Things you refuse to pay for

nickyhutch

I get my hair coloured every 6 weeks, and cut every other time. I can (have) done it myself, but as it's bleached, it ends up horrid after a while. Never tried cutting it myself. The shampoos, conditioners and treatments I use on my hair aren't cheap, but necessary, and I buy them when they're on offer,

I get my nails (acrylics) done every 3 weeks. I can't do those myself. Not essential, but I like them.

I have a facial and a pedicure every now and then, and keep telling myself to get a massage booked.

I don't need false lashes, and I don't like the look of a spray tan.

ETA and I do my own hair removal - can't stand the pain of waxing. Pluck my own eyebrows.

Jessikita1983

bedpotato wrote: »

Pardon me if a thread like this already exists, but I haven't found one.

I can never get over how much money many women throw away every month on things that they regard as essential but are in fact luxuries, because they're paying someone else to do something they could do themselves for free.

Haircuts, blow dries, updos, wedding makeup, massages, manicures, spray tans, pedicures, facials, spa days, body scrubs - am I missing something, or is that the lot? :eek:

Apart from the huge savings, I like to have complete control over what's done to my own body, so prefer to do things myself - MY WAY! Also, I don't like the concept of being touched by a perfect stranger.

Here's how I save money:

I cut my own hair

see here for blunt cut instructions: http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/
or here for layered cut instructions :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYMyJ-LR8so&feature=relmfu

I do all my own hair treatments - I don't do any! Just normal shampoo and conditioner!

I do my own manicure - I just cut my nails!

I do my own pedicure - As above

I make and apply my own body scrub (sugar and olive oil) - I don't bother!

I remove my own *cough, cough* body hair - I shave my armpits and legs (Will spare you details of elsewhere!)

I pluck my own eyebrows - me too

Sadly, though, I am unable to give myself a back massage. My powers are limited. :rotfl:

Does anyone else do these things at home?

Here's another moneysaving tip. In the past when I was skint and didn't know what present to get my mum, I gave her a homemade voucher for a massage with me! She was really happy. You could do this for your mum or OH. Give them a massage or a facial or a pamper day in their own home with the products they're used to. Save yourself the money of buying them a present, and save them the money of going to a spa, hairdresser, or whatever, and running the risk of having a reaction to unfamiliar products.

I do have my hair done at the salon. It's the only beauty thing I spend money on. I am proud of my porcelain skin. I always use sun block on holiday so would never fake tan or go in tanning booths!

shandyclover

bedpotato wrote: »

Oh that's a good one, Shandyclover. I'd forgotten about hairdressing students needing people to practice on and doing it for free. I'm sure many moneysavers get their hair cut for free that way. That way is fine for people who don't care too much how it turns out, but I'm far too fussy about my hair to ever want to go back to a hairdresser.


Edit: I just wanted to say that this sentence made me laugh:



because I didn't understand it at first. I thought it was text speak, and was puzzled to picture you as having fourteen boobs, all of which were DD cups! :rotfl:

I had been very disappointed with salons, they never seemed to get it into their head 'no, I don't straighten my hair - please don't syle it that way'. My oldest DD is a photographic model for a big chain of salons here (it's quite ironic they use her, she gets her hair trimmed every 6 mos, uses high street conditioner and shampoo, never uses a hairdryer and dyes her hair with henna and thats the extent of her haircare). They told her they were looking out for people they could practise on. I went in grudgingly, they had after all been so nice to DD. Even though I didn't pay for this cut and it was done by a trainee it was the best I ever received. I guess because they know they don't know it all - they actually listened to me. Now I CHOOSE trainees because they still respect 'I am the boss, this is my hair and please don't whack 15 different styling products in it, it's wavy, I like it that way. Some might find it's worth a try for that very reason.

Sometimes I feel like I have 14 boobs! Funnily enough they are DD's!:rotfl:

Citygirl1

I have gone back to colouring my own hair and trimming my own fringe but as my hair is shoulder length and all one length I would find it hard to trim the ends so now and again I go to a walk in salon that doesn't cost much for a dry trim.

I have my eyebrows waxed as I can't do them myself and have never plucked them - I would find it too difficult and painful. I may have a pedicure now and again to get my feet in shape and then I keep it up myself and will go for facials, massages etc when its a present, for instance I now have a fifty pound beauty voucher to spend for my birthday next month so I will lap up that luxury but its not something I treat myself to often.

Just out of interest how do you trim your own hair apart from your fringe?

bedpotato_2

Citygirl1 wrote: »

Just out of interest how do you trim your own hair apart from your fringe?

You buy your own hairdressing scissors, do lots of gooling, watch loads of tutorials, and then take the plunge!

I've put links to self-trimming instructions in the original post, but they apply mainly to longish hair. If your hair is shoulder-length I'm sure there are loads of other tutorials for cuts suited to your length on YouTube. Making hair and makeup-related tutorials seems to be a bit of a craze in the YouTube community!

Ladyhawk

I colour my own hair, but get it cut at the salon every 6-8 weeks as it is very short and needs to be kept under control. I get a 20% discount at the salon so despite it being part of a relatively expensive chain it isn't too bad in price. Plus he cuts beautifully.

I love massages but rarely have them... and only do when they are significantly discounted.

I do my own nails

I am having laser therepy for hair on my legs, underarms and bikini (bought on groupon) so soon I won't have to do anything on that front.

I do my own eyebrows

I don't do fake tan (despite being very pasty)

I was in the lift at work last week and I overheard two women talking about their nails and how they couldn't pay less than £60 per month on their nails! EEK!!!!

Ziggazee

£60 a month on nails!!!! I just couldn't bring myself to pay that. Tried false nails once (was a Mothers Day pressie from the mother in law), they drove me mad after the first day....never again. It pains me to pay £40 every three months for highlights/haircut (got a fab mobile hairdresser.....dead cheap).

Torry_Quine

I go to the hairdresser twice a year and get my hair cut which costs me £8. I don't most of the others myself far less pay anyone else to do them.

floss2

bedpotato wrote: »

Haircuts, T&G trained mobile stylist & colour technician cuts & colours my hair
blow dries, do it myself unless it's a big night out - usually combined with regular haircut / colour
updos, only time was for my wedding last year which I wanted & could not do myself
wedding makeup, Again, for my wedding - I wanted to be relaxed, not stressed & late
massages, birthday treats from my best friend
manicures, generally do my own, but had my nails done for my wedding
spray tans, never had one, not bothered
pedicures, had one for my wedding, otherwise birthday / anniversary / Christmas treats from my DH
facials, usually birthday / anniversary / Christmas treats from my DH
spa days, Hen weekend, once a year girly weekend funded by Ebay
body scrubs use a loofah so don't bother

Personally, as I have the money to spare to buy these treats for myself, I feel that I work hard enough & can justify them. I never feel that I have to justify them to my husband, he spends his dosh as he wishes!

bedpotato_2

floss2 wrote: »

Personally, as I have the money to spare to buy these treats for myself, I feel that I work hard enough & can justify them. I never feel that I have to justify them to my husband, he spends his dosh as he wishes!

That's fair enough! You don't have to justify how you spend your money! I didn't mean this to sound like people had to defend their spending choices. I suppose this thread was more targetted towards people on a tight budget, in debt, or on benefits, who might be trying to find ways to save money. I thought some of these suggestions might not have occurred to them and they might be grateful. We are constantly being told we can't do these things ourselves, and need the trained experts to do them, but then, they would say that, wouldn't they? Learning to do them yourself is very liberating, but I'm in no way trying to say it's WRONG to pamper yourself - as long as you can afford it!

The one thing I WOULD actually like someone to do for me (rather than doing it myself) is my toenails, because I have a whiplash injury that never fully healed. I get quite a backache and neck ache leaning downwards or forwards to do it myself, so if I were rich that's one thing I would definitely allow myself! The same discomfort applies to bending downwards to do the hair removal "down there," but I would never let a stranger see my private parts! :eek: