First Haircut at Home Today...

[Ed Mills]

Yesterday I scored a UMGD for $20 at T.J. Maxx.  Today, my wife agreed to cut my hair only after I threatened to cut it myself.  The end result:  it's not perfect, but it's not bad either.  Her haircuts should only get better with practice.  Later, she cut our son's hair, and the results weren't as good.  However, after about 2 hours, everyone seemed to okay with the cuts.  My normal barber charges $12 per haircut, so we saved $24 today. 

My next goal is to learn how to keep my hair cut and trimmed so that I myself can keep the mop under control.  Any video and web links would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks
Ed

[N]

I dont have any links, but congrats!
My husband has been shaving his own head with clippers since I convinced him to try it. 16 years :)
Ive been cutting my own hair for a while now, too. Its probably not perfect, but its fine for me.
Ive always cut my own kids hair, too.

I figure it grows back...so might as well try it. :)

[kudy]

I did mine for the first time today too! I scored some clippers on clearance for $11. I did most of it, had help to clean up the neckline. Like you, I think I'll get better at it as I practice. I think it turned out pretty good. Now I can keep it much shorter than I usually do because it doesn't cost $16 each time I want to cut it.

[Theadyn]

Way to go!!    I did hair for a while, so it's probably not as scary for me as it would be for some.  TONS of videos out there.   It's really not that hard.  :)  Practice makes perfect. :)

[DougStache]

Been cutting my own hair for years (buzz cut, I'm easy).  Besides saving you money, it's also much quicker than driving/biking to the barber, waiting, getting your hair cut, and driving/biking back!

[BlueMR2]

My Mom does mine.  It makes a wonderful reason to go visit her.  :-)

[aclarridge]

Congrats! Wife does mine, and at first it wasn't great but she has improved bigtime both in quality and time taken to finish the job. Amount saved is about $200 so far.

[ArtieStrongestInTheWorld]

Nice job!  If you're serious about cutting your hair at home, you might want to keep an eye out for a good pair of pet clippers on sale.  From what I understand, they're the exact same thing as the normal UMGD, but have metal gears instead of the typical plastic gears.  I've gone through a couple pairs of cheap people clippers already, but the pet clippers I have from my grandparents (20+ years old!) are still going strong.  Don't forget to oil them every once and a while.

[The knitter]

I've been cutting my husband's for the last year.

Every once in a while he'll go to the barber to get really clean edging done (I'm terrible), but that has slowed down as I have gotten better.

Recently he switched haircuts to a 1 all the way around (really close buzz to the head), which he can do himself. I just do the edges and check for missed spots.

It's really a fun time together and I love it now.

[AccidentalMiser]

My DW has been cutting our hair (me and 5 boys) for 25 years.  Eight haircuts per person per year works out to:

8 per year x 6 people x 20 years x 10 bucks per = $9600 saved... Enough to buy a decent car!

Congrats and enjoy your manly haircut!

[Osprey]

Congratulations! I'm sure your wife's hair skills will improve with practice. I cut my partner's hair and I love it bacause it's become a bonding experience for us.

[Zoe]

Awesome!

I cut my husband's hair and I have cut mine in the past. It's layered now and I'm trying to get up the courage to at least do a trim on mine. Definitely search YouTube. I found several great tutorials on there about hair cutting/styling.

[spider1204]

I've been cutting my own hair the past year, and have been just going for the longish(for a guy) but messy look, that way if you screw up it doesn't matter!  I'm not a big fan of symmetrical hairstyles though so I just try to cut it all roughly the same length, and then go in and make more haphazard cuts to mess it up a little.

[frugalfather]

My wife has been cutting my hair for many years..we splurged and got a good set of Wahl clippers, but they payed for themselves in 4 hair cuts.  So I fugured we have made over a thousand dollars since we have started ( A penny saved is a penny earned).

[zinnie]

Nice job!  If you're serious about cutting your hair at home, you might want to keep an eye out for a good pair of pet clippers on sale.  From what I understand, they're the exact same thing as the normal UMGD, but have metal gears instead of the typical plastic gears.  I've gone through a couple pairs of cheap people clippers already, but the pet clippers I have from my grandparents (20+ years old!) are still going strong.  Don't forget to oil them every once and a while.

This is funny because when my husband's clippers crapped out, we replaced them with dog clippers and they're much more precise on both the dog and him.

Ed Mills--I don't have any good links but I can attest to the fact that your wife will probably get better with practice! I gave my husband some awful haircuts in the beginning. It helps to learn how to use the different attachments and figure out the right lengths for different areas.

[jflo]

Yesterday I scored a UMGD for $20 at T.J. Maxx.  Today, my wife agreed to cut my hair only after I threatened to cut it myself. . .

Funny - the way my husband makes me cut his hair is he starts it himself knowing that I won't let him walk around with a fucked up haircut.  (It's not that I have a problem with the clippers, I just like it longer than he does.)

[Cecil]

I've been cutting my own hair since 2006. I look good with a buzzcut so I just buzz at #1 every three weeks or so. Not to mention I love the zero-maintenance.

I spent $80 on a good-quality trimmer 7 years ago, and now my amortized haircut cost is about $0.50 each since then. :)

[EmEmEm]

Hubby has done his own buzz cut (# 0 all over) for many years now, with me just checking for missed patches. The other week, he even tried it on my 4 yr old son... a slightly trickier #8 on top & #4 back & sides. Not perfect, but good enough until he's old enough that his friends tease him (or hopefully we'll get better at doing it by then... main problem was getting him to sit still long enough. I also trimmed my 2yr old daughter's bangs, so that will hold us off a trip to the hairdresser for quite some time. I'm not game enough to cut my own hair, but I only get it cut about twice a year (and at a pretty cheap place), so I think we're doing pretty good.

[NinetyFour]

During the first half of 2012, I was getting my hair cut once every other month, for $25.  I got it cut pretty short (for a female), in order to get my money's worth!  When I would show up at school with really short hair, my students and colleagues would be a bit shocked.  In July 2012, I bought a Wahl clipper set and started cutting my own hair.  I have given myself a few not-so-good cuts (neckline is tricky!), but since I can cut it whenever I want, I no longer have to cut it really short--just more often.  So far, I have saved $200 less the cost of the clippers ($21.41).  Woo hoo!!  Such a mustachian idea!!

[DocCyane]

My partner and I cut and color each other's hair. I used to pay $115 at a salon every 8 weeks. That's a $1500/year savings for two people.

We go to the beauty supply place for permanent hair color. And we bought nice scissors there too. It's a pretty simple endeavor with the help of some YouTube videos.

[racherinh]

I've been cutting my daughters' hair for the past 6-9 months. I'm much better now, and the detailed videos on YouTube were a huge help. The first cuts were okay, the second were good, and the last ones look excellent - as good as most cuts from a salon. My oldest (6) keeps her hair mid-long, so it's a pretty easy trim, but for my middle daughter (3) I tried an angled bob this last time - short in the back and an inch or so longer in the front - and it looked really cute and grew out nicely. It's definitely more challenging to cut hair shorter than long. I always think that even if I can only do every other cut, it still cuts our haircutting costs in half.

Cutting my own hair did not work out so well - the first time was great, second time fine, but after the third it looked awful and it took two trips to a proper hairdresser (12 weeks apart) to fix it. I have curly hair, so I think it takes more specialized expertise to cut it so that it doesn't frizz and is low maintenance. I only need to get it cut about twice a year since I only wash once a week, never use a hair dryer, and very few products.

My husband has very curly hair, and a professional type job, so he looks better with a proper barber, too. I'd be willing to learn, but haven't found any videos for his hair type online. With a bad haircut, he looks like a chia pet after a few weeks.

[jflo]

I've started cutting my own hair as well.  I keep it fairly short - off my neck but with enough length to be obviously female.  It helps that I go for a slightly messy layered style - works better with the bike helmet as its easier just fluff up a bit after the inevitable helmet hair :)

In the future I'll probably make my husband cut the back till it's a short enough length and then finish with the layering as it's been taking me a bit longer than I'd like.  But basically I just twist chunks of it and then take a pair of scissors and do small cuts around the twisted chunk - cutting about a quarter of the way through the twist as I move the scissors down.  You'll probably want to watch a video - I learned from seeing my old stylist do this - love her but couldn't justify the budget hit.  The advantage to layering is it's more of an art than a science and it all more or less blends together. 

My best friend with long hair has been cutting her own for as long as I've known her by just pulling strands forward and using a comb to measure that she's cutting the same amount off.  She somewhat drags the scissors down as cutting so it's not just a blunt chop.

Hair salons have pretty much kept us scared of touching our own hair but what we don't realize is that no one scrutinizes us as much as we do our selves.  Cutting hair is pretty much hedgeclipping - you might never get it perfect, but you won't kill it either.

[Joshin]

I cut my own hair and the boys', while the hubs cuts his own hair and I trim up the neckline. Been doing it for years.

Just search whatever style you want on Youtube, you'll find a ton of great videos. My 13-yr-old prefers the "faux-hawk" style, and I managed it after watching a few tutorials on Youtube. Youngest likes the mad scientist/Einstein look, so his stays a bit long on top and I just winged it until I found something that worked.

The more cuts done, the better you get. Once I figured out the trick for measuring the hair as I cut and cutting in the right direction, it suddenly all clicked into place and I can manage just about any style adequately. Just watch videos until you get the "ah-ha" moment on the basic technique.

Personally, depending on the style, I prefer clippers for the back and scissors for the sides and top. I can get more precision with the scissors (good quality scissors are a must). I also use scissors to trim my bangs and long hair. Hubs uses the clippers with the smallest guard, but he has some hair loss so is going for what we call the "Sean Connery" style around here.

[chardog]

Been cutting my own hair for years (buzz cut, I'm easy).  Besides saving you money, it's also much quicker than driving/biking to the barber, waiting, getting your hair cut, and driving/biking back!

ditto.  30+ years.  Even if you managed to get away with a $10 cut once a month from a barber, that's $3600 in savings not to mention the savings in time, gas, etc. you mentioned.

[OOBER]

Congrats everybody on saving some money.

I have had the wife cutting my hair since "way back when" in college when she was still my girlfriend.

Paying 14.99 + Tax + Tip absolutely baffles me when it only takes ~10 minutes to cut my hair. (though I would never pay that, a coupon can usually be found to make it 7.99 + Tax + Tip)

I only go in to get my hair cut ~1-2 times a year when there is an upcoming wedding, event, etc. where I can't go #2 all the way around.

[Cinder]

Ed Mills--I don't have any good links but I can attest to the fact that your wife will probably get better with practice! I gave my husband some awful haircuts in the beginning. It helps to learn how to use the different attachments and figure out the right lengths for different areas.

My wife did my last haircut about a month ago, was crying and bawling because she didn't want to make me look hideous.  She didn't think it was that bad till she rememberd she needed to make the other side of my head kind of look like the side she just did, and gave up. 

I had to keep trying to have her calmed down, and I would measure the length with my hair between my fingers and just have her cut what was sticking out (we were using scissors).  She has started complaining about my hair getting to long again, so I told her she can trim it whenever she wants ;).  Hopefully I can get her more comfortable with it over time and she'll see that it's just hair, and I'm just a programmer who only ever interacts with a few other people all day - no big deal if my hair is a bit funky for a week or so, it all grows out!

[Mr.Macinstache]

Who remembers the Flo-Bee? Haha.

I cut my sons hair and my wife called it a $30 haircut. :) I spent $16 on new scissors and a cap, so now we are going to cut his from now on. I've been buzzing mine for over 10 years. I think I've easily saved $1000 in that time.

[Mr. Minsc]

Who remembers the Flo-Bee? Haha.

Reading these DIY hair cut threads off and on I always recall these commercials from way back wee lad for this vacuum cleaner attachment which cut your hair.  Now I now the name of the product. ;)

[Crash87]

There are tons of YouTube videos on cutting hair and I highly recommend watching some. I've only been cutting my own hair for 6 months or so and I can cut it just as fast as anybody at Great Clips ever has. I don't have a buzz cut, but I don't think my hair style is particularly complex either.

Just pay attention to how they blend the sides and the top in the videos.

[KimPossible]

Who remembers the Flo-Bee? Haha.

I had a Flowbee a few years ago.  My hair was short and getting frequent haircuts was too time consuming and expensive.  I bought the Flowbee so I could cut it myself.  It worked pretty well, at least as far as the results went.

I found that it was kind of a hassle to use, though.  It took a while to set up, and my (then) 1 year old daughter was completely freaked out by the noise of the vacuum, so I had to make sure DH was around to keep her busy.

I finally decided it was easier to grow my hair out (which was a HUGE pain, since it was all different lengths from the Flowbee), and sold the thing on ebay.  :)

[Nords]

My last haircut was over 11 years ago-- a month before I retired from active duty.  I thought I'd have a ponytail for a few years, get tired of it, and start cutting my hair again.  But my spouse likes the look, and my daughter thinks it's cool, so... anyway in a few more years there may no longer be a need to cut my hair.

I'm not sure what numbers to use to add up all of the time saved on commutes, waiting, or cutting.

[wing117]

The last time I went to a barber shop was when I was 4 years old - even have the picture of me sitting next to my Grandfather also getting a hair cut!

My mother always cut my hair (#5). Eventually she taught my girlfriend before we moved out of state and now she does it (#7/#8 these days).  In a pinch, I can do it myself and when the Miss is available, she'll clean up back for me. Paid 30 dollars for a pair of Wahl clipper set ~8 years ago and picked up a smaller battery powered one for the beard 4 years ago. Great investments!

[chardog]

My wife did my last haircut about a month ago, was crying and bawling because she didn't want to make me look hideous.

Or you could do it yourself.  I have been cutting mine solo for 30+ years.  With a clipper guide, you can get the back done with only one mirror.  I use a hand mirror in the non-clipper hand to get the trim line straight along the bottom.

[GeneralJinjur]

I heard about the CreaClip on these forums and bought one to maintain my middle daughter's very long hair.  We had a running gag where I would cut too much off, she would refuse to let me cut it for several months, I would beg and plead to trim the crazy ends and we would repeat the whole sad process.  I've been cutting my kids hair since they started needing haircuts 14 years ago, but keeping long hair even without taking off 3 inches was tough and she was getting harder to please as she approached middle school.  The CreaClip has completely solved that problem.  Once a month, we brush her hair out, clip it and take off 1/2 an inch.

It worked so well that I decided to give it a try.  I brush and place the clip in my hair, then hand the clippers to my able 11yo for the actual cutting.  My hair is between chin and shoulder length, so I end up reclipping around the sides to make it perfectly even.  It only takes about 10 minutes, even with setting up the clip 5 times (back, sides, front and top layers).  If you have long hair, you can use the CreaClip yourself, otherwise, you'll need a spouse, child or willing friend. I think it was a great investment.