The Frugal Girl's Guide to "Fab"

I figured before I even begin telling you all how to make it on a budget, I'd better share this Frugal Chick's Philosophy.

The Golden Rule - Thou Shalt Not Go Broke Trying to be Cute!

If you forget everything else I say henceforth, at least keep the Golden Rule in mind.

I had a friend once who was obsessed with becoming the entertainment industry's next behind-the-scenes It Girl. She had a cushy job at a popular magazine and a cute spacious apartment (by NYC standards anyway) in a trendy district. I can recall few moments when I saw her without her hair perfectly coiffed and make-up just so. She was quite the spoiled princess (hence the past tense. This chick does not deal well with pampered, spoiled princesses). Anyway, one day she called to rave about the weave she just received from a celebrity hairstylist - a $500 weave. I tried to suppress my horror at the thought of spending that much money on hair, especially when you can barely pay your rent and have just a loaf of bread and a bottle of water in your fridge. At the time, my friend probably thought it was cool – that I would be impressed with her $500 weave, so I doubt she was prepared for the onslaught of nagging that ensued. I’m sorry but, if you can barely pay your bills, you have zero business spending a ridiculous amount of money on frivolous things.

Case en pointe – a friend of mine learned how to do her own weave and it looked better than most professional jobs I’ve seen before (including my former friend’s $500 weave). In fact, it was hard for me to believe that I was not in fact looking at her own hair, even upon close inspection. How and why did she learn? “When you’re broke, you get creative.” Amen to that. She has definitely embraced all that is the frugal chick's philosophy and I’ll tell you what that is.

Here's the thing – living within your means is all about balance and a realistic approach. Embrace the reality that if you're not in a particular income bracket, you have to be more mindful of your spending. Thrifty divas must both get creative, and face some cold hard truths. We can’t be cheap in every facet of life (like food/diet/healthcare, which I’ll discuss in just a moment), but when it comes to things like clothes, furniture, and gadgets, there are ways to get what you want within a reasonable budget. I’ll touch on all of that eventually. For now, let me just highlight a few crucial factors in attaining the look you want on a budget. (I must warn you, the following recommendations are not for the lazy or faint of heart!)

(1) TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! (Thou Shalt Not Abuse or Neglect Thy Body)

By that I mean more than “I don’t drink or smoke” (although you shouldn't of course, since alcohol contributes to weight gain and cigarettes age your skin and, um, kill you). Taking care of your body seems like common sense right? But sometimes, thrifty divas are so busy (or otherwise concerned) that we skimp on the simple things like:

EATING RIGHT*

Embrace the food pyramid! You must must must eat THREE SQUARE meals a day. Be sure to include leafy greens and fruit. A granola bar is not a meal. A salad alone is not a meal. In fact, if I would suggest splurging anywhere, food would be it. Fast food and processed foods are affordable but detrimental to your health and your body.

Diet is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers.

I am an advocate of eating fresh and organic as often as possible and putting a healthy diet above all else. Unfortunately, everyone can’t afford to eat the best all the time (myself included), but at least strike a balance and take a multivitamin daily to compensate for any poor eating habits you may have practiced during the week. And if you must make a trip to say, McDonalds, you don’t have to get a Big Mac and large fries. Moderation is the key. (Also, keep this in mind: When you begin skipping meals, your metabolism slows down and you will gain weight.) If you don’t eat right, you won’t have healthy enough hair, skin, nails or teeth to look like anybody’s diva so get thee to a nutritionist for a consult before anything else as we all require variations of the food pyramid as time goes on (for example, I ideally need five meals a day).

GETTING REGULAR EXERCISE

I struggle with the food thing but as far as exercise is concerned, I’m admittedly even worse. I’ve been a gymnast and dancer and I’ve been a lazy couch potato. Guess which feels better (and is a much better look)? – regular exercise. And don’t think you have an excuse to skip exercise if you happen to be a slim to average
build. You don’t have to be overweight to have high cholesterol (ask any of my super skinny paternal relatives who pop Lipitor every day). Exercise also (as I’m often reminded by my doctor) aids in the prevention of osteoporosis as it increases bone mass, contributes to the maintenance of a sharp mind (hmm, funny how I’ve struggled more with writer’s block since I ceased a regular exercise regimen), and has been proven effective in alleviating symptoms of emotional and mental illnesses (depression, anxiety, etc.). It’s good for the body AND mind.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR SKIN

No amount of makeup will hide unhealthy skin. As far as your face is concerned, your skin is a canvas. Take care of it. Again, a healthy diet is the key. Besides that, find what works for you and stick with it. Even if the product that works for your skin type is a little pricey, use it. Invest in good skin care and you’ll probably spend less on make-up (especially foundation and concealers.)

Works for Me (Combination Skin):







Step 1: Fashion Fair Deep Cleansing Lotion







Step 2: Fashion Fair Toning Lotion





(2) DO YOUR OWN NAILS!

It’s good to pamper ourselves every once in a while, but, if you’re here, I’m assuming you’re on a budget – and a mani-pedi every week does not Frugal Chic make. At the same time, just because someone else isn’t doing it for you, does not mean you have to walk around with dinosaur feet or unsightly nails. It’s really not that difficult to trim, moisturize, and paint our nails and feet. Really it’s not. Again, the key here is REGULAR MAINTENANCE. Don’t completely avoid the spa, but don’t overdo it either. Find a good exfoliant (two of my faves: earththerapeutics and origins) and use it on your legs and feet (as well as other rough areas) in the shower or bath every single day to maintain soft skin. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I don't know how many times I've received a compliment on my pedicure, my nails, or the softness of my skin when the only person who's touched my hands or feet was me and I've never had a professional exfoliation (though I plan on trying it).

My Personal Faves:






Feet
Bath & Body Works Toe the Line® Smoothing Foot Scrub with Walnut Shell Powder


Body
Earth Therapeutics Loofah Exfoliating Scrub







I'm partial to the oatmeal & honey version (shown here). At just about $8 for 6 fl. oz., it's a steal. On your splurge day, try any Origins body scrub product (generally $20-$25 a pop).

If you really want to save, try making your own scrub at home. More on that later.

(3) STYLE YOUR OWN HAIR!

I know. I know. This one is a toughie, especially for Black women, but I save up plenty by styling my own hair and (not to pat myself on the back or anything, but) I get compliments on my hair often. A lot of people think you’re born knowing how to do hair or that some textures of hair are easier to style; but like most skills, hairstyling comes with practice. If you don’t know how to do your own hair, learn a few basic hairstyles and stop spending your milk money at the hairdresser (I know that was old school. I just had to go there. lol) Actually, you’re losing more than that. Let’s say you go every week and spend $60. That means over the course of one year, you will have spent over $3,000 on your hair! Imagine what you could have done with that money.

And let’s not forget the amount of time we spend in the stylists chair (much of it waiting). On the occasion that I get my hair professionally done, I spend an average of four hours at the hairdresser (and my hairdresser gets to work immediately ever since I walked out with an undone head of hair). That’s four weekend hours or evening hours that could be well spent on something more productive.

Many moons ago, when my hair was chemically processed (relaxed), I washed and styled it myself in-between hair appointments. So for 6 months, I was on my own. When I stopped relaxing my hair, and as I’ve grown older and experienced the texture changes that the years bring on, I’ve learned what works for my hair by experimenting with different products and styles.

“Good hair” begins with healthy hair. Your texture does not matter. Whatever your hair type, embrace it familiarize yourself with it and learn what works for your hair. If you overprocess your hair it will fall out or break off. Unless you're comfortable rocking a baldie (and I have known a couple of women who have pulled it off quite well), you must be gentle with your hair. Again, I’m of the opinion that you should first take care of yourself (take multi-vitamins, eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and REAL fruit juice) and secondly, use as little man-made ingredients in your hair as possible. There are plenty of natural hair recipes out there at your disposal. I was once fond of a honey and egg conditioner I whipped up on my own a long time ago. But besides the health benefits of natural hair and skin products, it’s more affordable to make it yourself. I found a few recipes I can’t wait to try over at MotownGirl.com.

(4) RESPECT THE EARTH!

Wow, that came out of left field right? Hurricanes. Massive Floods. Typhoons. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Wildfires. Need I say more?
To steal Kimora Lee Simmons’ term if I may for a moment, all the “fabulosity” in the world won’t matter one bit if we don’t have a world in which to live and flourish. I don’t know about you, but I like and need clean drinking water (thanks to tree roots). I prefer having a buffer against hurricane flooding (hello marshlands and swamps). I like cooler temperatures and refuge from the sun (thanks trees!) I’d like to keep the insect population controlled (thanks birds, ladybugs, and some insect-eating animals). I’d like to keep our coastal areas from disappearing into the rising sea. I’d like to avoid raging hurricanes due to warming sea water. I could go on but I’m sure you get the picture. I - as I'm sure you do as well - would like to live. In the case of Man vs. Nature, guess who loses out? We can continue ruining the ecosystem if we want to; just remember that Earth will survive. We will not. The world keeps on turning, Honey - with or without you. Consider that for a second.

I am learning more about green living every day and I suggest you do the same. If you really don’t care about any of the aforementioned benefits of preserving the environment, you should at least want to leave something for our children, nieces and nephews, and any of the other kiddies in our lives. Seriously. Don't be selfish. This is not a game. Stop being lazy and learn how you can preserve our environment. Pick up a book. Surf the ‘net. The information is out there. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Yes, you can be mindful of the environment and preserve your sexy at the same time. Contrary to popular belief, living green is cute. Figuring out how to do so within a budget can be tricky, but we’ll navigate the sustainable living terrain together. I’ve already come across some great Green products and reuse and recycle ideas I can’t wait to share!

(5) HAVE A SPLURGE DAY

Caught you off guard right? I’m a firm believer in treating yourself from time-to-time. These are times when you should visit the spa, buy that special something you’ve had your eye on, treat yourself to a nice dinner out, etc. Though it may not seem like it right now, the frugal chic philosophy is not one of deprivation. It’s one of balance and fiscal responsibility. That by no means implies that you should never indulge. Buy yourself something nice (on pay day perhaps?). Travel! Just budget for it (leave some room for miscellaneous spending). Make sure you can pay your bills, have something left over, and don’t go overboard! (ie – your splurge should not include $400 shoes or $500 weaves....EVER!) Of course, I’m brimming with my favorite splurge items. We’ll discuss.

and finally….

(6) GET CREATIVE (Do It Yourself!)

Shudder to think right? Just understand that this advice is coming from a former “Miss Priss.” Remember my friend and her fierce D.I.Y. weave? When you’re on a budget, you must learn to be more resourceful. Sometimes that means styling your own hair. Sometimes that means haggling (not something for the meek). Sometimes that means finding the best sales. Other times that means buying furniture at a consignment or thrift store and sprucing it up. Your hands will get dirty but you will be thankful when you’re spending what you saved on a much needed vacation or whatever else you so choose. It sounds very unglamorous and just plain hard but the end result is money saved, a unique piece that no one else has, and pride in your work. Trust me, the moment I learned to drill, I didn’t want to put the thing down! (Don’t even get me started on painting.) I’ll share some of my own D.I.Y. projects with you as time goes on.


Now that I’ve traumatized you reformed fasionistas and divas – or even some of you frugal chicks who don’t want to splurge or purchase Green products – I’ll give you some time to hate me, outright reject my suggestions, and come to terms with the reality of living within a budget (and embracing the environment all at the same time.) LOL

Until next time, live responsibly!