1. Learn to do yours and your child’s hair!
The pandemic clearly highlighted why we need to be able to do foundational hair care! Believe it or not, many sign up for my hair course not knowing how to wash theirs or their child’s hair. I’ve met people who have no conditioner! And those who use a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner (I don’t recommend this for textured hair). I am a strong advocate of learning the basics and doing it at home yourself! Washing, deep conditioning and putting your hair in basic styles is not only healthy for your hair but it’s healthy for your wallet too!
Let’s get real! If you do the basics well and consistently, going to the hairdresser’s becomes a treat, not a must or necessity! It’s like a facial! You get the best out of facials with a solid skin regimen. Of course, I understand that illness or a disability may hinder some, if this is you I do strongly support you finding a healthy hair practitioner and using their services.
Of course, if you relax your hair, colour your hair, texturise or do texture release you are going to need salons more often! Please use them, I am not a fan of doing these at home. But outside of these, visits to salons can be an optional treat! Saving you money in fees, petrol and even time!
2. Buy products for multi-use:
Make your products work harder for you. If you have a hair oil like the Khalila oil, then use it as a sealant, use it as a hot oil treatment, and use a little after a blow dry to smooth your frizz! I have a client that adds Khalila oil to her body cream! Many add a drop or two to their face after moisturising at night! Make your products work! Also, use your leave-in conditioner as a styler too - I am a firm believer in multi-purpose products when it makes perfect sense!
3. Cancel your children’s piano, violin, saxophone, trumpet, and drum lessons.
I promise you, unless they are genuinely talented, interested and practising regularly, it’s not giving what you think it’s giving. I know this would be controversial but as someone who spent tons of money on Saxophone lessons … and then stressed over practising! And you know stress is bad for hair … let’s just say my child has not picked up this instrument since the pandemic! Two years! Practising regularly was a battle! Clearly, my child wasn’t interested! But I soldiered on! Because some middle-class manual had me in a chokehold! But of course, if they are interested and practising… Practice is key! Then keep paying!
4. You are enough: You don’t need any new shoes or bags in 2023!
I promise you! You don’t! Businesses will bombard us with marketing. And events or parties will lull us into thinking we need something new. We don’t. Can you challenge yourself not to buy anything new for the next 3 months? This type of abstinence will challenge your spending habit. Is it an emotional crux, a fix, a need or a want? And yes, this applies to beauty products too! Why are you buying so much?! Subscription to beauty boxes every month, whyyyyyyyyyy? Buy less, buy well.
5. Limit eating out!
You already know this! We can limit this to once a month. Everything else you cook at home! Great for your wallet and overall health too!
Happy New year good people! Here is to making sound financial decisions this year!