Hair care on a dime: How much is the salon costing you?

Okay Ladies how much do you spend on your hair a month? Let's say you get a relaxer (65) two doobies wraps (35-40 each) a trim (15) a deep conditioner or two (10 each) and a color ( 40, thats being cheap) you're looking at a least 210 dollar a month!!! that adds up to a little over 2500 dollars a year. Imagine how much of that could have gone into a "rainy day account" or toward a new home, or in a retirement fund ( it's never to late to start, ladies). maybe your a student or mother, or between jobs/careers and on a limited income, can you really afford that??? What is a flyy sista to do??? Go out with you hair looking like a birds nest? Not an options for most ladies Here are a couple of money saving ideas!!!!

The number one thing you can do is visit the salon less!!! Learn to do your hair yourself! Many variations of this options exist. maybe you will only go in for a relaxer or color or special occasion and perform daily and weekly maintaince your self (ie washing and styling as well as properly wrapping styles up at night). Now to get started you will need to know your hair type and hair a low maintence style that is easy to kept up at home. There ar many shampoos, conditioners, treatment, styling aids, under 20 dollars that will get the job done ( more about this in a later blog). Okay, so you have decided to take on care of your hair. Youn must decide hom much you are willing to do your self. If you just get a relaxer every 8 weeks , six times a year that adds up to 390 dollars ( that 84% saving, not including any hair products and tools you may have brought). Over time you may even become good enough to self relaxer at home or may decide to go natural total self style.

Don't know where to start or what products to use to self maintain your hair? You're already usine one source: the Internet!!!! You must be careful though there are alot od useless sites out the but alot of good one such as Diaspora Hair Care, Black Hair Media, and Long Hair Care Forum. Now some of these sites have a smal fee to post in all the forum but you can usually view the hair section for free (BHM is totally free). Youtube is another great source of info. The good thing about Youtube is that you can exactly watch people doing their hair, like a roller set or how the flat iron their hair for example. Just type in black hair styling how to.

Books and magazines are also a great place to gain knowledge on hair. One of my personal favors is Shamboosie's book Beautiful Black Hair: Real Solutions to Real Problems. It has all the info you need to get started taking care of your hair.

Now if all else fails ladies and you simply can't find the time or get the hang of it check out your local beauty school!!! They often have number of services available to the public for half the price (at least) then the beauty salon. Don't worry ladies the student are "seniors" working to get enough credits to graduate and there is all a licensed hair dresser on staff. The only bad things is they are usuallu only open on school days during normal school hours.

Well ladies I hoped my tips helped! Stay tuned for the next part of hair care on a dime" hair products that work under 20 dollars!!!!