Justice Student over at Justice and Finance recently posted her top-10 non-frugal habits. Great post, I think. To some of her habits, I truly relate.
She got me thinking about certain habits of my own, some of which I’ve changed and others of which I haven’t. Things like these:
1. Going to the Movies
Can you believe theater prices these days? At my local AMC, one ticket costs $9.75! A student discount (which I suppose I’m not even qualified for now–gasp!) would save me $1, but even still: $8.75 for one person to see one movie? Ridiculous.
My solution: I have stopped going to regular theaters altogether. Yes, it’s true. The only theater I will now attend is the budget-friendly $3 one in a local suburb. It plays less-new, family-friendly flicks, but that’s fine with me. Otherwise we rent, or better still: watch a movie we already own or that’s playing on TV.
2. Eating out
This is unquestionably my most non-frugal habit. I love food—as in, I love food. This passion is compounded by the fact that get-togethers with friends are almost always restaurant-centered. “Let’s meet at Panera Sunday night!” Or Chili’s. Or Olive Garden.
Once I’m in the restaurant, all bets are off. I want the mint chocolate-chip shake. The amazing breadsticks. The melt-in-your-mouth soup.
My solution: Part of me hates this, but I eat before I go out now. It’s usually not a huge meal, just something light and protein-heavy. This way, the restaurant’s menu won’t be as appealing. Of course, sometimes planning ahead is impossible, and in those cases, I just let myself enjoy. After all, if I didn’t make some allowances, I’d probably throw all rules out the window.
3. Haircuts
I’ve seen other pf bloggers write about this: like here and here. For years, I went to a fancy salon close to my house: my hairdresser had known me longer than some of my friends. It was such a great experience: she washed my hair (don’t you love that?), talked with me like an old pal, even got me a beverage. The best part of all: she styled my hair, and everytime it looked awesome. I could count on perfect hair for at least the next two days (I usually wash it every morning, but with M’s magic touch, I didn’t need to right away).
Each cut cost $35, and I’d tip $10 since I loved M. Then, the last time I went, about a year ago, she’d raised her price to $45. With the tip, I spent $55 for a relatively simple cut: trimming, thinning, and long layers.
My solution: I stopped going to my fancy salon (and yes, I do miss it a little). I go to Great Clips, which couldn’t be less like M’s chair, but I pay $12, $8 if I have a coupon. The hairdresser—different each time—doesn’t wash, style, or blowdry my hair, but she does a fine job. I get home and fix it up, and I’m usually pretty happy.
For me, a person with thick-thick-thick, wavy hair, I’ll always have to work at my ‘do. Might as well pay less then, I figure.
What about you all? What are your habits? How do you deal with them?
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[...] 23 November 2007 by gradgirl Emm tagged me for the 7 random things meme. For my version, I’m going to share 7 of my good financial habits (I’ve written about bad ones before): [...]
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[...] Emm tagged me for the 7 random things meme. For my version, I’m going to share 7 of my good financial habits (I’ve written about bad ones before): [...]
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Networks
10 June 2007 at 12:07 am
Great list – It awesome to see that you are doing something about your ..ahem…’bad’ habits. I haven’t really conquered any of mine yet, but i’m working on them! Keep it up
10 June 2007 at 8:06 am
Great advice! I wish I could resist going out to eat–that is my true weakness. About getting your hair cut…if yoiu really like the full service a salon offers, you should consider a school. I also have long wavy hair that I get cut into long layers. I would recommend an Aveda school. They teach a nice cut early on, so I’ve never had any problems with it. Also, one of the teachers comes and checks on the haircut several times in the process….and before the shampoo bowl…you get a scalp massage! I’m a huge fan of going to the Aveda Institute. It is a little more expensive than other schools in the area, but I feel like I’m getting nicer products used on my hair and better service.
10 June 2007 at 1:39 pm
SD: You’ve sold me on the Aveda Institute. I wonder if they’re easy to find? I’ll do some research and see what’s around in this area. Sounds awesome!!
10 June 2007 at 8:45 pm
gradgirl:
SavingDiva also sold me on the Aveda Institute.
I’ve got an appointment with them in a couple of weeks to get highlights. I’m still going to my stylist (I pay $68 including tip each time), but over time, I’m hoping to switch over to something cheaper. Like you, I have thick thick wavy hair, and you’re sure right about it needing styling anyways, no matter what kind of cut.
P.S. great blog. I’m going to add you to my blogroll.
10 June 2007 at 11:07 pm
I went to the Asian salons in Chinatown twice to the same stylist – he did a good job but when I asked the second time to cut my hair shoulder length or shorter, he said it’d look bad because I have thick wavy hair.
I went somewhere else, spent $35 and got what I wanted. And it’s really hard to communicate with a stylist in another language I’m not fluent in.
But I’m going back to this salon, the second time the haircut will cost $38, but it’s well worth the price. First time they discount it at $28. The stylist washed my hair and listened to my concerns and what I wanted. The final result was amazing, just what I wanted. The max I’ll spend is $50 on a haircut, that’s my limit.
11 June 2007 at 9:34 am
Great post, gradgirl. It really helped me to think about ways to cut my spending.
I, too, LOVE food. I liked your idea about eating first. That definitely helps me in the grocery store! But at a restaurant, with my bottomless stomach, I am afraid that I would *still* eat everything . . .
However, I usually do OK in restaurants. But a new coffee place recently opened up right next to where I work, and I just love it. It has a great literary atmosphere and friendly staff, and a friend and I have a hard time not running over there several times a week. Uh oh!
What you said about haircuts got me thinking. I had gone to Fantastic Sam’s for years (had a great girl there when I lived near you) but where I live now, my hair cuts from FS were nothing to get excited about. I went to a more expensive “master stylist” on a recommendation, and I just love her! She actually looks at me and thinks about what would look good on me, even telling me to part my hair on the other side.
I have thick, wavy hair also (not as thick as yours, but pretty thick) and I have a really hard time managing it. I also have weird cowlicks that take “special” attention. 
She does a great job finding new styles for me that work really well.
But, my last cut was $35 plus tip. How much are we supposed to tip? I gave her $10 last time, partially because I loved what she did and partially because I was afraid of looking cheap in her uppity salon.
Do you think that I could get away with less next time? I’m not really sure what tipping policy is in salons.
One thing that I do to save money on haircuts is just to get fewer of them. Like right now, in the summer, I am letting it grow, even though I would like to get it cut to even it out. Before I go back to work in the fall, I will get it cut again.
Sorry for rambling on. Why is it so easy to leave long comments on others’ blogs but so difficult to think of something to say on my own?
11 June 2007 at 9:39 am
By the way, if you ever felt like writing a post *about* tipping, that would be great. I already asked you about salons. Having worked in a restaurant, I think some people could use some help with that, too.
I also wonder about hotels. I had never heard of tipping the cleaning staff, but a friend who used to clean hotel rooms said that it is normal to leave money in the room when you leave. Do you know what is proper for that?
11 June 2007 at 3:32 pm
Hmmn… good idea, LN! I’ll look into it.
(And, by the way, love your long comments.
Keep ‘em coming!)