Hair Fashion on Less

I have sported hair styles from punky short to the long straight or layered. Yeah, that's my picture up there, and as you can see it's a medium length bob right now. I've colored, and I've not. When considering my budget, my family's fair fashion can be a consideration. This may be even more extreme an idea than just making sure product bottles or anything we use is totally used up, but if you don't have the money, these ideas are well worth the read, and even if you do have it to spend, there's always the day~ So how can one save when it comes to hair fashion~the cuts and or color?

I know some moms who cut their own children's hair. For the boys, some have purchased clippers, and others like I have done it using scissors to do the job. When our son was little, I used to cut his hair from the time he was a baby up until the last year or so actually. I will say that he did not have a real long hair line that required clippers so it was fairly easy to keep him neat and clean looking. Now when he got about first or second grade, I did take him to a hair dresser on occasion~this was to create the lines of the cut so I could follow it for an additional trim or two for follow up hair cuts and to save $.

I have even used a local beauty school to save on cut costs. This can be tricky if you are totally afraid of what you might end up with! I had to stop a student hair dresser once~which didn't go over too well, but I knew IF she continued, he'd need a buzz cut, and I didn't want to "go there" as it was in the dead of winter! Hair cuts and styles lend themselves to thinking about costs. How much will the hair-do take for maintenance? There are times I think and really want the short sassy cut of a few years ago AGAIN, but because it takes more trips to the salon or shop or school to maintain it, shorter cuts will get unwieldy much easier than longer styles, I will push the idea aside for what I'm doing right now. Let's consider my medium bob. I generally get about 2 sometimes 3 cuts per year. This is because I have long bangs without layering so it doesn't lose shape as it grows. There isn't hardly any undercutting either. I don't like it in my hair. I've had the cut where the back is shorter than the sides. . .cute, but still more maintenance! A simple cut that will grow and maintain shape is most economical. But what if you can't STAND this cut and want something different? Have you thought about a long hairstyle? Long hair that is about shoulder or longer in length can be put up to have a shorter "style" when desired, but will surely be less in cut costs. Of course, you will spend more on shampoo and conditioners, but without really doing a comparrison, I am going to guess that you will still come out a head in money. There could also be the added costs of hair "accessories" too. You can make these or some of them to cut costs...I like the fabric scrunchies...in fact, I like to put my hair up off of my neck and pretty much keep some kind of clip in it to pull it out of my face if I am wearing it curly. I have hair that if washed, conditioned and air dried, will be curly~just enough...but I really enjoy the look of flat ironing my hair best~but this practice is damaging to hair which will require more cuts, so I don't do it all that often. I've known some girls who flat iron all the time~I'm just a "special occasion" fixer ;-)) This way my hair isn't getting a huge work out all the time! But consider it all...what can you live with and without? I really like beauty schools for cost and even a good deal of their services. Often you can get more than just hair services, but facials, manicures, pedicures and even hair treatments in addition to cuts and color. It's a huge saver! I also like have a relationship with my beautician too~as right now I have a friend who is caring for our hair who is a pro. I am not suggesting taking advantage of friendships either, but having a friend who can help is wonderful! Consider all your options...my friend's shop is about 10 mi from our home, and we patronize her, but we have a hair shop just three doors and around the corner. I'm sticking with my friend . .loyalty helps everything! Not just our budget!

When considering color, I have and I have not colored. I've had red colored hair, and most recently I lighten...but right now I'm alala natural ;-)) which is a nice mix of gray, growing out dark blonde and brown. I like highlights but on the heavy side, but for me I don't want it to look unnatural...ha ha! But I generally don't color but about twice a year so subtle is my way of going...I've had my hair dresser to the color~and I've colored myself. When blending, which I need to do right now, I will use a color to blend the light of the already processed and the darker of my own natural shade using a box color...I don't, as you can guess, go for the bells and whistles of all the fancy and expensive hair color that you can get at the pharmacy or discount seller or grocery~but a good basic hair color: did I tell you my girlfriend whose brother is a wonderful high end hair dresser was using a hair color at his suggestion with the ONLY difference being the price and that what she purchased came with a hair moisturizer for after the coloring? My beautician whose been doing this more years said that any conditioner works~so guess what girls? I am purchasing the $3 a box color instead of the $7 or $9~I have conditioner! AND this works just fine! PROMISE! I never used that old heavy in a tube conditioner anyway after coloring as it made my hair too limp~what about you? Ever tried it? Try it my way next time~see if your own conditioner won't work for you better and cost a whole lots less!

Another idea and one I've tried is get a family member or someone you know to work on your hair. This same friend, years ago, we used to fix each other's hair when we were going places together as single girls. It was fun back in those days, and today, if I am real sweet *grin*, my daughter will flat iron my hair for me...I mean: I fixed her hair for years and now she's working on mine ;-)) and are you old enough that your mother put in a "home perm" when you were growing up? We did so much including the rolling and hot ironing each other's hair for styles right at home. I've even now this was for Halloween as a kid, rag rolled my hair. If you don't know what this is, it's using strips of cloth to make curlers...instead of those spongy generally pink things...;-)) It's old timey and was used for years as a cost cutter!

Remember that style, color and maintence are your biggest considerations in hair care costs. Check out all the options for a look that is best on your budget...and if you can cut your child's hair then save here as well. I will CONFESS: One bad haircut too many and my hubby won't allow me to cut it anymore! But if we got really strapped, I am guessing that even he'd risk the Sister's scissors AGAIN! ;-))

SAVE on hair cuts, color/maintenance as best you can~it all adds up in the long run!

Oh! I forgot ONE HUGE THING~just remember HAIR GROWS just in case something you try doesn't work the way you intend~life is an adventure and 'it ain't all about that, anyway!"

blessings,