If you’re like me and you’re trying to balance school, two jobs, a boyfriend and a social life, washing hair can become a luxury. Luckily dry shampoo has become my new savior.

In theory, washing your hair is a really simple task– you just shampoo, condition and lather for ten minutes and voila, Beyonce. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. After washing my hair, blow-drying and styling (if I want to look presentable) it can take me up to an hour if i’m rushing.

Not to mention, if you use expensive hair products, you’re literally throwing that money down the drain.

If you’re unfamiliar with dry shampoo, it’s a powder based spray that you apply to your roots where your hair gets the greasiest, let it set for ten minutes and brush it out with a comb. The spray is formulated so that the white film you see before brushing your hair will soak up oils making your hair look clean and refreshed.

I typically wash my hair once every two to three days depending on how lazy I am or how greasy my hair looks. That means when I’m on day two and I have an 8 a.m. class, I’m definitely going to sleep in the extra hour that I would have lost if I washed my hair.

I’m saving up to four hours of my time per week because I can just touch up my hair with a blow-dryer or curling iron the next day which only takes me ten minutes.

Dry shampoo is carried by a lot of brands– cheap and expensive. I have tried them both and honestly the cheaper ones can suffice. The TRESemeËŠ dry shampoo costs no more than $5 at Target and can last me up to six weeks give or take.

Essentially if you do the math, that $5 investment could cut your shampoo and conditioner budget in half since you’re cutting down on your washing. For myself, someone who has bleached hair that’s in constant contact with damaging hair tools, I splurge on my shampoos and conditioners. The two products together add up to $50, so yearly that’s a whopping $300 I’m spending.

My shampoos and conditioners used to last me about two months with everyday use. Now their lifespans have practically doubled, lasting up to four months. So yearly, I’m now spending around $150, saving half of my old budget.

Now I can use that leftover money to buy the shoes I couldn’t afford before or just stash the extra cash away for next semester’s books. As for my time, rest assured that that will all be going toward sleeping in.