I am debating whether to stick with going to a hair salon for coloring, or start doing it myself. The salon is a big expense, but doing it myself looks a little scary. I'm not so much worried about picking the right product (e.g., I've read up on permanent versus semi-permanent), but about the mess and stains and clean-up. I know some people who've done it once and said "never again." So, two questions for discussion. (1) Are the cost savings worth the hassle? And (2) If I give it a try, any tips or tricks or advice anyone would give a first timer?