I think most people would agree that there are many times in life when hunting for a bargain is a great idea. Second hand clothes and furniture can save you loads and look just as nice as when they were brand new. When shopping for car insurance, different companies can offer you the same exact coverage at very different premiums! Why not try to get the best deal?
As much as I love to save money, there are certain times when it’s just not worth the money you will save when you consider what you’re getting in return. I’m going to share some scenarios so you know when you should take advantage of savings and when you should plan to shell out for a worthy purchase!
SAVE:
Learn to do your own blowouts & updos
There’s no need to pay money to a hairstylist for a simple hairstyle you can do yourself. If you’re not great at styling your own hair yet, watch some videos, read some tips and practice! I bet you can learn to do some amazing things if you just give it a try! I’ve seen countless video tutorials on Instagram that show just how easy it can be to create an impressive looking updo in minimal time.
To master your blowout, you will need a decent blow-dryer. It doesn’t need to cost $100, but it does need to be more powerful than the mini dryer attached the wall in your hotel room. I have linked the blow-dryer I use below. You will also need a good brush which is appropriate for your hair type. There are lots of options, so read up on which one is best for your hair: paddle or round, wood, ceramic, metal, natural, nylon etc. That last thing you will need is hair product. Your needs here are going to depend on your hair type and may take some trial and error to see what works best for your hair. The hair oil your best friend swears by may make your mane appear greasy. Do your homework and try out a few products to find your perfect hair routine.
No matter what hair type you have, a heat protectant should ALWAYS be part of your routine. Protect your precious locks from heat damage before you blow-dry, straighten or curl your hair. There is plenty to read online about which hair products may work for your hair. You can also take tips from your professional hairstylist. They can recommend great quality products for everything from heat protectant and styling products to finishing products. Invest a little time in practicing styling your hair. I guarantee you can look fabulous and save money with fewer trips to the salon!
This is the blow-dryer I use and I love it!
This is my go-to all purpose brush.
I use these two brushes for a sleek blowout.
SPLURGE:
Go to a licensed professional for your haircuts, color and other chemical processes
While it’s great to do your own styling at home, unless you’re a licensed cosmetologist it’s probably best to head to the salon when you need a cut, hair color or any other chemical process. Cosmetologists are specially trained and have knowledge of hair types and the chemicals that are being used for these treatments. There is just so much that can go wrong when you try to do these things yourself without proper education and know-how. You could end up with bright orange hair, completely fried horse hay or no hair if you burn it off! Why risk it? If you try to cut your own hair, it can easily end up way shorter than you intended and still be crooked. Chances are, you’re going to end up at the salon paying someone to fix what you did so it’s better if you just start at the salon and pay a reputable cosmetologist to give you the look you want! Your hair will thank you.
SAVE:
Do your own makeup for holiday parties, weddings at which you’re a guest and other events
Another great way to save money on getting glammed up for an evening out is to do your own makeup. Chances are you do your own makeup every day anyway. If you want to take it up a notch, learn how to do a sultry smoky eye, perfect your showstopping red lip or strategically place some killer contour and highlighter. There is no shortage of videos and tutorials online to help you master these skills. It may take some practice to perfect these looks, but you will be so glad you did! Choose times when you aren’t going anywhere and practice your dramatic eye shadow look or your perfect contour. You don’t need pricey designer products from Sephora or Ulta to get these looks either. There are super affordable options you can find at these stores, but I promise you can also look absolutely stunning with makeup you picked up at Walmart or CVS! Practice makes perfect, so pull out your makeup bag and get to work.
This is one of my favorite eye shadow palettes and at $15 you can’t beat the price!
SPLURGE:
Hire a professional to do your wedding day hair and makeup
I’m all about doing your own hair and makeup for most events throughout the year and minimizing the amount of money you pay to professionals for things you can do yourself. When it comes to your own wedding, however, there are multiple reasons you should hire a reputable professional to handle this important work! First, you will have so much to think and worry about on your wedding day that anything you can delegate to someone else, you should! It will be a long and exhausting day filled with excitement and emotions. Minimize your stress and relax while you allow a professional to toil over your perfect hair and makeup. If possible, meet with your chosen stylist for a trial run of both your hair and makeup before the big day. This will put you even more at ease with your choices, knowing you’re going to end up with the perfect look. Another reason to invest in a professional is that it’s probably going to be a long day. Your stylist will know how to give you long lasting results for both your hair and makeup. The last thing you want is for your makeup to wear off and your hair to fall flat before the best man gives the toast! Leave it to the pros and enjoy your magical day!
SAVE:
Buy cheaper (not necessarily cheap) pieces when it comes to trendy clothes you’ll only wear for a short time
I’m a big fan of a capsule wardrobe! (Something I will discuss in a later blog post.) If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s essentially a collection of carefully selected clothes which are timeless, usually neutral colors such as black, white, grey, navy and khaki and can be mixed and matched in almost limitless ways. A capsule wardrobe allows you to own minimal pieces of quality clothing, but still have many outfits and looks you can build from them. I believe this should be the base of every woman’s wardrobe, however I also understand that sometimes trends come along that really strike you and there’s nothing wrong with having fun trying out the latest trend!
When it comes to these trendy pieces you want to purchase, it’s a fantastic idea to save as much as you can, since you probably won’t wear it for more than one season. Target is one of my favorite places to shop in general, but they’re also great for affordable, trendy fashion including clothes, jewelry and purses. Also, try Marshall’s or TJ Maxx for cute clothes at discount prices. If you spend $30 on a top, you won’t feel so bad when you no longer want to wear it after six months! Also, check out sale racks and discounts from department stores for great deals on cute clothes.
SPLURGE:
Spend more and focus on quality when purchasing key wardrobe pieces that you’ll wear often and for a long time
Going back to the idea of a Capsule Wardrobe, there are certain items in your closet that you are bound to wear often and will probably continue to wear for a long time. Thing about items like black dress pants or your favorite LBD (little black dress), a sophisticated blazer, your favorite cardigan or even your favorite pair of jeans. If you look for quality in these pieces and spend a little more, you’re going to get more wear out of them than a cheaply made shirt that will have hole under the arm after three washes. I would much rather pay $100 for a pair of pants that will last me years, than buy a $30 pair every three months! Pay close attention to the care instructions for these clothes as well. If you want to maximize their value, you need to hand-wash, air dry or dry-clean as instructed on the garment. If anything needs to be altered to fit properly, take the clothes to a tailor and get them professionally altered rather than doing it yourself. They will look nicer and last longer and most alterations are inexpensive!
SAVE:
Take your own photos of family gatherings, birthday parties, holidays, etc.
These days, there are hundreds, if not thousands of local photographers available to photograph anything from your holiday family photo, to your company Christmas party, to your kid’s birthday extravaganza and pretty much anything else you can think of! While there are events that warrant the use of a professional photographer, most of your gatherings can be documented with your own personal camera and the help of a few family members or friends. If you can, invest in a decent camera to use for all your special events. Be sure to pass the camera around so you’re not ALWAYS behind the camera. Years from now, your family will appreciate having photos of you as well! Your cell phone is fine for every day snapshots, but if you want really nice photos you can hang on the wall or store in an album, you’re better off getting a dedicated camera. You don’t need some spectacular professional quality camera either. There is a wide range of quality cameras on the market, including point-and-shoot, mirrorless and digital single-lens reflex (DSLR).
Here’s a great, relatively inexpensive camera that would be perfect to use for your barbecues, first days of school and even Christmas mornings.
For higher quality images and the option to change lenses, try a lower end DSLR. This might be for you if you want to take great photographs in low-light situations where flash photography isn’t allowed, like a dance recital. If you need a fast shutter speed for sports, this would also be a great option.
SPLURGE:
Hire a reputable professional photographer to photograph your wedding and your newborn babies.
There are two times in life when you really MUST hire a professional photographer! The first is when you get married. The exception to this would be if you’re having a very small wedding with few guests or even a courthouse wedding. If you choose to have an intimate or inexpensive wedding, then it may not make sense to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to a photographer. In these cases, your point and shoot camera or an affordable DSLR in the steady hands of a sibling or friend make be all you need. If your wedding will consist of more than a handful of people, you will want to strongly consider hiring a professional wedding photographer.
Why? For several reasons. The first goes back to my earlier recommendation to delegate as much as possible for your wedding day. If your cousin or uncle is supposed to be taking your wedding photos, or even worse, you don’t know who is taking them, this could be a source of unnecessary stress on your big day. With a professional photographer you have specifically chosen and vetted, you won’t have to worry about your wedding photos or whether you’ll end up with your “must-have” shots. Another reason is that a professional wedding photographer has professional equipment and has spent hours upon hours mastering his or her craft. They have the experience and knowledge needed to deliver the dreamy wedding photos you want. They typically have backup equipment in case of last minute malfunction, as well as an assistant or second shooter so they can be everywhere they need to be. There is a lot of planning and detail that goes into making sure you have the wedding photos you desire and a seasoned professional offers your best chance of getting the results you want!
Hiring a wedding photographer is quite an investment, so you’ll want to check out multiple photographers and their pricing. Take a look at their portfolios, as each photographer has his or her own style. You want to make sure that the style you envision for your wedding photos is something your photographer can deliver. Some photographers may stick to traditional, perfectly posed shots while others may shoot more candid or action photos. When you find a photographer whose portfolio really speaks to you, you’ll know! Before you start shopping around for a photographer, consider how long you will need him or her to be present. Do you need photos taken of just the ceremony and reception? Do you want photos taken of both you and your fiancé while getting ready prior to the wedding? Some brides also like to include a “first look” session in which they reveal their complete bridal look to either their father or husband-to-be and the photographer captures those precious facial expressions. There are also engagement sessions, budoir photos, post-wedding “trash the dress” photos and many more options! Once you have an idea what you want, you’ll be better equipped to discuss your vision with photographers you’re considering in order to go over packages, pricing and other important details.
The second time in life when it is absolutely crucial to hire a trusted professional is for newborn photos! This is not to say you must hire someone. If you are happy taking your own baby photographs, then that’s great! But if you are going to hire someone to photograph your precious new bundle, make certain it is someone who is experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to safe handling of newborn babies. If you’ve ever seen photos of a newborn baby that made you think “How in the world did they do that?”, perhaps wrapped up like a little a perfect little pea in a pod, appearing to stand upright or dangling in sheer fabric from a tree branch, these are illusions! Using a combination of strategic positioning, posing and post-processing in Photoshop, photographers are able to create these amazing, dreamy baby photos without ever risking the baby’s safety. Someone who isn’t properly trained in these practices and safe baby handling may attempt a pose that just isn’t safe for your baby. Of course you wouldn’t take any chances with your child’s safety, so make sure the photographer you hire won’t either!
Here’s a great example of how a seemingly impossible pose can be carefully achieved.
Well, I hope this gave you some good ideas for any future purchases you will make! We all want to get the most bang for our buck, but sometimes cutting corners on our spending can be more costly in the long run! What are some other things you prefer to splurge on? Leave a comment below!
Saving Style 