Thursday, July 22, 2010

DO IT YOURSELF: EPIC FAIL OR TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS!

Okay my faithful readers it's been a while since I've blogged and I know you're all terribly disappointed. LOL!  Or at least I chose to believe so.  So for quite sometime, I've been keeping to myself that I am unemployed.  And although i don't miss wall street (boring and monotony), I miss the wall street money.  Funny when I was there I thought I wasn't making any money, Ha look at the contrast.  But I digress.  I've been unemployed since February, with that being said when those changes come into your life you learn to cut costs in many aspects of your life.  So I've become the do it yourself queen. If anyone knows me, I am not Do IT Yourself, I would quickly pay someone to get it done. LOL!  Some of the luxuries I loved before I've now either had to cut off or learn to do it myself.  Lets start the list:

1. Manicures and Pedicures:  Oh how I miss thee.
I used to indulge in a Spa mani/pedi every other month.  The foot massages, the complimentary drinks, the exotic colors.  The light airy feeling of being in a whole new world of fantasy, I can smell it now.  But spending $80 to $100, (organic products and a paraffin wax mold)  just isn't cutting it anymore and I refuse to go to those unsanitary places in Brooklyn.  So i dusted off every single pedicure set that I owned and there were quite a few as well as my foot massager and foot soaker, cuticle cutter, pumice stone, foot brush, and filer, and clipper.  You tube, Google, and howcast and researched how to give myself a proper pedicure, even how to properly apply nail polish so you get that even color coat and finish and VOILA!  Beautiful soft feet.  This is a lot of work. Nevertheless, triumphant success.  (my feet and hands aren't done right now so i wont subject you to those pics)

2. Dog Walking:  Yes I paid someone to walk my dogs.

Judge if you like, but I dont own cute little taffy dogs or like i like to call them cats that bark.  I own big dogs, huge dogs,  A rottwieller and an american staffordshire terrier.  Sometimes I dont feel like walking them early in the morning or  late in the afternoon so I paid the neighbor's kid to do it.  My dogs are five years old and heavy but now, that money adds up so I let then loose in my front yard, when my landlord got tired of smelling dog crap and pee, I had to suck it up and walk them, the perks, I get exercise.  Sometimes though the lazy bug hits and I ask my boyfriend.  We'll call this one a toss up.



























3. Dog Grooming:  Yes I paid for this too and as you can see from the above pictures, why!.
Perks, I save 60 dollars, the downside, I put my back out in the winter time because I have to fit them in my irregularly small standing shower.  Summer time I'll just time them to the fence and hose them down. Pictures to follow later.  We'll call this one a toss up too.

4. Hair care:  Oh How I miss my loctician, we had such a bond and my hair literally smiled when she styled it.
Since, I've had locs for five years now, I've become quite the expert on natural hair care particularly locs.  I refuse to walk around like a lumberjack.  More blogs on how I take care of my beautiful tresses later.
$65 to wash, twist, and style
$15 to refresh your color, since i decided to put highlights
$25 to make it curly or wavy
You can see how this adds up.  LOL
So I can do it myself which ultimately hurts my arms, neck and back or solicit family and friends.
I chose option two, I harass my sorority sister or my cousin.  I still consider that Do it yourself and a triumphant success!  Cause now i don't walk around looking like I belong in a cave.

These are all Do It Yourself: and i look fabulous!


5. Car Maintenance:  EPIC FAIL!
I will never be a mechanic, I tried to fix the anti-freeze and the AC on my car.  I cant change the oil, or anything. I almost blew up the car. So I decided my car I wont cut corners on this one, it's just too risky.  I'll just find a cheaper mechanic.













What are your do it yourself stories?