Category: Beauty and Fashion Tips

Dental implants are becoming an increasingly popular choice for people with tooth loss, and with good reason!

They look great, are long-lasting and protect the bone and teeth that are already there. The only drawback is, they can be taxing on the wallet.

But you know, there are some ways around that. We’re here to help you get the smile you want, but make sure your bank statement doesn’t wipe it off your face.

Read on for 5 ways to save money on dental implants.

1. Check Your Insurance

OK, this may seem like an obvious one. But there are lots of insurers who will meet you part way on the cost of dental implants, and it’s well worth checking out your options.

Sometimes they will have a recommended dentist they prefer you to go to. They may even be willing to cover a larger amount of the cost if you go this way.

2. Work With Your Dentist

Dentists understand that needed dental work can be costly. Most are willing to discuss options that will help you get the dental implants you need and not go bankrupt in the process.

Ask them whether there are discount programs available. Are they willing to offer a payment plan?

Rest assured, you won’t be the first to ask! They may have a few options available that can help to make your surgery more affordable.

3. Shop Around

It’s always possible that your regular dentist is not the cheapest option for this procedure.

Armed with complete information about exactly what procedure you need, you’re in a position to visit or call other local dentists to see what they can do for you.

4. Check Out Dental Schools

If you’d like cheaper dental care and to contribute something to the next generation of dental professionals then using a dental school can be a great route to affordable dental implants.

The best thing is that they always have a professional dentist on hand. Although the students perform the procedures they are fully supervised and well trained.

5. Consider Dental Tourism

This might seem like an extreme option, but there are many countries overseas that offer high-quality dental work at much lower prices than back home.

As with all things, do your research. If you’re making it part of a vacation, then you may be able to combine it with your vacation budget. If not, make sure the cost of travel and hotels doesn’t outweigh the benefits.

Also, undertake thorough research into the dental clinic you’re thinking of using. Make personal contact with former patients from your country who had similar procedures if possible.

The Takeaway: How to Save Money on Dental Implants

Dental implants can make a huge difference in your quality of life. Don’t miss out because of fear of the cost!

Just follow our 5 simple tips and you’ll be able to find an option that’s right for you – whether it means a couple of weeks in Mexico or a trip down the road to a dental school!

For more great tips on saving money at the dentist, click here to read our blog on 5 Tips for finding affordable dental care for you and your family.

New Chanel watches can go for as much as $15,000.

A nice Rolex watch will set you back around $10,000.

So how do you get big name luxury items for a price you can afford? After all, not everyone is able to purchase a new watch for the price of a car.

If you’re interested in affordable luxury watches, read on. We’ve got some amazing tips and tricks to help you score the best deals when it comes to high fashion for less.

Stop at a Pawn Shop

Some people may not know what pawn shops are. Others may be well versed in them. But either way, they’re a great place to go to catch a deal.

Luxury watches, jewelry, and designer items are something people often put in hock, another term for giving it up to pawn.

So what exactly are pawn shops? Well, they’re a way for individuals to get loans quickly and easily. Or, they can just get rid of things they no longer need.

For example, if someone needs a loan of $2,000, they can put up their luxury watch as collateral. This means that if they can’t pay back the loan in a certain amount of time, the pawn shop will become the owner of the watch.

Or, if people just need the money and don’t want to take it as a loan, they can sell the item to the pawn shop.

If the person hasn’t been able to buy their item out of hock, then it’s up for grabs for the general public, and the pawn shop will put it on sale.

Your local pawn shop is a great place to go to find discounts on electronics, designer goods and even luxury watches. Because the person who sold it sold it quickly and in a bit of rush, it’s most likely marked down from how much you’d get it at the mall or another retailer.

Avoid Going to a Chain Store: Except Under a Few Conditions

If you want to buy a Chanel watch, Chanel is probably the last place you should go, unless you can afford it full price. Some luxury stores never put their items on sale. They also never participate in loyalty programs or allow you to earn points from a credit card or other program. This kind of mentality keeps the brand exclusive.

However, if a store selling a designer item you are eyeing does have a sale, it’s more than worth it to look. You should also look at your credit cards to see if they have any kind of programs that allow you to collect points towards certain purchases.

You can also use loyalty cards to sometimes buy items at specific stores. Not every store does sell designer watches, but sometimes you can find them at brick and mortar stores that do loyalty programs.

Buy New Items Online

The Internet is a wondrous place, and even more so because you can buy new luxury items online. Websites like Yoox and Bluefly offer customers the chance to get their hands on out of seasons (or sometimes in season!) designer items. The items are often at a significant discount to what you’d pay in a retail store, and sometimes you can even get them for a major discount while they’re still hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in other stores.

Websites like https://www.watchshopping.com/hamilton also offer you discounts on new items, but this time, it’s specifically for watches.

You don’t need to go second-hand in order to get a significant discount on a luxury watch. And sometimes, it can even be in your budget. Treat yourself!

Buy Used

If you’ve ever watched Jim Bob Duggar on 19 Kids and Counting and the subsequent shows, you’ll know he’s stated that his family’s motto is, “Buy used and save the difference.”

In some cases, you may not have been able to afford the price of the new item in the first place, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still get a great deal by buying used.

You can buy authentic used items sometimes at stores themselves. They may have a program that allows past customers to recycle their watches for a discount on an upgrade. And thus, they may sell refurbished luxury watches.

You can also always go to a consignment store where you’ll likely find some luxury watches on sale. A consignment store, for those not in the know, is one that accepts used high-end luxury items and sells them on. When someone buys the item, the store then gives a percentage of the sale to the individual who gave them the item.

With a consignment shop, especially one that specializes in luxury items, you’ll almost always know that the item is authentic. This is because often, the people who own these stores are well-versed in a brand or design.

Buying second-hand online can come with risks, including the risk that you do buy something that isn’t authentic, despite the seller’s claim.

Buying Affordable Luxury Watches

Affordable luxury watches aren’t as out of reach as you might think. In fact, they’re actually pretty obtainable, if you know exactly where to look. Set your expectations to be realistic. But also, be aware that if you’re looking for a specific luxury watch and only want that one, it can take you quite a while to score it.

With a bit of patience, you’ll have your perfect watch on your wrist for a price that won’t clean you out.

Want more frugal beauty and fashion advice? Visit us here!

Who among us doesn’t watch shampoo commercials with envy for the models’ lustrous locks? The problem is that having gorgeous hair is those models’ job. They and their employers invest thousands in treatments, trims, products, and styling to get that look.

We can’t promise you’ll be waving your shiny hair around in a meadow, but there’s still hope. There are plenty of ways to get gorgeous hair without blowing your life’s savings on hair care products.

For beautiful hair you can afford, try these tips for great savings.

Tips to Save on Hair Care Products

Most of us can’t afford the highest of high-end hair care like Cuvée Beauty, but it turns out it’s not necessary. Here’s how to save on your favorite hair care products.

1. Cut Back Your Shower Routine

It might sound obvious but one of the best ways to pay less for a hair product is to use less of it. We’re not suggesting that you abandon shampoo and conditioner. However, you should use shampoo as little as possible.

Instead of shampooing every day on autopilot, wait to shampoo until your hair is oily. You’ll probably find yourself shampooing two or three times per week instead of seven.

In fact, shampooing your hair too much will strip the natural oils and dry out your hair. You’ll end up spending even more money buying hydrating products you shouldn’t need in the first place.

2. Experiment With Dosages

Another effective way to cut down on your hair products is to use them in smaller amounts. Most of us squeeze a certain amount of shampoo or conditioner into our hands without thinking about it.

Instead, start paying attention to how much you use. Use less and less each day until you find the point when your results suffer. Use a touch more product than that an voila, you’ve stopped wasting hair product.

3. Coupon, Coupon, and Coupon More

Hair products are a couponer’s heaven. They’re some of the easiest items to find coupons for, and you can score huge savings if you plan well.

On top of your local paper, there are often printable coupons for hair products. With their long shelf lives, it’s easy to stock up on them too. 

4. Go the DIY Route

Making your own laundry detergent and household cleaner has become a popular way to save cash. Did you know you can do the same with your hair products?

There are countless recipes online that let you make your own shampoo. It’s also easy to find recipes for conditioner, hair masks, and other hair products too. If you’re planning to try them, now’s the time to start saving your spent bottles and containers.

We have a word of warning, though. Not all DIY recipes are cheaper than store bought alternatives. Do a careful cost analysis before you spend $20 on ingredients to make a $2 bottle of conditioner.

5. Get Every Last Drop

If you added up how much money you’ve thrown away at the bottom of product bottles, you’d be kicking yourself. Over time, the leftover product you toss out adds up.

Instead, try some simple tactics to get every last drop out of your product bottles. One option is to use the old “add water and shake” trick. A few drops of water can pull make the product accessible without diluting it too much.

It’s even more effective, though, to use a tiny spatula. There are spatulas with the specific purpose of clearing out makeup and hair product bottles.

6. Sample It Up

The best way to save on something is to get it for free. You might be surprised how easy it is to score free hair products if you know where to look.

Free samples are common marketing techniques for hair product manufacturers. In many cases, brands have forms on their website you can fill out to give free samples.

There are also third-party websites with the sole purpose of finding free samples for you. Keep in mind that some of these sites end up sending you a lot of spam, though, so be prepared to delete some emails.

7. Keep Your Styles Simple

We’d all love to hop out of bed with a flowing mane, but that’s not reality. For most of us, styling our hair is the most time-consuming part of our daily routine. Beyond time, though, many styles require a lot of expensive products too.

If your mornings are full of sprays, gels, pins, shine enhancers and more, maybe it’s time for a change. Cruise the web for more natural styles you can try that don’t require so many products.

Keep an eye out for styles that keep heat to a minimum too. Heat tools can damage your hair so you’ll need pricey products or treatments to keep frizz at bay. That’s a recipe for taking more money out of your pocket.

8. Get Organized

Most of our money-saving tips have focused on how to use fewer products and save on them when you buy them. There’s another common reason we waste money though: buying duplicate products because you’ve lost yours.

While this doesn’t happen as much with shampoo and conditioner, it’s the scourge of bobby pins and ponytail holders. You buy a 100-pack and seem to run out after only throwing out a dozen of them. The rest are lost somewhere under furniture or in purses.

Instead, find a way to organize your hair supplies in one reliable place. You’d be surprised how long your hair products will last when you use them until they wear out.

Gorgeous Hair for Less Green

There’s a reason wealthy people always seem to have better hair. The easiest way to make your hair look its best is to dump money into high-end products and stylists.

That isn’t the only way, though. The tips above can help you have all the hair care products you need without blowing your budget.

For more awesome ways to save without compromising your style, check out our frugal living blog.

228,000 people had weight loss surgery in 2018 in the United States. That number has climbed by 12,000 in just one year.

Due to the cost of an anesthesiologist, hospital stays and blood work, weight loss surgery isn’t always cheap.

Read on to find out more about the cheapest weight loss surgery options out there.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery 

Gastric sleeve surgery is the least expensive weight loss surgery on the market.

It is also one of the newest weight loss options in the US. A weight loss surgeon will remove the majority of a person’s stomach (up to 85%). This will reduce the individual’s appetite and how much food a person can fit in their stomach.

Prices start at around $10,000. Paying for elective surgeries can be difficult. Yet there benefits to your health are worth it! 

Lap Band Surgery

Lap band surgery is the common term for a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery. 

During this procedure, the surgeon places an inflatable silicone device around the top portion of the stomach. The band works to limit how much food a person can eat at one time. It also makes the individuals feel full and satisfied with less food. 

The cost of this weight loss surgery is only slightly more than the gastric sleeve surgery. Typically, costs start at around $10,995.

One of the main perks of this surgery is that you can have the band removed down the line if you choose. Also, your doctor can tighten or loosen the band to adjust how much food you can eat at one sitting. 

This is a great option for those who want to keep some control over how much food they will be able to take in. 

Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is the short name for the Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB for short).

This surgery has been the go-to surgery for weight loss for many years. It is a trusted procedure that has proven to improve the lives and health of hundreds of patients. Make sure to choose the best weight loss surgeon who has the experience and credentials to perform your surgery. 

A surgeon will use a camera to be able to sew together a small stomach pouch out of the existing stomach.

The surgeon will then connect the small intestine to this smaller pouch. People who have this surgery feel full and satisfied with less food and are able to lose a lot of weight. The entire process takes about an hour. 

For this surgery, patients can expect to spend a night or two in the hospital for recovery and observation. That adds to the price of this procedure.

Generally, you can expect to pay around $15,500 for this semi-affordable weight loss surgery. 

Bottom Line on Cheapest Weight Loss Surgery

Thanks for reading about the cheapest weight loss surgery options available to you.

Always talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of any type of weight loss surgery. You may or may not be a candidate for every type of surgery out there.

Most weight loss surgery practices provide self-pay payment plans so that you can get the help you need sooner.

Remember, your health is important. If you and your doctor feel that weight loss surgery is your best option, you should do whatever is necessary to get the surgery.

Next, check out these five tax refund tips to help you make the most of your money.

Selling over 200 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes since 2013 signals more than just profit for Starbucks. The long lines tell us it’s time to get the sweaters out and brush off the boots, too.

If your winter wardrobe is feeling a little too familiar, don’t worry. Some of the current fashion trends 2018 are familiar, also. Tweeds, 80’s retro, and oversized coats are all the rage.

If those Pumpkin Spice Oreos you have in the pantry beeline to your waistline, you’re in luck.

If you follow the 2018 fall trend, no one will notice. From the cut of slacks to your favorite winter coat, most everything’s bigger this year.

Here are a few highlights from the forecast:

Big, Oversized Coats

Designers are answering the call of #MeToo among their customers with empowerment.

Women entering the workplace during WWll had clothing for protection rather than decoration. This year’s runway shows hommage with suit coats, trench coats, and double-breasted jackets.

The newest versions are loose-fitting and long. Though a few designs show a belt, it’s the shape and length of the clothes that shine rather than what’s underneath.

Textured, Floral, and Long

Dresses in floral patterns and appliques are at the very shortest, mid-calf. Textures include chunky knits and stiff fabrics that stand up straight.

Classic herringbone, tweed, and bright skirts pair up with sweaters and flat boots. Slacks are wider-cut and show with layers.

And, ala streetwear, the look topped with a hat or fitted hood are tres chic.

80’s Memories

It’s not Madonna’s black bustier, but Boy George’s long, colorful coat that’s back. Power suits, big shoulder pads, and animal prints come calling as well.

Are you a hardcore 80’s clothes junkie? There’s also gold lame and leather jackets with several inches of shoulder.

Remember pants that gather at the ankle? Yep, they’re back. Jumpsuits, too. Is this the final demise of the skinny jean? We can only hope.

Prints, Checks, Fringe, and Ruffles

There are loads of bold prints as we bid a fond farewell the old block patterns. Long dresses and skirts show layers of ruffles or fringe at the hemlines.

There’s a smattering of vintage for those who like checked patterns over houndstooth.

It’s not your gramma’s gingham though. Today’s checks range from neon green to big black, red, or purple.

Check Jacquemus for some of the coolest new 2018 arrivals.

The Cable You Don’t Want to Cut

We love our cable knits, and for sure they’re here to stay. They’re a comfortable friend we can bring to work, play, and date night.

This fall, there’s hooded versions, sweaters and matching slouch hats. Muted tones are perfect in layering comfortable tunics.

Don’t overlook dresses and skirts, too. These pieces pair great with scarves and leggings for both fun style and cozy warmth. Like our favorite latte, they never let us down.

Can You Find Current Fashion Trends 2018 on a Budget? Yes!

The current fashion trends 2018 that are a rerun of old are easy to find in thrift shops, too! Check out our 5 Types of Clothing to Look Out for While Thrift Shopping to get started!