Lost Luxuries...

Due to unforseen circumstances, I was tied to my computer on a Thursday night and required to go back to the office on Good Friday *sigh*. I was up till 1am working and while that used to be my average bed time, I spent the next few days feeling absolutely drained. Quite disappointed with my inability to adapt, I decided to book in for a facial, massage and quick manicure (all things I have given up because of the recession kicking in) so that I can power through the next working week in full steam. As I was calling in to make an appointment, it got me thinking of all the little luxuries I'd given up on since starting life as a working girl to get my finances into shape:

• Buying lunches
• Fine dining
• Facials
• Manicures
• Going to the movies
• Buying magazines
• Eyebrow waxing
• Travel
• Bottled water
• Haircut every 6 weeks
• Using my credit card

It actually hasn't been too bad come to think about it. I've been working for a two months now and you might think that without my beauty treatments, I'll be roaming around like a hairy monkey...I beg to differ. I've just sought cheap ways to get what I used to but obviously without professional help.

Beauty treatments

Bliss at home when you're tight on time and money

• I slap on a clay mask to soak up all the girt while I sweep the floor.
• The tweezer is a very important tool now that the eyebrow waxing appointment is no longer in my diary.
• I do my own nails but I've found that with jewellery making, I've developed hard skin around my nails but Mum gave me this super tool. It's this clipper that can get into tight areas and snip off bits of dead skin. Revival in an instant!
• I have a stash of nail polish. Some bought, some given as free gifts, but I've found a color for every occassion sitting in the drawer.
• My special treatment was given in a little place on Glenferrie Road called Accent on Skin. I walked past one night and saw the promotion they had and couldn't resist: $99 for $189 worth of services and it lasts for almost 2 hours. It includes a back massage, facial, eyebrow shapping and quick nail colouring ~ it's the first pampering I've given myself since the "oh-so-difficult" start to working life.

Fabulous food

A yummy meal at Stokehouse, St Kilda

• Melbourne has an amazing array of food and trust me, it is hard to resist trying out a new opening or returning to somewhere you know dishes up excellence for your taste buds. But making lunch and cooking at home has made an impact on my purse and after a long week, I find it quite therapeutic to exercise any stress on the chopping board.

Travel

Hong Kong's famous skyline

• Cutting back on this is not by choice..it comes with full time work unfortunately.

Hair cuts

• I cut my hair mega short at the end of last year and decided to have a really good cut and start to grow it back. I went to a great hairdresser in KL just after Christmas and the only maintenance I've had to follow up on is for my bangs. I was delighted to learn that Rokk Ebony offered complimentary fringe treatments for clients :) I just let the rest grow without much hassle but on days when it looks a little crazy, I'll just curl it or put it up in a neat ponytail.
• A girlfriend and I spent half an hour around the city scouting for a cheap fringe trim - when in the world did things get so expensive!?

Using my credit card

• Plastic fantastic? Not so...as fabulous as it may seem, to be able to spend money you don't yet have, there is literally a price to pay for this. I've never been the type to spend more than I can afford but having access to a credit card has made me lose touch to the money leaving my hands. You can keep signing without being aware how much you've really spent whereas if you're using cash, you can see the notes diminishing in your wallet and everytime you open it to take a note out, you'll think twice.