Why did I buy that mascara and eyeliner?

Today was the first payday of my first "real" job.  I have only worked 8 days of this month so it wasn't my full wage but it felt like enough to burn a hole in my pocket.  Even though I have created a spreadsheet for this month's budget (I work with spreadsheets...it seemed sensible/normal) and have earmarked almost all of my pay for bills and travel, I had to spend a little on my first payday lunch break.

I decided to treat myself to some much needed makeup.  I often overlook buying new makeup as I prefer to spend my dosh on other things but I was in desperate need for a new mascara.  So I toddled off to Boots (having all ready sourced the offers the previous day).  As someone who rarely buys new makeup, except nail varnish which I would buy as often as food if the budget allowed, I will only splash out if there is an offer on. In fact I'm not particularly brand loyal.  Foundation decisions are based upon who is offering 3 for 2 that week, as the perfect foundation is yet to be located.

However today's purchase was actual initially influenced by a blog post.  One of the few blogs I subscribe to is The Sunday Girl's beauty blog and love scrolling through the new post every morning that come via email.  She recently blogged about Maybelline's new Smokey Eye range and I was intrigued to try it and see if it worked...as eye makeup does not ever stay on my face!  You can read her post here.

So when I discovered that this mascara and eyeliner were both available for £10, I purchased them. The mascara is priced at £7.99, standard mascara price and cheaper than the MAC PlushLash I had been considering, with the eyeliner priced at £5.99.  I have to say £5.99 for an eyeliner is RIDICULOUS. I lost most within a week and will only buy Primark's £1 eyeliner as I don't see the point wasting money on a product that will get lost/broken/stolen.  But as a sucker for a makeup offer I bought them both...saving £3.98 YAY!

We can only hope they are worth the money when I test them tonight. First work drinks.

Why did I buy that pretzel?!

I am one of those people who will crave a Burger King the minute I see an advert, and I will not stop craving a delicious Chicken Royale until I get one.  In my recent times of poverty, this has proven to be an issue.  When craving a Chicken Royale during my recent "pissertation hell" I trotted along to my local next to the university to find that the remaining £4 in my purse would not purchase me a meal. I could afford the sandwich alone, but without money for a diet Coke, that would not make for a fun lunch.  I therefore continued my cravings until the next day, when some pocket money came in (receiving pocket money age 22 is cool yeah?) and I could finally afford to satisfy my Burger King lust. IT WAS GOOD.

So if an advert has this effect, imagine what happens with a free sample.  Free samples of cinnamon pretzels make me crave a big, massive pretzel.  In fact, in knowing that Westfield always dish out pretzel samples, I am now like Pavlov's dogs, salivating at the very idea of heading to Westfield.  On a recent trip to the west side Westfield, I had actually forgotten about pretzels.  I am usually shopping window shopping at east side Westfield and didn't quite make the connection that west side probably sold pretzels too.  After a massive late lunch I was stuffed.  Truly stuffed.  As I stormed about trying to find the impossible item with the world's biggest shopping hater, Ms Pretzel put the tray in my face.  I had to take a piece...they smelt sooooo good. And that was it. I was now craving a cinnamon pretzel.

I tried to carry on shopping, and when I almost started crying because I couldn't wear the teeny hotpants my best mate could, it seemed silly to buy one after the huge late lunch.  But my cravings got the better of me, as always, and I searched again (Westfield's are huge and maze-like) for Ms Pretzel to buy myself a whole, giant pretzel.

And it was worth it. Every single bite. If only free samples of granola bars had the same effect on me.