Rick Holmes, now of Seattle, used to be my hair guru.  He taught me everything I know about good hair care.  You can even save some cash using these techniques and tips. 

Wash your hair every other day.  Otherwise, you're stripping it of protective oils and moisture.  I have oily skin, and I prefer to wash everyday when I’m on a high-profile gig, but when I can skip, I do. 

Washing and conditioning every other day makes your products last twice as long.  That's like "buy one, get one free"!  People with dry hair wash it even LESS frequently.  Can you imagine the savings??? 

Conditioner stays on 2-5 minutes.  If you wash & condition your hair first, then proceed with the rest of your shower and grooming, you can hit the mark without thinking about it.  There’s no point in using conditioner improperly; that’s like pouring money down the drain!

Rinse your hair with cold water.  This adds shine without the spray or sealant (more money saved!).  The secret is to rinse it in really frigid water, and to do it after both the shampoo and conditioning.  True confession:  I can't bring myself to do it, even in the summer; but my friend, Leah, uses this trick, occasionally, and I can always tell when she remembers.

When possible, air-dry your hair, and don't use heat to style.  Blow-drying, straightening, and using a curling iron are bad for your hair, and they use electricity.  Cut back when you can.  And, if you’re blow-drying until your hair is bone dry, Rick says you’re cooking your hair!  Leave it with a little moisture. 

NO products with alcohol.  They dry your hair out and leave it dull.  You can find all sorts of cream, goo, gel, and wax sans the alcohol, just examine the ingredients carefully, and experiment until you find one that works for you.  Look for products made for color treated hair, as they're less likely to have alcohol.  I like Wella's Color Preserve Curl Definer.

You can save a pretty penny, and still have pretty hair!