For many women, as the joy of the holidays fade away and confetti cleanup from New Year's Eve celebrations commences, monetary concerns for the new year ahead might start to set in.
Perhaps you have over spent on your Christmas budget; or, worse you became a redundancy or victim of the crazy economic crunch over the holiday season. Whatever the reason, January is the month when most people start to feel the budget burn. If you're smart, you've followed a strict budget all the previous year and are comfortable, if not in the black, for the new year.
If you're a normal woman of the 21st century you have not done this, have never done this; and, you are now scrambling to find ways to cut your budget so that you can continue to live the life to which you've become accustomed. (Without having to drastically sacrifice the comforts and amenities you most enjoy in favor of paying rent, student loans and other pressing financial obligations.)
The good news is that there are some really simple and creative things you can do in 2009 that will help you to stretch your budget as far as it can go. Some of these sweet DIY ideas are not just practical, but are also fun.
Buy in bulk!
Be it bath and body products or Cliff Bars, it's always cheaper to buy in bulk. Especially essentials like shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Most natural food stores have a bath and body section where you can bring your own container to fill it with whatever product you want to purchase. Save your plastic milk gallons (make sure to wash them out throughly) to take with you and you can get your favorite body wash, lotion or hair care products for pennies on the dollar of what you'd spend by buying a new container every time you run out.
Also, this is good for the environment!
As far as food goes, it's always more economic to purchase in large portions. With non-perishable items such as rice, coffee, pasta, tea and others you can keep them fresh in re-sealable containers like Tupperware and plastic baggies. With meats, cheese and other items which can go bad, divide them up into portions - keeping only what you'll use immediately in the fridge - and throw the rest into your freezer to use as you need it. Most perishable products will last several months when properly stored in your freezer.
Make it!
In the late 90's through the present day the DIY movement has enjoyed rejuvenation and has been growing in leaps and bounds. Magazines such as Bust and Make It offer up loads of project ideas that are fun and practical - everything from making simple robots to recreating vintage dress patterns to making your own beauty products. Instead of spending your hard earned dollars buying these things pre-made from a shop, why don't you give making it for yourself a go? You'll save money in the long run and may find a new hobby in the process!
DIY is a great way to make your dollars stretch. Many people do not realize the amount of money they spend on pre-made products that they use on a daily basis. The ironic thing is that for a little extra time and effort you can make the same products yourself for a fraction of the cost.
Take facial toner for example: when you purchase this product at a pharmacy or beauty bar cost can range from $6 to upwards of $40, depending on the brand. What is in this stuff that is so cost worthy? Nada. For a total cost of $15 (maximum) you can purchase witch hazel and tea tree oil to keep your skin clear and clean for up to six months. All you have to do is find a small refillable spray bottle. Clean it out carefully. Put one part tea tree oil to four parts witch hazel into the bottle and close it. Shake before spraying on your face and wipe away with a cotton pad. How easy is that? And, how much better for your budget is $15 every six months compared to potentially $40 every couple of months?
A few well spent minutes with Google can reveal a plethora of recipes, patterns and ideas for practical DIY projects from making your own conditioner or chai mix to crafting cute gifts for any occasion!
Okay, maybe it's not as lux as popping into your local coffee shop to buy a triple shot vanilla latte - BUT! Do you realize that most coffee drinkers spend between $3 and $10 per day buying caffeinated beverages? How ridiculous is that? Invest in your favorite flavor of coffee syrup and make it at home!
This goes for lunches, too! When trying to pinch pennies in a budget it's always best to start with the daily excesses. Going out to lunch may be a fun social activity on occasion; but, don't let laziness make it into a daily occurrence. At the beginning of the week take a few minutes to plan your daily meals, then go to the grocery store to purchase what you need. Take things like bagels and sandwich fixings and soup with you into your office so you won't have an excuse to run out to grab a bite.
Do it for yourself!
One might think that hair cuts, hair coloring and bikini waxing are not the place to cut corners. Typically, we'd agree with you. However, what are you to do if your budget is seriously strapped? Should you sacrifice your grooming habits? No way. Here's some easy ways to keep looking well kept in a budget crisis.
Cutting one's hair and bangs is a tricky endeavor. Though if you follow some simple rules it's not impossible to do it well. The primary rule is measure twice, cut once. This goes for trimming your bangs as well as cutting length off your hair. It's also recommended that you get your hair initially cut by a professional so you have a guideline to follow and that you only maintain the style by trimming occasionally. Another important consideration is the instrument you use: if you plan on making a habit of DIY'ing your own hair you should invest in a good pair of shears that you only use for cutting hair. Dull scissors result in bad hair cuts.
Bangs: Check out the video below for some practical tips on how to cut your own bangs. Important things to remember - bangs should be cut dry! You don't want to blunt cut your bangs, snip the scissors upward, trimming the dead ends off vertically, you'll get a more even fringe and if you make a mistake it's easier to blend. Make sure to pull the rest of your hair back from your face into a pony tail or with a headband to ensure you're only cutting your bangs.
How to Cut or Trim Your Own Bangs
Hair: Howtodothings.com has some great tips on how to successfully cut your own hair. Most important to remember is "keep it simple, stupid!" Simple hair styles are best when DIY'ing your own locks. The easiest method is to wash your hair and then comb conditioner through it. Pin your bangs forward and flip your head over to gather the rest of your hair at the very top of your head into a pony tail. Twist the pony tail one way and carefully snip off the amount you desire to trip (which you've decided before.) Repeat this process, twisting the pony tail the opposite way and trimming off the same amount. Then comb your hair from your part and take a look. Clean up any stray strands by cutting vertically (again, blunt cuts are bad, bad, bad!) Wash out your hair and style as normal.
Coloring your own hair: For a fraction of the cost of a salon color you can achieve good results on your own. First off, don't use the pre-made color kits!
"Color kits that you buy in a drugstore have to work on all hair types, " says Janine Manning (colorista extraordinary of Toronto, Ontario.) "The developer included in the kit is a level 40 and is way too harsh for most hair types."
Not only is it too harsh; but, it also causes the color to fade faster than if you buy a lower level developer such as a 10 (which works on most hair types.) Go to a beauty supply store and invest in a bottle of a lower level developer, some reusable gloves and an applicator bottle. You will be set for months to color your own hair. You can also purchase your color in bulk (though it's best to use it within a month of opening the bottle.)
Important tips to remember: Roots take longer to process than hair which has already been colored. To achieve a uniform result, apply the majority of color to your roots, wait for ten minutes and then comb the color through to the ends using a plastic comb. With colors which require deep saturation (reds, deep browns, blacks) heat is an essential element. Pin the your hair up onto the top of your head and cover with a color cap or plastic bag. Then use your hair dryer to heat your hair so that you can feel the warmth evenly through the cap to the touch. Repeat this process twice during your color processing. Results will be a deeper color with more radiance. Finally: CONDITION and don't wash every day if you don't have to! Make sure that you do this for the first week after coloring to help retain your glorious color.
Waxing: WikiHow has good tips on how to give yourself a home wax. The most important parts of this process are product and starting small. Using a good sugaring wax is essential in getting the results you want. Proceeding in small strips is not only less painful, but it is also easier to control your results. If you're sketchy on applying hot wax to your nether regions on your own you can also obtain good results by using a depilatory product such as Veet.
Cut it Out!
This is not as fun as most would like. However, in a budget crisis it's time to evaluate where you can cut corners in your household expenses. What the thrifty person knows is that this doesn't mean sacrificing what you have, it just means finding cheap or free ways of getting the same thing. Here are some suggestions:
Sacrifice cable or Netflix for online television - services such as Hulu and Veoh will yield a plethora of full length television shows and movies you can watch on your computer (or with a few cleverly placed cables on your television) for free. Axe the $40-$150 per month cost of cable (which often doesn't have anything interesting on) or the $15 per month cost of Netflix.
Nix the landline - in this day and age everyone has a cell phone. This means there is no earthly reason to have a landline. Use an online service such as Skype or Vonage to replace your analog landline with a digital way to connect via computer or phone for far less than the phone company.
Park your car - use public transportation or services like City Car Share to cut down on your weekly gas costs.
Go green - switch to reading your favorite publications online, eliminating daily or monthly subscription costs. Send emails and online greeting cards instead of their paper counterparts. You'll be amazed at the monthly savings you'll rack up simply by eliminating buying birthday cards (which often cost $3 or $4 per card!) Plus, you'll be cutting down your carbon footprint for the good of all mankind!
Replace it! - so you want to go out to dinner with friends? Why don't you have a dinner party instead? Assign each guest an item or dish to bring and you'll find that you'll have as much fun as you would at a restaurant for half the price. Plus you can create a special and intimate setting if you plan a little in advance. If you're really dying to try a trendy restaurant or a particular chef, why don't you try checking out their recipes in a cookbook or online?
Want to go to the movies? Pop some popcorn and take turns hosting a movie night! Pick themes (black and white movies, romantic comedies, sci fi) and hit the local video store to pick one or two options. The cost of popcorn, soda and rentals for the group will be a fraction of what a ticket to the local cinema will cost the individual!
Dying for a new outfit? Host a clothing swap. Invite five gal pals to come over for drinks and snacks - each should bring a large shopping bag full of clothing pieces they don't want/wear or fit into anymore. Swap clothes and make new outfits white elephant style! The only rules are that guests can't bring gross or grungy items - they should be in good condition - and, that any unwanted items at the end of the swap will be donated to a women's shelter or charity.
Not only is this a great way to get your hands on those awesome jeans your BFF never wears anymore; but, it can turn into a super fun social event which with the right vibe can spread to friends of friends, work colleagues and family members with time - opening your wardrobe up to completely new and thrifty possibilities!