I may be living on a McDonalds budget these days, but growing up with some of the finer things in life have left me with some Caviar taste.

I am not talking about yachts or private jets; more like pretty handbags and a little bit of pampering. And while I can’t always afford the things I adore, I have become quite deft at finding deals on some of life’s little luxuries. Like the manicure. Nothing makes me feel good at the end of a rough week like a good finger soak and coat of Wicked.

But, even with the low prices at many nail shops these days, throwing away $12 on something that is going to chip, crack and have to be re-done in a week is hard for a lady on a budget.

Doing it yourself, though, is easier than you think and will save you tons of money without having to sacrifice a sexy set of hands.

In order to do your nails like a pro, you need to get the right tools: nail polish remover (duh), cotton pads, emery board, Vitamin E oil, orangewood stick, buffer, base coat polish, color polish, top coat. This may seem like a big investment now, but it will save you big time down the road.

Now for the steps:

1. Whether you think you have polish on your nails or not, take a cotton ball dipped in remover and run it over your nails. Once the polish is gone, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to get rid of excess remover from your hands and nails. The cleaner your nails the better the manicure. Tip: If your nails are yellowed from the polish, soak your hands in lemon juice for 10 minutes. Voila! Clear nails again!

2. Shaping your nails comes next. When filing your nails make sure to file in only one direction; the back and forth motion will ruin them. You can make them any shape that suits you (oval, square, round), but keep in mind that the longer they are, the weaker they are. Once you finish filing, soak your nails in warm water to rinse off the nail-dust and soften those cuticles.

3. After soaking, rub Vitamin E oil (or Olive Oil!) into your cuticles and use the Orangewood stick to gently push the cuticles back. Your cuticles keep bacteria from entering your body so be nice to them and never cut them. Tip: If you keep them moisturized between mani’s there will not be a need for much cuticle maintenance, anyway.

4. Wash your hands thoroughly again. Left-over oil will keep your polish from adhering to your nails.

5. Buffing the nails separates the crappy mani from the professional. Run the buffer back and forth over your nails to smooth out any ridges and provide a better surface for the polish to stick to.

6. Now that your nails are finally prepped, it is time to add some color to those digits. Start with a clear base to protect your nails from staining and provide a foundation for your color. Let the basecoat dry completely before moving onto your color. Brush two (dark colors) to three (light colors) coats onto your nails letting each coat dry in full before adding the next. Finally, brush on a light coat of top coat. And let it all dry.

The hardest part of the at-home manicure for me is the waiting, but moving on too soon and smudging those nails is a waste of all that time and hard work. Just sit still, let it all dry, and enjoy your beautiful (and budget) manicure.