august 2021 - monthly accountability post

I've been doing pretty poorly at blogging over the last year. Frankly, I just haven't been doing much with the pandemic and all, so I haven't had much to say. However, as I venture out and do some things (vaccinated, of course), I want to get back into it. I decided to start a monthly accountability post to keep up a routine! I did away with my other frugal blog, so everything will be housed here on LB again. It was just too much to keep up with! So here goes!

Goals Met // Since this is my first accountability post, I didn't have any goals for August set in stone to start!

Decluttered // cleaning supplies to which I was allergic - to a friend, several orders on Poshmark and Mercari, scrapbook and planner stickers, nail polish, magazines, and a flat sheet I won't use - Freecycle, a barely used corkboard, an unused decal, a plant and cuttings, and a lunchbox - FB marketplace 

Books Read // Malorie by Josh Malerman, Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (audiobook)

Money Saved or Made // I redeemed my Amazon First Reads book, made $9.15 via Ibotta*, received $2.15 from Google for the Google+ class-action lawsuit, used coupons and Verizon Up gift cards for dog food

Ways I Reduced Waste // continued using reusable cloths for cleaning, purchased recyclable glass packaging when grocery shopping

Listings Posted // 31

Listings Sold // 6

Goals for September // make my own pasta, double my amount of listings posted, finish five books, build more inventory for my business

We'll see how this goes!

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

latest book haul - secondhand buying

I've been trying to really up my time reading, so naturally, I placed an order on Thriftbooks* and visited 2nd & Charles as the stacks of books I already own look on. While Thriftbooks isn't exactly a small online bookstore, I feel better buying from them than I do Amazon.

These were all impulse buys and I wandered the site and store, but I've had Amy, My Daughter, Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell?, and Invisible Monsters on my wishlist for a while now. I've been eliminating animal products from my diet, so I was happy to find The Happy Herbivore Cookbook! Snuff, Gangster Women, and Ham on Rye were some I'd heard of but hadn't thought to pick up. And lastly, I've been picking up some of my childhood favorites when I see them, so I ordered Catwings to build up my new collection.

I'm slowly plugging away at my ambitious reading goal for the year. I'm over a dozen books behind, so hopefully I can catch up soon. I've actually already finished Snuff, and was a little disappointed.

*If you use the asterisked Thriftbooks link and spend $30, we both get a free book credit.

my poshmark closet | shop my mercari
lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

empties #22

It's been a literal year since my last empties post, but here it is! I've used very few products over the last pandemic year since I've almost entirely stopped wearing makeup. As usual, the non cruelty free products are labeled, but I'm human and please check for yourself!

Batiste Dry Shampoo* // This is a good go to and a solid choice in dry shampoo. I'd buy this again.

Pacifica Cactus & Kale Oil Free Renewal Lotion // The one thing I did seem to go through over the last year was moisturizer! My mama taught me well. I particularly like this one from Pacifica, which is one of my favorite brands.

Burt's Bees Peach & Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub // I liked this at first, but then I got tired of the residue it left on my face. It does clean grout well, though?

Hempz White Peach Rose & Peony Herbal Shave Gel* // This smelled divine and I love the Hempz brand. I just don't like shaving creams/gels that don't foam. I'd definitely buy other products in this scent, though.

Burt's Bees Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment* // I've gone through maybe three of these and I love, love, love this.

Desert Essence Lip Rescue Balm* // I developed chronic dry lips over a year ago and it's been tragic. This worked for me in the beginning and I'd definitely recommend it for anyone with moderately chapped lips.

111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel // I got this in an Ipsy box, I think. I didn't really see a huge difference using it. I wouldn't buy it.

Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser* // I did like this cleanser, but I didn't like having to store it because of the packaging. It was a twist bottom and the product came out once twisted. Even though I got this as a Sephora birthday gift for free, I was always worried I'd leave it open and all of the cleanser would leak out so I  kept it upside down in my showerhead organizer. It looks like the full size version isn't made that way, so I'd consider buying it.

Pacifica Crystal Melon Makeup Removing Wipes // These worked fine, and Pacifica is a favorite brand, but I'm trying to use up my stock of wipes and not buy them again. There's just too much waste. I'll 100% use them if they're given to me, but I won't buy them.

Ulta Sweet Pecan Cupcake 3-in-1 Smoothie // This was an okay body wash, that's all I used it for. I found the scent cloying. I believe I got it on at a great discount. I'd buy the the 3-in-1 smoothie again, but in a fruity scent.

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter // I love Pacifica's body butter and I always try to keep one at my desk. Highly recommend!

Cala Green Tea Deep Cleansing Foam // I liked this cleanser and I'd definitely buy it again. I also find Cala's post about animal testing to be invigorating in the fight against animal testing.

Drunk Elephant Protin Polypeptide Moisturizer* // This was a nice moisturizer. I liked the coordinating cleanser. I'd be much more inclined to buy the $32 cleanser than the $68 moisturizer.

Lacura Q10 Night Face Cream // This is from Aldi and it was a good moisturizer! I'd definitely buy again.

elf  Holy Hydration! Face Cream* // I really liked this. Would definitely buy again at $12.

Vaseline Lip Therapy with Cocoa Butter // not cruelty free // I've used several of these up. They are not cruelty free, but my chronic dry lip became borderline a medical issue, so I bought what worked for me.

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara* // I got this in a sample size with a palette, I think. It's a nice, buildable mascara. I'd get it again.

Pacifica Berry Preserve Color Protect Conditioner // I believe this has been discontinued. I don't have colored hair, but I got it on sale for like $2.50, so I snagged a bottled. I'd buy Pacifica conditioners again!

Curel Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer // not cruelty free // I think I got this in some subscription box. I can't stand slathering on lotion while my skin is still wet, so I used this as regular lotion. It's not cruelty free so I wouldn't buy it again.

Nip + Fab No Needle Fix Moisturiser // I like the Nip + Fab brand, but I did not like the texture of this moisturizer. It was cakey and didn't soak in well.

These are just some declutter items that I've had for forever and I'm just tired of looking at them.

Ulta Banana Lip Scrub // This one is just too greasy to use.

elf Cream Eyeliner // This dried out on me and I just don't use eyeliner that isn't in pencil form.

Julep Mighty Nail and Cuticle Cream  // I tried so hard to use this up but got tired of it. It was easy to apply, but took a while to dry. I now use Burt's Bee's cuticle cream.

Jane Iredale mini brush // I got this in a palette I was sent via Influenster. The palette was great, but I don't need this brush.

That's it for now!

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

2021 Book Haul and Reading Challenge

2020 was a shit show. We all know it. I took a hiatus, but black lives matter and we need to fight for what is right, always. I don't honestly have a reasonable transition back into blogging, but please refer to my last post for how to help minorities gain and keep equal rights, as it always should have been. I'd like to start out 2021 with my own reading goals, which in the light of everything sounds incredibly selfish. Human rights are the forefront!

These are my book hauls recently. In an effort to help someone other than Bezos, I'm linking to Thriftbooks instead, and while they're still a large company, it is hard to find an independent book seller to link to that keeps a large stock. However, I encourage everyone to support their local independent bookstores.

You've Got to Have Balls to Make it in this League: My Life as an Umpire by Pam Postema and Gene Wojciechowski // Of course I bought Pam's book, as she's a baseball umpire.

Lost Ballparks: A Celebration of Baseball's Legendary Fields by Lawrence S. Ritter // I love reading about baseball history and snagged this at 2nd & Charles for a song.

Why is the Foul Pole Fair? by Vince Staten // Also as an umpire, I like anything to do with the game of baseball itself.

1941: The Greatest Year in Sports by Mike Vaccaro // This has a few stories in it that I thought sounded really interesting.

Death Row All Stars : A Story of Baseball, Corruption, and Murder by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss // True crime and baseball?? Immediately grabbed this when I saw it.

Center Field on Fire: An Umpire's Life with Pine Tar Bats, Spitballs, and Corked Personalities by Dave Phillips // Another umpire book. I can't stop.

Pitching Around Fidel: A Journey into the Heart of Cuban Sports by S. L. Price // This looked like a really interesting read.

As They See 'Em: A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires by Bruce Weber // Do I even need to explain? Haha.

The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci // I'm a huge Yankees fan and was excited to see this!

Baseball Between the Numbers: Why Everything You Know About Baseball is Wrong by The Baseball Prospectus Team of Experts // Again, I love everything to do with the game of baseball.

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King // I liked this movie and finally got around to ordering the book. It's rare for me to find some of King's work I haven't read, but I'm excited to start this one.

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer // I've come across this child abuse case several time in my Wikipedia rabbit holes and ordered the book.

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo // Educating yourself is an important step in making the world equal for all.

Most Wanted: A History of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List by Mark Sabljak and Martin H. Greenberg // True crime junkie over here.

Melissa Explains It All by Melissa Joan Hart // Last summer during my brief unemployment stint, I rewatched the 90s Sabrina the Teenage Witch and ordered this one.

The last several years I have failed to meet my reading goal on Goodreads. I've read a lot of books, but fell short of my goals. This year, I fully intend to meet my goal of 50 books! If we're not friends on GR, add me!

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frugal bandit blog | my poshmark closet | shop my mercari
lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*