need decided to spend on makeup that I love. I've cut back on toy budget I used to give EVERY last dime to buy just total crap for the kids they do not need that clutters my house up. I used to spend everything on clothes that they ruined and also cluttered because I waaay overdid it on the clothes... the makeup doesn't clutter. So I'm trying to cut back in other areas. I'm getting better at it. I used to think that I had to "keep up" with people over what my kids had... ha.. they do not need high dollar junk all the time (game cube games etc).

OH I also drive a car thats paid for... consolodated my student loans and my house payment is $208 a month. Sooooo that frees up some more disposable income... but I haven't bought mac since the end of may.

boo hoo.

The 20th -21-22 can't come soon enough for this mac addict. I LOVE my new addiction. and I ramble...lol- mac is a bargain compared to other lines too.

 

[joytheobscure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoe Crazy I have a job and make pretty decent money and when I really want something I set the money aside. Granted I know I spend way too much money on makeup and that doesn't just include MAC that includes Sephora as well and whatever drug store junk I pick up as well. I would rather spend my money on makeup then anything else. I have gotten better in managing my money though and buying when its important and not just spending to spend. I have many items I have purchased on impulse and only used a handfull of times so now I only try to purchase items I know I will get the most use out of.

I go through spells on what I spend money on. I think I'm going to cut back and go without satelite TV for a while - plus its better for my kids. My husband is huffy he wants a savings account... I do too... but I'm so not good at saving money. I like walgreens right now. But I'm going to wait for mac.

 

[Onederland]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rouquinne in the grand scheme of the high-end makeup world, MAC is a BARGAIN!!!!

true dat.

 

[mspixieears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonrevel Eh, I have good credit. I know debt is bad, but I had a lot of hard times emotionally when I was younger, and makeup has always been a great antidepressant for me, so I figure better MAC than other things, right?

Plus the side effects are much less hazardous, unless you get into serious debt. Buying makeup used to be a bit of an antidepressant for me too, but I've recently just broke the habit.

I set aside dough every now and then for a semi-decent haul. I guess I don't have anyone dependent upon me, which means more money for me, though my medical bills can be a real killer. Largely because of my long-term illness, I live with my folks who are, give or take a few bad moods and habits, wonderful people, and very generously do not pressure me financially.

I have no right to be depressed; I'm one lucky girl *sad smile*. Damn neurochemistry *shakes fist in anger*.

 

[HotPinkHeels]

i work for Estee Lauder companies (though not for MAC) and so i can get discounted MAC at our staff shop-though the range isn't fantastic. im also a freelance make-up artist so im hoping to get my hands on a PRO card when ive got time to get down into the city.
but having said that im a uni students full time and i work a lot of hours for someone that studies-i see MAC and make-up in general as a reward for fitting so much into my life. Also as some of the other girls mentioned i don't smoke, do drugs or drink all that often so ive got to have one little vice

 

[sher]

I went to college!

Now I have a great job that I love and can afford my MU habit.

 

[Chelsea]

I have a job

 

[Chelsea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rouquinne a NARS blush in Canada costs twice as much as a MAC blush and you get less in a package..

its actually not even $9 more

 

[mrskloo]

My hubby supports me. Gosh, I sound like such a bum. But as Dr. Phil said, being a stay at home mom is like working 2 full time jobs.

He used to work 2 jobs: 1 at a hospital and 1 for the university (that one he could do at home and I did it for him). But since the move, he's decided to take time off until we settle. So I can't buy too much things right now... excpet for the LE things that I want and special occasions like Valentines, Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc. Everything else can wait. That's also why I'm trying to sell some things.

All I have to say is that I've gotten such great stuff on MUA and eBay. So that's where most of my online time goes. Searching for deals, I guess.

We have a bunch of credit card bills to pay but come August, majority of them will be paid off. I paid off my car before we got together, so that has never been an issue. My husband has a moped to go to work and school, so that saves us on gas. That cut our gas from $100+ in half. We now fill up our car every 2 weeks. I just think that's so awesome! The only other thing we really spend money on is eating out and video games for the other half.

I do a lot of budgeting with groceries and general items. Walmart is my best friend.

This was much longer than what I wanted to write with a lot of information that need not be known but I'm too lazy to go through it, again.

 

[glassjaw326]

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiangirl_1117 Quote: Originally Posted by Star I am a kept woman (no seriously, we do alright and my husband knows how much I love buying makeup, and he does like to buy his own toys too!) Ditto! plus I don't go crazy when I do buy stuff, a couple of things here and there. And he's a smart man--he buys me MAC for Christmas and birthdays, w00t!

My bf is smart also, he buys me mac gc's for christmas, valentines, and b-days i love him! I work at a record label f/t and then at sephora on saturdays. so i usually spend whatever money from sephora on mac which is right downstairs from us! my collection is slowly growing!

 

[rouquinne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelsea Quote: Originally Posted by rouquinne a NARS blush in Canada costs twice as much as a MAC blush and you get less in a package.. its actually not even $9 more

$10 more now.


last time i bought a NARS blush - it was $28 Cdn compared to $16 - at the time - for MAC. okay, not double, but pretty darn close.

now it's $20 for MAC and $30 for NARS!

and the truth is, i don't think the NARS quality is so much better that it warrants that price.

could be worse... a friend of mine tried a mascara at a Holt's counter one day and was informed that the MASCARA was

$55.00!

 

[smilezlie]

i dont make decent money at my job {disneyland} but i work a LOT! (60+ hrs a week....u heard me!)

because i work soooo much i rarely get to go to the mall, maybe once every 2 weeks. since i live at home and all i have to pay for is car insurance and gas right now and im always at work money builds up so when i do go to the mall i spend a lot!

right now i have 2 obsessions: MAC and Hollister.

neither of them do me much good right now because disney has strict rules on makeup so i cant wear anything fun, and im always in my uniform so clothes arnt much use either........i just get through the days knowing im working so that the one day i have off i can at least look cute!

 

[Janice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelsea I have a job

You do?

 

[Janice]

Work my butt off!

My car is paid for, work gives me a company vehicle (a cute ford ranger), a gas card, and a great salary, and thankfully I have a hunnie who totally understands my MAC obsession and enables it.

 

[CaliKris]

I work my butt off. Usually 50-55 hours a week. Plus my boss give me a nice bonus the first of each month. After all the bills are paid and my son is fed, whatever is leftover is all mine! I don't go nutts, usually I go when I need something specific or a new line comes out. I usually don't buy just because. I do blame my obsession on a good friend, she got me started and I just can't stop now!

I also have a great boyfriend who picks me up a lipglass or e/s here and there. I don't think he understands the obsession, and thinks I am crazy at times, but he deals with it.

 

[Lo-Fi_Thriller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hypnotic_daydreamer I Use my MAC Pro card with 40% discount!! LOL What can you say... I love being a makeup artist so many benefits to it !!!

the picture u have of yourself in your banner.....the tattoo you have on your arm i have on my calf lol,,, seriously it looks like the same thing it was my first tattoo when i was 16 but looks like mine has more elaborate tail feathers but its almost identical!

 

[Jello89]

Its not the most expensive make up out there though. But still

It makes me poor

 

[NatalieMT]

I tend to temp between different jobs at the weekends, it's really long hours and hard work but it pays off, I also study during the week. I was making like the equivalent of £250/$500 every 4 weeks really at my last job though. So I'd save most of it then spend the rest on MAC if there was some things I really wanted. I'm living with my parents right now whilst I study so I'm not really having to pay rent and stuff which helps.

I never usually buy lipsticks I b2m my e/s and blush empties for them usually and I always make good use of offer days at my local counter which is in Debenhams department store. Sometimes they have 10% off on Thursdays and have gift vouchers - I just for some through for £20 off when you spent over £80 or something.

I sometimes tend to buy off the girls and guys on here who have bought stuff they are no longer wanting, often that's cheaper and I also go CCO shopping here in the UK and in Orlando where I spend my Summers.

Birthdays/Christmas are also good - if people ask me what I'd like I might specify a MAC product or ask for gift cards.

 

[couturesista]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliKris I work my butt off. Usually 50-55 hours a week. Plus my boss give me a nice bonus the first of each month. After all the bills are paid and my son is fed, whatever is leftover is all mine! I don't go nutts, usually I go when I need something specific or a new line comes out. I usually don't buy just because. I do blame my obsession on a good friend, she got me started and I just can't stop now! I also have a great boyfriend who picks me up a lipglass or e/s here and there. I don't think he understands the obsession, and thinks I am crazy at times, but he deals with it.

Me too! I work 69 hrs in a two week period. I make good money and my Boo, friends and family also support my habit. When gift giving holidays come around I always ask for MAC,Sephora and Ulta gift cards. New Years Day Gift, Valentines, Mother's Day ( from more than one person, this day adds up), Easter ( Easter Basket stuffer), Christmas( again multiple giftcards) Birthday( multiples again) and any thing else throughout the year I buy or Boo will buy.

 

[purrtykitty]

I've got a husband that's very good to me and gives me a monthly budget to spend on what I want...which is often MAC (although he also complains about my habit, too). Annnnd, I've been known to use some of my student loans, too, but I really try to limit that to a minimum. I love hitting CCOs to find great stuff I missed, and I'll also get stuff off e-Bay or from the lovely ladies here. Back in the day when I worked (before I went to grad school) my habit was self-funded. The way I see it, there are worse addictions out there than makeup!