If you are living in Washington D.C. & are a 20 something year old gal like myself, then we are probably in the same boat: you love to go out to dinner with the girls, you love to indulge in the occasional mani/pedi combo, & you view coffee as a necessity. However, all of these little “treats” can really add up (in addition to your other expenses- let’s not even talk about rent) & before you know it, your checking account’s balance is looking rather bleak. Well, after living in Georgetown for about 4 years, I can finally say (& as I type this, let out a huge sigh of relief) that I have mastered the art of saving money, while still living rather comfortably. Follow along with me as I navigate you through my “Guide to Getting By in DC: Georgetown Edition.”
Let’s start with your morning routine and hear me out on this one: make your own coffee. Now, I am not saying you can’t treat yourself to the occasional SVL every once in a while (or the cheapo version that my sister turned me on to: regular coffee with 2 or 3 pumps of SFV), but do not make this a habit. My coworker & I purchased a $20 coffee maker, starting making coffee at work, & we’ve never looked back. Do it & you’ll save at least $10-$15 a week.
While you are making that coffee in the morning, also do yourself a favor & pack your own lunch, middle school style. When I first entered the corporate world, I was too lazy to go to Social Safeway & get my weekday essentials (a girl’s gotta have greek yogurt, right?), so I ended up buying my breakfast & lunch every single day. Not only did this deplete my bank account rather quickly, but it also added some unwanted numbers in other areas (i.e. the scale in my bathroom), so that bad habit was quickly amended. Another tip: if you go to Safeway, get their Iphone app as it gives you additional savings every week. Cha ching.
Now moving on to a more fun topic: pampering. I can tell you that at this point, I have probably tried almost every nail & hair salon on Wisconsin Avenue. I have received some bad haircuts & some bad mani/pedis (& waxes for that matter- but are they ever “good”? that answer would be “no”), but I have also found the (hidden) gems of Georgetown. First of all, don’t waste your time (or money) at Polished, but head straight to Kim’s where there is rarely a wait & you can get a mani/pedi for $33 (you can also add a tip to the credit card, which is a miracle for those of us, aka me, who never carry cash). You can also get a Brazilian for $35 (which is dirt cheap in this hood) & Kim is as gentle as can be, I assure you. As for hair salons, I favor Aveda & my girl Jen who I have been seeing for a few years. I began seeing her when she was a “junior stylist” & she kept the same rates for me when she became a regular stylist. That is the lesson to be learned here, girls: start out with a junior stylist & if you like their work, stay loyal & your prices will not change.
If you are reading this & you think it’s just too late for you (& your poor bank account), have no fear as I have some quick solutions: part with some of your designer duds & sell them to Buffalo Exchange (they give you 30% of the “value” of the items on the spot). Also, hit up Sittercity.com & squeeze in some babysitting jobs. Get a refillable water bottle, so you stop buying Deer Park everyday! I promise that you’ll be on track in no time (but please, for me, don’t forget to head over to Paolo’s once in a while & enjoy at least one $3 mimosa- that is an expense that is okay in my book)!
By Lauren Schab
