Is charging for hair standard?

DEAR SARA: I went into a local salon this evening to donate 12 inches of my hair. When I was talking to my mom, she told me that when my sister donated her hair, they didn’t charge her for the haircut. I’m mad that I was charged. Is this normal? I’d do it again in a heartbeat, but I’m curious to know if you’re supposed to pay. — Regina, forums

DEAR REGINA: Some salons don’t charge, some charge full price, and some offer discounts for hair donations.

If you’re planning on donating to charities such as Locks of Love or Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths, please gather information about these charities and the salons that handle these donations before doing so. Check the Better Business Bureau, contact the charities directly, and call salons ahead of time to be certain your donation is being used the way you intend it. You might be surprised to discover that, in some cases, donated hair is sold, and not necessarily to people in need. Some people might not care as long as their hair isn’t wasted. But it might be wasted if your hair is deemed unusable, so check to see whether your hair meets the guidelines.

I’ve paid regular price for my haircut when I’ve donated. If I was fortunate enough to receive a free or discounted haircut, I’d tip the hair stylist the difference or write a check to the charity. If you’re looking for a place that doesn’t have a length requirement, check out Matter of Trust (www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmatsinfo.html). They take donations and recycle hair and make it into hair mats, which are used to soak up oil spills.

DEAR SARA: Can you tell me how to get rid of a mildew smell in my washing machine? I tried a gallon of bleach in water filled to the brim, but that didn’t work. — Karen, North Carolina

DEAR KAREN: It sounds as if there’s a buildup of trapped sludge. Check the hoses, dispensers, traps/filters and between the drums. You can go to Repair Clinic (www.repairclinic.com) or AP Wagner (www.apwagner.com) and find your washer’s model. It will show you how to take it apart so you can clean it. Also, people tend to close their washer doors. Try keeping it open sometimes so it can dry out thoroughly. I’m not an appliance expert, but I’m sure that I’ll receive a lot of feedback, and I’ll share it soon.

DEAR SARA: I would love to learn more about alternative ways to cover windows this winter. The shrink plastic gets expensive. — Melina, Massachusetts

DEAR MELINA: Some people use window quilts, blankets, Plexiglas inserts, insulated curtains or bubble wrap. You might consider using space blankets. They’re fairly cheap. You can find them at discount and sporting/camping stores. The material is thin and easy to manage, too. It’s not the best option because it’s not transparent, but it’s thin enough to mount onto roller shades/blinds or to use on windows that you don’t have to see through, such as in basements.

DEAR SARA: A friend just brought over three boxes of Velveeta cheese, and I’m wondering whether it can be frozen. — Carol, forums

DEAR CAROL: I haven’t frozen it before because it has such a long shelf life. Many of my community members have commented that they’ve frozen it with acceptable results. According to Kraft Foods, they suggest that you don’t freeze it because it can cause the processed cheese to become grainy, mushy and lose flavor.

photo by automania

Posted by Sara Noel on October 6 2008. Filed under Question & Answer.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook