No more paid haircuts!

[Nords]

I haven't ever paid for a haircut. (Last visit to the barbers would have been when my parents still made me.) I also don't cut it myself. It's quite long by now! Photo is from a few years ago, I don't have many photos from the back:

Impressive.  It's been 12 years since my last haircut (just before I hung up my uniform) but I'm heading more for Doonesbury's Ol' Surfer Dude look:

[Spartana]

I cut my own hair too and have for years. Just took this photo a minute ago after finding this thread. Looks pretty raggedy now after being in a pony tail all day so time for a wash and a cut. Have bangs too and I also do those. It is long but I cut it (trim) fairly often but it grows super fast. 

[sunnyca]

I'm in!  I've never cut my own hair before, but it's really long, so... Plenty of room for some trial and error!

[Russ]

I cut a friend's hair for her last weekend. I stabbed her in the neck a little bit, but other than that she was really happy with how it went!

[Stacey]

I cut my husband's hair for several years until he took over - now I just shape it around his neck for him.  As for my hair, I gave up the salon visits a year ago and my mom's been cutting it.  She just cuts it straight across so it's rather boring and I've been thinking that I need to look into figuring out a way to give myself subtle layers.  Thanks so much for the link to the ponytail cut!!!!!  I'll definitely be trying that soon - maybe even this week.  So excited to get a little style into this hair. 

[Spartana]

I cut my own hair too and have for years. Just took this photo a minute ago after finding this thread. Looks pretty raggedy now after being in a pony tail all day so time for a wash and a cut. Have bangs too and I also do those. It is long but I cut it (trim) fairly often but it grows super fast.

Better washed and brushed - now to cut (snip snip!!)

[DollarBill]

Haven't paid for a haircut since 1999...at $10 a pop that's a savings of $7,800. Yay!

[Left]

For people that cut their own hair, how do you do style the hair cut? I shorten mine, but once it gets to a certain point, I need to get someone else to cut it for me because it starts to look bad :S I'm not flexible enough to cut my own hair on the back and hold a mirror/scissors/comb/clippers at the same time. I can shorten my bangs/side but I don't do the top/back well enough to have it still look good more than once. So I have to alternate it, between myself and barber

[DollarBill]

I'm sure the majority is a buzz cut. I forgot to add in the savings for hair products and shampoo :).

[Zikoris]

I made a barber cape for my boyfriend about a week ago. All from materials I already had, including the pink lace.  I'm still learning how to cut his hair, but it's going well!

http://imgur.com/QUbCYdh Not sure how to embed the picture in my post.

[Rural]

I made a barber cape for my boyfriend about a week ago. All from materials I already had, including the pink lace.  I'm still learning how to cut his hair, but it's going well!

http://imgur.com/QUbCYdh Not sure how to embed the picture in my post.

Clearly, he is secure in his manhood. :)

[Left]

he looks like you knocked him out and he's propped up against wall so you can cut his hair, joking but why not sit in the tub so the hair collects somewhere easier to clean up?

[Vorpal]

I'm in! Bought a Wahl this past weekend, and my wife cut my hair. It turned out great! One more haircut, and we're in the money :D

[Hedge_87]

My grandmother used to be a hair stylist so she did all the hair cutting in the family. Now I just run the Clippers over my whole head every week (in the driveway so no clean up).except for winter time. I start growing a bad ass beard around Oct 1 and keep it through March (wife gets pretty annoyed with it lol). So summer time = permanent 5 o'clock shadow winter = bad ass chuck Norris beard.

[jordanread]

I've been doing pretty well with the clippers. I really like having my hair this short (see previous post for a pic) while it's hot outside. I tried doing a bit of a fade a few weeks back, but couldn't keep it even, and ended up doing it a bit shorter than I did last time. That got me thinking...I've never "bic'd" my head before, so I figured I'd give it a shot. It was kind of fun, and man does it feel good! GF won't let me keep it as a regular thing, even though I don't look as much like an alien as I was hoping for. It's not that noticeably different from just a buzz.

[Spartana]

For people that cut their own hair, how do you do style the hair cut? I shorten mine, but once it gets to a certain point, I need to get someone else to cut it for me because it starts to look bad :S I'm not flexible enough to cut my own hair on the back and hold a mirror/scissors/comb/clippers at the same time. I can shorten my bangs/side but I don't do the top/back well enough to have it still look good more than once. So I have to alternate it, between myself and barber

I also have to get someone (usually my sister) to fix it for me after I cut it. I cut a lot of the length from photo above (and donated it to Locks of Love which makes wigs for cancer patients) and then, once it was a few inches below my shoulder I had to have someone else do it. The front (bangs and long layers) I was able to do myself though. Probably tougher if you're a male and have a short hair cut though. Of course you can just do the "bowl cut" and look like Moe from the Three Stodges :-)!

And a side bar question: I know that the shaved head thing probably feels great (and can look great like on Jorden above too) but if I were a male, knowing I may lose much or all of my hair at some point in my life, I probably wouldn't shave it off while I was young. Do you guys with shaved heads ever worry you won't be able to grow again? I always think of that old Seinfeld episode where Elaine dates a guy who shaves his head and she convinces him to grow it back, only to find out he's has gone bald in the meantime which horrifies him.

[jordanread]

And a side bar question: I know that the shaved head thing probably feels great (and can look great like on Jorden above too) but if I were a male, knowing I may lose much or all of my hair at some point in my life, I probably wouldn't shave it off while I was young. Do you guys with shaved heads ever worry you won't be able to grow again? I always think of that old Seinfeld episode where Elaine dates a guy who shaves his head and she convinces him to grow it back, only to find out he's has gone bald in the meantime which horrifies him.

First, thanks for the complement. :-)

Secondly, I've got a (so my SO says) strange relationship with my hair which can be summarized in 3 words: It's just hair. I'm not tied to a specific look. I've had hair down to my mid back, and short, and everything in between (I even did corn rows once...totally felt like an assassin for some reason). I don't even know for sure if balding runs in my family, but if it does, it doesn't bother me. I'd probably just shave my head, but due to my insatiable curiosity, I'd probably try for a comb-over just once, just so that I can say I've done it. :-)

[mpg350]

My last haircut looked worse than what I do myself so I have the past 8 years done my own haircuts.

I am a guy and I usually just keep it short so not that tough.

I figure over the last 8  years I have saved over one thousand dollars doing this.

[Stache In Training]

I'd join in on this throwdown, except that I've already been doing it since 2004.

I'd be curious to see how much money I've saved over the 10 years.  I'd need to know how often I cut my hair, and I just can't remember.  How often do you all get haircuts (or at least how often in your pre-mustachian days)?

[arebelspy]

I'd join in on this throwdown, except that I've already been doing it since 2004.

I'd be curious to see how much money I've saved over the 10 years.  I'd need to know how often I cut my hair, and I just can't remember.  How often do you all get haircuts (or at least how often in your pre-mustachian days)?

Is your hair grown out to max length? 

If no, just go by how often you cut your hair now.

If yes, then the natural assumption seems that you wouldn't be getting your hair cut even if you were willing to pay, so you haven't saved anything over what you would be doing otherwise.

If you're just looking to see how much the average person spends on haircuts, you can probably just rough math $15 x every 6 weeks, or about 130/yr x a decade = $1300.

[Stache In Training]

I'd join in on this throwdown, except that I've already been doing it since 2004.

I'd be curious to see how much money I've saved over the 10 years.  I'd need to know how often I cut my hair, and I just can't remember.  How often do you all get haircuts (or at least how often in your pre-mustachian days)?

Is your hair grown out to max length? 

If no, just go by how often you cut your hair now.

If yes, then the natural assumption seems that you wouldn't be getting your hair cut even if you were willing to pay, so you haven't saved anything over what you would be doing otherwise.

If you're just looking to see how much the average person spends on haircuts, you can probably just rough math $15 x every 6 weeks, or about 130/yr x a decade = $1300.

No, I don't grow it to max length.  I have to keep it professional (plus i hate combing my hair. I just like getting up and being ready for the day.), and so keep it pretty short. 

Your figure is pretty interesting, because what made me decide to start cutting my hair, was the hair cuts (in 2004) in my area were more like $18.  So I'd be at 156 per year, so saving 1560 a decade.  NICE!

[Spartana]

I'd join in on this throwdown, except that I've already been doing it since 2004.

I'd be curious to see how much money I've saved over the 10 years.  I'd need to know how often I cut my hair, and I just can't remember.  How often do you all get haircuts (or at least how often in your pre-mustachian days)?

Is your hair grown out to max length? 

If no, just go by how often you cut your hair now.

If yes, then the natural assumption seems that you wouldn't be getting your hair cut even if you were willing to pay, so you haven't saved anything over what you would be doing otherwise.

If you're just looking to see how much the average person spends on haircuts, you can probably just rough math $15 x every 6 weeks, or about 130/yr x a decade = $1300.

No, I don't grow it to max length.  I have to keep it professional (plus i hate combing my hair. I just like getting up and being ready for the day.), and so keep it pretty short. 

Your figure is pretty interesting, because what made me decide to start cutting my hair, was the hair cuts (in 2004) in my area were more like $18.  So I'd be at 156 per year, so saving 1560 a decade.  NICE!

And the cost for females is usually much higher then the cost for males. I have female friends who spend well over $50 just for a cut - and more if they get "special" stuff done to it like a Brazilian Blowout (that's a type of hair styling techniques guys so stop smirking  - oh and it also costs a couple of hundred bucks to have done as well :-)!). I imagine you could save a large amount of money in a year doing it yourself. Throw in those other things lots of women do - manicures, pedicures, coloring, waxing, tweezing, bleaching,  etc... Ugh the list goes on and on! Save some big bucks doing all that stuff yourself for free.

[jordanread]

And the cost for females is usually much higher then the cost for males. I have female friends who spend well over $50 just for a cut - and more if they get "special" stuff done to it like a Brazilian Blowout (that's a type of hair styling techniques guys so stop smirking  - oh and it also costs a couple of hundred bucks to have done as well :-)!). I imagine you could save a large amount of money in a year doing it yourself. Throw in those other things lots of women do - manicures, pedicures, coloring, waxing, tweezing, bleaching,  etc... Ugh the list goes on and on! Save some big bucks doing all that stuff yourself for free.

I recently found out it's hair styling technique, but I still smirk, snort, and occasionally giggle when I hear it.

[MidwestGal]

Yeah I've always been a little peeved that haircuts and certain products generally cost more for women.  I found this thread some time ago and went for it...the end result isn't too bad but my spouse cut one side of my hair a little shorter on accident.  Oh well, practice makes perfect!  My hair grows back ridiculously fast anyway so we'll be saving a bundle.

[fallstoclimb]

What kind of scissors are people using to cut long hair?  I've cut my hair before using the ponytail method but last time it seemed like my scissors were not sharp enough.  I really don't want to shell out $40 for proper shears (even though that is less than I pay for a single haircut around here....)

[GGNoob]

I was able to talk my roommate into cutting my hair with a pair of $30 clippers from Walgreens, and it turned out fantastic! He's on board as well and I'll be returning the favor.

No more $20 a pop haircuts for me, anybody else on board?

(Awesome having a Mustachian roommate!)

This one is easy for me and my wife...she's a hairstylist and part owner of her salon. She cuts my hair whenever I need it and she gets all the free cuts/colors she wants as long as somebody at the salon has time. They always just trade their time to do each others hair.

With what people pay her for a haircut at her salon, I'm so happy we never have to pay anything! Haircuts start at $41 for the salon and easily go up to $60 or more. Add in a color, tip, and product, and people can easily spend $200 each time they go to the salon.

[Frugal Father]

My wife has been cutting my hair since we got married, but she hasn't convinced me to try and cut hers yet (It's short right now, so I'm pretty sure I would screw it up). She doesn't get haircuts too often anyways, so it hasn't been the money drain that it could be.

[Cherry Lane]

What kind of scissors are people using to cut long hair?  I've cut my hair before using the ponytail method but last time it seemed like my scissors were not sharp enough.  I really don't want to shell out $40 for proper shears (even though that is less than I pay for a single haircut around here....)

You do need sharp shears to have a good result, but they don't need to be expensive.  Inexpensive barber shears are available at the drugstore (just found Revlon-brand barber shears are ~$17 at Walgreens).  They won't hold their edge as well as a better pair of shears, but I've been using mine for quite a few years and only now feel they need replacing.  It is important that you only use them for hair-cutting, as other uses in between will dull them more quickly.

[Spartana]

What kind of scissors are people using to cut long hair?  I've cut my hair before using the ponytail method but last time it seemed like my scissors were not sharp enough.  I really don't want to shell out $40 for proper shears (even though that is less than I pay for a single haircut around here....)

I use just plain old medium sized scissors from the Dollar Store (cost a buck :-)!) on my long thick hair (see photos upthread). Does a great job too.

[MayDay]

I am guilty of spending too much on haircuts.  I like my hair between chin and shoulder length, so too short for the ponytail cutting method.  But way too long for clippers, obviously!  I go back and forth between growing it out for a year, and then getting it cut chin length and having to get it cut every 8 weeks at 30$ a pop.  I have had horrid luck at the cheaper hair places (never symmetrical).

This last cut, I let it grow out for a couple months, then if added layers in myself.  That is giving me a few extra months before I feel the urge to get it cut.  I can get some top layers even myself, but no way can I do a whole haircut.  I need to find a friend who will do it for me. 

I have been buzzing H for about ten years now, and have also done the kids always.  Never paid for a haircut for them! 

[MrMathMustache]

Just got the Wahl 25-piece haircut bundle from best buy after seeing this thread.  They're running a 20% off small appliances sale online if you use the code SUMMERSAVE20 - only $21.59 before tax.

[forward]

I am guilty of spending too much on haircuts as well.  I got stranded overnight in O'Hare airport a week ago and missed my haircut appointment as a result.  Its hard to get back on the schedule at the place I go so I haven't done it.  After looking at this thread, I ordered a set of clippers on amazon this weekend and I'm going to try cutting my hair myself later this week.  This is one of the last few anti-mustachian things I pay for, I hope I can stick with it...

[tanhanivar]

I got my mom to cut my hair when I was visiting her last weekend. She was very nervous & kept offering to just pay for the haircut, but it turned out fine!

[Spartana]

Nice Tanhanivar! Sis and I both have butt length hair so chopping mine off to even just below my shoulders was sort of weird but easy to do myself - once I found my bravery. But once I did it I liked it a lot and it came out pretty good although a bit raggity so had sis clean it up for me. Sis will probably follow suit but have me do it for her.

[jkitiara]

I cut my own long (mid-back) hair mostly. Once every 12-18 months I get a pro to do it to get it back "in shape". The last time I went for a cheap super-cuts type place for $15 and frankly, it was a waste of $15. I'd rather pay more for someone really good or continue to not bother.

I keep trying to convince my husband to let me cut his hair. He just gets a buzz, basically! He only does it 2-3 times a year, and at $20 a pop it's hard to really get annoyed about it. But it seems like a waste anyways. He thinks I'll do a bad job (maybe I will?).

How can I convince him otherwise? Or ensure I don't totally eff it up?

[Rika Non]

+1 on the Wahl clippers. 

The full clipper set (clipper, gaurds, scissors, combs) was ~$20 and I have been cutting my SO's hair for over 5 years. 

The other addition is that I picked up a second set of Wahl clippers about 3 years ago, and other than saving on hair cuts, during the summer I trim my mother's long haired cat.  I think I saved my mother more on pet grooming than I have my SO on hair cuts.

[jordanread]

I cut my own long (mid-back) hair mostly. Once every 12-18 months I get a pro to do it to get it back "in shape". The last time I went for a cheap super-cuts type place for $15 and frankly, it was a waste of $15. I'd rather pay more for someone really good or continue to not bother.

I keep trying to convince my husband to let me cut his hair. He just gets a buzz, basically! He only does it 2-3 times a year, and at $20 a pop it's hard to really get annoyed about it. But it seems like a waste anyways. He thinks I'll do a bad job (maybe I will?).

How can I convince him otherwise? Or ensure I don't totally eff it up?

You could try doing it while he's asleep. When he wakes up, you can say "See!! I did fine"

In all seriousness, it's really hard to mess up a straight buzz. The only thing that can go wrong is you miss a spot, so you just hit it again.

[Vorpal]

It's been two months and a week since my first home-cut (executed beautifully by my wife), and I'm looking like I'm due for another. My wife is out of town for the next two days, and I'm feeling the "F#@& !T" attitude coming on... first "100% selfie" haircut incoming!

[Middlesbrough]

I will admit I had little interest in this thread to begin with. I have been giving myself haircuts for about 6 years using a Wahl and buzzing it at varied lengths. Just this weekend I got fed up with my hair and needed another cut. I have been less than impressed with my bangs coming to a point due to cowlick when my hair is short. I decided to do a European buzz on the sides and eave the top long to comb over. I did it all myself on Friday to give me two days to back out before working on monday. I decided I liked the result and went to work with it. First time I ever got a compliment on my haircut in 3 years of employment (a bunch of guys, so not suprising). I think I like the change!

[Davids]

If I used just clippers I would be on board but I am not a fan of buzzed hair on me. I do however get my haircut at Great Clips and only when I have the $6.99 or $7.99 haircut coupons.

[Shor]

I cut my own long (mid-back) hair mostly. Once every 12-18 months I get a pro to do it to get it back "in shape". The last time I went for a cheap super-cuts type place for $15 and frankly, it was a waste of $15. I'd rather pay more for someone really good or continue to not bother.

I keep trying to convince my husband to let me cut his hair. He just gets a buzz, basically! He only does it 2-3 times a year, and at $20 a pop it's hard to really get annoyed about it. But it seems like a waste anyways. He thinks I'll do a bad job (maybe I will?).

How can I convince him otherwise? Or ensure I don't totally eff it up?

After you've had your go at it, give him $20 to get it "fixed up" professionally.
He'll realize on his own how silly he looks going in to the barber freshly shaven with boots already polished.