Thanking My Lucky Stars I am a Low-Maintenance Gal

I’ve been reading some personal finance blogs, and I realized something. I am so glad that I am low-maintenance because I don’t think I could live the way I am living if I wasn’t. Whoever decided I was to grow up as a Tomboy – I thank you.

If you want some brutal honesty – I work at home and seriously I work in my pajamas. My hair is pulled back in a ponytail and I just go to work in my office. I don’t change all day unless I have to leave my house. No make-up, nothing. I do smoke outside because I hate smoking indoors (which is good for the whole family) and I go out there in my pajamas. I don’t think my neighbors care.

Now, when I have to leave the house I get on “normal” clothes, brush my hair and sometimes depending on if my hair looks decent or not I will put on a hat. I basically forgo make-up except if I’m feeling a little feisty and I put on some mascara. But that’s rare. For my nails, I make sure they are clean underneath and that’s about it. I cut them when they get too long to type decently. I’ve never had a manicure in my life and I doubt I ever will.

As for some other things, I don’t wear perfume. I do have one bottle, but it was my grandmothers and it’s kept for sentimental reasons. I do like to buy the smelly Suave shampoos though. Those make you smell nice for a day or so, especially the strawberries and cream.

Speaking of hair, haircuts are few and far inbetween. I have the same darn haircut since high school and it’s a long hairdo and it’s not too hard to cut yourself then have someone help you straighten the cut. So, that works for me. Sometimes I wonder if I should go for a change, but I like my hair the way it is. I just wash and go. Easy and cheap.

So, now when I post later today where exactly my money goes you won’t think I am a complete dirty mess when I reveal how much I spend on grooming

Posted by Tricia on May 9, 2006 at 8:08 AM in About Me, Saving Money | 4 Comments »
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Seattle Simplicity responded:
Posted: May 9th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
It’s amazing how expensive personal services are (like hair cuts, manicures, etc). I added a ton of money back into my cash flow by eliminating many of these types of things, and doing them myself or forgoing them all together.
Miserly Bastard responded:
Posted: May 10th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Men like girly girls.
Tricia responded:
Posted: May 11th, 2006 at 9:42 pm
seattle – how true that is! I did for a while dye my hair but that all adds up. I decided to go through a very awkward phase and let my original hair color come back. When it did, I realized how pretty the color really was. And of course, I loved the savings

miserly – I’d add “some” in front of men.
c responded:
Posted: April 10th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Be thankful you are not a girly girl. I’m sure you would be mortified by my spending on maintaining the girly girl look. Approx. $200 every 8 weeks for a color/cut, $35 for a spa pedicure every 4-6 weeks, and probably $300 a year on cosmetics. That doesn’t include what I spend on skincare for my very sensitive, acne prone skin. I’m sure a lot of people think this is excessive. It probably is (and I am looking for a cheaper place to get my hair done…I just don’t want to end up with a bad cut/color that I have to go get fixed). But I feel like I need to look professional and feel confident about myself, and unfortunately this is what it takes to do that.

Hats off to you for keeping your “maintenance fees” so low!