How to pamper yourself for under $50

It is possible to pamper yourself for less than $50. We reveal where Aussies can indulge — in beauty treatments and food — while not breaking the bank.

Want a haircut for $5? Or, a three-course fine dining slap up meal for $35?

In fact, you could treat yourself at the salon, before heading out for a swanky meal later on – feeling and looking a million dollars.

For those in the know TAFEs, universities and colleges around the country offer services and food at bargain prices, as part of their students’ training.

When it comes to beauty, prices vary at different student-led beauty and health salons, but for example some are offering Shellac nails for $5, which is typically around 10 times cheaper than at your local mall.

TAFEs across the country offer men’s haircuts for as little as $5 or a women’s hair restyle cut starting from $20. Other treatments include an eyebrow tint and shape ($10), 90-minute advanced facial ($25), makeup ($5), hot stone massage ($15), spray tan ($5) and a manicure and pedicure ($10 for both). If you booked the lot, you’ll still have change from $100.

The downside is that you can only book in term time and generally can’t have a top-to-toe pampering service all on the one day.

Another money saving winner is student training restaurants that offer top quality food for much, much cheaper than you would expect to pay.

Most cities have a college training restaurant and some are in premium locations, get five star reviews on TripAdvisor.

Some of those situated on campuses come with free parking. Every penny counts.

FEAST LIKE A KING OR QUEEN

66 on Ernest, Brisbane

It bills itself as Brisbane’s best secret, a fine-dining restaurant run by Brisbane’s best hospitality students, offering three-course dinners for the bargain price of $45. The a la carte menu offers tempting $10 entrees such as chargrilled octopus, with pomegranate, fennel, parsley oil and lemon. Mains priced at $25, include sous vide chicken breast stuffed with harissa & labneh, with curried chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, French beans, charred tomato coulis and curry oil. Ricotta and orange fritters, candied orange, local honey, milk crumb ($10) is an example of the types of desserts available. The situation overlooking trees makes for a pleasant outlook too.

William Blue Dining, Sydney

The location in The Rocks, in the heart of Sydney’s historic district, is pretty incredible. The food at William Blue Dining is award-winning, but at a fraction of the cost you’d expect. A three course meal is $75, two courses are $55. Citrus cured kingfish ceviche, young coconut and lemongrass served with infused cream, cucumber, chilli and Kaffir lime, is an entree previously advertised. The types of mains served include ravioli of Caribbean curried oxtail, with kumara foam, sauteed baby spinach, crisp curry leaves and fava. Desserts include baked chocolate tart, with Turkish delight and Persian fairy floss.

Alexis Lee and Harri King are cooking students at Le Cordon Blue, where the team will prepare a five star menu at a fraction of the price of going to a restaurant. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Cilantro, Melbourne

Here the Modern French menus are designed and prepared by Le Cordon Bleu students. It offers lunches and dinners on selected dates. A three-course lunch and dinner starts at $35, while a degustation is $85. Examples of the cooking include, an entree of gin cured ocean trout mille feuille, smoked duck breast with cherry gel, crumbed kefalograviera, snow pea shoots and chocolate tacos with zabaglione ice cream and caramelised white chocolate.

Graduates Restaurant, Adelaide

Entrees at this TAFE SA run restaurant cost $10.90 with offerings such as quail consommé, forest mushrooms, broad beans, quail egg, charred onion. An example of a $19.50 main includes sous vide lamb loin shoulder with celeriac puree, roasted baby vegetables, tomato and thyme jus. And for $10.90 you can have apple, rosemary and olive oil pudding, calvados sabayon, chai spiced ice cream, brandy snap for dessert.

Drysdale Restaurant, Hobart

Beef tataki, with pickled white onions, daikon, fresh ginger, sesame seeds ($9), wallaby loin, with macadamia crust, blackberry roasted beetroot, mushrooms and pepperberry jus ($21) and coconut Kaffir lime crème brulee, with ginger ice cream ($9) are on the menu at th­e Hobart TAFE-run venue – there are also training restaurants in Launceston and Devonport.

Karawa Training Restaurant, Darwin

This Charles Darwin University-based restaurant, led by hospitality and cookery students gets five out of five reviews on TripAdvisor and is ranked eighth best restaurant in the city, out of 48.

Here the students serve three-course meal using local produce, which has proven to be popular with locals, uni staff and students.

PAMPER YOURSELF

To book hair and beauty call your local TAFE or some TAFEs advertise for clients on Facebook local TAFE Facebook sites.

Prices at TAFEs across the country could start as little as:

HAIR SERVICES

Men’s Haircut & style $5

Face Shave /beard trim $5

Ladies Haircut & Style $15

Ladies Restyle Haircut & Style $20

Styling – Shampoo & Blow-Dry-short $5

Styling – Shampoo & Blow-Dry-med-long $10

Treatment only $10

Semi /Demi / Toners $20

Colour-regrowth $20

Colour – regrowth + refreshed ends $30

Colour – mid lengths to ends (virgin app) + Roots – (extra product $10) $40

Foil – each $1

Foiling – Half Head + toner $35

Foiling – Full Head + toner $55

Scalp Bleach- regrowth + toner *second

application- (extra product $10) $35

Scalp Bleach- Full head + toner *second

application – (extra product $10) $55

Bleach Bath $20

Balayage / Ombre + toner $55

Chemical straightening from $40

Apprentice hairdresser Abril Gonzalez provides an affordable hair appointment at Granville TAFE. Picture: Ryan Osland

BEAUTY SERVICES

Advanced facial – 90 min $25

Microdermabrasion $20

Microdermabrasion + ultrasound $20

Facial 60 min $20

Electrolysis $5

Aromatherapy Body Massage $10

Full Body Massage – Lymphatic $10

Hot Stone Massage $15

Indian Head Massage/Reflexology $5

Body Treatments $10

Eyelash/Eyebrow Tint $5

Eyebrow tint + shape $10

Eyelash Extensions $15

Ear Piercing $12

Make up $5

Spray Tan $5

Full Leg Wax $5

Back Wax $5

Chest Wax $5

Full Arm Wax $5

Half Arm Wax $5

Bikini Wax $5

Face Wax $5

Underarm Wax $5

Eyebrow Wax/Shape $5

Lip wax $5

Chin wax $5

NAIL SERVICES

Full set acrylic nails $5

Refill or back fill nails $5

Manicure $5

Pedicure $5

Shellac / Gel $5

Manicure & Pedicure $10

Originally published as How to pamper yourself for under $50