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With today's economy, we need to be frugal with every dollar and that starts by cutting back on your beauty expenses. Don't fret, you don't need to give up trips to the salon, but you can stretch the time in between visits by trimming your bangs at home. This will buy you at least a couple of weeks before your next salon visit -- and eventually, that could add up to saving one or two trips a year. Cha-ching!

To trim your own bangs, watch how your hairdresser does it first. Notice how she straightens them and exactly how she cuts them. And don't be shy. Let your stylist know you want to trim your own bangs -- if you have a good relationship, most reputable professionals will teach you how to keep your hair looking great in between visits.

When you're ready to begin snipping on your own, make sure you have a sharp pair of hair-cutting scissors (the ones from the kitchen drawer will only end up making your hair crooked). Instead, invest in a pair at your local beauty supply store.

Next, make sure your hair is dry. Bangs should not be cut when they are wet for two reasons. First, they always shorten as they dry, so if you are trimming when they're wet, you won't know how short they really are until it's too late. Second, wet hair doesn't show your true texture, so when it dries, it could end up being shorter in one area and longer in another.

Comb the hair flat and hold the ends of your bangs between your index and middle finger. Cut off only one-quarter inch (about half the length of a finger nail). Make sure you get all of the bangs even. If you like them a little less blunt, you can add some texture and softness by twisting small sections at a time (like a rope) and trimming the ends slightly.

Lastly, if you make a mistake, put the scissors down and call you stylist for an appointment. Do not continue cutting and try to fix the problem because not only will your bangs end up too short, they could get butchered so badly that your hat becomes your best friend for the next month.

Want to stretch your beauty dollars even further? Check out the top 20 drugstore beauty buys.