Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

Sallygirl

Sounds like they were good birthday celebrations! To be honest, I would have preferred the home version to a trip to London : )

On the subject of hair, my daughter borrowed my dog clippers to cut her husband's hair some time ago. She looked at youtube videos to learn how. Last week my husband gritted his teeth and asked me to borrow back the dog clippers so that I could attack his thatch. As he said, whatever I did could not be worse than what he had and besides, it would grow. He is now quite happy with my attempts so I might just have got myself a job (and a little more money staying in the bank account).

missychrissy

I think I solved the expense of hair a while ago. I haven’t had a hair cut in over a year and only then because one of my sons and wife gave me a voucher for a cut and blow dry at a local hairdresser for Mother’s Day. Prior to that it was over a year since I had a haircut. Needless to say I have long hair.  I wash and condition twice a week and let it dry naturally. I tend to wear a low ponytail but I always wanted to be an old lady with a bun (Mrs Pepperpot was my icon). I haven’t quite mastered the bun but I stood behind a lady in the PO (pre lockdown) one day who definitely had and she looked very elegant. Before my ‘free’ cut and blow my dil said I should get my fringe cut back in (hint hint). I didn’t but I know she was right and so post lockdown I will have a trim and a fringe. I can trim it for a while between cuts. Long hair is much easier to manage than short. I don’t worry if I’m caught in the rain, my hairstyle stays the same and isn’t ruined.  I don’t colour my hair either but although I’m 68 I haven’t gone grey yet. Doing nothing to your hair is free. I just wish I could master that bun.

Rosa_Damascena

missychrissy said:

I think I solved the expense of hair a while ago. I haven’t had a hair cut in over a year and only then because one of my sons and wife gave me a voucher for a cut and blow dry at a local hairdresser for Mother’s Day. Prior to that it was over a year since I had a haircut. Needless to say I have long hair.  I wash and condition twice a week and let it dry naturally. I tend to wear a low ponytail but I always wanted to be an old lady with a bun (Mrs Pepperpot was my icon). I haven’t quite mastered the bun but I stood behind a lady in the PO (pre lockdown) one day who definitely had and she looked very elegant. Before my ‘free’ cut and blow my dil said I should get my fringe cut back in (hint hint). I didn’t but I know she was right and so post lockdown I will have a trim and a fringe. I can trim it for a while between cuts. Long hair is much easier to manage than short. I don’t worry if I’m caught in the rain, my hairstyle stays the same and isn’t ruined.  I don’t colour my hair either but although I’m 68 I haven’t gone grey yet. Doing nothing to your hair is free. I just wish I could master that bun.

Although I had long hair for decades, I am the first to admit it looked horrid on me and it required lots of maintenance. 18 months ago I went for the pixie chop and haven't looked back. It requires a trim every 6-8 weeks ago but I actually spend less on my haircuts now that it is short. A cut and blow dry every four months or so used to cost a minimum £45. Now it's a supervised (training) wet cut - no need for any primping, it dries before I get home) at £5 per pop plus tip and I leave happy.

missychrissy

I once had a ‘training’ cut at a college where I was doing a course (not in hairdressing).  It was awful. The tutor tried telling me the pupil had only followed the line of my previous cut, and so that must have been a bad one. It was not. I told her I had been to Vidal Sassoons in Leeds (I hadn’t but I was mad) whereupon she offered me a free cut and blow next time. I declined and never dared go again. When I went back to my usual hairdresser she was shocked at the hatchet job. 

boultdj

I admit to cutting my own hair, I can grow it for so long then it get's on my nerves, so tie it up, and it still get's in the way, normally I just cut 1 or 2 inches off, last time I was so fed up I did a high pony tail and started cutting, 13 inches off, other half did not notice for 5 days, it's only when a neighbour said she liked it that he realised.

ginger_chocolate

missychrissy said:

 Long hair is much easier to manage than short. I don’t worry if I’m caught in the rain, my hairstyle stays the same and isn’t ruined.  I don’t colour my hair either but although I’m 68 I haven’t gone grey yet. 

I wish so much that this was true of my long hair! Even if I tie it back, if I get caught in the rain my horribly frizz-prone hair looks like a cross between a cloud and a hawthorn bush. I did try a short cut once but that wasn't much better as my hair tends to grow out rather than down so I just looked like a mushroom. (I once turned up for an interview at a temping agency and in their feedback they mentioned that my hair was "unprofessional"). I'm also quite grey if I don't colour despite the fact I'm not even forty yet.  During lockdown I have started to look a bit scary so I have taken to covering it up and making headscarves out of spare bits of fabric (leftover from sewing projects or old clothes) - either I cut a square and hem around the edges to create a bandana, or with stretchier fabric stitch into a circle and use as a wide headband (like the Hygge bands you can buy). 

PipneyJane

ginger_chocolate said:

missychrissy said:

 Long hair is much easier to manage than short. I don’t worry if I’m caught in the rain, my hairstyle stays the same and isn’t ruined.  I don’t colour my hair either but although I’m 68 I haven’t gone grey yet. 

I wish so much that this was true of my long hair! Even if I tie it back, if I get caught in the rain my horribly frizz-prone hair looks like a cross between a cloud and a hawthorn bush. I did try a short cut once but that wasn't much better as my hair tends to grow out rather than down so I just looked like a mushroom. (I once turned up for an interview at a temping agency and in their feedback they mentioned that my hair was "unprofessional"). I'm also quite grey if I don't colour despite the fact I'm not even forty yet.  During lockdown I have started to look a bit scary so I have taken to covering it up and making headscarves out of spare bits of fabric (leftover from sewing projects or old clothes) - either I cut a square and hem around the edges to create a bandana, or with stretchier fabric stitch into a circle and use as a wide headband (like the Hygge bands you can buy). 

As someone with long curly hair, I can sympathise.  My hair wears me.  I spent my childhood and teenage years hating my hair.  It was impossible to style and always frizzy.  It wasn't until I met a curly haired apprentice hairdresser that things changed.  Her hair was beautiful, so I asked her how she managed it.  She gave me a set of rules:-

1) Wash and condition your hair every day.
2) If you blow dry it - I don't - use a diffuser and scrunch your hair up into curls as you dry it.
3) Never brush your hair.  It causes the curls to frizz.
4) To combat frizz, rub a little hair conditioner over the palms of your hands and smooth that over your hair. Use enough to cover a 10p piece.  Works better than Frizz Ease and costs a fraction of the price.

HTH

- Pip

Rosa_Damascena

PipneyJane said:

ginger_chocolate said:

missychrissy said:

 Long hair is much easier to manage than short. I don’t worry if I’m caught in the rain, my hairstyle stays the same and isn’t ruined.  I don’t colour my hair either but although I’m 68 I haven’t gone grey yet. 

I wish so much that this was true of my long hair! Even if I tie it back, if I get caught in the rain my horribly frizz-prone hair looks like a cross between a cloud and a hawthorn bush. I did try a short cut once but that wasn't much better as my hair tends to grow out rather than down so I just looked like a mushroom. (I once turned up for an interview at a temping agency and in their feedback they mentioned that my hair was "unprofessional"). I'm also quite grey if I don't colour despite the fact I'm not even forty yet.  During lockdown I have started to look a bit scary so I have taken to covering it up and making headscarves out of spare bits of fabric (leftover from sewing projects or old clothes) - either I cut a square and hem around the edges to create a bandana, or with stretchier fabric stitch into a circle and use as a wide headband (like the Hygge bands you can buy). 

As someone with long curly hair, I can sympathise.  My hair wears me.  I spent my childhood and teenage years hating my hair.  It was impossible to style and always frizzy.  It wasn't until I met a curly haired apprentice hairdresser that things changed.  Her hair was beautiful, so I asked her how she managed it.  She gave me a set of rules:-

1) Wash and condition your hair every day.
2) If you blow dry it - I don't - use a diffuser and scrunch your hair up into curls as you dry it.
3) Never brush your hair.  It causes the curls to frizz.
4) To combat frizz, rub a little hair conditioner over the palms of your hands and smooth that over your hair. Use enough to cover a 10p piece.  Works better than Frizz Ease and costs a fraction of the price.

HTH

- Pip

I have pretty wild hair to, but I used to find that a tiny dab of olive oil (in the same way you would use a serum) on the ends would calm it down - the problem is that it would work its way up the hair shaft and feel greasy the next day. I am lucky that my hair is compatible with a short style, but then I do have it cut very short and that's the only reason I have not had to pin it back after 12 weeks since I last had it cut.

The tutors all know me and are lovely people, and I've always had a very good cut. Even if its not, I am prepared to be flexible and have it cut a bit shorter to correct. I can see when the student is nervous and I tell them from the outset that nothing is a disaster, because it will always grow back! But in my experience, the most nervous have also been the most careful and given me a cut I am happy with. 

ginger_chocolate

I will try that hair conditioner trick instead of frizz ease. I have used coconut oil in the past  - it looks great at first then ends up going a bit greasy after a few hours. Putting oil on before I wash my hair does seem to help with the general condition of it. I can't even imagine washing my hair every day though - I feel like I'd never get anything else done! 

Willow92

Tip for anyone who dyes their own hair and ends up with lots of tubes or sachets of conditioner. It works great for shaving your legs if you rub a thin layer over wet legs in place of shaving foam or soap.