Consumer Watch: Area colleges offer low-cost haircuts, massages, gourmet food

Paying
Paying

I hope many of you took advantage of last week's gratification list. Today's column continues with freebies of a more practical nature. We're fortunate that our area has ITT Technical Institute, Miller-Motte College and Virginia College, with the latter two offering free services or prices way under what you would ordinarily expect to pay.

photo Ellen Phillips

Wait a minute! Readers who are grimacing and shaking their heads at the thought of non-licensed scissors whipping through their hair, think instead of pro-quality services at low, low prices or even free. When students get proficient enough to graduate from cutting a wig and practicing on each other to fixing a customer's hair, the student's expertise is likely present; practice and perfection of techniques become necessary. Here are some services that may be available. Be sure to check fees, if any, and make sure a trained operator will oversee the entire process. Ask questions in advance of each service and, more importantly, be satisfied with the answers before leaving your driveway.

1 Salon services: Not only does a school offer cosmetology certifications, but most students learn about manicures and pedicures, too. Whether you pay a reduced fee or goes the gratis route usually depends if you're up to the challenge of a training session. While the latter normally is the free option, it can snatch away the reins of power from our hands; in other words, we're at the supervised student's mercy. Even when the session is highly structured and the stylists more experienced, the free cut, color and style often depend upon the kind of hair they need experience working on. Before guinea-pigging, ask: 1) Can I choose the style, cut, color? 2) Will the operator re-do my hair if I'm unhappy? (Conversely, if you don't mind paying a fee, you can choose the style, for instance; the norm seems to be around $10 for a cut and $25 for color.)

2 Massages: Massage-school students offer a full-body or concentration on specific areas, just as a licensed masseuse does. Unfortunately, a freebie is rare, but the discounted cost generally runs $25-$35 and includes supervision by an instructor. Generally, the "spa experience" (i.e. soothing music, dimly lit candles and the fragrance of lavender) is missing, so a good question to start is a description of the setting and if you can request a male or a female masseuse. Ask if anyone other than an instructor will be looking on and if your treatment will be in a cubicle, a separate room or one filled with others.

3 Gourmet food: New restaurants opening means there is a demand for culinary arts expertise. Virginia College, for one, offers an extensive and intensive program. Menus change seasonally, so students gain experience with the freshest ingredients. In some cases, interesting and creative dishes may be the norm rather than the exception, so if you're a picky eater, perhaps this isn't the direction for you. Ask about reservations, dress code (seriously!) and tipping policy. Because food and, especially, fresh items cost more, expect to pay for the service. On the other hand, "pay" is a misnomer; a similar prix fixe meal for one diner may run upwards of $50 in an elegant restaurant while a culinary school may charge around $25 for approximately the same three courses.

Freebies also hold do's and don't's. With my paranoia about identity theft, I turn up my nose at questions designed to reveal any private information. In fact, even when signing up for free birthday treats, I tell a white lie about the date. Whatever your birth month, put the day down as a few before or after the true time. Hence, a May 15 birthday becomes May 10 or May 20. If the year is called for, I usually set it as if I'm a year older or younger than the actual date. Other ways to protect yourself include:

Create an email address just for free offers.

Don't use your real name. Fill in your initials or use an alias.

Uncheck all checked boxes; otherwise, you're opening yourself up for lots of unwanted mail.

Read the fine print so you're sure how your info will be used and with whom.

Never use a debit card.

Don't fall for the "You've won a free vacation/whatever" scam. Delete, delete, delete.

Contact Ellen Phillips at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com.

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