JD'na / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A recent MoneyTalk News article shared results of a Harris poll that found 12 ways Americans are saving money this summer. Below are the 12 most popular cost-cutting methods with my tips on each.
1. Buy more generic brands – Don’t play favorites when it comes time to shopping. If you have ethnic grocery stores in your area, check them out. Just last week, I wanted avocados and found a bag of 4 for $3.99 at Trader Joe’s. I passed and headed to an ethnic store and found them for $0.33 each. To save more money don’t forget to check back every Wednesday when we share grocery coupons for different stores.
2. Brown bag lunch instead of buying it – I’ve compared the different options for midday meals and brown bagging it is definitely a winner. To save money on lunch, plan ahead. Make a big batch of beans during the weekend and during the week toss it in to a salad. Cut fruit ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Add some lemon, salt, and a pinch of cayenne for a quick and easy snack. (more…)
locomomo / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
My father is a fan of cheap haircuts and seldom pays more than $7 to get his hair cut every two weeks. This weekend he got a free cut by me after realizing electric razors are not so expensive.
While running errands this weekend we ended up at Target, were he bought an electric razor that cost $20. We did the math and he has been paying
Before Meital's student haircut, blow dry, and style.
Longtime reader Meital shares before and after pictures of a great deal she landed last week – an $8 shampoo, haircut, blow dry and style! She got her hair cut at Empire Beauty School in Rhode Island. Beauty schools are a great way to save money. Meital reports:
The student that did my hair was Nila (her supervisor Louisa and her professor Mike watched/ helped to make sure she was doing everything right) .
Nila gave me a 10 minute head massage, shampooed, and DOUBLE conditioned my hair. She then cut my hair, blow dried it, and then styled it with the straightener a bit. Total: $8 (more…)
justj0000lie /Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
The season is changing and so will many women’s hair color, but the cost doesn’t have to make you want to pull your locks out. Many of us are heading back to school or the office and are craving a fresh look. Here are some tips for inexpensive hair color and care. A previous post covered how to get a cheap hair cut.
Highlights – I speak from personal experience: don’t do this at home or risk looking like a skunk. Instead, have a friend recommend a professional and get highlights done at a salon. For touch ups, you can use a similar color from the drugstore and do it at home. You can also try (more…)
- food (though generally not at a restaurant unless you call ahead and make a special deal)
- travel arrangements through an agent
- clothes
- shoes
- electronics
- home goods
- services like hair cuts, massages, and spa treatments
- anything at a garage sale
- monthly contracts including your cell phone, cable/Internet, newspaper, magazine
- health care (especially if you can pay upfront in cash)
- oil changes and car maintenance (if you negotiate ahead of time)
What else have you negotiated a discount for that is not on this list? Leave a comment!
The best way to get cheap cuts and salon treatments is to:
- Turn to the almost-professionals. Yes, folks, I’m talking about students. Hair cutting schools across the country offer low-cost cuts that are often less than $15. Students lack experience, but they are eager to please. After all, you are a potential client once they graduate and get a job. Why not consider a student for a trim or basic cut? You can test them out without great risk. When you want to make a dramatic change, go to someone with more experience.
- Host a hair cutting party. This is easiest if you already know a stylist who is looking for business. Invite over friends who also want to get their hair cut and negotiate a discounted rate ahead of time based on volume. You may be able to get 20% off or more per person, especially if you can pay in cash.
- Find high-end salons that offer classes for professionals who want to learn a new skill. You can sign up to be a “hair model” for them to work on at a fraction of the cost these folks would normally charge. Sometimes it is free. I used to get cuts through the hair model program at Bumble & Bumble in NYC. For $10 or $20 I got fabulous cuts overseen by a B&B instructor. Only bad thing was that the cuts took two hours (every snip had to be approved) and they were scheduled on weekday afternoons. Looks like the program is free these days and includes styling and coloring! Next time I’m in NYC…
Here are a few online resources to find beauty schools near you.
