I love looking good, and I love going to the salon. It’s one luxury I afford myself on a regular basis. Having said that, I know what you’re probably thinking. “How do you afford to go to the salon and still maintain a frugal lifestyle and stay on budget?” I know, I know. Going to the salon can be quite pricey, and it really isn’t a necessity, especially if you’re talented (or crazy enough) to cut and color your own hair. The fact is, I’m neither, so in order to keep looking my best, I schedule regular appointments. However, I have found several ways to stay within my tight budget and still get my hair cut and colored by a professional. Check out my eight secrets that will save you money at the salon.
1. Free is always good.
Many salons and stylists will give you a bang trim free of charge, especially if you’re a regular customer. You usually don’t even need an appointment – simply stop by for a little snippity-snip and you’re good to go. If your salon doesn’t offer this perk, be sure to ask your stylist for direction in cutting your own fringe at home.
2. Loyalty programs rock!
Be sure to ask the salon if they have any loyalty programs that will save you money for being a regular customer. You may be able to collect points each time you visit to earn a free product or service, or sometimes if you refer a friend the salon will give you a percent off your next visit.
3. Say “no” to the art.
I’m not much for mani/pedis (and it shows!), but if you are, you can save money there, too. When you go in for a pedi, skip the nail design, which can add up to $10 more to your bill.
4. Don’t forget beauty schools.
You can save as much as fifty percent on your beauty bill by having the services done at a beauty school. I know it can be a little scary trusting your hair to an inexperienced stylist, but the students are closely supervised by their instructors and the money you save is well worth the risk.
5. Look at the calendar first.
Salons, just like any other business, will take advantage of peak seasons to make more money. For instance, during the holidays or prom season, prices may go up. If you can avoid it, don’t schedule your appointments during this time to save a few bucks.
6. Spend more on salon products to save money.
This statement sounds contradictory, but it’s really not. Salon products are better for your hair and will extend the cut or color you got, so ultimately you spend less.
7. Extend time between visits.
Unless you have super-short hair that shows new growth quickly, you can probably extend the time between visits from every six weeks to as much as every ten to twelve weeks. This will cut out three or four visits to the salon per year!
8. Get highlights to cover the gray.
Rather than getting a color that is simply one shade, which will show new growth quickly, opt for highlights instead. If the stylist places them right (just under the top layer of your hair), she’ll be able to cover all the grays and the highlights will show through and add a soft brightness instantly. When new growth presents itself, it will blend in with the highlights and be less obvious, extending the time between touch ups.
So there you have it – eight ways I save money and still get my hair done at the salon. A girl’s gotta look good, so going to the salon is definitely a necessity in my book.
Photo Credit: Thinkstock
