A tale as old as time…it’s easy to rack up an ugly credit card bill when spending for health and beauty. But thankfully, during times when you have to tighten your belt, it’s also one of the easiest areas to cut back. Look for these top ways to be beautiful on a budget:
Sample: I never leave a department store makeup counter, Sephora or Ulta without first asking for any samples to take along with me. Having worked behind the counter myself, I know we’re always happy to make a customer happier by offering them a new sample.
Buy Generic: While I don’t encourage you to switch all your products to the generic brands. There are some products that are equally effective without the label. Do a little research, quiz your friends on what they use and then test out some less expensive versions of your favorite products. You may even end up finding an alternative you like better than the original.
Learn a new skill: Think of how much money you could save each year if you eliminated your biweekly manicure. Probably as much as $500. So after your next one, swing by Sally Beauty for a professional manicure set. Try to keep up with your nails at least once a week to ensure they are always looking as nice when the manicurist does them. Same rules apply to your eyebrows. Tweezing regularly to maintain your shape is one way to blow off a major beauty bill.
Be honest: Ask your hairstylist or colorist for a hair-do that will last hold up for eight to ten weeks instead of the requisite six. If you can’t come back every six weeks, you shouldn’t feel bad about that at all. But communicating this important point will make sure that you will indeed be able to stretch out the haircut for a few more weeks than intended.
Work out alternatives: We do endorse keeping your gym membership if you can possibly afford to, but if not, the following alternatives may be attractive to you. It’s summer after all, and nothing beats an early morning jog or bike ride. Otherwise, there are plenty of very inexpensive ways to work out for cheap. For instance, skip that Yoga class when you can buy My Yoga 2 Go practice cards for less than $20 and practice your favorite poses at your own pace, on demand.
Go back to school: If you really need that massage or spa treatment, look up your local cosmetology school. You can often get a great deal here on a large menu of services and you’re helping a student prepare for his or her future career. If you live in a bigger city, you can find training programs for some of the nation’s top salons. The best haircut I ever had, cost me $15 in London at the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy. I just happened to have a hairstylist with 20 years experience who was there for a brush up course. If I visited him in own salon I can’t imagine how much I would have paid. This was a risk that definitely paid off!
Photo by: loosepunctuation
