5 ways your nail & beauty business can save money

We are all feeling the pinch and it’s time to reduce unnecessary expenditure in your nail and beauty business. There may be some price increases you cannot control, so it is important to seek money saving solutions elsewhere.

1. Be economical with your products

Let’s use a nail file as an example. When you consider how much of a whole nail file you use in each nail service, it is rare that you use the whole file, especially if you are just performing nail prep or filing a free edge. This leads to waste; both environmentally and financially.

By cutting up your nail files into two or three pieces, you can use the entire file while remaining sanitary and avoiding reusing. Working with a smaller nail file is also easier to control. This technique can also be performed with peel-off nail files that have a metal or plastic central core. Simply cut the peel off file to the size you require for that service. Follow this tutorial on cutting your nail files.

How much can this really save you? Let’s say your nail file costs £1.99 each. In a typical nail service, you use

• 240-grit for prep
• 150-grit for refining
• 220-grit buffer

At £1.99 each, that’s a total of £5.97 per client.

Cut those in half, and it instantly brings the cost per service down to £2.99. Cut them into three, and it’s £1.99 a service!

This technique can also be used for other disposable items such as cotton wool rounds, foils, wax strips, orange wood sticks, spatulas and so on.

• You don’t even have to invest in costly products, you can cut up microfibre cloths or muslin cloth for nail wipes which can be washed and reused.
• Halve your couch roll and such products.
• Cut cotton pads for removal of product into eight – halve the cotton wool, then cut into four.
• Purchase refills where possible – as this is often cheaper.

2. Change to LED bulbs

LED is potentially more than 80% energy efficient than traditional bulbs. This can be visual lightbulbs or those which you use in your nail lamps. This is more positive on the environment and your energy bills, which is a growing concern amongst small businesses right now.

Crystal Nails LED Express Lamp

3. Become paperless

Direct customers to websites and e-materials and use paperless invoicing and booking systems. Offer e-receipts and print double sided where you can and change your business’s paper bills to online billing.

Educators can produce e-manuals and paperless booking and invoicing systems. This actually makes them easier not to misplace. We always offer e-certificates and e-manuals for this purpose.

If you still wish to product printed materials, source sustainable printing companies and materials. Some toner particle size means 40% less toner is used per printed page, meaning a positive for the environment and your costs.

4. Upgrade and assess your equipment

By using newer, high efficiency machines such as washing machines, water use can be reduced by up to 50% and electrical use by as much as 40%. Alternatively swap to single use or biodegradable linens. There are several government schemes which may help you upgrade your equipment without cost to your business. You can check these with your local authority.

The KB Glow & power bank by AJ Feather Photography

Changing to or using more equipment that is rechargeable will also help keep your energy bills down. Lighting which can be powered by power banks, USB or e-files that are rechargeable, will all reduce the time and consumption of electricity.

5. Address your timings

Time is money. It can be so easy to pause work and chat. Do this for five minutes per nail service, performing five nail services a day, that is 25 minutes – enough for an additional gel polish service. Follow my time saving tips in my previous blog for Scratch here.

Not only are many of these cost saving techniques, but they also have a positive impact on the environment. It is important to ensure that in times of financial crisis, that you still purchase and invest your money into safe products. If you are purchasing your nail products from Ebay or Amazon, check what is safe to purchase and if you become liable for importing in my previous blog for Scratch here.

Love Katie B x

www.katiebarnesacademy.com