Getting a haircut, style and color can be an
expensive luxury. Rather than shelling out hundreds of dollars each time
you need a trim, consider some of the following money saving tricks for
getting the look you want without emptying your wallet.
Find Salon Coupons, Discounts And Specials
One great way to keep visiting your favorite hair salon without
breaking the bank is waiting for salon specials, finding coupons or
qualifying for discounts.
Many salons offer customer loyalty programs for continually coming to
them for haircuts, color or styles. Often, customers will receive a
card or paper marking the date and type of service received, which can
eventually be redeemed for free or discounted services. While loyalty
programs may not give you a reduced price immediately, or every time you
visit the salon, they can be a great way to help reduce spending over
time.
New salons often feature reduced pricing on many services to attract
new clientele. While you won't know the stylists, trying out a new salon
in your city can be a good way to get your favorite hair treatment for
less, and possibly discover your new preferred salon.
Check online, in the salon and in newspapers for salon coupons
offering discounts on various services. Coupon websites like
CouponMountain.com also offer coupons for major salons like Great Clips.
Try going to the salon's website, local news, event and lifestyle
websites and checking local newspaper and magazines.
Salons often run promotional discounts for new services, or to gain
exposure for unique or popular services. Check your salon's website or
stop in and ask if they will be featuring any promotions with discounted
services in the near future. Some salons even feature discounts on
men's haircuts around the time of specific sporting events, and
discounts on women's styling around spring proms. Planning your next
haircut, style or color during these times will help reduce the overall
cost, especially if combined with a coupon and/or loyalty program.
Visit A Beauty School
While it may seem like you're taking a risk, visiting a beauty school
is a great way to receive a full haircut, style and color for a
dramatically reduced price. Beauty school students are constantly in
need of hair to practice and refine their skills on, and frequently take
clients at highly discounted rates.
Training stylists at salons can also often be hired for a reduced
rate, as they are not the primary stylist most people visit the salon
for. If you can trust your hair with a beauty school student or hair
stylist in training, this is one of the best ways to cut your hair care
costs in half (or more!).
Extend Your Time Between Stylings
It's hard to say no when you're eager for a new hair style, but
extending the time you wait in between cuts, styles and colors is
another way to cut back on yearly hair care expenses. Visiting the salon
once every two months rather than every four weeks can save you
hundreds of dollars a year. To ensure that your hair stays healthy in
between visits, consider the following:
The harder you work to maintain healthy hair, the less often you will
need cuts and conditioning treatments at the salon. Taking simple steps
to reduce damage will prevent the need for salon priced treatments.
When possible, do not blow dry, straighten or curl your hair to prevent
heat damage, and reduce how often your hair requires trimming.
If you color your hair, it is essential that you use a shampoo
designed for color treated hair. Normal shampoos quickly strip the color
from your hair, undoing the expensive coloring you paid for at the
salon, and making another visit necessary much sooner. Purchase a color
care shampoo at your salon or at the drug store to ensure you are not
undoing the hair treatments you visited the salon for in the first
place.
For anyone with medium to long length hair, conditioning is essential
to maintain its health. Allowing your hair to become dry and brittle
will only further increase the frequency of salon treatments and trims,
upping your yearly hair care costs. Take the time to keep your hair
moisturized and conditioned, improving its overall appearance and
strength.
Do It Yourself
Last but not least, if you are able, simply cut and color your hair
yourself. For men with short hair, asking a friend to use an electric
trimmer to cut their hair is easy and cheap. For women with one, solid
hair color rather than highlights or lowlights, purchasing color crème
and developer from a beauty supply store typically costs around $30,
dramatically less than a salon color.
