I’m probably in a minority of moms who don’t find mornings that stressful. It has taken a while, but my routine is finally tweaked to be as efficient, and frugal, as possible. Of course, saving money is always an important consideration. But I also had to reassess my priorities when it comes to my appearance in order to adopt my current routine. Prepping oatmeal cupcakes and hardboiled eggs to eat during my commute is helpful, but only saves a few minutes of my morning. To use my time more productively, I had to find a way to cut back, while remaining presentable for professional job. This is how I save money and streamline my beauty routine.
I save at least $100 per year cutting my own hair. At first, I stuck with a basic one-length cut, but recently tried out a new technique to add some layers. Everyone’s hair is different, so it’s really a learning process to figure out what works best. My advice is to start with little cuts until you perfect your technique.
Showering at night really shortens the time necessary to get ready every morning. Also, I only shower every other night. I usually do it pretty late at night, so by throwing it in a bun while asleep, it’s still damp enough to be styled in the morning. As for the other days, there are plenty of guides online regarding how to style “dirty” hair. I often wear my hair side-parted, with a single, neat braid. The finishing touch is one of my DIY fancy hair ties.
In the shower, I use mostly generic products. There is definitely no need to spend money on expensive shampoo – all it does is clean your hair. I have used body wash instead of shampoo with no big difference in the results. I do spend a bit more on decent conditioner, after being thoroughly disappointed with the cheaper brands. Tip: You can limit your time in the shower by brushing tangles our of your hair before turning on the water.
In 2014, I only spent approximately $20.00 on clothing. I am happy to report that I have not purchased any clothes or footwear for myself this year. My outfits are regularly repeated, but that’s all right. I no longer feel a need to hit some variety quota for my apparel. My ability to survive with a minimal wardrobe is easy because of owning many “classic” articles of clothing. There are a lot of blacks and greys, with pops of color. I don’t own brown clothing, so there is no need for brown shoes, belts, or purses. Speaking of purses – I tend to not carry one anymore. I either use the diaper bag or just throw my wallet and phone into my work bag. I have a few old purses (black or grey) which suffice for any special occasions.
One extra tip: Mrs. Frugalwoods offered some good advice on how to decrease your need to purchase new clothing – stay healthy so your size doesn’t change. Pregnancy obviously interferes, but I’ve otherwise been able to maintain a pretty constant weight.
I don’t wear a lot of jewelry. I have nice pieces to wear if necessary or I happen to be in the mood to add a little bling to my outfit. On a day-to-day basis, I wear my wedding rings. I have one pair of earrings that I usually wear to work, the basic, dangling pearls that go with everything.
Maybe someday I will be able to go without makeup. For now though, my weakness is accentuating my eyes. I use a little bit of concealer/eye cream under my eyes, eyeliner, and mascara. I don’t use any foundation, powders, blush, or eye shadow. I do have lip balm. My three items of makeup are not very expensive, and the eyeliner lasts a long time. Also, I’ve found that the 99 cent mascara works just fine for me (sorry Facebook friends, I’m not buying the $40 crap). One more way I save time in the morning is by doing this minimal makeup, in the car, at red lights. It might not be the best idea, but I pay attention and do it quickly, and only at a complete stop. I just hate wasting time and there seem to be so many lights on the way into work.
As a night owl, with three kids to get ready in the morning, I want to be able to sleep in as late as possible. A few tweaks and a lot of help from Mr. Smith make our mornings run smoothly. My beauty routine is just one more way in which I’ve stepped back, considered the fine details of my daily life, and asked the questions of “why?” and “is there a better way?”
I don’t wear makeup. I always hated it. And then I started dating Mr. T and gave it up. He also cuts my hair, which helps a lot with budget, but he hates doing it. He pays for his haircuts because they’re under ten dollars and he’s a lot pickier than I am. We do that for the sake of the marriage. 🙂 I do love some gaudy jewelry. Nothing real. Just major costume jewelry!
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I guess we all have that one weakness when it comes to feeling pretty – the trick is not breaking the bank with it. Statement jewelry pieces can be fun and there are definitely a lot of inexpensive options.
It’s incredible how much time some people spend trying to make themselves look better through makeup, hair, etc., and obviously women feel more pressure. It seems like even guys nowadays spend a lot of time and money on looking good. Not a bad thing to invest in but at the same time you really need to keep yourself in check.
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I think the most liberating thing for me was realizing that most people truly don’t care how others look. Within reason, of course, but as long as you look like you’ve bathed recently and slept indoors, no one really notices one way or the other. Realizing that helped me stop buying clothes and made me give up on virtually all makeup. I still look presentable for meetings, but taking that pressure off has been good on every level!
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Other people really don’t pay that much attention to our looks. I used to worry so much about my clothes and felt like I needed a huge variety in my outfits. Now, I am fine with rotating the items in my wardrobe and don’t find myself wishing for new things.