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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,

Using It UP Ideas~Bath Products

Do you love good smelling bath products? I enjoy them myself, but they can be costly if we don't be sure we are using them up before discarding the containers. It seems like there is always some product left in the bottom when it's no longer easy to get it out...I want to see an empty container~no product when it no longer pumps or is easy to get out! But as we all know, the container is not empty~there's always a little bit more in there~so here's what I do...actually depending on how the container is made.

For the pour type bottle, I will set or lean it so the product will flow through gravity to the bottom. Sometimes if the top won't allow for this, I prop it against something so it will have the gravity to flow toward the lid so I can get it out. I have wedged bottles upside down in between the towel bar in the bathroom too if it will fit~get creative so gravity will help get the last little bit where it's accessible!

For the tube type containers, I practice rolling up the bottom towards the opening. This is a method that works well with toothpaste too, but the different type of material for the kind of tube will hold the rolled shape with toothpaste, but not with most generally bath body wash tubes~so each time after you have found it near impossible to get any out, just start rolling. You can shake it down with the lid on and towards the ground a few brisk shakes. If this fails to produce results, then try rolling the end. Now if this fails, get your handy-dandy scissors and cut it open. This is not a container you can reuse and there isn't a good way to add water into it to "rinse out" any unused product...so cut the sucker open ;-)) Cut at the end so you can add water for one last bath with it~GET IT ALL OUT~use it up!

For the pump~I actually like these as I recycle the pump containers by purchasing new product to add into them. Since I add more product into them, there is not waste, but IF I were going to throw one away, I would "rinse it out" using water by unscrewing the top and then either pouring or using the pumper. Dilution doesn't have to be so thin that the effectiveness of the product is lost. Just dilute enough to cleanse out the container so nothing is wasted at you're using it up!

Bar Soaps~REALLY these are still sold and we use them! If you do too, they can be a great money saver~here's a tip: open the wrappers and let them set on the shelf to air dry before you put it out for use. I have read before that this doesn't work to make a bar last longer, but I have found that info to be false! It will last longer if the bar is air dried first. The other secret is to keep it in a place as it is used where it can stay air dried or drying. If it's left in a tub of water or on a pool of water beside the sink it will soften and melt...this isn't making it last for sure~so be sure it gets and stays dry after each use! NOW what can we do with those soap slivers? I have used my grater to shave them into small pieces; I have even used an old leg of panty hose...yeah, some still use these too, to put a collected handful of slivers and tied it to the tub for kiddo baths...this way the soap all stays together and the kids can have fun with a stretchy funny looking bath soap "thingy!" ;-)) Also I have tied this panty hose leg with soap onto the outside hose faucet for outside clean ups before kids come in the house after playing! Oh yeah...it's got some pretty practical uses to it because it you but the hosery leg with just enough length to tie a knot (if you aren't going to tie it TO SOMETHING) you can carry it to wherever you need soap just like a bar soap. It works well in camping and loads of messy outside clean ups! The hosery also acts like a scrubbie! For the flakes, I disolved them and put them into water for a hand soap. I have never cooked them on the stove to disolve them, but I have heard of it...I did use in my laundry once, but didn't like the results~could have been the brand of soap because some soaps have moisturizers that will not work well in clothing. You decide about using soap shavings in your washer~ok? But use it all up~don't waste a bit...find a way...AND if tell me too~ I am ALWAYS looking for ways to do more with what I have or with the less I have~ ;-))

Using it up~all of it~prevents waste, which, in the long and short run, is a money saver! The less I have to purchase as a result of the product lasting longer is GOOD for the ole pocketbook!

Let's keep at it~saving that is!
Don't forget to share your bath product saving secrets with me ;-))

Staying in Line. . .or On the Lines...or Lining UP!

You can chose today's headline for my thoughts today from my laundry "palace" where I don my 'fairy status' to get my family's duds all cleaned and prepared for another round of life!

With the washer swishing, the dryer dinging, and yup~the clothesline full~laundry is getting done as fast and best I can with my budget in mind.

If you don't have a clothes line, you could be missing a wonderful opportunity to save on your laundry expenses each month! Line drying is good for the really heavy items like towels, blankets, and blue jeans...not to mention the scent of freshness that the sunshine offers. If you've ever dealt with soured clothing or strong odors such as garlic, then you know how hard it is to get fresh smelling cloth from normal cleansing...try hanging it in the open air~not under a tree, but open where the breezes and sunshine can get to it...I used to hang all my white uniforms to keep them whitened because bleach can yellow some fabrics when I was working as a nurse. Of course these were the days when nurses wore white! But the only real draw back I can think of to line drying could be allergies for most situations, and of course weather...clothes won't dry in WET weather~duh!! lol!

Be sure that you monitor the weather when your clothing is out~rain water doesn't "hurt" it, but it can make the drying time a whole lot longer...

I sent out two huge loads...yeah, we use this many towels...and my hubby reminds me of a 70% chance of rain~well, I am monitoring the situation: any drying time is better than none! AND I can bring in "almost" dry towels and clothing and throw in the dryer to soften if they don't get totally dry. Note that your towels will be rougher, and if you will consider this, it could be a benefit for your skin...it will remove more dead cells and create softer skin~now if you have a condition that this would not benefit, I'd use what my doctor has recommends~but if not~give it a try! I have also put up drying racks and lines inside our home before as well! This was in a situation where our dryer was down~and it's not only rain that is a problem~clothes freezing on the line are no good too ;-))

Do you have a place? Can you string up a line or two to save some on your costs?

I have used the bathroom shower bar to hang clothes hangers with wet clothing~be sure and shake and straighten out the item before you leave it to dry...or it will need ironing! Oh how I detest this most! But if you hang your items carefully on the line or hangers, they will come out nice and ready to be either folded or placed in the closet...be sure the items are thoroughly dry too: they will sour and smell if not adequately dried before storage! Feel all over the article of clothing~especially the thicker areas like cuffs and collars, pockets and hems! BE SURE they are dry before storage!!

Another tip in clothes line procedures is to use care in hanging unmentionables~I always dry these in my dryer, but when I have not had access to one~in the past, I would hang these on inside lines between other clothing or items...I personally don't want to see peoples "drawers" on the line drying! It's too personal, but hanging them where they are privately drying is a good solution...call it PRIDE! ;-))

Line drying might be extreme~yes, some of the suggestions I make are that for sure~but if we want to consider thrift practices that are solid ways to live on less we should look at all the options~and remember this: it's not been all that many years that it was common practice~the ONLY practice for drying was line drying!

Hanging Out today~watching the sky~enjoying the breeze!

Recording Prices in Shopping for Lowest Price Buying

Do you have your notebook handy? I am always suggesting a notebook system of price recording and checking so that you can get the best deals possible. Have a page for each item and a line for each store~compare those prices! Where is it best to get which thing? Some of us shop different places for different items...I like one store for cleaning products like laundry soap, bleach, Mean Green and a few others. Then I like other places to buy bread and some other food items...it's a "dent can" store that gets damaged packaging products that sell for less than 50%! I don't care if the cereal box is dented, would you if the cereal is perfectly fine? It's the inner seal that counts!!

OK...

Take your notebook shopping with you and record prices as you go. Try to do this systematically. I know you will have to purchase some things before actually knowing the best price in which store, but as you go, if you anticipate purchases, record as you wander down each aisle. This week if I don't need self rising flour, but I am getting low, I will check prices while looking at sugar which I do need. Of course since I don't have a known price for sugar, I may go a head and get it until I can begin recording prices for this item...

We generally purchase pretty much the same foods so this isn't hard...just get that notebook~if you have kids, they can help you. Send the older ones (teens) off with a list to price ck...be sure to have them include brands b/c you will want to compare brand to brand.

If you work by a menu, then this is easier. Follow your list of needed items by what you are missing in your pantry. But if you just keep certain items on hand, then you can inventory before shopping~I also recommend cleaning out the fridge. Hopefully there are few items to be rid of, but cleaning and preparing for new items is a good idea before the fridge is full! Lists in the notebook will make finding and recording pricing by store a great way to KNOW who has the best deal on what item. You can do this for any purchase~even gasoline for your car. I have a few stations I watch for the best prices. . .when I see a drop or know it's the lowest, I try to purchase then! Those few dollars I save add up over time!


How are you price comparing to save $? I'd love to hear from you ;-))

Home Buying~Some Frugal Ideas. . .

Chances are IF you are looking to buy a home right now, then you know that this is a buyers market. I've had the pleasure of buying in both buyer and sellers markets, but buying at a time when the power chip is in the hands of the purchaser is definitely a plus! We are selling our pre-1880 Victorian home because of job relocation. This is tough, but if you are looking, deals can be had. Following the economic real estate trends says that home pricing is at a low~good news for those who are shopping. Remember that I encourage shopping, not necessarily buying all the time as we need to know our prices, so if you need is not immediate, shop and be sure you are getting the best deal for your money.
(Check out our home for sale http://www.1909homeforsale.blogspot.com pictured left: 3060sq ft/9 car garage~$65K)

Over the years, we have been blessed to have owned four homes. Not but two at the same time as we are not landlords, but due to relocation twice. Shopping for a home comes with challenges I will address so you can think on these if you would like to look around...NOW is a great time to buy~if you can!

1. Can you buy? Size up your finances and get to your lender (shop rates and programs) to get preapproved. This will make your purchasing go better and faster.

2. Begin on your own to look. I must confess, and all my realtor buds may hate me for this, but they'd do this too ;-)) CHECK out any for sale by owners first. Look at trade papers, newspapers, online ads, FSBO.com, historicproperties.com, zillow.com, Craig'slist.com and any others out there...there are even online free classified, and often from your area. LOOK all over! Ride the neighborhoods you want to live in. . .SEARCH! Of course I am thinking a local purchase, but if you are relocating, I will make other suggestions: Make a trip to the area if possible. Spend as long as you can, if over night is all you can, then do that. Get acquainted, talk to hotel, restaurant, shop owners, anyone you can find who will talk to you about the area you are researching. Look up community statistics such as crime and economics on line~many communities have websites and offer loads of info. Search Realtor.com for out of town listings as well as the other sources...just know that likely if on this one, it's listed by a realtor and the price is generally higher by atleast 4-6% or MORE! There are advantages to have a realtor, and I used some of the very best, so I don't dis them. . . it's just that if money, and it should ALWAYS be, is an issue knowing this upfront is helpful~also that interests are generally served to the seller who will pay all commission. I learned this the hard way on our first home purchase. Different laws affect practices too~there are dual agency agreements where one realtor can legally represent both buyer and seller that is required in some states I have live in, and then again, I am not sure that an actual contract is necessary. Biggest thing to remember is that the realtor wants to sell and make commission based on the highest sales price. OK~now said, buyers must KNOW values and understand how to take care of their own money or others will get more than they should. Using a realtor or not, take along your notebook and camera~you won't be sorry because you can study the picutres long after the visit to get a real feel for the home. Sometimes the camera "remembers" what you can't! Make notes and study them later~make comparrisons-feature for feature!

3. What is your style? Home styles vary as much as do conditions and prices. Over these years, I have discovered a few things that are essential in a home for me. I want a bathroom nearby at all times so if our home is two story, it must have one up and down! I want my laundry near the bedrooms and bath upstairs so I am not toting it up and down! With this said, many homes that I happen to like do not have this feature; generally the laundry is in the basement! So is there room to add laundry to the area I want it in? Sit down and write down what you want, what you can't live without and where you would like it all to go or become. Prioritize these features. Houses will all vary, so having a strong sense before you get into looking is a great idea!

4. Research not just the area you want to live in by online resources and riding through, do something you may not have thought of...ride at night~all hours if you can! If you are an out of towner, make SURE you do this! There's a lot of information about a neighborhood to be gained from a nightly ride. . .who's out? WHAT are they doing? What businesses are open? Does the whole town roll up the sidewalks at 9:00PM? You MAY want to know this if you like late night shopping! OR is this a tiny burg of a bigger town that has one redlight and one gas station that is just a bedroom community that rests quietly without stresses? YOU need to know this! AND when you find that home you are interested in, go see the neighbors. Size 'em up for whatever makes you comfortable. I personally don't appreciate loudness or rude behaviors. So when I'm shopping, I am looking for people who are asleep in their beds at a reasonable hour and NOT walking the streets! The night is a great time to check out the potential neighborhood. Quiet is best for me. . .

5. Take your time, if you have time...sometimes purchasing can be more economical if you wait, but remember if your heart is set on a home, it could sell right out from under you. I've had this happen too! But I will say that I have also waited and saved tens of thousands. One good point though, and I've not discussed offers yet, but if you offend a seller with too low an offer, it's not likely they will work with you. . .but then again~this IS a buyers market! So always be mindful that both parties are looking to make a deal~to benefit both! Time is money a good deal of the time. Just remember it comes with risks~risk of losing the home (IF you have to have it~or it's really a great value!) As a seller right now, I could have sold our home (OK~given it away!) about 5 or 6 times to date, and not being rude now, but by the end of this week, I expect to have at least ONE more person to approach me with an offer I AM going to refuse! Sellers must take care of their financial needs too. . .another blog entry ;-)) But it's wise to understand it all ;-))

6. Don't get too caught up in colors and decor as you look. NOW the type or style of home is as important as age and condition, but whether or not it has purple paint in the livingroom is not a total concern to me~it's NICE if the colors are ones I love, but if THE PRICE IS RIGHT none of this sort of thing matters. . . but consider too if anyone in your family is handy or if you have the funds to "fix" what you hate. The home we are in now while the price was very good, needed a HUGE extensive renovation...ceilings were down, all floors had to be ripped, plumbing had to be redone...kitchen..Oh my! But so you know that some issues are non issues where value is concerned. Some I have known, and truly only ONE person refused to consider older homes because they didn't want "issues." OK..so they paid the "sticker price" and then got issues! ;-)) ALL homes have issues~but how smart are you at finding them?

8. IF you know your game on homes, then you can reasonibly forgo the home inspection for it's costs. I have had several~but there were things they didn't catch~even the best of the best will miss stuff that as a home buyer you may, may meaning it may NOT be a deal breaker, want to know! Home inspectors are a good idea if you don't know and aren't too handy. Just to get the pro's ideas is good thinking! I am married to Mr. Fixit, the real mccoy! So we are pretty safe on most things~we do look at age of mechanicals~their continue life expectancy, roof, insulation, heating and air, foundation...Just because it's a pretty home, that pulls my eye does NOT always get the sale. When looking and finding THIS house, there was an earlier home I just knew was THE ONE! Well, it took hubby going to a showing, and hearing the train in the BACKYARD screatching by every 8-12 minutes for ME to know it was a deal breaker! I could never have lived in a home that close to the train THAT busy, but three times now, I have lived close enough to hear it, but never so close I could count every spoke in the wheels! If you can, see the home as many times as possible~under all conditions possible~rain, shine, sleet or hale~~ok, just kidding about ALL of those conditions, but go see it and look, smell, touch and feel...measure...

9. When making an offer, here's a huge tip. Always do some research. Look at as many homes as you can find that are comparative in features and location to come up with what is a reasonable offer, but always less than asking. I mentioned this earlier, but if you make a seller upset, they can refuse to work with you. The other thing is to consider what the home is genuinely worth. I really believe in thrift, but I don't believe in stealing though. Fair is fair, but I will wait until the price is what I can afford or it comes down. This was the case in our current home~the price lowered which brought us BACK to it, but since it had been on the market for some time and the condition, we offered WHAT we believed would be immediately rejected. To our surprise, they accepted. Now this was also unusual in that it was a forclosed property, so there were no sellers involved who had feelings to consider. There are just other challenges to purchasing forclosed or distressed properties~beware! But with caution, they can make very nice homes! Comparing homes of similar features and conditions~an appraiser once told me that location, and major things like h/a, square footage, and other spaces like garages make property values~not decor or clean and neat issues...now number of bedrooms/baths will matter. . .lot size...but if you have 1985 lights or the latest most expensive crystal chandeliers~MATTERS NOT! Remember this if you plan to sell too~another post-another post!! ;-))

10. Consider the needs of yourself and your family. How many kids, pets? HOW MUCH STUFF? Are you downsizing or upsizing? Large yard? NO yard? GARAGE? Carport? How many baths? Do you want to be the 11 person family with one bath and three bedrooms??? HOW do you live~in the den, greatroom or livingroom or kitchen/den combo or WHAT? Features will matter when it comes to your family. . .My husband had grown quite accustomed to the NINE CAR~yeah, you read that right, 1500 sqare feet garage we moved from. When shopping, there were a couple of homes that were right for me without much less more than a one car bay situation. WE HAD to consider~where was the air compressor and wood shop and, and, and. . .GOING! We really needed and became blessed with a 3 car garage! Oh, it's smaller for sure, but think of HOW bad it would have been and the adjustment to no garage! Now you may want to make such changes...changing states and all that goes with THAT were enough for this family! Pets need space as do kids! But I hate yard work, not because I dislike gorgeous yards, but because of the work they take to maintain them. We are busy~I guess doing other things and since the yard is not my priority, I prefer very very small and what I do have, often I will make as much of a rock garden as possible! Laugh if you want to! But somebody had to cut all that grass~and with little time for THAT, it is't pretty~so we make a choice about yard size...We also came from tornado country without a basement, and having lived through the F5 of my life, I will if possible always have a basement. I've got one now! Praise God!

I hope I've given you some things to consider when looking to purchase a new home. This is an incredible time, especially if you are credit worthy and a first time home buyer. With the 8K stimulus, WOW~that makes DEALS EVEN BETTER!

Taking care of my money, so it stays!
SisterTipster<3

Thriving and HOPE

Hope is one of those words that means so many different things to people. I just know for me, without HOPE no matter my circumstance, whether it is financial, relational or situational, I have to have HOPE~

When it's bad~hope gives me strength and a vision.

When it's great~hope says "it can get better!"

When it's ok~hope offers me something different from WHAT AND WHERE OR HOW at this time...

Hope can bring a song, a spring to my step and a joy in my heart. . .

No matter what the situation, circumstance or place~HOPE!

I find great comfort in the Scripture, "hope thou in God" or in a modern (my own version) " HOPE IN GOD"~He is our hope...our future security and peace! This is helpful for whatever I am facing, whether it is physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational, geographical, situational~ALL the "ionals...in life"...

HE IS HOPE~

Thriving is HOPE and HOPEFULLY filled! We are not just merely existing in our place in this world, but buzzing along with the peace of God~from Him in HOPE!

Blessings~
SisterTipster<3

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SisterTipster<3