Men, as youve probably noticed, are a vain bunch. Youll see this manifest itself in many ways, from not asking for directions when theyre lost, through to spending vast amounts of money on grooming products. Men are even classically prone to not admitting that they might need glasses in order to read; fearing the realisation and signs of deterioration in their eyes.

Theres an increasing need to feed this vanity and people are realising that if hes to stay looking good and functioning well, the male of the species needs regular maintenance. Its little wonder that the market for mens toiletries is booming and theres increasing demand from men for cosmetic surgery; all of which adds up to the fact that a man is an increasingly costly thing to maintain. Its a bit like running a car except that you cant just drop your bloke off at a garage to have his oil changed and his road worthiness checked.

Fortunately there are some things you can do to keep the running costs of your man in check. When it comes to grooming products, lesser known brands are often just as good as the more expensive ones you can always cover up the labels if you think he might notice youve made a switch. If he insists on brand names, try stocking up in the sales after Christmas when all those unsold gift packs are going cheap.

How much does he spend on a haircut? If he has a close cropped style then buying him a pair of clippers will allow him to do his own hair at home and youll save the cost in a couple of visits to the barbers.

When it comes to clothes you can pander to his sense of style but still keep a handle on cost by shopping in designer outlets rather than on the high street. Again take advantage of the sales and dont be afraid to add the odd item of clothing from the supermarket. The styles are often better than youd think and if you cut out the labels hell think its a designer brand that you got cheap.

If hes beginning to hold his newspaper at arms length tell him its not a good look. This will be more effective than suggesting that he might need glasses. If hes still reluctant you can point out that there are plenty of designer reading glasses available and that he might even look good wearing them. You can save here too by going for a stylish ready-made option rather than packing him off to the optician.

Whilst you shouldnt ever try to run a man on the cheap there are lots of areas where you can safely cut corners and still have him looking good and running smoothly. If youre careful how you do it you may find he doesnt even notice.

Mens reading glasses are available in a wide range of ready-made styles so you can save money but still appeal to his vanity.