Friday Spending Spike--at Beauty Salon & Bike Shop

Can I just say, beauty maintenance takes a lot? No wonder I let the grays show between colorings. I was at the salon for two hours, from 12:15 to 2:15, counting Christina's impeccable blowout. I also got a brow tint. [Dan and Sis have questioned my brow pencil skills. I agree.]

And no wonder so many TV commercials and magazine ads are devoted to hair color--it's so much more affordable to DIY, though I never have. 

TCOY [TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF]

1. Salon upkeep. And now Salon 212 sells Aveda lipstick and brow pencil, both grouped according to your hair color. Wendy helped me choose. [Even with brow tint, I still have to fill in arch a little, and I was glad to have a professional help me w the shade. My Maybelline brow pencil is down to a nub.]
2. Met Rach at park at 3 p.m. and we had a great talk for about 30 minutes, sitting on a bench. She is a friend I treasure.
3. Got a new bike helmet. The one I had, from Target, was choking me under the chin.

TCOS [TAKE CARE OF SUGAR]

Our poor baby was so overgrown around the eyes, and won't let me clean that area any more. She snaps if I try. So Punch and I drove across town to the vet and had Dorice shave around the eyes and clean the area. I have to bring Sugar to see dr. Monday at 3. Time-consuming and hard to find parking over there. Thankfully, Punchy was there, so I could drop off her and Sug on time and then park far away.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

Saturday morning note: Stop the presses! I forgot Sis gave me cash toward helmet for Punchy’s bday, so l have to subtract that later from money spent.
Just corrected it March 19.

Punchy's Cherry Blossom
Nutcase helmet. It is adult size small.

• Salon 212, hair color, $135 [only once every few months]; blowout, $35; brow tint, $20; Aveda brow pencil, $24; and lipstick, plus tax and $36 in tips for three women, $242.18.
• Sandwich Theory, smoked turkey with arugula, cucumber and goat cheese on multigrain, plus ice water, $9.54.
• ATM bank fee, $3.
• Vet, just for "facial grooming," $25.
• Manhattan Juice Bar, large kale/quinoa salad for Fig, two chocolate PB energy balls, medium PB/banana/almond milk smoothie plus $1 jar tip, $22.50.
• Montclair Bikery, great new helmets for me and Punch, so we can pedal safely. Punchy's adorable Nuthatch with cherry blossom pattern was $69.99. My plain white helmet, which I like, was $40. I prefer this to Target, because the saleswoman here fitted us. Add tax, $117.28.
• Fig running out to pick up friend, so asked her to get milk and soy milk, $7.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $386.50.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF MARCH 15: $2266.79.

SO FAR, THAT'S AN AVERAGE DAILY SPEND OF: $151.12.

MONEY THOUGHT: Beauty costs a lot, once your natural hair color goes gray and you choose not to embrace it. [Can also cost a lot for non-graying people who just want a different color. Unless you are Figgy Hurley, who is adept at dying her own--and her friends'--hair every color from blue to green.] Things like pet care at the vet are necessary, and so are properly fitting bike helmets, an investment that should last for a while. I think I spent too much at the juice bar, though I like to bring Figgy vegan food now and then, in addition to what we have on hand to cook. And of course, that lipstick. The idea that it was handpicked to go with blonde/gray hair was alluring.