Hair care is important for your hygiene and beauty needs, but buying expensive products and spending hundreds of dollars at the salon can take a toll on your budget.

However, with careful choices, you can take care of your hair and save your wallet.

Take more time between professional haircuts

Spending $75 every six weeks to get your hair cut gouges into the money you need for essentials like food and utilities. If you take care of your hair, there are ways to extend the time between professional haircuts and save your hard-earned money.

Key point: Ask your hairstylist for recommendations for a cut that will last longer. Some hairstyles can grow longer without needing a cut, provided there is no damage to the hair. Reducing the number of salon haircuts you receive in a year is a great way to save money.

• Cut your own hair. If you only need a small trim, there are great tutorials to show you the ropes. Purchasing the equipment will take some money, but after a few home haircuts, the equipment will pay for itself.
  • If you are not quite ready to cut your own hair, look into getting your hair cut at a local beauty school. The apprentices there have more training, so it is safer than cutting your own hair, and the prices are lower since the students are not yet licensed.
• Avoid using heat as much as you can to help preserve your hair. Using heat styling frequently can dry and damage your hair, which will take away the gloss and lead you back to the saloon sooner. When you do use heat styling, turn the heat down to keep your hair shiny and healthy.

Use your hair products wisely

Cutting out hair products entirely might seem like a good way to cut down on hair care spending. However, hair products are important for keeping your hair healthy. A good leave-in conditioner can maintain the silky glow of your hair all day long.

One way to save money on necessary hair products is to wash your hair less often. Washing your hair every day is generally not necessary, and in fact, can lead to a greasier texture if you over-condition. The less you wash your hair, the longer your shampoo and conditioner will last.

Prudently decide which products you need. Rather than using small amounts of 5-10 products, see if one or two of those products alone will provide the desired effect on your hair. This will also clear out clutter from your countertops.

Watch for the right time to buy

Knowing when and how to buy your necessary hair products is a great way to be gentle on your wallet.

Make sure you use every drop of shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and other products before you buy more bottles. Take the cap off, squeeze the tube, use a spatula to get all of the product out of the bottles.

Clip coupons and watch for sales. If there is a deal on your must-have products, you can save money on something you already need.

Buy in bulk. Rather than returning to the store every six weeks to buy more products, buy your products in liter bottles. These will last longer and save you money. There will also be less packaging, which is better for the environment.

If your regular salon sells your favorite products, you can ask your stylist when your favorite products will be on sale and plan accordingly.

Organize your accessories

Hair accessories can make or break a style, but frequently purchasing new hair accessories does no favors for your savings.

How often have you lost all of your bobby pins and hair ties and purchased more, only to find a stash under the couch or behind the dresser?

Set aside a container where you will remove your bobby pins and hair ties each day. If you are careful about where and when you remove your hair accessories, you can minimize the amount of these staples that you need to buy.

When purchasing hair bows, ties, and clips, select colors that can pair with many different outfits. Purchasing monochrome colors that match several of your blouses saves you from buying unnecessary accessories just for the sake of matching.

Buying hair styling products prudently can also keep your money in your wallet. If you learn how to curl your hair with a straightening iron, you can save money by only purchasing one product. You do not need a professional label to show you which hairbrush will be the best for your hair, instead find what will work within your budget.

As you look for ways to be frugal and save money around the house, do not overlook your hair care routine. By extending the time between your salon trips, organizing, and changing the way you use your products, you can save money while still taking care of your hair.

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