On the cheap

Part 3 -- A guide to frugal living in Worcester

by Mike and Lisa Koykka

`It'll grow back'

The one service we couldn't bear to try out was discount hairstyling, but these people know what they're doing, we're sure (it can't hurt to request an honors student, though). Besides, you may not be able to afford our vanity. Most beauty schools wouldn't quote prices over the phone, but they most likely charge a price that covers the cost of materials used. One place we called asks just $2.50 for a basic manicure, about one-fourth the salon price, and $5 a haircut. Cheaper than a Flowbie even.

Hair In Motion Beauty Academy, 73 Hamilton Street, Worcester, Learning Institute for Beauty Sciences (LIBS), 50 Franklin Street, Worcester, and Rob Roy Beauty Academy, 150 Pleasant Street, Worcester, all offer discounted rates on hairstyling and other beauty services.

Schools, in fact, are an excellent resource for a variety of services. Bancroft School of Massage offers massages for about half the price of a professional massage therapist. There's a waiting list, so call now if you want to unwind after finals.

`That thesis paper can wait a few days'

With a little imagination, you can find lots of ways to pass your "spare" time in Wormtown. A must see is Worcester Art Museum, which offers free admission on Saturday mornings. Check out the monastery room and the Egyptian statuary -- you think you died and left Worcester.

There are movie theaters that offer current movies for much less than the 99-screen mega complexes. Elm Draughthouse Cinema, 35 Elm Street, Millbury, and the Last Strand Cinema and Drafthouse, 58 Highland Street, Clinton, are good bets -- check the Phoenix each week for listings.

Another little-known benefit of local libraries are the free passes to area museums available to town residents. Beg, borrow, or steal passes to New England Science Center, and say hello to Ursa Minor and her daughter Kenda, the two polar bears in residence.

Computer users, novices, and nerds alike are invited to the Worcester Computer Society meetings held every second Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Science Center. Admission is free, yearly membership is quite reasonable, and you can acquire free software, either by writing a review for its newsletter, or by winning one of the many door prizes.

`I don't know why, I just need it'

Some of the best discount stores sell a little of everything, and their stock changes daily. The Fair, at 114 Southbridge Street, Worcester, stocks closeouts of every description. Matthew Sweet's Son of Altered Beast was $7.99 brand new. Sixty yards of duct tape was one aisle away (might not stick, but at $2 who cares?), a disposable charcoal grill was $2.50, and "fashion" sunglasses were $2 to $3.

Other miscellaneous stores include Spag's. It's a sure bet for anything you might need. Ask any townie. Check out Building #19 for unusual gifts for the relatives. Haunt the local flea markets, and don't be ashamed to haggle. Search the papers for stores that are going out of business (Lechmere in the Greendale Mall, for example) -- hey, a bad local economy isn't bad for everybody.

Once all these sources have been exhausted, try forced recycling (trash picking to some). This one separates the talkers from the doers. On Monday and Tuesday, the residents of Worcester's finer neighborhoods leave their unwanted items on the sidewalk. You may feel like a thief, but it's legal (we think).

We hope you've enjoyed this tightwad tour of Worcester. Buy a hat nobody's worn since the Carter administration. Pick up cheap suction-cup guns, and use them as party favors. Use "conditioner" that claims to be identical to Nexxus -- and find out that it is. This list is by no means complete. Be resourceful and creative; check the phonebooks, the Internet, and the local papers. You'll be hooked for life.