Things Young Women Don’t Need to Spend Their Money On
I have lived a long time now and I’d like to offer a few tips to young women on how to save their money, but first some background. My mother was a WWII veteran and no nonsense stoic independent British woman. Therefore her views have rubbed off on me and will be foreign to the young North American psyche. She didn’t give a damn about looking beautiful. She only valued getting shit done and being kind to the underdog. She always worked full-time and provided for us. She was my rock and a straight shooter, so this is where I’m coming from.
I see so many young people struggling to afford to even move out of their parent’s house and unable to afford the cost of living. At the same time, they seem to have unrealistic expectations of what are essential items to living a good life. So I’m offering a few tips here to help you keep it real and pay those bills ladies. You might think I’m conservative, but my bank account stays in the black, so listen up!
You don’t need to pay $160 to get your hair colored. You can do it yourself at home for like $10 like I have done for years. You don’t need to spend $80 on a mani-pedi . You can buy a pair of nail clippers and a file and even paint your own nails if you feel like it for a total cost of $10. You don’t need to pay for waxing unless it’s beach season and your bathing suit is very revealing. Buy a damn electric razor and do it yourself. You don’t need to pay for facials or expensive make-up. I have used soap and water my whole life and some cheap-ass moisture cream and mascara, eye liner and lipstick and I look good enough and work presentable. I buy my shampoo and conditioner at the dollar store and get lots of compliments on my hair. The cosmetics industry is built to drain millions of dollars out of young women’s bank accounts by making them believe their shit is superior and necessary. It’s not.
You don’t need to buy new clothes for every special occasion. Just rotate your outfits and you’ll look great. Shop at thrift stores or vintage stores and save a bundle. They have some of the coolest stuff anyhow. Designer clothing is another racket meant to rob you of all your hard-earned cash. My mother used to say, “Nobody cares about anybody but themselves,” and she was right. Ask any friend what you were wearing yesterday and they will have no idea. Also, always wear comfortable shoes. He/she not worth your foot and back pain, no matter how hot they be. Buy your accessories like underwear, beach flip-flops and sunglasses at a cheap bargain store. Nobody will know the difference.
Also, you don’t need to pay for a data plan on your phone unless you need one for your job. You can tap into the wifi in any café or friend’s place and save like $50 a month right now. Most cars have GPS and if you don’t have a car then look up the damn directions before you leave home and enter them into your phone or, god forbid, even write them on a piece of paper.
So listen to mama girls and one day you’ll have that down payment for a sweet apartment and your life will be swell.