Reader Story: Home Haircuts Can Save Time and Money
Published on - February 26th, 2012 (by J.D. Roth) This guest post from Shannon D is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure. These stories feature folks from all levels of financial maturity and with all sorts of incomes.
My wonderful husband likes to keep his hair short and precise. He works outdoors but dislikes hats, so keeping his hair looking proper is important to him. We live in a rural area without a major chain hair cut shop. While we do have a small barber shop, their hours are very limited. This usually meant that for a monthly haircut we would drive 25 miles to the nearest mall to get his hair cut in the evenings or on weekends at a chain store.
While we usually tried to combine his trip for a haircut with other errands in town, we typically just made it into a dinner evening. So on top of the other costs, we often had an extra dinner out that we not have otherwise enjoyed.
We estimate our costs to have been the following:
- $25 per trip in mileage
- $18 haircut – including the tip
- A solid two hours spent getting a haircut
With this happening once monthly, we were spending $516 per year — not including dinners — and 24 hours of time getting his hair cut.
We decided to try something different, not because of the money so much as the time and convenience lost making the commute just for a haircut. After my husband asking me several times, I finally got the confidence to try cutting his hair. I am no cosmetologist. My haircutting experience includes buzzing my brother’s hair — at his request — in high school and shaving my long-haired dog during the summer. And I should mention that my husband’s haircut is not a simple buzz. It made me nervous.
So, I bought a pair of clippers for $25 about three years ago. I went with my husband to get his hair cut and carefully watched what the barber did. It really didn’t seem too complicated. When we got home, we opened up the clippers and matched up which guards to use based on the length of his freshly-cut hair. I labeled which guard to use in which section of his head. This gave us a blueprint of sorts.
Over the past few years, we’ve learned a few tips that may help you with your own home haircut adventures, if you decide this might be for you.
- Cut hair outside if possible. Little hairs are hard to sweep and can make cleanup frustrating. Outdoors is much less stressful.
- Cut hair regularly. Long hair is harder on the clippers and makes the cutting process slower.
- Keep notes. We found that nail polish is the best way to label clipper guards.
- Don’t buy the cheapest clippers. We learned this clipping the dog. The $10 models are pretty disposable. You’re better off paying more to get better quality.
- Maintain your equipment. Use the lubrication and cleaning brush that come with your clippers to maximize their life.
Our home haircuts have been successful. My husband loves the ease of making appointments, and I like the money savings. Not every haircut is perfect, but I’ve gotten better over time. And we do still get him a professional hair cut at least once a year. The professional cut gives me a fresh template, and helps make me feel that I’m doing it correctly. But we’ve never had someone look at his hair and ask, “Who cut that?” We think that indicates success.
We’re about due for a new pair of clippers. But we figure that with the $25 investment we’ve saved almost $1400 over the past three years. But the cost savings hasn’t been the best part. The best part has been saving time. Plus, each haircut means one-on-one time with each other. It’s a great time for us to reconnect and really visit. We’ll continue these haircuts for years to come as a way to save and bond.
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My father has been cutting my eldest brother´s hair (34) since he was born. My 2cond brother´s hair until 25 and mine until 16. (Those are the ages we youngest brothers left home), totaling 75 years of free hair cuts. The “reconnect” side is really true. I discover it every time I pass by home and get a haircut.
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I cut my own hair for the exact same reason. Time. 20 minutes every few weeks really beats having to go wait in a barber shop.
Thinking about it, the clippers have easily paid for themselves multiple times over at this point.
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I am a single man and would like to know how you can cut your own hair and make it look professionally done? I could sure do with the savings in time AND money!
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I’ve been cutting my own hair for about 16 years. As long as you want it short enough that it falls under a clipper setting, you don’t need to see what you’re doing. I just use the lawnmower approach, i.e. I keep going back and forth until no more hair comes away, then I run my hand over it to see whether it feels even.
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Mirrors help with the back. I keep my sides and back pretty short, so it’s not that difficult using clippers.
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I buzz mine (think “boot camp”), and it’s a piece of cake. The only tricky part is when you want to shave your neck to clean up the back — my wife helps with this. Between either cutting it myself or getting my wife to cut it, I’ve only paid for a haircut once in about the last 8 years, which as mentioned in the original post means I also haven’t had to deal with making appointments or waiting in line.
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Have you seen those new clippers that are a circular shape, designed for holding in your own hand while clipping your own hair? My husband wears his hair too long for clipping to be an option, but if you like to wear your hair very short, those could be a good choice. In any case, I think this article is right to point out that men’s haircuts are often so simple or short that going to a salon isn’t always necessary.
As for women, DON’T cut your own hair or get an unqualified friend to do it – you can always tell, and it could harm your career if you turn up at work looking unprofessional. It creates such a poor impression. I know at least three of my friends have tried getting a friend or family member to cut their hair and they all ended up spending money at a salon to correct it (and the corrected haircut had to be much shorter than they wanted it). There are other ways to save on haircuts – a cheaper salon (obviously), a supervised student cut (usually discounted or free) or a mobile hairdresser who doesn’t have the overheads of a salon and is therefore cheaper.
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Agreed – I saved a lot of money over the years going to hair dressers who worked out of their homes. (I haven’t been so lucky since I moved!)
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You can’t always tell if someone “unqualified” cuts your hair. My mom cut my hair for years. This was especially great when I kept my hair longer and had a simple layer structure. You can get bad haircuts from professionals too.
The important part is to have a hairstyle that suits you well. And if it happens to be one that is simple to cut, and you know someone who can do it for you for free? All the better!
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Leah – yes, you can probably just about get away with an amateur cut if you have very long hair and it’s just a question of trimming the ends (but be careful!), and you’re absolutely right that professionals sometimes give bad haircuts (especially when they don’t LISTEN to what you want!).
And come to think of it, a badly done do-it-yourself cut on a man will create just as bad an impression as on a woman, so it’s definitely something you need to think about carefully depending on your desired hairstyle, skill level and equipment.
Also remember, as my stylist friend reminded me, that cutting hair isn’t just a case of cutting the ends evenly. There’s a lot of work and training that goes into thinning, thickening, layering, razoring etc. that really makes a difference to how your hair looks and feels, and the women here advocating home haircuts perhaps don’t realise how much better a professional cut might feel.
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I’m not sure what you qualify as “very long,” but, for straight hair, getting a decent cut from the shoulders down really isn’t too difficult.
It’s fine for you to make your own decisions, and I am not saying that you should give home hair cuts a try. But your black and white stance on the issue is off-putting and potentially inaccurate.
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No need for that, Leah. I tried to find common ground with you and then you go all nasty comments!
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Totally agree. Nobody guesses that I cut my own hair because I do a good job of it. (I’ve had a few people ask which salon I go to so that they can go there, too.) If you’re just doing a simple bob, which is flattering on most hair and face types, it’s easy to do at home. Even layering is a cinch after a bit of practice. The last few times I’ve been to a salon for a high-priced cut and style I was very disappointed. Truly, I think the reason you don’t know about the many women who cut their own hair well is BECAUSE they do it well (you’d never know unless you asked).
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I’ve been cutting my own hair for years! I like your tactic yet I think of it on a different financial level. Rather than feel like I am saving money each time I cut my own hair, I feel that I’m not spending money for a haircut. I think “saving” and “not spending” are similar but very different philosophies.
When my girlfriend says she saved $40 by buying a sweater on sale for $20 instead of the sticker price of $60. I say “no, you didn’t save $40. You spent $20.” There’s a big difference and it’s a huge paradigm shift.
Regardless, way to go for doing haircuts and home!
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Keep that type of conversation up and you won’t have a girlfriend for too much longer.
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Or maybe he’ll find a girlfriend with whom he meshes financially, which is probably better in the long run.
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I think Ben was trying to give an example, not point out a huge relationship flaw that maybe doesn’t exist. I’m not sure why people are imagining he’s nagging his girlfriend about her spending?
I think Ben’s point is interesting because marketers love to throw around the word “save” to get us to buy something, or to buy more. For instance, those Walmart commercials where people brag: “With the money we saved on this, we bought this!” We feel better about our purchases because we got a good deal, even though the price was likely inflated in the first place.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to “not spend” versus “save.” If I don’t spend on something (or I get a discount) does it count as saving if I’m not putting that money into a savings account or investment?
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I think it does count. When you are in the mentality of ‘I saved so I bought it’ you end up with a lot you don’t need. I can never get out of my head the scene from the show ‘Extreme Couponers’ – they have a warehouse in their bedroom full of stuff, but they go out and buy more because they can get $200 for $20. A waste of time and money, if you ask me.
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Eek, I’d hate to be your friend and always be “corrected” – but I do get where you’re coming from.
However, if she had planned to purchase the sweater for $60 anyway…then she *did* save $40.
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For anyone that uses a budget, the qualification for calling it “saving” should be whether you moved that money from the spending budget into savings. If you saved $20 buying the sweater, then that means you moved $20 from your clothing account to you savings account since you got something you needed at a lower price. Keeping it in your clothing account means the money will simply be spent on other clothing, not “saved”.
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I agree with Annelise, this is just a tip for men (unless you are a woman who keeps it incredibly short). In fact, I had switch to a more expensive conditioner this winter, on the advice of my hair stylist, to combat the winter dry frizzies. And you know what? For the first time in my life, people have complemented me on my hair, including my female manager who said “keep doing whatever it is you’re doing to it!”. Soooo-not a tip for me at least.
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Yes I don’t cut my own hair but I do save money by going much less often than most other women I know. I do cut my husbands hair (begrudgingly) and blogged about it a few weeks ago here: http://preservingpennies.com/?p=15
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I bought some Wahl clippers in 1999 at WalMart. I think I’ve paid for about 3 haircuts since that time for interviews. The savings is unbelievable. Now, if I could only convince my wife…
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If you have long hair that’s all one length the ‘at home’ approach may work as well.
My husband cuts my hair. My hair is long and mildly wavy – he cuts it once every 3 months or so outside or (in winter) in the garage. I wash & dry my hair, he cuts with sharpened sewing scissors and at first used masking tape (on the ‘to cut off’ side of the trim line) as a guide.
This and no more highlights or color mean I have saved over $1,000 a year on hair care.
I realize this won’t work for everyone! But I am happy and richer
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Delighted to read this post, since my partner cuts my hair and–more amazingly–has cut his own hair for years!
It started when he had trouble getting any of the local barbers or stylists to do what he wanted with his hair. They always misinterpreted or openly ignored his wishes, and he’d come home and touch up his hair himself. After a while he figured out he could do it himself entirely–multiple mirrors are involved–and when I realized he had gotten the hang of it, I began letting him cut mine. I save $15 a month, or $180 a year, on haircuts; he saves $20 every three weeks, or around $340. So between us, we save over $500 a year.
There is some skill involved and it helps to research what you’re doing before attacking your significant other’s head with the clippers. Summer is a good time to start; if things turn out badly, you can trim everything short and it’ll be less of a problem.
Absolutely invest in a high-quality pair of clippers. Dear Hubby says “not less than $40″ is the rule, and keep them clean and oiled.
The only issue we have is that clippers occasionally need to be serviced and we’ve had trouble finding someone locally to do that. Does anyone have advice about where we can look?
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I’ve cut my husband’s hair for several years. He has very thick, curly hair and when our clippers needed to be serviced we called in the warranty and sent them back to the manufacturer. They replaced the blades and sent them back as good as new.
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I cut my husband’s hair with clippers- it’s how his family managed his hair (and his 2 brothers) their whole lives. We spent $40 on clippers at least 5 years ago and they are still going strong.
After I had a BAD haircut several years ago I decided to start cutting my own hair- it couldn’t be any worse than what I paid for. I figured if I messed it up then I would go in and get it fixed. I spent decent money on shears and also a razor with a guard. I ask my husband for help to make sure the back is even. It takes time and practice- but I’ve had people ask who my stylist is multiple times- and then I fess up that I do it myself. And I’ve never ended up with a bad cut- if I noticed something is uneven then I just trim it up.
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I am black and my hair really only requires to be shaved with a machine.
Going to a barbershop might cost me 15 bucks. Buying a machine cost us about 60 bucks.
The math is easy:
15x = 60
x = 60/15 = 4
+
So after having had my head shaved at home with our own machine 4 times, the shaving machine started paying for itself
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What kind of barbershop is this that will take 2 SOLID HOURS to give a man a haircut? It usually takes 5-20 minutes!
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That includes driving time, I assume.
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Right, but that trip is shared with other errands or dinner, so the time is not “a solid 2 hours spent getting a haircut”, it’s a solid 2 hours eating, and doing other things, etc. Unless this haircut place is *really* slow.
The cost of travel should also be shared by the other errands. $25 in gas for a haircut is a waste, $25 for supermarket shopping, car repairs, the feed store and dinner out is not unusual in rural areas.
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EDIT: oh, we’re in the other thread, sorry double comments.
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If you read the article again, you’ll see the 2 hours includes the travel time!
I’ve cut my husband’s hair for over 30 years. We’re on our third ‘buzzer’ and this time I went to a beauty supply place and got a really good one (I got tired of the cheap ones dying). He loves not having to take the time to go to a barber. I’ve also trimmed my 20-something daughter’s hair since she was a child. I did take her for a few haircuts, but most of them were so simple that I could do them myself. And I cut my son’s hair until he moved out. Learning on kids’ hair is great! I’d never try cutting my own hair, but I’m thinking that, now that it’s long, I should ask my daughter to trim it for me. I do my own bangs (the twist way) in between visits and they look good. I know not to ask my husband to help with my hair, though. He just doesn’t seem to have “the touch”.
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No, she said they combine the haircut with other errands or dinner:
Maybe 90 minutes dinner, 30 minutes total at the barber between waiting, getting the cut and paying?
I’m all for self-inflicted haircuts (I own clippers), but the math here is wrong. Either allocate total time and expenses to the full set of errands/activities (not fool’s errands!) or calculate the share of the haircut itself.
Same thing w/ the gas btw.
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That quote reads to me that they typically are not able to combine the haircut trip with necessary errands, so every part of it – including the dinner – is due to the haircut. So really, she should include the price of the dinner in the cost of the cut.
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(though I too am a little confused on what the two hours really means. 50 miles driving, plus haircut, plus dinner certainly seems like it should take longer, but 50 miles driving plus haircut for two hours seems absurdly long.)
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Exactly, include the dinner if it’s “mandated” by the haircut trip. Otherwise no.
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edit: and yeah, the math is confusing because costs and times aren’t being matched equally it seems
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sounds like he actually gets his hair done in a walk-in mall hair shop, not a barber shop, because the barber shop is not open when he is home.
and yeah, a rural mall’s walk-in’s timing can take around 45 minute wait…and even if you have an appointment, we all know that beauty shop personnel can over run their allotted time–especially when a prior customer has asked for a special service without notice…and especially if they are contending with a heavy nights of walk-ins.
So to add insult to wallet injury, a lot of the “2 hours” estimate is probably “waiting” and/or browsing the mall waiting–which in and of itself can be an unconscious money drain.
I used to live somewhere where a 15 minute trip could take up to two hours depending on if you got caught by a through freight train, so that 25 miles probably takes longer than 25 minutes, too.
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But the real question is.. would you let your husband cut your hair?
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no. not never.
maybe if he went to beauty school (which he has considered)
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great. thanks. now I have “beauty school drop out” playin’ in my head.
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If you’re willing to grow your hair out, you can often get it cut for free by donating it to Locks of Love or some other organization. The only cost (excluding travel) is to pay the professional a tip.
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I used to cut my own hair in high school but as I got older I paid a professional to do it for me.
I agree about saving time and money cutting your own hair though. Every little bit helps.
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I used to live with a guy who was bald on top but still had fluff at the sides, so I’d shave his head for him. Not with clippers, but properly with a razor. It’s a good way to make a loved one feel special- make an afternoon out of it, give them a hot cloth facial and a neck/head/face massage, then shave face and head. I only wish I’d had time to learn to use a straight razor for a really professional finish.
Doing any kind of beauty thing at home is a good way to cut costs, as long as you’re not too ambitious with the project or precious with your looks. During my wild rebellious teenage years, I was the go to stylist for dying friends hair (I also used to pierce ears but good lord I don’t think it’s right to recommend that! Just so you know, I used professional needles straight out of the packet, fresh each user, and sterilised the jewellery. Never once had a earring get infected and never tried to pierce any other body part).
If you’ve got the time and effort you can save your friends and family a lot of money. I gave my best friend dreadlocks for free when I was 18. It would have cost her upwards of £100 in a salon because they take so long to do. I cut my own fringe if it gets annoying, and have thought about going a bit wilder and cutting my own hair all over, but I need summer employment so it’s difficult.
It’s one thing turning up to art university with a blue mohawk, but I doubt many agencies would look for that in a data entry clerk…
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When i was growing up in the seventies, my mom always cut my surfer, beach boy dad’s hair. Dad wasn’t picky (and mom determined when it had got too long; dad never noticed until it started getting caught behind his glasses) and he hated spending money on a haircut.
For us kids, it was/is now a cherished family memory. Mom setting up in the kitchen (“hey, come on, mom’s gonna cut dad’s hair!”), us kids watching our big dad huddled on the chair with a towel “bib” and looking like a shaggy blind owl; mom on a stool so she could reach, nose all scrunched up…mom making jokes about “whoops!…” it was hilarious.
Made some of the best kid memories–ever.
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Not for me. I have short hair with layers and some waves. I struggle enough to get a decent haircut (and now live in a city where it’s screamingly expensive; I’ve scored deals at local schools on Groupon and have been very happy). Won’t cut my husband’s hair either. The barber is a 3 minute walk away.
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Yep. I have never cut my own hair and don’t ever intend to. It’s thick and needs a lot of layering to not look like a pyramid on my head. I just started getting it highlighted professionally as well. 2 hours and $100 for color and cut with style, and totally worth it.
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Thank you for giving legitimacy to my idea to cut our own hair since we are now retired. I checked out a DVD at the library on cutting hair at home and it was pretty straight forward. My husband has gone to the same stylist for 21 years so he isn’t quite ready to try it. But, when he is, I’m ready!
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I have my wife cut my hair and I cut my son’s hair. My son is 8 and I tell him that he can have any haircut he wants but if he wants his hair longer than my “2 guard special” he will need to comb it every day. He chooses short hair every time.
I use the bathroom for haircuts. We bought a cordless vacuum/sweeper for cleaning up after haircuts. It works great! Plus the bathroom floor actually gets swept much more frequently than it would otherwise.
I save tons of time and money with every haircut.
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I had a boyfriend once who cut his own hair with clippers, but also used the vacuum cleaner WHILE he was cutting it. He would hold the clippers in one hand and follow them with the vacuum hose held in his other hand. He still had to clean up the bathroom when he was done, but it was a lot less work!
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That sounds like my husband, “cut it short enough that I won’t have to comb it.”
Cracks me up
And I agree with El Nerdo, the article is a little confusing on time/money equations….
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As a 20 something female I want to chime in and say women can cut their own hair too! I have had my hair all lengths, from below my shoulders to my chin. I started cutting it in high school when my Mom decided I ought to pay for my own hair cuts. About once a year I decide that I’m sick of cutting it myself and pay someone to do it – and am quickly reminded that doing it myself not only saves me money, it saves me frustration. With women’s salon cuts costing well over $50 with tip, I have easily saved over a thousand dollars.
Does it look 100% perfect, wash and dry? No. But I have never gotten that from a professional either. I get compliments on my hair frequently!
And, of course, I cut my husband’s hair and my dog’s hair too
It is a family money saving affair.
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A girl I knew in college cut her own hair.
We all looked at her in horror/surprise when she told us, but her hair looked great. Most of our surprise was that it looked good, it wasn’t short, and we wondered how she did the back.
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Lots of instruction videos on youtube with girl’s doing their own hair.
The biggest hurdle I find with others’ willingness to accept or try (other than when the opposing opinion is a professional, and is defending the existence of the profession) is how attached they are to their hair and/or appearance. Not everyone is comfortable with the philosophy of “eh, it grows back.”
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Yep – I dont get that. If you cut it, and it looks awful, you’ll go get a professional hair cut.. and be right back where you started! I have trouble believing that there are many mistakes a hairdresser couldn’t fix if you really botched it (short of bald spots).
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Everytime someone talks about cutting their own hair I always think of the Flobee. Consumerism at its best! or worst! Not sure which.
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I’ve used a Flowbee for years – love it and has saved me a ton of money – as funny at they seem, they do work.
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I’ve been cutting my own hair for about fifteen years (and I’m a woman! gasp!), but I wouldn’t ever really expect it of anyone else.
I do kind of wish my husband would just get a haircut period. :-/
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I’ve been cutting my own hair for years as well.
I’ve had my husband help me out a few times, but usually it’s just me.
Thankfully my hair is long & curly, so minor mess-ups are invisible. If it were straight, I’m not sure how great my self-haircuts would look.
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I would just work around the local barber shop rather than spend all this time, energy, and money making it an “outing”, with dinner and all.
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Right, but that trip is shared with other errands or dinner, so the time is not “a solid 2 hours spent getting a haircut”, it’s a solid 2 hours eating, and doing other things, etc. Unless this haircut place is *really* slow.
The cost of travel should also be shared by the other errands. $25 in gas for a haircut is a waste, $25 for supermarket shopping, car repairs, the feed store and dinner out is not unusual in rural areas.
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I’m a guy in my 30s and I’ve been cutting my own hair for 15 years. I buzz the back and sides with a mirror, then cut the top. Just couldn’t stand paying for haircuts and I know the look I’m going for.
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If you can make it work, and look good, go for it! I cut my kids hair (all boys) while they were growing up until an unfortunate incident that left hubby taking one to a salon for an emergency buzz cut (I have no idea what I did, but it was awful!).
After that, I left it up to the girls at the salon. But we live in a large city with lots of chain shops, and the boys/men all cost less than $20 every 6 weeks or so. I get my long hair cut and coloured about once every 6-8 weeks privately, so the cost has gone from $140 once a month to $100 6-8 times a year – much less $$.
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“Its okay to spend money on things that make money” will certainly be a post of mine this week. Back in college I would clipper my own hair. It was cheap, easy, and worked beautifully. Now, however, I have to say that a scholarly and clean look is something people see and something that matters when I present, brief, or interview. Though it pains me to say it, I, nor my partner can cut hair worth a squat, so we have it done (if one of us could do it well, you bet we would!). It also pains me to say this, but sometimes its okay to spend money on something that will bring more money… haircut, shoes, bag…. and resulting look. The challenge is not to go overboard and to save/pay for the items in cash.
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I also cut my own hair – the £40 investment in hair clippers has probably seen the best return ever!
Not only does it save money and is quicker to do it myself, my hair grows very fast and I can keep it under control. By cutting with clippers, my hair is always neat, I save time in the morning and I don’t spend much on hair products (shampoo goes a LONG way)
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i help buzz my husband’s hair, but he’s certainly not volunteering to cut mine (i wouldn’t let him anyway!). i have thick, long wavy hair. i’ve had so many bad haircuts over the years- tying a scarf around my head and tearing up on the way home because NOW I LOOK LIKE A BEATLE, that it’s not worth it to me to skimp anymore.
i found a pro that costs $120 (100 + tip), and i make it out there 2-3 times a year. he magically makes me look like a rock star each and every time, and i get a lot of compliments on my hair. at my friends’ insistence i finally tried a cheaper place, and guess what? the stylist was so dense and the cut was so very awful, i ran directly back to my regular salon after the cut and begged them to take me as an emergency appointment, i ended up dropping a lot of money that day when i could have just gone to the nice place the first time.
i work from home so everyday appearance isn’t vital, but i do make it out to a lot of shows and industry events, i prefer to be well-groomed. it’s a pretty fashionable industry too, i’ve purposely avoided events when my hair was just too long and unruly until i could get it styled (it sounds silly when i type it out, but you didn’t see my hair that day).
so anyway, buzzers for the mister, stupid expensive stylist for myself.
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Mu two-year-old’s hair is nice and wavy so we figured we could get away with cutting his hair at home instead of at a salon. I’m sure there are patches of unevenness but since his hair is wavy it’s not as obvious. So far we’ve et to have to pay to get his hair cut! I doubt he could hold still anyway at a salon and would freak out so all around it seems better to just cut his hair at home.
As for me though, I still end up shelling out money for a salon cut. I don’t go often, maybe twice a year since my hair is long anyway.
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We have the same issue – trying to find a time to take my son to get his hair cut was inconvenient so I started clippering him at home. Much easier to be able to do it when he was in a receptive mood than to guess, have to drive around, sit and wait somewhere while toddler goodwill melts away!
My husband likes his hair short and wants a cut every two weeks and its been much more convenient and cost-effective to do it at home. My son now likes his hair longer so I found some how to videos on You Tube and have been using scissors to cut it and its not too bad.
I will add, you can purchase replacement blades for clippers online. Ours were starting to get dull and I thought I was going to have to buy a whole new clipper set but was delighted to discover I could get new blades and with one screw it was easy to replace and made a huge difference! The new blades cost me about $10.
Only once did my husband come home and say that the guys at work kept telling him the only difference between a good hair cut and a bad hair cut was about two weeks…
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I have cut my hubss and 2 son’s hair for 10 years now. It started when my oldest son was little and the barber wanted $18 dollars! We cut hair every 3 weeks, outside if possible, they line up and we’re done in about 30 minutes. We have saved a fortune in money and time. Now my Dad and brother ask for a cut when I’m around, I only do 3 styes so they have to tell me who they want to look like!
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My girlfriend has cut my hair for 2+ years. It was a one-time cost of $25 for the clippers, and that was it. With a $15 cost ay the barber, I’ve saved hundreds of dollars already.
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My wife cuts my hair as well as her own and plans to cut our daughter’s when she’s old enough to need one. I haven’t had a professional cut in close to 9 years now. I think the key for my wife was to actually put in the effort to learn – watch youtube videos, read, etc. She does a great job and is far more reliable than any professional I’ve gone to (which, to be fair, has always been fantastic sam’s level).
Now we’re needing to get some haircutting supplies and struggling with what to get. We’re moving up a bit and want to get good scissors, thinning shears, and a new buzzer, but have no idea what is good. We’re starting to do our research now and budgeting for it. Anything we spend on these tools will still be far, far less than having to get our hair professionally cute several times a year.
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I started cutting my husband’s hair 25 years ago when he was in the Marine Corps and needed his hair cut every week. He still likes it cut short and simple. I always cut my children’s hair when they were growing up (checked out a how-to video from the library for instructions). Recently, my son bought his own pair of clippers at college and is now cutting his own hair and it looks great.
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My father used to cut my hair, and in the Navy, my shipmates and I used to cut each others’ hair. This is a great way for families to save money. I’ve tried to cut my own hair with mixed results–eventually, I have to go to a stylist to straighten it out. Thanks for the tips.
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I used to cut my husband’s hair, but now he shaves his head entirely. All it costs is extra razor blade usage. As for my own, after my hairdresser moved to another country, I tried a few others, & have yet to find one I like. So I grew my hair long. Since I’m an academic, I don’t have to keep a corporate look, & I’ve gotten a number of compliments from people who say the longer hair is flattering. So now hair care is free in our house, more or less. I used to dye my hair, at great expense, every six weeks at a salon. No more.
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I grew up a natural blonde in a world of blonde, natural or not. I started with blue hair in 7th grade and spent the next 15 years with every color in crayon box (‘cept green) before I settled on red.
Then I moved north to the world of brunette and streaked blonde (and $250 coloring jobs). So, after 5 or so years, I went back to a natural chamomile rinse in the winter and sunshine in the summer.
I’m always amazed by how many girls and women stop me in the street to ask me who colors my hair.
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I have naturally blonde hair. In the summer I make sure I keep it braided to get nice highlights. I think most people assume I color my hair – because I don’t know any other natural blondes. As it gets darker I think maybe I should go get it lightened – and then I remind myself that my hair getting darker is a sign that I haven’t spent enough time outside in the fresh air – so I should make that a priority instead of spending $100 on sunshine in a bottle.
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braids! what a lovely idea; gonna try that.
Although now days, my secret is that those lovely white-blonde “highlights” so admired is really my “grey” hair coming in white…
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I started cutting my husband’s hair at home about a year ago. He just keeps it clipped short, so it doesn’t take a genius to operate the clippers.
However, he still bickers with me about technique every time — which is funny, since we’re not a couple who tends to bicker otherwise. “Why aren’t you cutting the top?” “Because like the instructions say, I’m cutting the sides and back first, and then I’ll cut the top.” “Go up farther! Follow the plane of the head!” “I AM following the plane of the head.” “Slow down! SLOW DOWN!” “How the heck much slower do you want me to go?!”
Someone else in this thread mentioned a clipper made so that you could use it on yourself more easily. I think that’s what he needs!
But seriously — we bought a clipper set for $30. Even compared to the cheapest possible barber, the clipper set paid for itself after about 4 haircuts. Plus, when he needs a haircut, he can just ask me whenever we both happen to be home and we’ll be done in 15 minutes tops.
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You can save even more money if you let him cut your hair!
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suggestion – outside, on a stool, preferably on concrete, etc. Use to use an old sheet with a hole in the middle to keep the hair off the person.
If they’ve got thicker hair, consider getting a pair of “thinning scissors”.
Also if you’re using scissors, make sure they get sharpened regularly.
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Until about a month ago I was going to the barber once a week to get my head shaved with a cutthroat.
Then one week I couldn’t make it, so decided to try it myself with a regular razor. It was even easier than shaving my face. So now I do it myself and am saving myself $30 per week.
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My husband bought a set of hairclippers for about $80 (!) when we first came to Poland. Yikes, it was so expensive, but we couldn’t find cheaper ones. Those same clippers are still going. We had 3 sons at home (plus husband), who have all gotten haircuts with those clippers. I mark each time I give them a haircut.
I’ve used those clippers for 230 haircuts with those clippers since 1995. I don’t cut hair as often as some, apparently.
This is a task I really don’t enjoy doing though–it was a cost-saving device that we felt we had to do. I wish I did enjoy it. I keep hoping that by the time we get down to “0″ boys at home, my husband can just go to the barber–if he has enough hair to warrant it!
It is true, however, that the convenience is great. I can cut hair well into the evening–it’s not a problem. The only problem is my attitude.
They do now have cheap hair clippers here for sale now. At least the ones we bought have lasted this long and have brought the cost of the haircuts down to well under .50 per (probably even including electricity).
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Best thing I ever did was find a good hair school. I am lucky that one of the best hair schools in the nation is near me and their cuts are great. Their cuts are $18 compared to salons around here (DC area) that charge $65 and up.
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I wonder how much money you’d save if you just sent your husband to the local barber. Chances are, in this economy the barber would adjust his hours for him if you only asked ahead of time. More money going into your local economy + cheaper cut for your husband = WIN.
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If you’re going to cut hair at home, more power to you! Just be sure to show the results to a neutral critic who will be honest about how the haircut looks.
Just as that crocheted Christmas sweater from your aunt is beautiful to her and hideous to everyone else, so a home haircut can look good to the stylist when in reality it’s appallingly bad. Pride in craftsmanship can be thoroughly misplaced.
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Really?!!! A post on haircuts? Not what I would expect on GRS.
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When my husband lost his job about 20 years ago, haircut costs were one of the first things we stopped. I grew my hair long and husband and teen sons cut each others hair with an electric clipper. ( I am old enough to remember my mother using a non electric clipper on my father’s hair.) Daughter’s hair was trimmed by me.
If you know how to cut or even just buzz hair and are heading off to college, take a hair clipper with you and make some money off it from your fellow students.
Remember those hairclippers they were selling on TV several years ago that had some sort of vacuum attached so your hair would stand up and you could cut your own hair. I know a lady who uses one of these to self cut her hair and she does a good looking job with it.
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This might work for men, but as a girl who has tried the self-cut before, it is generally inadvisable for those of the female persuasion. I have found it far more economical to get a really fabulous haircut four times a year and let it grow out in between. A great cut in a medium or long hair can last 3 months; the technique doesn’t work for short hair. But you have to find a very talented stylist to pull it off.
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Not just bad for women, but for anyone whose job depends at least partly on a their image. Do you speak in public as a part of your job? Get a decent haircut. Wanna climb the corporate ladder and have minions work for you? Get a decent haircut. Want to get elected for some sort of public post? Get a decent haircut. Wanna play your guitar in a stadium? Get the right haircut for that (maybe your drummer can do it).
I used to shave my head when I worked construction during my days in the wild– washing the cement off my jewfro was a mess and nobody at work cared what I looked like.
More recently I bought clippers and cut my own hair when I moved with my wife to a small rural town for a few years– everyone had bad haircuts and I didn’t stand out and we had hard water and shampooing was laborious.
Now that I live again in an urban environment and I’m trying to grow my business, I try to look presentable when I meet clients, and I consider my bimonthly haircut a necessary business expense. Yes, I do “creative” work and don’t need an overly polished look, but I can’t look like I have birds nesting in my head either–even madness requires moderation.
Besides, my wife hated the old buzzcuts and loves the jewfro. I don’t look at myself in the mirror much, so I personally don’t care, but $12.5/month isn’t much to pay for marital harmony. I pay happily.
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so you are advising that if you “can” save money in this department, don’t ever anyway…?
Seems to me that was what this article is about: if you want and can save money this way, here’s how to do it.
Besides, there are some of us talented enough at our appearance to fool even professionals and “can” save money this way. Wouldn’t try sewing my own clothes but if I were a talented enough amateur to get compliments from a professional, you bet I’d be saving money that way too–knitted sweaters not withstanding.
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Mkay, so I’m not sure if this is bad or not but when you said “jewfro” the only image that popped into my head was the kid that plays Jacob Ben Israel on ‘Glee’: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0839933/
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I’ve been cutting my husbands hair since we first started dating – I was 15 and he was 18. He wanted me to cut his hair, but I had no confidence, so we went to the barber once. I paid close attention to what they did… and tried to re-create it. On the upside, we’ve saved tons of time and money over the past 13 years. On the downside… he’s had the same haircut for the past 13 years! lol.
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I started cutting my wife’s hair about 15 years ago. She kept it long, and without bangs. We got started doing it when going together to get our hair cut. They’d charge me $13 for a guy’s cut and it would take 20 minutes. It’d take 5 minutes to trim hers straight across and they’d charge her $20 for a women’s cut. And often she was dissatisfied with the straightness.
Over the years, she’s had different lengths, but after our daughter was born she decided to wear it shorter. I still go to a barber, and I’ve found them to be a great resource. I often ask about techniques, and people love to talk about their jobs. “If you have clippers, you can trim here with them. But if you don’t, then you can use a comb and a scissors like this…”
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I’m quite envious! My hair grows like a weed where I need to get cut every three weeks at $18 a pop. So that’s $306 just to maintain my mane. Clippers are definitely a worthwhile investment once your SO gets accustomed to cutting you hair.
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