How to get a massage, pedicure or haircut for under $30
Luxuries are the first things to go when you start saving. Next thing you know, you have a sulky boyfriend who is not amused by your new hippie standards of grooming. You try and explain about how the superficial is less important than home ownership/ super/ a good credit card balance. But then you start to care. Your back is sore and Rapunzel would be jealous of your locks.
There is a secret resource hiding in most towns that can solve all your worries. Students at colleges and at TAFEs are desperate for real people to work on, and if your cautious trepidation can be overcome, they are a group of people you should be putting on your Christmas card list.
Here are a few of the things students can help with:
A sore back
Training masseuses need practice. If you’ve got a back that spins into dangerous territory very quickly, then stay away, but if you’re in need of a foot massage or some soothing hands on your head, then you should find a training massage parlour near you.
Cost
As opposed to $100 you’re likely to shell out, have a massage for $30. Book in for four sessions (or take 3 other friends) and you’re likely to get more off that price, and end up with hot stones on your back for little more than the price of the electricity used to heat them up.
Good tip? Get your partner a massage book, and get massages for free all the time. It’s an upfront capital of about $30 but is much better than having to visit the chiropractor if an impromptu massage goes awry.
Chipped nails
The new trend in pubs is Martinis and Manicure evenings. Sip away at your vermouth concoction, while getting a fluorescent green shade on your nails.
Cost
The only thing you’ll pay for is the price of your drink. In Sydney, the Chamberlain Hotel provides this delight every Thursday night after 5. http://www.chamberlainhotel.com.au/bar.html
Split ends, dulled colour or the Chewbacca look
Apprentice hairdressers need dummies and it’s a much better deal than it sounds. The students are often third years apprentices at Toni and Guy or equally established hairdressers will need a human head to perfect their already well-honed skills. Similarly, student hair stylists set up stalls at university open days or festivals and offer hair cuts for five dollars. It takes a lot of bravery to relinquish your locks to the whim of a hairdresser but from experience, I’ve learned they often know what I want long before I do.
Cost
Often free for haircuts, sometimes $10 for a hair dye.
Smell like summer
Can’t afford the latest Dior perfume? Myer or David Jones perfume counters are your solution. It’s a wonderful place to be, as is allows you to be as experimental or traditional as you feel. Get into the groove of a night out, or smell nice on your way home for a cosy night in.
Cost
Free as long as you can bear the barely concealed disdain of the poor people behind the counter who never get to actually sell anything.
The other option is to be really brave is to learn how to do these things yourself. The Internet provides ten million guides of varying levels of quality. If you want to really delve into the world of cheap luxury, Julie Gabriel has a couple of books and a website on the intricacies of making your own cosmetics.
All of which proves that you can have a little bit of luxury in your life without destroying your savings plan.
What cheap tricks do you have if you’re in need of a bit of luxury without the money to pay for it?
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