Published: August 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Kondria Woods
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When is the last time you felt the pinch ? Anyone who owns a purse, a wallet or a pants pocket knows about the pinch . It's that little vibe that's been keeping your spending in check and your budget very close to your fingertips.

But now, when the temperatures are soaring, nothing beats a cool stroll through the mall, where it's suddenly easy to forget the pinch, when great deals and blaring “40% to 70% off!” signs seem to be in endless supply.

With shopping seasons completely off-kilter and your cravings for personal services begging to be satisfied, just when is it best to indulge in the deals, and when should those hard-earned dollars and cents stay at home in the piggy bank? Talk Greenville took a look at some of our favorite indulgences and spoke to the pros about when to save and when to splurge.

Hair

“I'm seeing clients saving and splurging,” said Cristina Gottilla, owner of Family Hair Design and Barber. “The savers are cutting back on chemical services by waiting longer or going without them, and those who want to splurge are adding new services, such as keratin hair straightening, color services and highlights.”

Overall, people are looking for cost-effectiveness, Gottilla said, by returning to their natural hair color or even opting to go completely natural and chemical-free.

“Depending on how they wear their hair, a natural style can be easier to maintain,” she said. “However, a lot of women don't know how to flat-iron and blow out their hair on their own, and may wind up coming to the salon even more often for maintenance.”

And don't even think about taking the “do-some-of-it-yourself” approach: You wash your hair at home and arrive at your favorite salon dripping wet, hoping to get the stylist's final touch with a cut and style.

“As far as your hair is concerned, this is a serious detriment,” Gottilla said. “The state board and OSHA rules are very clear about this. (Professional stylists) have to do a scalp analysis to assure there is not scalp damage or issues with the hair. The salon time for a hair appointment is already factored in for shampooing, drying, etc. Some salons are going to charge the same amount, no matter what. It's better to get a shampoo in the salon, because it's about more than just cleaning the hair. It's a relaxation treatment, and it brings blood flow to the top of the scalp. If you have a good shampoo person, you actually short-change yourself.”

Whatever the budget, Gottilla said it's always best to get chemical services done in a professional atmosphere.

Wardrobe

“Women are definitely thinking before they are going shopping,” said Sharon Glickman, image consultant, keynote speaker and image coach of Sharon Glickman Associates, based in Washington, D.C., and Greenville. “They are shopping their closets first, and looking for specific items, rather than at their price tags.”

As one who “honors the budget,” Glickman said she often recommends that her clients consider the accessories — a beautiful scarf, a good-looking tote, great shoes or a smart time piece — when building their wardrobes.

“Impulse buying is stopping, and people are being much more creative,” she said. “They are going to lesser priced stores, even thrift and consignment stores. If they have to splurge on an item, I ask, does it make them look and feel great? If yes, then by all means buy it, and be sure to get a lot of mileage from it. If you see a designer purse, it looks nice and it's 75 percent off, you should definitely buy it.”

As for following the trends, Glickman cautioned against it.

“There's no need to jump on every trend that comes along,” she said. “Everything can't be translated to every body type, and not every designer uses the same guidelines. Know your style, and invest more in the environment you spend most of your time. Look at your existing wardrobe and think of what will go with what you already have.”

Travel

“First of all, people are still traveling,” said Renata Henderson of BungeeTravel.com.  “I am seeing them travel in ‘packs’ to leverage their travel dollars. Clients are traveling regionally to value-filled destinations such as Las Vegas and Orlando, planning mini-vacation trips or saving for one special trip or vacation. For very popular destinations, continue to book well in advance. Booking online is a great way to book travel if you know exactly what you want.  If you don't know or if it's been a while since you traveled to a destination, call your travel agent.”

When the economy softened, Henderson said, there was a trend toward last-minute booking. If you have a lot of flexibility with your schedule and budget, last-minute bookings can be advantageous.

Lady Pollard, referring travel agent for Pollard Worldwide Travels, agreed. “More flexibility means there are good deals to be had. If Hawaii is out of your budget, don't dismiss a beach trip to another location. Also, don't get hung up on the most popular destinations. They could cost more money than you can afford.”

Expect to factor in costs for baggage, snacks and food on the plane, and sneaky fees that are charged for such things as requesting a paper ticket — additions, Pollard said, that can run from $25 to hundreds of dollars if you aren't careful.

“Maybe you can receive a free beverage, but you don't see too many snacks,” she said. “Get those before you board the plane, and you can avoid the paper ticket fee altogether by checking in online. Your information will already be in the system, so all you have to do is show your photo ID at the gate.”