If you are like me, then you like to look your best when it comes to your appearance. However, looking your best does not always come cheap! I have used the following techniques to reduce my personal care budget while maintaining the results I want. In fact, with these ideas, I’m able to save up to $800 a year just by trimming some of the fat from my fashion and style budget.
Health and Beauty Tips To Save You $800 A Year
These are a few out of the box but simple ideas to help you save on your everyday look and health. With this kind of savings, you’ll be able to reduce your debt or add some dollars to a goal-oriented account like SmartyPig’s free savings account, or to your favorite savings fund.
#1 Give yourself a professional manicure and pedicure at home.
Image from the wry and quirky Natalie Dee.
I love getting a manicure and pedicure, but I do not love paying $45 plus tip for them. I used to do this on a regular basis. However, when I started cutting items from my budget, this monthly treat was one of the first to be eliminated. My justification was that nail items are inexpensive enough to purchase so perhaps it’s something I can handle on my own. I can give myself a spa manicure and pedicure at home with a little practice: I love a French manicure and pretty toes! So I went to Target and purchased a foot scrubber, nail remover, polish, and a file. Target even carries some of the same name brand polishes that the salon professionals are using. Then, I enlisted the help of Youtube.com to find out how to do my nails professionally. There are tons of videos on Youtube.com that will show you, step by step, how to give yourself a manicure and pedicure that look like what you’d get from the salon. I save $40 a month and have great looking nails!
What I was paying: $50 a month including tip
What I am paying now: $7.33 a month (new polish each month, $10 initial start up costs)
Yearly Savings: $512.00
#2 Save a bundle on clothing by shopping online and using coupons.
Image from the awesome NatalieDee.com.
This is by far the best and easiest way to create a stunning wardrobe for half the costs and time! I have a couple of stores that I love and their clothes fit my body well. If this is the case for you as well, you may want to consider buying all of your clothes online instead of at the store. Why? Well, many times, you can find online promotional codes that provide large discounts on online orders.
- Macy’s Promo Codes
- Overstock Coupon Codes (this place seems to have everything)
- Shoebuy Coupon Codes
I usually go to my favorite stores, try on the items I like, make a list, and then go home and find everything on the retailer’s online site. I then use a search engine and type in “coupon codes for XYZ store name.” Type whatever store name you are looking for and check your results. This will give you a list of coupon codes that sometimes provide up to 50% off the order. Along with Macy’s and Shoebuy, I’ve also done this with Victoria’s Secret and New York & Company.
What I was paying: $120 in store
What I am paying now: $70 online for the same items in a department store
Yearly Savings: $200 (I shop about four times a year for clothing)
#3 Have a personal trainer? Get a reimbursement.
Image from the humorous NatalieDee.com.
This may sound somewhat immodest, but I have a personal trainer. But if you already visit the gym, you may find that this is a more affordable way to get fit, as it has been for me! Here’s my argument for doing it this way: I ditched my gym membership when I realized I had no motivation to go and never used it. I really just needed someone to hold me accountable for my fitness goals. Therefore, instead of paying $50 a month to a gym, I pay $50 a month to a trainer. I see my trainer twice a week for two 30-minute sessions. My trainer provides me with lots of exercises that I can do at home without equipment, which means I can duplicate the workouts at home. In addition, while my company reimburses for gym memberships, I had to ask if they’d do the same for my physical trainer. Since it was a reoccurring monthly expense for my health, my employer agreed! Now, I only pay $35 out of pocket, and my company pays $15. Check out Craigslist.org for trainers offering services or search Google.com for trainers in your area. Usually, a trainer will be willing to work with your budget. So, offer what you can pay and see what kind of deal you can strike.
What I was paying: $50 a month gym membership
What I am paying now: $35 a month
Yearly Savings: $180
These are just a couple of examples of how I looked at what I was already spending in order to cut costs, while still preserving the same results! What items in your budget can you reduce, without too much of an impact on your lifestyle?
Contributing Writer: Selena
Created October 1, 2010. Updated May 28, 2012. Copyright © 2012 The Digerati Life. All Rights Reserved.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome article. My wife does manicures with our young girls at home. Unfortunately, she also takes them to get their nails done at the salon, so she is starting them early.
I love using coupons, and using them online works well too. Clothes used to be a vice for me. I started a 1 year vow that ended recently not to buy any NEW clothes unless I was given a gift certificate and it continues to stick with me. I shop at thrift store and still have a $150 gift card from 2009 to Marshalls that has a balance on it.
As for the personal trainer, you sold me on your argument. You are saving money over what you were paying and you have actually motivated yourself to exercise by having the training.
Being the ConsumerMiser, I love your ideas and see them as being frugal and practical. They make a lot of sense (cents).
Nice article. Also there are a lot of natural ways to save money on beauty regimens, such as vegetable or honey masks etc. But be careful about natural things like vegetable masks (think: cucumbers) because the effects may not be the same on everyone’s skin.
Great post and think the pictures make the post both relevant and enjoyable to read!
Re. mani pedi- don’t forget the time it takes to go to the salon and sit. At home you can do other stuff while drying. Clothes tips-Kohl’s 60-90% off racks! Designers at great prices.
I love the idea of the DIY manicures, and the comment about Consumer Miser’s wife doing this with their girls. We as a nation really seem to be getting back to basic family time, and activities. Great to hear. We should also look into great healthy programs using real foods to get and/or stay fit and trim. Our country is really again becoming a wonderful place. Please everyone, keep it going forward and keep our nation free.
Wow. I love the ideas of manicure and pedicure. I think most of us can apply this. There are also lots of natural ways to be fit and trim. It’s always a good idea to have a personal trainer rather than going to the gym, IMO.
You pay your trainer $50 a month for EIGHT 30-minute sessions? Like, about $6 per session? I am completely flabbergasted, considering that the ones around here are at least $30 for 30 minutes! Where in the world are you located??
I loved having a trainer but could not afford the $250 a month for very long!
This is a fabulous blog post! It feels so great to get a beauty makeover no matter what age you are. I completely agree with you about getting a professional makeover at least once in your life. Keep posting thanks 🙂
You can save money by doing thngs yourself, however sometimes you can save money by getting expert help. Shopping for clothes can be time consuming, and frustrating and how many times have you bought an item you never wear, totally wasting you money. So even if you are being frugal, sometimes it pays to spend.
Never have had a manicure or pedicure. I work out in the garden and walk everywhere. My wardrobe consists of a limited number of classics. Every once in a while, I head to Ross to replace items. I’ve been replacing skin care products with natural, single ingredients. My only indulgence is jewelry, but I now make my own and I buy on ebay and etsy at a fraction of the cost.
Why would your employer reimburse you for the trainer but not for your $50 a month gym membership?
You are absolutely right. It has been a year since I had a manicure and pedicure done at a salon. Another tip is ditching those store bought moisturisers and scrubs for organic stuff and homemade goodness. I use sunflower oil and extra virgin coconut oil as moisturisers and I use salt, milk, oats and honey as scrub. Saves me a lot of money and my skin has never been better.