August is commonly referred to as Women\u2019s Month and a very good time to review cash spent on your image and put it to work where it has more impact, such as savings or paying off debt.
\n\u201cWomen are often caught in a trap of spending on themselves without taking into account how much it is actually costing them,\u201d said Eunice Sibiya, head of consumer education at FNB.
\nWhile it is unlikely that you will be convinced to completely cut out spending on beauty, it is a good idea to review expensive habits and see if there is a way to reduce costs.
\nThese expenditures can cost thousands of Rand every year and the end result is not always obvious.
\nFirst you need to understand what you are actually spending on your beauty regime.
\nAdd together all the trips to professionals during the month, which includes your hair, nails and other beauty costs. Also add up the amount of money spent on actual products and clothing.
\n\u201cCompare this amount to money that you save every month or use to towards paying down your debt.
\n\u201cThere is not much point looking after your image now if you aren\u2019t looking after your future finances.\u201d
\nHere are some expenses that you can cut down on or even cut out completely:
\n* Clean out the bathroom cupboard. Take a look at the difference between your bathroom cupboard and your spouse\u2019s or even a male friend\u2019s. You will most probably find it overflowing with various products including make-up, facial creams, perfumes and lotions. Make-up, skin care products and perfumes can be very expensive.
\n\u201cAnd if you take a close look, you will probably find duplicates, or beauty care products that are half-used or haven\u2019t even been opened.\u201d
\nIt is worth doing a full audit of your bathroom cupboard. If you have unopened bottles consider regifting them.
\n\u201cOnce you have cleaned out your bathroom cupboard, think very carefully before making your next purchase of another lipstick, perfume or lotion,\u201d said Sibiya.
\n* Ditch the monthly salon visits. Women spend far more money on hair, nails and beauty care compared to men. Monthly trips to the hair salon or nail bar become very expensive.
\n\u201cUsing professionals for beauty is where women really start to rack up the unnecessary bills,\u201d added Sibiya.
\nMost, if not all, of the professional beauty services can be done at home. This month try buying a bottle of polish you like and do them yourself. The majority of people won\u2019t notice and it will help keep you bank balance healthy.
\nThe same goes for hair care. Try choosing a hair style that is easy to maintain.
\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean that you should never get your hair done at a salon, but it is worth considering if having a hair style that is high maintenance and requires frequent trips to the salon is really worth the expense.\u201d
\n* Shop smartly. Expensive clothes, shoes and accessories can make a big hole in your budget. The way to stop overspending at retail stores is to have a plan of action.
\n\u201cWhere we tend to fail is when shopping on impulse, which is nipping into a shop and coming out with new shoes or a dress without having budgeted or planned for it,\u201d said Sibiya.
\nThe best way to curb this is to firstly avoid unplanned trips to retail stores altogether, or if you find yourself there don\u2019t buy the item impulsively but come back the next day.
\n\u201cMost impulse shopping are items we rarely need so waiting until the next day will more than often stop the buying of unnecessary clothing.\u201d
\n* Another suggestion is to make use of end of sales. There is no need to overspend on beauty. Smart planning, budgeting and being organised will go a long way to reducing expenses and start paying off debt or saving, which will have more impact on your life in the long run.<\/p>\n