The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: trix76 on December 31, 2015, 02:33:13 PM
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I estimate that I spend about $300/year on haircuts, and then there's the hassle of finding time to actually go to the salon. The last few times I've gone to my hairstylist, I've paid extra attention to what my she was doing, and I also watched a YouTube tutorial on how to cut curly hair. So yesterday, I bought some barber shears for $8, and this morning, I gave myself a haircut for the first time! I have to say, it looks pretty good :) Now I just need my boyfriend to cut the back and I'll be all set!
Small victories, right?
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I did the same thing a few days ago! I was surprised at how easy it actually was and will probably never go to a salon again. I did notice the middle in the back was a little uneven so I need to convince someone to do that for me, but otherwise glad I tried it, even though my sister said I was crazy lol
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Thanks for the reminder I was overdue for a haircut! Just took care of that: it's now quick and easy since I've been trimming my own for a few years now. Long and lightly layered.
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That's badass! I asked for a Crea Clip for Christmas last year and haven't been to a salon since, but in my case, my husband cuts it for me using the clip. It's such a hassle going to the salon, not to mention expensive. I don't plan to ever return.
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Brave woman! I bet it feels good to know you have an extra $300/year for the 'stache!
That's badass! I asked for a Crea Clip for Christmas last year and haven't been to a salon since, but in my case, my husband cuts it for me using the clip. It's such a hassle going to the salon, not to mention expensive. I don't plan to ever return.
Does the Crea Clip really work?! I asked my husband to try trimming my hair for me once ("freestyle") and it was so uneven that I had to go to a salon to get it fixed... I'm a bit nervous to try it again, but I'm tempted by the Crea Clip.
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Nice work! I also have curly hair and although my husband is willing to give it a try, I've been very hesitant. I'm going to a curly hair salon in a couple of weeks where they do a dry cut and I'm going to pay close attention, find some YouTube videos and see if we can replicate it later. It makes me very nervous but I'd prefer to save the money.
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Does the Crea Clip really work?! I asked my husband to try trimming my hair for me once ("freestyle") and it was so uneven that I had to go to a salon to get it fixed... I'm a bit nervous to try it again, but I'm tempted by the Crea Clip.
The clip has a level on it to make it even. I'm firmly convinced that if my husband can do it, probably anyone can do it. It's one cut he does after gathering all of my hair into the clip and pulling it around the back. This means that the front is angled. I'm okay with it. I have pretty low standards, which saves me money in this case. I've never been impressed with how the hair stylists have cut my hair, so this doesn't bother me that much, and since I'm not paying for this, I do it more often.
With some maneuvering you could probably do it yourself with a mirror. There are youtube videos showing you how. The Crea Clip is kind of a ridiculous cost ($30 on Amazon), considering it's just a plastic clip, but it has me much more than that already.
I've been learning how to cut my boys' hair, since I have three and that is going to translate into major savings over the years. It's much easier to cut someone else's hair, that's for sure.
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The clip has a level on it to make it even. I'm firmly convinced that if my husband can do it, probably anyone can do it.
That's all I needed to hear. $30 is pricey... but if it saves me just 1 or 2 haircuts, it's more than paid for itself. Thanks for the tip!
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I think the last time I had my hair cut by a professional was in 1990.
I started cutting my own hair during "Desert Storm" (I was in the Army). Actually, myself and an Army buddy just cut each other's hair- just buzzed it off.
But it's easy enough to do by myself, so I just kept doing it for 25 years.
Not sure how much I've saved in barber fees (to say nothing of shampoo and other hair care products), but it must be a lot. Plus, I never have "bed head."
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Parkette - check out this "How to Cut Curly Hair" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_bE6Em9nqk. My boyfriend watched it with me last night, and he really paid attention. Can't wait for him to do the whole thing next time...
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I'm so happy to see this thread. I have long, straight, highlighted hair, and although I'm nervous about cutting it myself (probably with my boyfriend's help, assuming I can convince him it won't harm our relationship!) and letting the highlights grow out, I've finally come to the conclusion that it really needs to be done. I've been spending an absolutely insane amount of money on haircuts and highlights, and I'm not even someone who places much importance on physical appearance, keeping up with fashions, etc. Talk about not aligning your actions with your values... I have one more haircut (this week), and then I'm out! Thanks for the motivation!
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I'm so happy to see this thread. I have long, straight, highlighted hair, and although I'm nervous about cutting it myself (probably with my boyfriend's help, assuming I can convince him it won't harm our relationship!) and letting the highlights grow out, I've finally come to the conclusion that it really needs to be done. I've been spending an absolutely insane amount of money on haircuts and highlights, and I'm not even someone who places much importance on physical appearance, keeping up with fashions, etc. Talk about not aligning your actions with your values... I have one more haircut (this week), and then I'm out! Thanks for the motivation!
GreenSheep- I did the same about 4 years ago. My hair is long and really thick so the cost and time investment was insane! I had the colorist darken my hair with low lights over 2 visits and let the rest grow out. That really helped the grow out to seem more natural. I love saving the $250 every 8 weeks!
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I have one more haircut (this week), and then I'm out! Thanks for the motivation!
Pay careful attention to what he/she does and in what order. I wish I had done that on my last visit, although you can make do with youtube videos.
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Thank you both for the encouragement! I'll try to remember to come back and post an update after I've cut it myself in a few weeks. Fingers crossed! (If all else fails, at least it's long enough for a pony tail. :-) )
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Lol I have been cutting my own hair for a few years now. The funny thing is, I've become such a picky guy because of it. now, if I do pay for a hair cut, which I do on occasion if I have been to busy to do it myself, I now notice when they dont properly trim around my face, or miss that single long hair, or dont do a good job blending from the sides to the top. Much better way to go in my opinion.
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Awesome! I have long hair and long layers and I use a crea-clip. I found that to be extremely useful.
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I have cut my son's hair for a few years and do a pretty good job, even if I do say so myself :) Sometimes I mess it up a little, but overall, he looks very decent. I cut DH's hair a while some time ago but then he returned to his barber because I wasn't "in the right mood". We've recently returned to my cutting his hair.
I've also just decided to start tackling my poodle's grooming. His Christmas do was his last haircut and in February, he will be due for a trim. Pretty nervous since I'm not so good at cutting straight. But - we'll be saving a ton and I will have a happier poodle. I do already know how to bathe him and blow him out (it takes longer than my hair LOL), so that helps.
I don't know if I'd have the bravery to do my daughter's hair OR my hair though. I'm super picky. On the good side, I have a stylist who encourages me to only come when needed and last time when I went after 8 weeks, she mentioned I really didn't need it yet.
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I haven't been brave enough to cut my own hair yet, but I've been cutting my sons' hair for a few years. I recently discovered thinning shears and they've made it much easier to give good hair cuts. The thinning shears soften up the straight lines and help blend different hair lengths.
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I used to cut my own hair. I either lost my clippers or an old roommate may have permanently borrowed them. I was just thinking of going out to get a haircut too...maybe I should go buy some clippers instead.
/facepunch.....of course I should go buy clippers.
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Good times. I can't remember the last time I paid for a haircut. However, it's easier for guys. Might be a little more labor intensive for women, but more savings because it can be really expensive.
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I cut my own hair yesterday. I buzz and taper with the #4 attachment on top, then #3 for the sides and back, finish around the bottom edges all around with the #2 attachment. I also cut the boys' hair.
My wife gets a $10 hair cut once or twice a year, often donating her locks. We know people that drop over $1000 a year at the salon. Craziness.
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I cut my own hair for the first time a few weeks ago. It turned out okay, but I have long hair, about six inches past my shoulders, and I wear it up most of the time. I was sick of paying the long hair surcharge, and sitting there for at least two hours. I'm going to try again in a few months and see how it goes. I may get a CreaClip to help.
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I've been cutting my husband's hair for years. Clipper cuts are relatively simple if you are patient.
I just recently started cutting my own hair. Before that I would infrequently get a ~$25 salon cut and try to go as long as possible in between (at least 4 months). Reducing the damage you do to your hair reduces the need for haircuts if you have long hair. Six years ago I stopped washing and blow drying my hair everyday. That made a huge difference in my hair's "health". A few months ago I transitioned from washing/blow drying my hair every other day to every three days. I believe this has helped keep my hair from totally drying out this winter. Obviously my hair color is natural because paying astronomical salon prices or using box dye are both unappealing options.
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I cut my hair, but I'm one of the lucky ones with straw-straight hair that can generally be trimmed by pulling it into a ponytail and lopping it off.
I wish my fiance would let me cut his, but he's a Marine and likes it a certain way and is scared of me touching it.
Someday... Hahahaa
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I cut mine again last night. The $3 on the piece of masking tape on the Flowbee box still brags to us how cheaply we found it at a garage sale. That thing is easy to use. I use an electric clipper to trim the back of my neck. The clipper has a cartoon picture of a cat and a dog on it, go figure. Another garage sale find.
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I cut mine two days ago. I do this all the time. I still have lots of other stupid spending that I need to cut. Nice to know this was already a bad ass thing to do.
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Forget all the investing tips that can save you thousands. The cutting your own hair thing is my absolute favorite tip from this forum. So freeing to be able to cut it WHENEVER YOU WANT TO.
Also it led me to really think more analytically about other expenses I had categorized as "fixed".
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In college I used to cut my own hair, but I admit it's one of the few vanity expenses I still have. (To be fair, I do have great hair). More than the money, I hate the time commitment of going out and having it done. As a man, it would be pretty easy to just take a pair of electric clippers to my head, but I pridefully cling to my locks while I have them. Meh, maybe soon I'll go back to a nice and simple buzz cut.
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I cut mine again last night. The $3 on the piece of masking tape on the Flowbee box still brags to us how cheaply we found it at a garage sale. That thing is easy to use. I use an electric clipper to trim the back of my neck. The clipper has a cartoon picture of a cat and a dog on it, go figure. Another garage sale find.
Are you trimming your hair with animal trimmers, perhaps? That is even more badass :)
Thank you all for the reminder...mine was looking a little ragged on the edges and you wonderful folks reminded me that I could take care of it myself. Having a much better hair day today!
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Check out any local barber or cosmetology schools for really good deals. I just got a basic men's haircut for $3 ($5 total with tip). They are supervised by teachers and do good work.
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tried cutting my hair...looked terrible...had my wife try cutting my hair...looked terrible...now I go to the local barber college..$6...well worth the money...would love to rock the 4 guard with the clippers but it is not a good look but me lol
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I've been cutting my own hair, long or short, since I was in my teens. I started by paying attention at the hair cutting schools my mom used to take us to, then experimenting. I sometimes have trouble with the back, but that's because my shoulders get tired. I just allow more time now, or finish in two sessions instead of all at once.
I've only recently given up the box dyes. I'm okay now in hat season, but it remains to be seen how much of a sacrifice this will feel in summer.
My spouse has me trim his hair and beard with the same clippers we use on the dog. He finishes up his moustache himself with scissors.
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I cut DS's hair. He is 4 and wiggles so it is never straight. But he's young enough to look cute with a crooked haircut. DD has super long hair so only needs an end trim occasionally.
Last time I cut DH's hair too, just before a job interview. He got the position so it must not have looked too bad. I'm tempted to try to talk him into trying clippers...or maybe even much shorter. His hair is annoying in that it sticks straight up at a shorter but not buzzed length. So, he keeps it a bit longer but then it requires frequent cutting to keep it from getting too long. It gets tedious and I wonder if it would simply his life to just shorten it even more.
My hair is a whole other problem. I've kept it just longer than pixie short for years, routinely get horrible haircuts, and basically hate it. DH refuses to cut it even though I am not picky and I'm sure he can beat a lot of bad haircuts I've had over the years. I've considered growing it out but am hesitant because I'm in my 40s, have a touch of grey and grew up hearing that "old women shouldn't have long hair". I've seen pictures of older ladies that look fabulous with long hair...so perhaps I need to get over that. I'm the only lady I know IRL besides my mom who does not color her hair too. I've considered it but just don't want to start down that road.
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Shave my head every morning. Feels awesome and clean, like a massage for my scalp.
!Bonus!: the older I get, the hair seems to be learning it isn't wanted and there's less and less to shave every year!
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I did it! Granted, I have easy hair (long and slightly wavy, though never with waves in places where any sane person would want them), but still... this is HUGE for my budget! I was spending $72 (including tip) per hair trim every 6 weeks, plus the gas for the 20-minutes-each-way drive, plus the time to accomplish the drive and the trim. And every other visit, I'd get highlights, putting the total at damn near $300. But no more!
Yesterday my $12 hair scissors arrived from Amazon. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, and after a shower today, I did it. 1.5" gone, for 5 minutes of my time, and it still looks good enough to go to the grocery store today without a hat or a pony tail. Thank you all for the motivation. My hair was 10% of my monthly spending, on average, and that's now 10% that can go toward FIRE. (I know, I know, please give me a retroactive facepunch. I desperately needed it.)
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Bravo! I've cut my own hair for a couple of years, and it literally takes 5 minutes! Got lucky that hair is very wavy and looks best without any layers, so just a quick trim after a shower and boom. Just started cutting the 1-year-old boy's hair, but still nervous about doing the husbands. Maybe time to invest in actual hair-cutting scissors?
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Congratulations on your switch to cutting your own hair. On the advice of a co-worker I purchased a commercial grade hair shearer and attachments roughly 10 years ago, still works like it's brand new. My wife cuts my hair once a month in the kitchen. We must have saved 2-3 grand on hair cuts over the years. And, the convenience of getting my hair cut any time of day without having to drive, sit and wait is priceless really. Now forgetting to get a haircut before going to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon isn't a problem for us anymore.
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Awesome! It really is liberating to be able to cut it yourself. You'll quickly become quite proficient at it with a little practice.
I started cutting my own a little over 5 years ago, haven't been to a barber shop since. I do think I'll invest in a straight razor someday to really get that close finish for the edges and back neckline.
Beards on the other hand...I think it's been 3 months since a cutting implement has been anywhere near it, save for the edges ;-)
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Nicely done! I've been getting my wife cutting my hair for 3 years or so. I can't imagine cutting my own hair unless I go the short cut/shave style.
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Yes! I've been cutting my own hair for 25+ years. Fortunately, it's naturally curly so if I make a mistake it doesn't show too much. I hated going to salons, stylists were always trying to shape my hair into something it didn't want to do, or into a style I couldn't duplicate at home.
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Way to go Trix76! I've been cutting my husband's hair for a few years since it's a basic cut and for myself I have been growing my hair for donation. In a month I go get my haircut while raising funds for a children hospital! Win win, I did do a donation to myself so not 100% free by my choice. One plus is I do get a tax receipt!
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Sweet! My wife opens up the Casa Katalina, as we call it, once monthly to give me a trim.
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This totally never occured to me. I remember watching my mum trim her own hair in the mirror and I thought wow you should go to the hairdresser! Not cause what she did was wrong, infact people are so envious of her beautiful hair, but because I was young, naive and thought dont they have hairdressers for a reason? I read this thread 30 minutes ago, I watched a few youtube clips, cut my hair 5 minutes ago LOL. LIVIN ON THE EDGE!!! Im happy! Have need a hair cut for so long just havent gone to do it. Now I just need to find a way to color my hair happily on my own.
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My first attempt failed, I compensated by doing this! Oh well, its growing back and feels all soft and fuzzy!
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This is a scary thought. I ordered a knockoff of the crea clip, not even sure I need it, but it was cheap enough. I am going for a haircut tomorrow but when this clip comes I will try it for next time. ....if I don't chicken out.
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This is a scary thought. I ordered a knockoff of the crea clip, not even sure I need it, but it was cheap enough. I am going for a haircut tomorrow but when this clip comes I will try it for next time. ....if I don't chicken out.
I just cut 7 inches off my hair with my crea clip. I love using it.
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Cut my husband's hair and beard/mustache last night using some $20 plug in clippers. Turned out fabulous. I need to get better about the line along the back of the neck/beard but I did use the clippers on it, then just shaved the rest using a razor so it's really sharp and it looks great (maybe not as good as his hairdresser gets it, but damned close and I can practice). He's cancelling his next hair appointment and said he may not ever go again.
I dye my own hair now, including bleach (I do weird colors - currently blue). Still go get it cut every 10 weeks because I really like my hairdresser despite it costing more than a cheap place, but also because I can't cut my hair myself and husband is too scared of messing it up. :(
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Been cutting my hair since ~age 16 and won't ever go back.
Simple #2 on top faded into a #1 on the sides. Simple process that takes me 15-20 minutes, and has likely saved me hundreds to thousands during the span.
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I was cutting mine in the bathroom the other day and mentioned to my wife it had been over six years since I had my hair cut by someone else. (our wedding) On top of that my dad paid for that, so probably 8-10 years since paid for a haircut.
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I've done this a couple times before. In the past it wasn't half had.
Yesterday though was an unmitigated disaster. To fix it will require a change in hairstyle.
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i tried it but messed up and had to buzz cut it lol that sucked. i will just keep paying $20 every 3 months and let that be my guilty pleasure.
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i tried it but messed up and had to buzz cut it lol that sucked. i will just keep paying $20 every 3 months and let that be my guilty pleasure.
See my pic on the previous page! The nice thing was it took 2 months before I needed to cut it again AND no shampoo or hair products for at least a month! Saved me at least $50. The fancy side benefit is that everyone at work found me interesting for the first week after the buzz, I didn't even need a better personality (that'd cost waaaay more than $50)!
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I pulled the trigger on a $30 Crea clip from 'Zon. I have long, straight, baby-fine hair, and just wanted a blunt cut that went straight across at the bottom. I went on Youtube and studied the Crea clip examples for cutting your own blunt cut hair. When I did mine, I thought it was a little awkward...not quite as simple 1-2-3 as the videos make it look--but still fairly easy. I used my Wahl clippers to trim the hair off following the line of the Crea clip. The first time, I somehow ended up with one side not quite getting completely trimmed--had a one-inch longer piece--so I put the clip back on and did it again. This time it came out good, I thought. I washed, conditioned, and blow-dried my hair, and have to say it looks great.
I can get my hair cut at the beauty school on the corner for $6.00, but the students can be very slow, and my hair never looks the same way twice. By doing it myself, it is faster and more convenient, and I was really surprised at how nice it looks.
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I pulled the trigger on a $30 Crea clip from 'Zon. I have long, straight, baby-fine hair, and just wanted a blunt cut that went straight across at the bottom. I went on Youtube and studied the Crea clip examples for cutting your own blunt cut hair. When I did mine, I thought it was a little awkward...not quite as simple 1-2-3 as the videos make it look--but still fairly easy. I used my Wahl clippers to trim the hair off following the line of the Crea clip. The first time, I somehow ended up with one side not quite getting completely trimmed--had a one-inch longer piece--so I put the clip back on and did it again. This time it came out good, I thought. I washed, conditioned, and blow-dried my hair, and have to say it looks great.
I can get my hair cut at the beauty school on the corner for $6.00, but the students can be very slow, and my hair never looks the same way twice. By doing it myself, it is faster and more convenient, and I was really surprised at how nice it looks.
Nice! I was amazed at how easy it was to use as well. I've had my hair cut by students but it was never that cheap, and they do take forever. I ordered a knock off of the crea clip online after reading about it here and used it for the first time yesterday. My hair is very long and straight and was growing out unevenly from the last haircut I got last September before our wedding. A straight cut seemed the easiest so I asked DH to cut a few inches off straight across. We were both amazed at how quickly he was able to cut the hair with a pair of sharp hair scissors. He has never cut my hair but was laughing the whole time for some reason. The level on the clip was very convenient for him too, as I did not question whether or not it was even :) There were a few strands that were a little longer but they were easily cleaned up with another pass using the smaller blue clip since it seemed to hold my hair in place better. Overall I was very impressed with the minimal effort and results. It took all of maybe 15 minutes to cut about 4 inches off, including vacuuming/cleanup of all the hair. Definitely will have to experiment with different angles using the clip next time.
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I was amazed at how easy it was to cut my own hair. Though mine is in a pony tail 90% of the time so it is probably less of any issue if its slight uneven.
I just did it following this ponytail hair cut guide
http://springmountainliving.com/diy-layered-haircut-for-medium-to-long-hair/ (http://springmountainliving.com/diy-layered-haircut-for-medium-to-long-hair/)
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Just be careful to choose a method for layers if you want layers, or for blunt cut if you want a blunt cut.
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what a neat idea! Husband does it already, but he has no hair - baldy coot
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I was terrified to try to cut my own hair, but I watched about 20 youtube videos until I found the one that looked (a) like what I want and (b) easy enough for me to not screw it up. The first time I tried it, my hair was long enough that if I messed up, I could still go somewhere to get it fixed and not be stuck with awkwardly short hair. But lo and behold, it worked beautifully! I haven't paid for a haircut in a couple of years now, and probably won't ever again.
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I've been cutting my own hair for years - and it shows! (Just kidding, ha ha. I do a good job but I wear a hat quite often, too.) The hardest part is standing in front of the bathroom mirror holding a small mirror in back of my head so I can see what I'm doing. I figure my $35 Wahl hair clippers have saved me nearly $500 in haircuts I didn't have to pay for. Well worth the little bit of trouble every two or three weeks. Wal Mart sells electric hair clippers. Next to the electric razors.
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My wife has been cutting my hair for about 2 years now. She does a REALLY good job too! First few times were a learning curve (after watching the barber/youtube several times). Now she does it in under 10 minutes, and I don't have to drive down to the barber/wait to have my hair cut!
My only advice, cut off a little bit at a time when starting - you can always cut more, but you can't put it back on (learned the hard way! ;D)
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So I really liked my long, fine, straight hair with the straight blunt cut edge that I did with the crea clip. I decided that I was tired of jaw clips and bungees though...sick of putting in my french braid or bun...whatever. Just wanted it shorter and simpler to wash and dry, and a style that didn't require much fa-doodling with it.
Long story short, I whacked off several inches using the crea clip, my Wahl clippers, and my hair-cutting scissors. I had to do it twice, and do some careful cleaning up with the scissors, but I ended up with a really great-looking, blunt-cut, short bob. I made a mistake in washing my hair first and trying to cut it slightly damp--I thought it would give me more precision, but what happened was the crea clip kept sliding down and almost falling off my hair. So I'd recommend what I did previously--cut your hair dry, when it is just about ready for a wash--then after you cut it, wash and blow dry.
I am really happy with this cut, and when I walked into the schoolyard to pick up a kid, one of the teacher's aides said, "Oh, did you get your hair cut? It looks great." Score!
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I just took about 6 inches off my hair over about 3 days, using the pony tail method. I wanted to be careful to not cut it too short, so I took a little off each day until I was sure about the length.
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I've been doing this for about 2 months. I used to pay to get it cut every 3 weeks. Now that I do it myself I cut it every week.
It's easier for me to do this because the length doesn't change. Plus I never get the "hey you got a haircut!" comment from people.
Clippers paid for themselves the first time I used them.
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I've been cutting my own hair for about 3 years now. Its a lot easier than it seems (granted cutting hair in the back is a bit tougher). The first time I tried it, I was a bit nervous, but now its no big deal.
Before I started cutting my own hair, my mom used to cut my hair. I don't think I've been to a barber in about 7-8 years and I don't think I'd ever go back.
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I managed to cut my hair as well as my 6 year old daughter's (who has CURLY hair) and my 10 year old son's (who emphatically did not want a buzz cut, more's the pity) over the weekend. And the husband has been buzzing his own off for years. That's a chunk of change.
I'm thinking about getting some thinning shears, though I'm not sure how difficult they'll be to use on myself. I have sort of a shoulder-length, messy inverted bob, but the hair in the back gets so thick and heavy. I figure I'm still ahead enough on cost that if I totally screw it up I can go somewhere to have it fixed.
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Not quite cutting my own - but my husband cut my hair using a crea clip for the first time yesterday! We had previously tried the ponytail method and it didn't *quite* work for me. Crea clip was perfect. And it only took five minutes!
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Not quite cutting my own - but my husband cut my hair using a crea clip for the first time yesterday! We had previously tried the ponytail method and it didn't *quite* work for me. Crea clip was perfect. And it only took five minutes!
The ponytail method doesn't *quite* work for me either. Do you have fine thick hair also? I wonder if the crea clip is the way to go. When I was doing the ponytail thing it just felt like the edges were pulled too "long", and that it needed to go more straight across if that makes sense.
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Not quite cutting my own - but my husband cut my hair using a crea clip for the first time yesterday! We had previously tried the ponytail method and it didn't *quite* work for me. Crea clip was perfect. And it only took five minutes!
The ponytail method doesn't *quite* work for me either. Do you have fine thick hair also? I wonder if the crea clip is the way to go. When I was doing the ponytail thing it just felt like the edges were pulled too "long", and that it needed to go more straight across if that makes sense.
I do indeed have fine thick hair! And wavy. It's difficult to cut, for sure. I'm happy with the results from the crea clip :-)
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Not quite cutting my own - but my husband cut my hair using a crea clip for the first time yesterday! We had previously tried the ponytail method and it didn't *quite* work for me. Crea clip was perfect. And it only took five minutes!
The ponytail method doesn't *quite* work for me either. Do you have fine thick hair also? I wonder if the crea clip is the way to go. When I was doing the ponytail thing it just felt like the edges were pulled too "long", and that it needed to go more straight across if that makes sense.
I do indeed have fine thick hair! And wavy. It's difficult to cut, for sure. I'm happy with the results from the crea clip :-)
Awesome! I'll give it a go I think, my hair type sounds fairly similar to yours.
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Well done everyone!
I was always too cheap to go to a really nice salon (I have a short pixie-ish cut) and was never happy with my cut from the cheap hair places. So I started cutting my hair a couple years ago when we got more serious about upping our savings rate (my husband cuts the back). I also cut my husband's hair (with scissors) and groom my schnoodle. The schnoodle cut is by far the hardest and takes the longest, but the $40-60 savings every 5-6 weeks is worth it. And I count it as bonding time with my dog. :)
And from reading this thread I am convinced I need to watch more youtube videos and get some thinning shears!
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I managed to cut my hair as well as my 6 year old daughter's (who has CURLY hair) and my 10 year old son's (who emphatically did not want a buzz cut, more's the pity) over the weekend. And the husband has been buzzing his own off for years. That's a chunk of change.
I'm thinking about getting some thinning shears, though I'm not sure how difficult they'll be to use on myself. I have sort of a shoulder-length, messy inverted bob, but the hair in the back gets so thick and heavy. I figure I'm still ahead enough on cost that if I totally screw it up I can go somewhere to have it fixed.
I just got some thinning shears and tried them on myself last night. Sounds like my haircut is almost exactly the same as yours, and I found the thinning shears really helped remove some of the weight and give it a bit of texture. I don't think they were difficult to use at--after cutting, I just sectioned my hair and piece by piece, took a few chops on the last 3 or 4 inches.
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I just got some thinning shears and tried them on myself last night. Sounds like my haircut is almost exactly the same as yours, and I found the thinning shears really helped remove some of the weight and give it a bit of texture. I don't think they were difficult to use at--after cutting, I just sectioned my hair and piece by piece, took a few chops on the last 3 or 4 inches.
That is awesome to hear. I ordered some.
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I received two more compliments this week from people who are not even barely acquaintances, but who know who I am somewhat. In other words, there was no reason whatsoever for them to compliment me on my hair...but they did. Score! It may not work for everybody, but the crea clip, Wahl clipper, and haircutting scissors combination has been such a help for me...in terms of saving money, yes, but also in terms of convenience and time-saving, and in getting the "look" that I want. (Now if I can only learn to groom the dog...lol.)
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Have not been to salon since December 31 (I just remember it was New Year's Eve). Did a cut and color then, probably 150. Yes, 150 USD.
Have been cutting my toddler kids' hair to save time and money and had been working up the courage to do my own. I finally did it yesterday using the pony tail method. Looked good yesterday, but did a few snips this morning to further even it up. Honestly, I never really liked my hair even with the countless hairdressers I have seen - my hair just does its own thing - so there is no marginal difference in me doing it myself.
My husband is horrified that I was thinking about doing it, but he even thought I did a decent job and is impressed. My goal was basically to make it look as similar as if I went to a salon and I think I succeeded.
It probably took me less time to cut it myself then actually getting JUST the appointment scheduled since my former salon has a finicky receptionist who is not responsive. Maybe 10 minutes plus a few minutes of clean up? I have shoulder length hair, now trimmed to below my chin. It's perfect! I will give it a few months and do it again. At this point, I am inclined to say that I am done with paying someone to do my hair. This was more convenient, easier, and of course, with a pair of scissors that I had purchased 1+ years ago for my kids' first haircuts. Plus, I hate making small chit chat.
You guys are the best! Thanks for posting your own stories to give me courage to do it.
If anyone is on the fence about doing it themselves, try it first. It will grow back if you seriously screw it up. Or, you can wear in bun or pony tail.
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Finally did this yesterday with DW, and it turned out pretty well. I will need a few times to prefect the method. The last straw was when the "stylist" spent about 3 minutes cutting my hair the last time. It took some fumbling around with the mirror, so I may try to do it on my own next time. The neckline and around the ears seem to be the most difficult for me.
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I've cut my own hair since January and I couldn't be happier. I started with blunt cuts but have graduated to layers (thanks, YouTube!). I have thick, coarse hair that is wavy and holds a curl well. Most mornings I use the flat iron to tame the frizz and curl the ends, so even if my cut isn't perfect no one can really tell. What I don't have is a pair of nice scissors. I use whichever pair I can find, but it might be time for an upgrade.
Last time I went to a salon was in November. It was recommended by a friend and only $30 compared to the $60 I paid at my old salon. During the "consultation", I explained that I was a new customer and what kind of cut I wanted. She was touching my hair during this time to ask how long I wanted it, etc. No biggie. Then the hairdresser surprised me with an unannounced scalp massage before washing my hair. I was so weirded out. No warning, no conversation, she just put some oil on her hands and stared kneading my head. I am not ok with that. I don't really like being touched by strangers and I don't like having my hair played with, so it was a special kind of torture. Never again.
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I have been cutting my own long layers for the last year thanks to you brave folks and yesterday took a bold step and let DH cut a bob for me. Asymmetrical cut short in the back, longer in the front, using the ponytail method. Not too shabby!
He was terribly nervous about it but did a terrific job, and now he has hooked me up with a stylish and more importantly cooler cut for summer. Hoping to con him into doing the next trim so he can practice and don't ever have to go back to a salon again...bwahahaha!
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Going to cut husband's hair tomorrow. Wish me luck!
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Shortened up my short bob with my crea clip yesterday--this was the third crea clip self-haircut for me, and took just a few minutes. A little snip or two with the scissors afterward, holding the hand mirror up so I could see the back and clean up a couple of stragglers, and it was done. I did make sure my hair was one day overdue for a wash, and was kind of sticky from the hot weather, to make sure the crea clip stayed put in my very fine hair. Then I washed it well and did a blow dry, and it looked great. The natural silver color is really working for me, with the youthful cut and reasonably youthful, anti-granny clothes. Score again. Good lord, when I think of the money I've wasted in salons for cut and color, I just cringe.
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I have been wanting to cut my own hair for awhile now... but have always been afraid I would mess it up and have to show up to work with a shaved head and a lot of questions from my coworkers. I have the typical men's crew cut/spiked hair so I guess a shaved head wouldn't be that big of a difference but regardless the fear has kept me from doing it.
I go into Great Clips for my normal haircut last week and they confirm that the wait is going to be 75 minutes due to being short-staffed so I respond that I will be back later in the week. I spent all week convincing myself I could cut it myself FOR FREE . I've been paying a little more attention to how they cut it recently and watched a couple youtube videos this week to see if it would make me feel more comfortable.
The plan was to cut it Friday night/Saturday morning with the worse case being that a buddy comes over to help fix my mistakes or I walk into Great Clips in shame and ask them to fix my self-haircut gone wrong. Well, I cut it this morning, and it turned out just fine. It took a little while, especially the back of my head but I am sure the more I do it the better I will get at it. I was afraid of going too short so its a little longer than normal after a haircut but that is just fine.
It's small but a good reminder to always challenge myself and not be afraid of the unknown, which is something I struggle with.
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Ha. Guess I'll chime in and say I did this the first time today. Didn't turn out too badly, either. The back will take some practice. ;)
Ever since having to leave my original barber, I've been annoyed at the lack of quality in what should be a very simple cut. The last few years I've thought I could do it myself but didn't trust my own hand. No more. It's very liberating to know I can get more or less what I want without having to explain it multiple times and have the guy redo it, only to be just moderately satisfied at the results. At least now, if it looks bad, I know that I got what I paid for. And, it really doesn't look that bad. In a week or so, the back will have grown to hide the inexactness of my first attempt.
Happy cutting . . .
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I got the generic creaclip and watched a YouTube video with a South Asian girl doing her hair in 3 layers and the end result was way better than expected!
I usually get about 10 inches cut, then wait a couple of years, then do it again, because getting haircuts is boring.
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This looks like a good place for a little anecdote. Last week my father paid to get his hair cut for the first time since 1970! My mother had been cutting his hair for the last 4.5 decades, but she's no longer able to do it (medical issues). Anyway, that's a whole lot of $ he didn't spend on haircuts. And one way that he's going to be spending more money in retirement.
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I've always preferred cutting my own hair; I don't really like strangers touching me. One of the revelations I got from the MMM posts was that I never, ever had to go to a salon again. Ever. Before, I'd go once every year or two just because I felt somehow it was important to do, as a grown-up and professional. Now I sheepishly see how silly that was.
I've cut my own hair on and off for years. It's not fancy, but it looks fine.
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I started the ponytail cutting a year ago, just to get be through to the next professional cut. I used How To Hair Girl's guide (http://www.howtohairgirl.com/2013/01/5-diy-haircuts-to-try-today/). Mid-length layered bob.
I liked it so much that I never went back to the professional. I especially love that my semi-curly hair just looks great with nothing but air drying.
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I've been happy with my crea clip short angled bob, and continue to get compliments on it. What's been bothering me, though, has been the longest pieces on both sides, closest to my face. I wanted them a little shorter, but just could not get the crea clip to create shorter "corners" for want of a better word. So I took a long deep breath, let my hair go two extra days without washing, (to make the clips stick in there better), and combed my hair very carefully so it was straight and neat all over. I trimmed it as short as I absolutely could using the crea clip, the Wahl clippers, and my haircutting scissors for neatening. Those "corners" were still longer than I wanted. I took out the shorter crea clip that is meant to be used for cutting bangs, and which I've never used. I combed my hair out very carefully again, (used fine tooth comb, not a brush) and positioned the "bangs" crea clip in the hair on one side of my head, very carefully cutting the "corner" off using scissors. I made sure that the clip was even with the back section of my hair, so the two lengths would blend. That worked fine and it looked great. I did the same thing on the other side, but found I was having trouble cutting with scissors in the mirror on the opposite side of my body. (Don't know why, just couldn't do it.) So I used the Wahl clipper on that side. Everything turned out fine--I now have a straight bob that is approximately one-inch longer than earlobe length, and cut very bluntly, so it makes my fine, thin hair look much thicker. Another score. And it will be easy enough to grow back the "corners" if I want.
The feeling of independence and knowing I can make my hair look exactly the way I want are priceless.
Tips: Do this on dry, dirty hair, so the clips stay put. Pick a time when there are no distractions. Pick a time when you are not tired or in a hurry. Don't do anything too radical, to leave room for neatening it up or trying again if you've messed up. Work in a good light. Take your time.
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That's badass! I asked for a Crea Clip for Christmas last year and haven't been to a salon since, but in my case, my husband cuts it for me using the clip. It's such a hassle going to the salon, not to mention expensive. I don't plan to ever return.
I use a crea clip to cut my own hair. I use it with a shaver instead of scissors. I just run the shaver across the hair sticking out of the clip. It is faster and even-er than scissors. I don't think that I could cut my own hair with out it.
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Great thread, and you all have inspired me to take the plunge. I used to get infrequent cuts at a salon for $70 a pop, but last time I was there about 7 months ago, the hairdresser started in on me about some MLM scheme "miracle water" stuff, and I was really angry about her taking advantage of me basically being a captive in her chair to sell me $30/ounce snake oil.
So I decided I was done there....And it was too bad because I liked her and liked the job she did. But I've since been out of work and living on reduced income, so now the point is moot. I do love this forum for questioning some of the expenses we think are "necessary" or that we can't try doing ourselves. Of course we can! It isn't dentistry, it's hair.
My husband has been clipping his own hair for years, and just branched out to doing our 14-year-old's, so now it's my turn to take the plunge. I'm going to get one of the creaclips, but can anyone recommend good scissors? Might as well invest in decent scissors.
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Yeah, I've been cutting my hair on and off for many years now. I used to get it cut professionally once in a while, but never really liked the process.
I do love this forum for questioning some of the expenses we think are "necessary" or that we can't try doing ourselves. Of course we can! It isn't dentistry, it's hair.
Same, RedwoodDreams.
But these crea clips -- I never heard of them before. I looked them up, and I don't get it. How are they better than just holding your hair between your fingers to trim it?
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Nice to see this thread! I did the same today. I used to have the cutest pixie cut that admittedly took a lot of skill to cut with all its wispy layers, different lengths around the side, etc. However, after 4 years of it (and the 100$ monthly bill it came with!), I grew tired of it, and have been growing out my hair again. For anyone who has ever done that, you know how painfully awkward that looks for at least half a year. Well, I had arrived at the accidental-mullet stage, and was contemplating getting a hair cut. Decided today to just chop off the back part myself, to hold out for a few more months at least for a professional cut. It was looking so bad already, I had little to lose, haha. In the end, it looks better now for sure! Glad I did it. I might get a nice, proper cut to shape my hair once it all reaches chin-length, but that can wait a few months. I won't go back to the monthly salon cuts for sure.
Kudos to the OP with curly hair! I imagine it must be much harder to cut right than my barely-wavy hair.
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Yeah, I've been cutting my hair on and off for many years now. I used to get it cut professionally once in a while, but never really liked the process.
I do love this forum for questioning some of the expenses we think are "necessary" or that we can't try doing ourselves. Of course we can! It isn't dentistry, it's hair.
Same, RedwoodDreams.
But these crea clips -- I never heard of them before. I looked them up, and I don't get it. How are they better than just holding your hair between your fingers to trim it?
With the crea clip, it holds all your hair at one time, and you get a perfect line. Also, you can cut along the clip with the Wahl clippers, which I find is easier and quicker than scissors. It makes a nice blunt cut. I think holding your hair in your fingers would work better for a fluffy, layered, "piecy" look, but I'm no beautician, so don't take my advice on that. : D
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actually curly hair is easy... largely because mistakes are hard to see :) but also because curly hair is so variable that it is very rare to get a professional cut that you don't have to tweak later at home anyway. I've been cutting my hair for over a year now, encouraged by misc threads here, YouTube vids, and because my stylist went on maternity leave. To start my hair was long enough to do the ponytail method (for length, with tweaking for shape) but I've gone too short now and do it mostly by feel and look. I've always been very happy with my results but the convenience would be worth any number of bad hair days.
Also my mother and sister, who wouldn't hesitate to tell me to see a professional if they thought my efforts weren't up to par, have been reluctantly impressed. I suspect one of them will be taking up scissors herself in short order.
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I, too, have been cutting my own hair for a few years now.