22 Feb 10 The Clipper Club

Before... I’ve been going to get a haircut for months. Yes months. It had been at least six months since I last got one.

My hair is thick, and I’ve never been able to do anything with it. I’ve usually just had a buzz cut all over 2-3 times a year.

Why am I telling you all this? Just to show you what a hopeless case I am, but how my outlook has been recently transformed.

How? Well, those of you who know me know that I am a Twitterholic. I happened to see The Clipper Club one day while I was rambling about in the Twitterverse. Now, bearing in mind what I’ve said above, I was skeptical about being pampered. I’m not really a macho type of guy either, I just need a haircut OK?

My wife told me to go and get a haircut and it would be her valentine treat for me.

So I did. Now I’m converted. I understand the pampering bit now. I didn’t go for the full monty. Just a haircut.

First impressions? I walked into The Clipper Club and I get a great welcome.

That’s always nice. Lori was not only a great barber, but great company for a half hour.

Aside from a great haircut, I left feeling like we were almost old friends!

Lori expressed surprise that I succumbed to her advice. She made a few suggestions in regard to my grooming, and I was more than happy to cede to her professional judgement.

I’ll certainly be going back again, and I won’t wait six months either.

I think I really might have the full works next time too. I quite like the idea of a full neck and shoulder massage. I spend way too many hours in front of this computer!

The after effects?

I’ve taken to using shampoo on my hair again, instead of a bar of soap, and I’ve taken Lori’s advice and started to use Woody’s Pomade to try and get my hair to stay where I comb it, and where I want it to be instead of where it decides to go all on its own!

Check out The Clipper Club

Tags: buzz, charming lady, clipper club, computer check, few suggestions, first impressions, full monty, haircut, half hour, hopeless case, locks, lori, macho type, old friends, professional judgement, sheep, shoulder massage, six months, valentine, warm welcome

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06 Jan 09 Frugality Rocks

Why?

I hate wasting money. I kick myself when I spend say $50 on an item, and find I could have got it, or a similar one of comparable quality for $30.

I’ve always been cynical when it comes to advertising. I check everything out. I never impulse buy, even though I am sometimes tempted.

I always remember the maxim “If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is”.

I know that unless I win the lottery (if I ever remember to buy a ticket that is), or unless I am lucky (and I’ll come back to that), I’m not going to make a million in a month with minimal or no effort.

I also am very mindful that the guy on the infomercial that makes fantastic furniture with the home routing and lathe equipment he is trying to persuade me to buy is a master carpenter (or there is one behind the scenes); that the super kitchen gadget is being operated by a professional chef, or at least someone that works in that industry every day; and that if the super ‘can’t lose’ real estate investment plan really did work, the world economy wouldn’t be in the crap pot mess it is right now.

That luck thing?

I don’t believe in it. Not big time. Ok, so you might find a $50 dollar bill on the sidewalk. That’s lucky I guess. Good luck for you; bad luck for whoever dropped it.

I’m of the belief that I’m going to get what I want out of this life by planning, and working at it. That work can take all forms of course. It might be physical labor or it might be buying and selling. It could be writing code, or writing blog posts.

Anyway, I digress. I strongly feel that one of the ways that most of us can easily improve our wealth, and reduce our dependence on credit, is to be frugal.

Now that doesn’t mean buying the cheapest of everything. Spend $20 on something you need to replace each month,against spending $50 on something you replace every six months is definitely not being frugal.

However, somethings are quite easy to achieve, and never forget that pennies make dollars!

For example, turn off lights when not needed – you did invest in CFLs too didn’t you?
Make a list when you go to the grocery store – and stick to it. It might be nice but you don’t need an extra half gallon of ice cream, or the double chocolate cheesecake, and your waist will thank you for it too, as well as your wallet.

Also don’t keep making extra car journeys to get one or two items. Check your food pantry and refrigerator for what you need, and add it to that list before you go.

Look for bargains, but don’t buy stuff simply because it is on offer, if you don’t need it – it’s not a bargain!

There are of course, whole web sites out there dealing with how to lead a more frugal lifestyle such as Frugal Dad

If you’re on Friendfeed (and if you’re not why not, it’s great place to find lots of information, and some great people too) there’s a room set up called Frugal Living. It’s got some great tips in from other users about how they save the pennies, and spend them more wisely.

Tags: bad luck, big time, comparable quality, crap, dependence, dollar bill, fantastic furniture, Finance, good luck, impulse, infomercial, investment plan, kitchen gadget, lathe equipment, lottery, master carpenter, maxim, professional chef, real estate investment, six months, world economy