High school is a transition period for most of us.
Not just for your hair either.
Generally, classes get more challenging, social interactions are more self-directed, puberty does its… various horrifying painful things, and so on. All the preparations you’ve been making to keep moving up in class start to share focus with a real ramping up in preparations to be an independent adult.
And nothing says “being an adult” like fussing over money!
Good kitty.
Yeah, ideally you want to make sure you know how to keep as much as possible on hand in case of emergency. Whether you have a job, an allowance, several scholarships that you’re applying for, or all three, you’ll still want to cut corners wherever you can in case of things like FAFSA clerical errors or a surprise networking gala. Yes, really.
So as you’re learning to manage money and the rest of your life for the rest of your life, what are a few essentials you need to make sure you have? Start with:
Bobby Pin Boxes
First off, maybe get one with a lid…
We all lose our pins and scrunchies. I as a fully grown adult have bought extra packs, only to do a quarterly deep clean and find all the extras I was missing. Sometimes even whole, unopened packs of both. It’s um…kind of embarrassing. I’m sure I had a good reason for keeping some in my formal shoes, but for the life of me I don’t remember it. In any case, you’ll want to get a hold of multiple little jars or boxes to put your most easily lost accessories in every room that you can. Keep a box in the bedroom by your nightstand or mirror, put one in your backpack for PE, and stash another in a bathroom drawer if you don’t have the counter space. The important thing here is that you keep the box in the same place every time and that that place is right next to where you take your pins off and put them back on again. Keep putting them away as you go, and make your collection rounds regularly if you tend to take your hair down right when you flop on the couch. It’s well worth the money you’ll save buying them up and the time you’ll save hunting them down.!
A Metal Water Bottle
Hair. Needs. Hydration. That means inside AND out. If you aren’t keeping up with your water intake, you’re missing out on staying healthy, your skin will suffer, and hey you know what your scalp is? Skin. No, technically not ALL of your problems can be solved with upping your water consumption (sometimes you need tea”>, but unless you’re doing some idiot young person silly YouTube chug challenge, it never hurts. But it doesn’t have to hurt you financially. Take the time to find a bottle with a wide mouth for easy filling and adding ice. And rather than get one with a rubber spill-proof lining or leaky sports top, opt for one that has a screw top that goes into the bottle rather than outside. It’ll be one less thing to have to remove, sanitize, and replace if you get a bit forgetful and things get stale in there. Happens to all of us. You can find these guys for a decent price in the ‘impulse buy’ section of any Ross or Ross type store, but if your school has a clear-containers only policy, get a good hard plastic that doesn’t “squish” when you squeeze it. The books you’ll have right next to it aren’t cheap, and they aren’t light either…I found out the hard way.
A Mini Blender
Fancy glass not included…or necessary.
Drinking your fruits and veggies is a great way to get your nutrients in FAST. Compare trying to eat a salad during passing period to taking a quick swig of some homemade goodness on your way across school. Depending on where you live in proximity to a grocery store, making your own blends is actually incredibly quick, cheap, and easy. Handful of leafy greens + cup of pre-cut frozen fruit = nourishment that will keep your hair, skin, nails, and expanding brain in their best working condition for less cash than ready-made bottles and a lot less sugar. You can get a decent one for $20 these days, but for those on an even tighter budget, I can guarantee your local second hand shops will have at least one at all times from people that give their fad diets up.
Protips on these guys: Clean out the rubber liner every time. Your pulp is going to get under there and start decomposing/drying out in layers, and you’ll ruin the spill-proofness with all the buildup.
Mini Spatulas
“Part of being an adult is “We got food at the house”-ing yourself” – Jackie Brown
It’s funny because it’s true. And it’s the same for hair products. Once you find your holy grail stuff, it’s going to be worth its weight in gold—almost literally when you consider the cost of growth products to get back any hair you might have lost with some missteps on your journey. So you need to get in those jars and get every last drop before you move on to the next. The same silicone spatulas that get all the cake batter out of the bowl come in easily purchased mini-sizes that can get into every corner of your jar and make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. To be fair, the few cents you save each time might not seem like much, but even pennies add up. It’s a solid investment, and from what I’ve found, they’re often sold in packs of two…which means one extra one for getting the very last of the peanut butter (or your smoothies”>!
So. Ready to start saving?
It’s never too early to learn the best habits you can for holding on to some of your income. Go forth, curl, and conquer with Auntie April’s blessing.
Got any extra hair-care saving hacks to pass down to the youth of today? You know where the comment section is—and contributing is 100% free!
