The awesome money saving thread!

[noreenoconnor]

This is a little tip for any make up artists out there.

You can really save a few pounds (or in my case euro) on synthetic make up brushes.

There is no difference in quality from a synthetic eyeliner brush to a synthetic artist brush, once you figure out what there called and what size you need your flying.

I've just stocked up on 10 "eyeliner" brushes for 7 euro ... can't say fairer than that really , and there just as good as my old mac ones which i lost (which cost more than 7 euro each!!

For anyone interested this is what i searched and bought on ebay: PACK 10 SIZE 0 SABLE ROUND DETAIL ARTIST ACRYLIC WATERCOLOUR PAINT BRUSHES

I've also just bought some angled brushes for eyebrow work and some lip brushes (called filbert cut) will let you all know how I think they perform

and for anyone wondering why on earth i need 10 eyeliner brushes , i like to have a a good few of every brush so i don't need to clean brushes in between clients for big gigs saves time and worry that they aren't clean enough

 

[mobile-hands]

I always search for the best deals on insurance, gas & electric etc once my annual contract runs out - its AMAZING how much I have saved doing this rather than staying with the same company year on year.

Don't forget Energy companies have a renewal period which you have to act in, this normally falls 120 days before your contract end date, you only get 30 days to act, if you do nothing you are at risk of being renewed on to a high contract price.

Contact your energy supplier and ask them for your contract end date and then your renewal date, don't rely on them informing you (which they should by letter!) act first.

Also make sure your find out if you are a MICRO business as you have more allowance with your contract etc... Not having to wait for the 30 window to send your termination notice, you can send it at any time as long as they receive it by the renewal deadline (Normally 90 days before, but check with your supplier).

Just remember if you do send your termination notice, when your contract end date arrives you must have arranged for your supply to move or have agreed a new contract with your existing supplier otherwise you will go on to out of contract prices and these can be high.

British Gas Business are the first energy company to stop the auto-renewal process, I think it starts June 2014.

Remember it is up to you to act!
I hope this helps

 

[molemaid]

If you are registered at Bookers you can get the wooden coffee stirrer sticks that are great for eyebrow waxing and they cost something like £2.99 for 1000 x

 

[Chrysalis]

I've now introduced a 1.9% surcharge on paying with a credit card. So many other businesses do it as the fees are so high. No one has complained either

 

[skingeek78]

What a great thread

 

[Lynne Baker]

I've now introduced a 1.9% surcharge on paying with a credit card. So many other businesses do it as the fees are so high. No one has complained either

I think you should build it in to your next price increase. I'd be mad as hell if I had to pay a surcharge!
I've just booked a holiday with Thomson and the cheeky bounders wanted to charge me 2% extra if I used a credit card!

 

[Chrysalis]

Yes I did think of that but didnt want a blanket increase for all clients. I was my holiday company and a wholesaler I use that I noticed do it so have introduced it into my prices.

By increasing my prices generally I could make a bigger profit margin but I'm hoping it will make my clients think twice about using thier credit cards.

I'm holding off a price increase as I'm waiting for some of my main products to rise in price so bet ill have to increase them then so don't want regular price increases.
I've also dropped loss leader treatments from my price list that cost more to do than its worth, that clog up my appointment system reducing the large profit treatments being able to book in.
I do mainly botox so have dropped ebw etc and only offering beauty to my aesthetic clients.
Will see how it works out.

 

[WilsonBarberCo]

Hi Everyone!
This is my first post, so I hope I'm doing it in the right place.

A few of you have mentioned buying things on VAT free days from the wholesalers (brilliant idea!). But, did you know that even on VAT free days, you're still charged VAT? The wholesaler just adjusts their price accordingly so you get 20% off. So for those of you who claim your VAT back, you still can, and benefit from the 20% off you already got!

I hope that makes sense!

Robyn

 

[cheekyhun]

Put in your diary a day to go through everything and save money. I have a day in my diary once a year when I book myself out of work for the day just to review insurance, energy suppliers, everything. I challenge myself to save £500 (that way I've covered the cost of effectively having the day off as well as saving the business some money). If it's in your diary to do it then you don't waste time worrying about it all throughout the year either, just make notes ready for 'the day'.

 

[J33XSS]

Just bumping this thread up to see if anyone has any new ideas? x

 

[Lynne Baker]

I've just booked our hotel for when we exhibit at ExCel in February 2014.
I went onto a booking site and the price for the A Loft Hotel for 2 adults sharing a room, for 2 nights with continental breakfast was £189 per room, per night, making a total of £378. Ouch.
I'm a member of BABTAC, so I thought, I'll just check to see if I get anything with my member benefits.
Waddya reckon?
Couple of quid off? Free breakfast?

Nope.

The total for the same room, in the same hotel, for the same number of people, on the same nights was:

£148.98

You read that correctly.

Moral of the tale?
Check your insurance company for its member benefits!
The saving made on this one booking has paid for my BABTAC membership for the whole year!

 

[Zooks]

Wow. I'm witj BABTAC and didn't even realise that we were able to get such benefits! !

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Lynne Baker]

Just log on and go to benefits by BABTAC! Loads of offers...

BABTAC, the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology

(this might not show until you're logged in...)

 

[smile doctor]

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread as its really helpful and being January and all it's normally what were all starting to do well me anyway hehe x

 

[JemimaFox]

Has anyone ever offered an incentive scheme whereby if the customer pays with cash instead of card they get an extra loyalty stamp/points or something to save on the card fees?
Just wondering if it would work with enough people to save a substantial amount?

 

[stephanie_87]

I would never want to deter people for using credit cards. Yeah sure I have to pay extra on my terminal but that is far outweighed by the extra custom. Some people don't have the cash to afford to have hair and beauty done so they stick it on the credit card. They come more frequently because they feel they can 'afford' it and I pay a small charge. Everyone wins

 

[rippersroo]

Hi geeks! Not sure if this is the correct thread for this but it will save you money! The personal tax allowance for 2013/2014 is going up to £9440 - so we can earn more before we pay tax!
This is one for those of you that have employees - im sure many will know this but make sure if you provide them with a uniform and they wash it themselves they get their tax rebates from hmrc - they simply require to write a letter to hmrc - pm me if you require this letter.
Also this goes for those of us that worked elsewhere even if we have left if you were supplied with a uniform - i left the bank 2 years ago and my hubby left the firebrigade 3 years ago - we both received our rebates back approx £60 cheque - better than a kick up the toosh!

I tried this and wrote to them but they never contacted me or did I get a reply! 😤

 

[NailsXpress]

My business has grown since getting a card payment gadget. I use izettle. Not the chip and pin one though. It's £99. I am thinking of switching to another one which is half the price, unless I can get izettle to lower their price. I'm working on it.

 

[BannerPenguin]

My business has grown since getting a card payment gadget. I use izettle. Not the chip and pin one though. It's £99. I am thinking of switching to another one which is half the price, unless I can get izettle to lower their price. I'm working on it.

When you say it's not a chip and pin one what do you mean?

 

[beckylashes]

From reading this thread I have calculated I will have saved over £1000 a year from ringing changing to free banking, changing electric suppliers had to wait for my contract to end but still, cancelling my internet at work as never had time to use it anyway also waited for contract to end renewed my phone line for way cheaper as I said I was going to swap to talk talk.

The problem is stopping buying things you don't need I keep thinking
Will it make the boat go faster?

As I read from a previous post by Lynn