DIY Manicures For Less (And A REALLY Good Cheap Wine!)

Professional manicures look pretty and if they are in your budget and you have the time for them, that’s great. A lot of women I know get their nails done weekly and will in fact budget in other areas so they can afford that hour of pampering. But then there are some who, even if it was in their budget, have difficulties fitting it in their schedule. I personally prefer doing my nails myself, where I can wear my pajamas if I want, not have to put makeup on and do my hair before leaving the house, drive to the salon, etc. And I would just rather save my money for a new pair of shoes or something fabulous to wear.

If you’re someone who prefers to do your own nails, or you just don’t have time to have them done, here are a couple of my personal favorite ways to pamper yourself for less…

• Soften and nourish dry cuticles with olive oil, almond oil, or coconut oil. I keep a bottle of olive oil next to my bed and massage it into my cuticles before going to bed at night. It works just like the more expensive cuticle oils and creams on the market for a fraction of the cost.

• Exfoliate and soften dry hands or feet with olive oil (or coconut/almond oil) and sugar or salt. Simply apply the oil on your feet or hands, sprinkle the salt or sugar over the oil and gently massage. Wipe the mixture off with a warm washcloth and you will be amazed at how soft your skin will feel.

• Two ways to whiten your nails -1) Apply a teeth whitening toothpaste to clean nails and gently scrub with a toothbrush and then wipe off and rinse. 2) Mix a bit of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to form a paste and then apply to nails. Let sit for a couple of minutes and then wipe off and rinse.

• Dry nails quicker by applying nail polish and then letting them dry naturally for a couple of minutes. Plunge nails into a bowl of ice water, let nails sit for a minute, and you’re good to go.

• To set polish and prevent smudging, spray with a bit of non-stick cooking spray after nails are dry.

Here are some more genius DIY manicure tips…

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/27-nail-hacks-for-the-perfect-diy-manicure#.my61eOkdA

YOU PAID HOW MUCH FOR THAT NAIL POLISH?

Seriously, Christian Louboutin has a nail polish on the market for $50…Why? Ok, so if you have the money, I guess that’s not too expensive but I just don’t understand spending a lot of money on a nail polish when there are so many other brands out there that look just as pretty and last just as long for a lot less. Now I might spend $50 if the polish came with a pair of shoes or a maid for the day but otherwise, I’ll stick to some of my favorite bargain brands like L.A. Colors ($1.50), Wet N Wild ($1.00), Sinful Colors ($2.00), or Sally Hansen ($3.00). I have personally tried all of these brands and find they work and look just as great as the more pricey brands.

When my nails look beautiful I immediately want to put rings on, to highlight those gorgeous nails. And personally, I like fun costume jewelry that costs less and lets me experiment more with trends without any buyer’s remorse. I have been making my own rings by using ring bands I get at Michael’s and broken or mismatched jewelry and a bit of Gorilla Glue. Easy and fun.

I also pick up amazing deals on rings at Ashley’s store (Ashley’s Attic in downtown Colorado Springs). Prices range but I can usually find something unique for about $5.00, which is absolutely in my budget!

KABOBS & WINE FOR LESS –

I love to entertain and have company over but it can be expensive, especially if you have a larger crowd coming. One thing I like to do is make kabobs, mixing higher priced proteins like shrimp, with less expensive seasonal vegetables. Served up with a bit of rice and you have a delicious, filling, and colorful meal that costs less than it looks. (Ok, so my picture doesn’t quite match up to what I made when Ashley and I filmed because I just didn’t get any good shots, so this picture is from just an evening at home where I wasn’t cooking on a budget.)

I also like to make fruit kabobs or have toothpicks on hand for guests to use with fruit platters so people aren’t using their fingers or perhaps cross contaminating foods by using serving spoons that have touched another food item. (True story – I was at a party and watched a guest use the same spoon they were eating with to scoop up a second helping from the serving dishes…YUCK!!) I also find that when I serve kabobs, there seems to be less food wasted because you can better portion the servings.

I like wine. That’s a fact. And I appreciate expensive, fabulous wines but since we have a house payment, we try not to indulge in the pricier ones on a regular basis. But there are a lot of really nice wines on the market that won’t break the bank. I hadn’t tried a boxed wine in many, many years but Ashley and I sipped on a box of Lindeman’s chardonnay and it was fabulous. I bought a box for $17.99 which equaled the size of 4 bottles, coming out to about $4.50 a bottle. Really good wine for less than $5.00 a bottle!

Gorgeous soft hands using items you probably already have in your kitchen, beautiful nails for less, good food and wine that doesn’t break the bank…all good things!