Day 2 – Thrifty

posted by Momo Fali on November 2, 2012

When I used to go to the salon to get my hair dyed it drove me crazy that I had no where to go but home afterward. It seemed a waste of a good coiffing.

Since we’re being slowly suffocated by medical bills over here, I’ve been dying my own hair. In case you haven’t tried this yourself, you should know that ALL THE BOXES AT THE GROCERY STORE LIE. Despite the untruths, I colored my hair today.

I wasn’t about to let my supposed-to-be-blond-but-really-turned-out-orange hair go unnoticed, so I went to the thrift store. Because nothing lifts you up after dying your hair in your half bathroom quite like looking through other people’s cast-off clothing.

To be honest, I’ve always been what I refer to as “a good shopper” even when I didn’t need to be. I love a good deal. This is evidenced by the huge increase to our bug spray and sunscreen collection…in October. I cruise the end-caps at stores and scope out the off-season bargains because it pains me to pay full-price when I know I could have bought it six months ago for half the cost.

I look at the thrift store like I’m getting hand-me-downs; hand-me-downs that I keep closed tightly in a plastic trash bag until I have the time to wash them in scalding hot water.

Today I scored:

Banana Republic sweater dress for $1.99

Gap winter coat for $3.99

Evan Picone sweater for $2.99

Old Navy long-sleeved t-shirt for $.99

I also bought another sweater, a sweatshirt and a very pretty belt. I spent $20.00 total.

Then I went to Target for toilet paper, razor blades and hearing aid batteries and spent $64.00.

And, THAT right there? Is why my hair will stay orange.

 

    Comments

  • tara


    I LOVE goodwill! You can find some great stuff if you have patience.

    And now you just found blog post for day 3: show us your hair and your shopping finds!

  • Mama Pants


    You are a lady after my own heart. My heart started beating faster as I read the scores you made 😉 I lurve thrifting. So much.

  • Melisa


    YOU DIDN’T EVEN POST A PICTURE OF YOUR HAIR. #FAIL

    • Momo Fali


      It’s #nablopomo! You can’t be picky!

  • Anna Hettick


    Most all of my kids clothes are from Goodwill and yard sales. I love finding good deals on stuff too!! 🙂

  • Arnebya


    Oh boy. The boxes do lie. I’ve been trying to get my previously lightened hair to darken and it refuses. Absolutely refuses. Why won’t it listen? Why do the boxes lie? WHY DO I KEEP FALLING FOR IT?

    I don’t have money enough to pay for a professional dye job so I guess I’ma stay two-toned a bit longer. I haven’t been to a thrift store in ages but I am itching to get to one I’ve heard about. My 11-year-old is too much for my already limp, too-thin, crying wallet to handle.

  • JJ


    Doesnt it give you such a nice little rush to get a deal like that?! 🙂

  • Alexandra


    I love you.

    xo

  • Mom Off Meth


    I am getting my kids into thrifting. They still don’t love it, but that isn’t really the question. And by the way, I’m impressed by your beauty school skills.

  • meleahrebeccah


    I cannot walk into Target and leave for under $100.00. It’s impossible.

    But you totally scored at the thrift shop.

    BOOM!

  • AlisonH


    I was 36 when someone asked me if I were the mother of the bride? *Fail*! I figured if I never dyed my hair after a soundbite like that, I never would, so I started going to a salon.

    That racked up the bills fast, so I started dyeing it myself.

    Lessons learned: if you use the rinses, the golden colors will gradually creep up brassy yellow. If you use the brown ones, gradually it starts to look greenish. The trick is to do 2 of one, then 1 of the other.

    Not long after I figured that all out (along with a little help from my sister, who’d started going gray in college), I ditched the whole thing: I decided that most women cut their hair short as they get older and that’s what I really was running away from. So I grew it out and chucked the dyes. Aging hippy look: I haz it.

  • Mare


    Ha! I love a good deal, enjoy the thrift stores myself. I’ve been dying my own hair for 10 years. Preference is the best product. Just take your time, you’ll get better. And hey…orange is for Halloween, right?

  • Liz


    Well if you come over to my house I’ll make it blond!!! I have years and years of practice. It works better to do it with beauty supply stuff instead of those kits — the bottles of developer creme and the separate packets of bleach stuff! My hair is dark brown so I have to bleach it twice for it to go white-blond.