After my mis-step this week with the ATM fees my frugality really kicked in. I'm trying to work out ways to save money in every aspect of our life. One area where our hair-bear-bunch of a family can look to cutback is with hair care. Luckily, I spoke to a celebrity hairstylist earlier this year who gave me some top tips on washing your hair - that also help save money!* Start by brushing your hair well to get rid of any surface dirt and excess hair product - doing this now will mean you don't have to shampoo twice!
* Then wet your hair well and pour a little shampoo into a bowl, and mix it with water to help it spread {I know what you're thinking, but considering the first ingredient in most shampoos is "Aqua" we're not ruining it - just making it go further}. Apply to the top of your hair and gently massage into your scalp, going down about halfway down the length of your hair. The ends of your hair are usually dry and the residual shampoo when you rinse it out will usually cleanse them enough.
* Rinse it really, really well, using your fingers to lift sections of your hair so that all your scalp is free from shampoo. Then rinse again.
Use conditioner from the ends of your hair and only work about halfway up the shaft - it'll only flatten your head if you apply it too close to your scalp. Comb through with a rubber paddle brush or a wide tooth comb, leave to soak in, then rinse. Gently squeeze the moisture from your hair with a towel, and before applying any product, rub it between your hands to allow it to head up and spread.
These days I tend to use a supermarket brand shampoo and conditioner and alternate every second wash with my expensive Joico leave-in conditioner {cos it gives me better curls}. I'm also using about half the amount of product I used to and am pretty chufffed that I'm still getting similar results.
I'm also mixing my moisturiser with a little water in the palm of my hand before applying - it spreads a lot easier and moisturises just as effectively.
Food-wise, frugality still has a lot to do with creative uses of leftovers. I made a delish beef and guinness stew in the crockpot on wednesday, so tonight we're having beef and guinness pies with the leftovers. I'm going to pop the mix in a ramekin each, top them with puff pastry and bake them till hot and golden. Yummy.
I also picked up a fancy-schmancy cooking tip on Come Dine With Me last night. You know how, on cooking shows, they're always using funky little metal moulds to form interesting stacks of vegies, or meats? Well, I checked some out at The Essential Ingredient the other day, and realised I just couldn't justify the price. But, you know what this women on CDWM did? She went to the supermarket, bought tins of fruit that were just the right height and diameter and CUT THE TOPS AND BOTTOMS OFF. Brilliant! Combine that with Shannan Lush's hint for soaking labels off jars and tins {fill them with hot water, let them rest, and then they'll just peel off - with any residual stickiness easily banished with a wipe of lavender or eucalyptus oil. I always prefer to reuse rather than recycle, so that little tip has made my week!
How's your week going?
We stopped buying individual servings of things like yoghurt, sour cream, etc, and buy the larger containers that last an entire week for us. Then we wash the container out and reuse it for leftovers, cut up veg or fruit, whatever. We also wash out coffee or larger tin cans and Eva decorates them then uses them to store her crayons, markers, paints, whatever. My mom orders me coffee beans with her orders for her cafe, so I am never without good quality coffee. As for hair care . . . well, we all know that short curls equal less product, lol. Part of the reason why I keep my hair short currently is a cost thing. We made a huge crock pot of baked spaghetti yesterday and had leftovers for Nolan and Eva's lunch today and probably 2-3 more meals afterwards. I'll do a big pot of soup some time soon too, you know how I love my dried beans!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can't abide individual servings - and much prefer to serve yoghurt in a pretty pink ramekin than in a plastic pot! I'm envious of your coffee - ours is expensive, but still way less than buying takeout.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to High Tea this morning for my mother-in-law's celebration with the girls, so Matt will be having last night's leftover chicken meatloaf for lunch. Leftovers rock!
And I envy you suiting short hair - I look ninety with a big round face when mine's shorter...
I have disconnected all the lights and fuses and make Emergency Contact wear a miners helmet around the house at night. I have taken up kicking the homeless people off the electric bbq plates on the sports oval opposite, and cook our meals out there.
ReplyDeleteA Grey Area: Making a Difference.
Grey Area, you nearly made me spit my coffee all over my keyboard - and I wasn't even drinking any! Think I blew a fu-fu valve over that one...
ReplyDeleteNick, nick, nick. Between your wanting me to take baby steps around my house so it feels more "palatial" to this comment, you had me shrieking with laughter. This is only bad because it's 2:30 am and I'm the only one besides my cats awake . . . and now they think something is wrong with me. So to conserve money, are you going to come help me set animal traps around my house so we can see what sorts of rodents we can skin and stew? Is that what I am now going to be resorting to? Or can I buy meat?
ReplyDelete