The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: vand on May 29, 2020, 12:58:47 AM
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Wonder what the Mustachian community budgets for the ol' mullet maintenance...?
I realise its usually more expensive for the ladies than the gentlemen, but let's see what people come back with as a whole.
Obviously in these strange times we've all been DIY if at all, but typically what is your typical annual spend? Has Coronavirus made your realise that its perfectly possible to become a mullet DIY convert, or has it pushed you in the opposite direction?
You can include eyebrow waxing, highlights, whatever if you want. Or not. I'm not fussed.
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I've been cutting my own hair (more than just buzzing it, too - I use scissors and other tools) for about 2 years now.
It takes me probably 15 minutes longer, including cleanup, than a trip to the barber. I save $18 every 2 months by doing it myself, I can try different styles, and I can shower immediately afterward which honestly is the biggest plus in my book.....I absolutely hate walking around with tiny little hair trimmings itching me.
I could answer again for my wife, I suppose - she's about $40 every 2 or 3 months and she won't let me touch her hair with a 10 foot pole so I think that's fairly reasonable.
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My wife has cut my hair for at least the last 25 years.
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Like others have said, I cut my own hair.
Before the haircut places opened, DW cut her hair too. She used a technique similar to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LakVQeznBJk
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What does "pa" stand for?
While cuts are more expensive for women, I think women tend to get their hair cut less frequently than men (at least my wife does). I cut my hair monthly, and my wife gets her hair cut twice per year. Back when I went to a barber, it was $20 each time. It cost my wife $120 for her last appointment. The monthly average is the same.
She will not let me DIY her hair, unfortunately.
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What does "pa" stand for?
I assume per annum.
I have curly hair and don't trust myself or my partner to do a good job cutting it. I generally get haircuts every 4 months or so for about $50 and my hairdresser is amazing. It's been too long now and I'm really itching for a cut!
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I am a female and my husband cuts my hair. He also cuts his own hair and the kids hair. Baby girl is two and has not had a cut yet. She has curly hair, so I'm not sure if he will feel comfortable with that. We will probably let it go as long as possible to let her beautiful curls grow out, but we may eventually need to take her somewhere for a cost. But she will be the only one in the family who would possibly need a "professional" haircut.
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I used to get my hair cut about 2x per month at a friend's salon. Spent a little more to support her business, it was about $35 per cut. My hair grows fast and a close fade tends to not last long anyway. When I got serious about cutting down/mindfully re-purposing monthly expenses, my wife started cutting my hair. She does a good job, we've found that the sweet spot is not in trying to replicate the really close fade you would get done professionally (like a #0 or a #1 attachment). If you go with what we call the 'week old fade' and live in the comfort zone of the #3 or #4 attachments it hides a lot of imperfections.
Our original deal was if there was a special event like a wedding I might go back to the pro for a one-off but as with most things of this nature, once I took the jump I never looked back.
I now consider that $840/year saved a mini-vacation. Much better ROI.
Sidenote: Of much personal interest to me, many of my friends started handling haircuts in-house during quarantine. They all know I retired @ 38 but I don't discuss it much unless someone asks me a specific question. This seemed like an easy opportunity to point out a valuable lesson, so I asked what they were going to do with their newfound $750-$1000 a year. To a person, each one of them could not wait to go back to the regular barber/salon/etc once restrictions ease up. Forget leading the horse to water, I guess sometimes even when the horse falls in the water, it doesn't want to drink.
Meanwhile we'll keep taking amazing vacations, funded primarily by the money they spend on nothing more than the haircuts they just proved they didn't need and the expense of always new cell phones. People confuse me.
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Zero, my GF has cut my hair for the past eight years or so. I trim hers every so often. She still goes to "the salon" every few months for wizardry that I could never help with, so she spends more than I do but definitely still less than average.
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I'm going to pull the average up: I pay about $20 every 6-8 weeks. I would definitely end up in the hospital if I tried to cut my own hair and I don't have any friends that know how to cut hair.
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I started cutting my husbands hair a few years ago and it's worked out just fine (he even gets compliments on it sometimes) - finally a year or so ago I convinced him to start cutting mine since I just require a trim every 6 months or so. I'll probably spend $20 every other year or so to go to the training salon in town and get one of the students to give it a larger chop.
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We do them at home. My parents did. It’s the height of extravagance to have a “store bought hair-cut”.j
I’d have to amortize that pair of scissors and the set of clippers over a lifetime to get an annual cost. I have a very good set.
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I like to have a clean look so i get my hair cut every 3 weeks or so.
My wife cuts my hair for the past 3-4 years.
I used to pay $20 a pop every 3 weeks or so.
Its $0 now.
I did invest approx. $100 in the beginning in decent quality hair cutting stuff.
Paid for itself in 5 cuts.
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I used to pay $40-50/mo on average (cheap cut / high tip to a friend), but lately I'm doing it myself so nothing.
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$0. Wife has been cutting mine for about 3 years now...Since January, she has been letting me cut hers. Took some practice, but luckily it's fairly easy now
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yes its a myth that men spend less on haircuts than men. men with short hair need a haircut around every 5 weeks. the haircuts cost less (and you get less and they're quicker) but the overall spending is the same or more, stylists/salons are well aware of this.
haircuts have been one good thing that's come out of covid, for years ive been trying to get my wife to cut my hair, now i had my reason and it was okay if she got it wrong since i am working from home. we are 2 haircuts in and she has really realized how easy it is, its so much more convenient to cut hair in the yard instead of making an appt and going to salon, not to mention the savings (10 haircuts year x $30 = $300 year = me retiring much later if i pay for haircuts. Remember its not the cost of the monthly haircut that makes the big difference, its the savings that's needed to pay for haircuts into perpetuity (till death). I need about 25x the amount to pay for haircuts ($300 annually) through retirement which equals an additional savings of $7500!
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I am DIY for both of us, but it is time to replace the clippers, so I chose $10pa. It probably comes out a bit less than that yet, but I don't know how much I am going to have to pay once clippers become available again.
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I do a combo of DIY and a professional cleanup about twice a year. My "salon" is the local unisex haircutting place that charges $10 for a woman's cut, so with a generous tip I pay $40/year.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
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Where I live there is no such thing as a $10 haircut. $15 might be as cheap as you can get but ive had some $15 haircuts that were much worse than DIY.
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Where I live there is no such thing as a $10 haircut. $15 might be as cheap as you can get but ive had some $15 haircuts that were much worse than DIY.
That is why I started DIY. If my hair is going to be messed up, at least I shouldn't have to pay for it!
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$25 per haircut.
I get my hair cut about every 4-5 months. So, $50-75 a year. I basically go and get 4 inches cut off at a time.
Hubby and kids go to the same place that I do. Hubby gets more haircuts than I do (more often) because: shorter hair.
Little kid a little less frequently than hubby.
Big kid a little less frequently than little kid.
I get the least # of haircuts.
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I spend around $70/year. I only go once a year but my hair grows fast and living in FL and wanting to have decent looking hair I'm willing to spend a bit more. Plus I donate what I chop off.
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Wife cuts it. She cuts her own and the kids. I'm happy she does it. It's not even the money - at the time, I was paying $5/hair cut from an older semi-retired barber. It's trying to get another thing scheduled in. It's great!
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$34 every 6 weeks, plus more for color twice/year. I love getting my hair cut and have gone to the same stylist for years and years.
I haven’t been since mid acre rusty and it shows, but it’s not like anyone is seeing it, I guess! I don’t know when I’ll feel okay getting it cut again anyway.
I have cut dh’s hair at home for years. He doesn’t have that much and it’s basically just buzzed all around.
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Wife cuts it. She cuts her own and the kids. I'm happy she does it. It's not even the money - at the time, I was paying $5/hair cut from an older semi-retired barber. It's trying to get another thing scheduled in. It's great!
Ditto to this. Same deal as oil changes. Nice to be able to fit it in when I have time and not on someone else's schedule.
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About $20 every two months. The actual cut is a little less than that, but I was raised tipping $1-2, and I feel like a cheap-a$$ expecting $1 back, so I just give the guy a $20 and call it good. It's an old school barber shop with a cool environment, none of that 'modern salon' crap :)
I have cut my hair 1.5 times in quarantine. The .5 was a re-trimming of the top. It actually turned out pretty good, though I didn't do it too short, as a safety net. Now that I finally have a hand mirror to see the back of my head, it should go even better next time. However, I will probably never be able to texture my hair the way my barber does, and yet my hair is so not-fancy I can't quite tell the difference.
I still don't trust getting a hair cut at this point in the pandemic, but I feel bad for my barber :( . Likely I will go back there sometime, unless I somehow perfect how I cut my own hair.
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Previously, I got haircuts every 6 weeks and haircuts and color every 3 months. The haircuts cost about 65 dollars and the coloring and haircut about 180 dollars.
This time last year I cut my hair short and in the fall I moved so I lost my hairdresser. I got a really short cut one of the last days in my old city and postponed finding a new one as long as I could. Then I bought a trimmer and scissors to try cutting my own hair. I did it once and everybody was impressed by the results even someone that didn’t know I had cut my own hair. So I have cutting my own hair since january and have done it three times so far. I covered the cost of the trimmer and scissors after the first cut so everything else is money gained. I cut it really short, 20 mm. If I don’t do that I will get problems with my curls and that is to hightech for me to deal with.
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I've been buzzing my own head with clippers for around 8 years. I'm a morning workout person, so it's easier for me to not have to worry about it. I get out of bed at 4:00, get dressed, and go. Then I get home with just enough time to shower and get dressed before heading out to work. Not having to worry about my hair provides a good deal of stress relief and at least a few extra minutes during that process.
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I spent $114.73 on hair in 2019. Barber shop every couple of months. I cut my boyfriend's hair, so his spending is zero.
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I've been buzzing my own head with clippers for around 8 years. I'm a morning workout person, so it's easier for me to not have to worry about it. I get out of bed at 4:00, get dressed, and go. Then I get home with just enough time to shower and get dressed before heading out to work. Not having to worry about my hair provides a good deal of stress relief and at least a few extra minutes during that process.
Supposedly einstein wore the same thing everyday, to preserve time and brainpower for more important endeavours...
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yes its a myth that men spend less on haircuts than men. men with short hair need a haircut around every 5 weeks. the haircuts cost less (and you get less and they're quicker) but the overall spending is the same or more, stylists/salons are well aware of this.
haircuts have been one good thing that's come out of covid, for years ive been trying to get my wife to cut my hair, now i had my reason and it was okay if she got it wrong since i am working from home. we are 2 haircuts in and she has really realized how easy it is, its so much more convenient to cut hair in the yard instead of making an appt and going to salon, not to mention the savings (10 haircuts year x $30 = $300 year = me retiring much later if i pay for haircuts. Remember its not the cost of the monthly haircut that makes the big difference, its the savings that's needed to pay for haircuts into perpetuity (till death). I need about 25x the amount to pay for haircuts ($300 annually) through retirement which equals an additional savings of $7500!
I don't know what the cost difference is between mens cuts (more often? Cheaper barber? Etc) compared to women's but I think its more expensive over-all for women as they generally have more done. Not only styling with a cut, but often coloring, highlights, flattening, perms, etc. Those things aren't cheap! I once had a friend do a trim and a Brazillian Blowout on my hair (which is very straight already) for free. While it looked incredible it would normally run around $200 a pop. No way.
ETA and then there are the expensive "products" one must haveto maintain the cut style.
A lot of places have "women's cut" and "men's cut" prices irrespective of what you actually want done :( I refuse to let them style my hair. Just cut it and leave it alone, it HATES the blow dryer.
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I used to spend about $100/pa but since last year joined the DIY crowd and started buzzing it myself. Got a friend to show me how its done first time (highly recommended). I don't think I can justify going back to paying someone else to do it now.
Haircuts are one of those services which in my experience have risen well above the rate of inflation in recent years. Probably has to do with the extortionate cost of rents, business rates and all the other costs involved in running a store these days.
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I don't trust my shaky hands to cut my own hair. I spend roughly $120 per year.
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Maybe $5 for razors to trim the dome.
I do spend about $50/year on beard dye, though. Not ready to be an actual greybeard yet!
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I cut my husband and 4 year old's hair, but I have mine in a pixie cut, and my husband actively refuses to try to cut it, even now when I'm getting a mullet and it's driving me nuts because I'm not willing to go to my recently-opened hairstylist.
I'm not brave enough to try to cut my own, even though now is the perfect time, since I'm only in the office one day/week. I should probably just grow it out again, but my hair is super thick and takes FOREVER to dry even in Colorado with no humidity.
I usually get my short hairstyle cut every 8-9 weeks. I don't use any product in it, don't dye it, nothing fancy, and it's still $60-$70 per haircut, plus tip. Makes me cringe every time, but I love having my hair this way - it's so dang easy.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
I agree with not enjoying long hair in the summer. Yes, a ponytail is super easy and not so hot. But I get tired of a ponytail every day. I feel like if I am just going to put my hair up every day I would be better off just cutting it off. So I do.
As for the OP question - I have my hair cut once a year, in the spring. I get it cut short for summer and then let it grow out the rest of the year. About $40/year.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
Oh, I know, I had it long for decades. It was great in the 60s, long and straight was fashionable. But honestly, except for needing to get it cut more often, for me short is so much easier. It dries fast, it doesn't get tangled, it doesn't get in my face when I am gardening, it weighs almost nothing. Ponytails and buns give me a headache. And I never noticed how heavy it was until it was gone.
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Like others have said, I cut my own hair.
Before the haircut places opened, DW cut her hair too. She used a technique similar to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LakVQeznBJk
Thanks for the link, we just tried this on the wifes hair and it worked great !
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
Oh, I know, I had it long for decades. It was great in the 60s, long and straight was fashionable. But honestly, except for needing to get it cut more often, for me short is so much easier. It dries fast, it doesn't get tangled, it doesn't get in my face when I am gardening, it weighs almost nothing. Ponytails and buns give me a headache. And I never noticed how heavy it was until it was gone.
Ohh, all of this too. I forget how heavy hair can get, and headaches from that are so awful. They just creep up on you :(
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I am a really big tipper when I get my haircut. So usually $35. And I get it done 2-3 times a year when it gets annoying.
I buzz DH and my oldest at home. Buzzed the little one at home due to Coronavirus but he decided he likes a longer cut. So when it grows out enough, we will spend $20 on his haircuts. But I can usually do the salon for every other cut - I can scissor cut at home once but it needs professional help a couple times a year.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
My hair is super fine - think baby hair. So when it gets long it is very scraggly looking. It just looks healthier when short. And I am not a “messy” hairstyle person. When I pull my hair back it has to be super smooth which makes me nutty.
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I usually go to GreatClips -- their regular price is $14 I believe but they do a promotion once a year where if you prepay you can purchase in advance for about $10-11. Not a bad price and they do a pretty good job there.
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Last year I spent $25 on hair cuts. A $15 cut with $5 tip before a wedding, and $5 to replace a couple of the guards for my buzzers that broke. Wedding I grew my hair out for a month or so and got a nice fade with a part / comb over. Usually I just do a simple fade #1 on the sides, #1.5 on the top.
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I haven't paid for a haircut in 10 years. DW spends around $30 for a once-a-year-or-more trim, and we spend maybe $20 or so a year on my son's haircuts. He hasn't had his hair cut in over a year and we're about to mow over two years worth of growth from his head next weekend ourselves.
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I watched Pete's video when the pandemic started and decided to give it a try. It was WAY easier than I ever imagined to just cut my own hair. I cut my hair faster than just the drive to a salon, and the universal mens grooming device cost less than one trip as well. So consider me $0 probably for the rest of my life at this point. It was almost shocking how easy it is to get a decent haircut yourself. It's intimidating, yes, but once you do it and see it's not hard, it's pretty rewarding.
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We're a DIY household, but we both like to get our hair washed so we might go to great clips once a year or so, maybe as a birthday splurge. Under $50 per year, including tip.
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In non-COVID times barbershop every ~3 weeks with DIY home clipper clean up trims between those visits. Cost is ~$25CAD or ~$18USD including tip. So ~$312USD/year on hair cuts.
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I need a haircut once a month to stay within Army standards. Normally about $10-15 at a Great Clips including tip. My wife started cutting our kids hair recently so I think once I get home we'll have her start doing mine as well. That should save $150+ per year. When I would take our three oldest boys with me to get a haircut it would be over $50 including tips. Albeit, they could go a few months between cuts.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
Agreed. I’ve often heard women who cut their hair short say they did it because it would be so much easier to deal with. I always found the exact opposite — my short hair had to be washed and styled every day.
Now with the pandemic, my friends with shorter hair are super-frustrated about needing a haircut. I’m just letting mine get longer with curiosity at how long it will get before I’m finally able to go back to my stylist.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
Agreed. I’ve often heard women who cut their hair short say they did it because it would be so much easier to deal with. I always found the exact opposite — my short hair had to be washed and styled every day.
Now with the pandemic, my friends with shorter hair are super-frustrated about needing a haircut. I’m just letting mine get longer with curiosity at how long it will get before I’m finally able to go back to my stylist.
Plus it was always in my face or I had to put a million clips in it to keep it off. I often just put it in a bun with a soft hair tie (scrunchie?) and it'll stay that way forever. Even sleep like that. No bun headaches either. I didn't know that was a thing but I can see that it could be. Plus I don't do much to it so no need for any styling or products but its fairly fine and straight. Putting it up in a bun over night leaves it with a lot of soft curls and seems thicker too if I want to glam it up. When it was short I only had one style option too. I like the versatility. And I like not havi g to spend time or money on it. Other then brushing it occasionally (a brush I've had forever) it's very easy.
My hair has enough volume/texture that I literally just brush it into shape when it's wet and let it dry, and it's good for like 5 days. Sometimes I have to re-wet the back in the morning if I slept funny and it made a weird part. I 100% recognize that I'm super lucky with that, though.
The only things I don't like about my short hair are:
1) The cost of getting it cut by someone I trust. I've had enough bad experiences with Cost Cutters even with long hair that I am sticking to the person I am sure will give me what I want.
2) The fact that if it's windy from the wrong direction, your hair WILL end up flopping about all crazy in your face unless you wear a hat.
I always see people with long hair that's so pretty, and think "I should grow my hair out, that's what I want!!!", but I feel like my hair doesn't look that great long unless I actually do it (straighten, curl, braid, whatever), and I just don't care enough for that right now. We have a 4 year old and a 1 year old, and I am at work at 6 am. And I have to pull my hair up/back to do lab work anyway, so then it's up all day, and it gives me a headache.
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I've been cutting my own earlobe-length reverse bob for four years now, using the same Wahl clippers, Wahl "Peanut" small trimmer, Crea clip, and haircutting scissors that I started with. A couple things I've learned that may help others: Give yourself plenty of time and good lighting. If you don't get it perfect, go back the next day and fine-tune your cut. If you are in front of the bathroom sink and mirror, cover the sink with a big towel or something so you won't gradually block the drain with hair. Get one of those black plastic capes, and you won't get all itchy from little hairs on your neck and back. Keep a hand vacuum within reach for quickly cleaning up the hairs and eliminating the mess. Get in the shower after your haircut and give yourself a good shampoo--for looks and also to rinse off any loose/stray hairs.
I'm the farthest thing from being a cosmetologist, but I like my own haircuts better than salon cuts for the looks, money and time savings, and compliments that I get.
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$170 or less per year. I buy a discount gift card from Great Clips around Oct each year. I think it's $10.99 per cut now. Add in $3-4$ tip per cut. I load up the card with 12 cuts or enough for one per month. I use coupons for Great Clips in-between, when they are available. They are usually around $9 per cut.
BJ
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I’ve been a shaved headed lady off and on since 2014. At the beginning of the pandemic I was lucky to be able to buy a Wahl trimmer on Amz to do it myself. In normal times I alternate with a short pixie from the local barbershop costing about $20 cash each time. The Wahl trimmer I bought cost $23. I don’t have faith in it lasting for years but it’ll do for now.
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Every 3-4 weeks, around $23/cut (I usually leave a $5 tip).
I’ve gone through many phases in the last decade where my wife buzzed it. Usually the busier that I get with work, the first thing to go is haircuts.
It has nothing to do with the cost, but more so the driving there, the wait (or setting up an appt), and all that. I look great with a fresh haircut so have no issue spending the money, but do not enjoy the time spent. My schedule is variable where I might be within a 60 mile radius of my home, so it’s hard to plan ahead, plus, there’s only a couple people I like cutting my hair.
Since the pandemic started, my wife watched a youtube video on cutting men’s hair. I just get a standard men’s, high/tight haircut. About 1 finger length on top and she uses like a 1 or 2 on the sides and then blends up.
She has cut my hair 3x now, and every time has gotten better. Other than special events (like a wedding) I foresee her always cutting my hair in the future. Cheaper, less time spent, and I can get it done a bit more often!
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Every 3-4 weeks, around $23/cut (I usually leave a $5 tip).
I’ve gone through many phases in the last decade where my wife buzzed it. Usually the busier that I get with work, the first thing to go is haircuts.
It has nothing to do with the cost, but more so the driving there, the wait (or setting up an appt), and all that. I look great with a fresh haircut so have no issue spending the money, but do not enjoy the time spent. My schedule is variable where I might be within a 60 mile radius of my home, so it’s hard to plan ahead, plus, there’s only a couple people I like cutting my hair.
Since the pandemic started, my wife watched a youtube video on cutting men’s hair. I just get a standard men’s, high/tight haircut. About 1 finger length on top and she uses like a 1 or 2 on the sides and then blends up.
She has cut my hair 3x now, and every time has gotten better. Other than special events (like a wedding) I foresee her always cutting my hair in the future. Cheaper, less time spent, and I can get it done a bit more often!
Care to share the video?
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I just watched that YouTube video for additional tips, that's pretty much what I do, ponytail on the top of the head and cut. I give myself haircuts, I think it's super fun and satisfying. Some evening, I'll decide that I need bangs, or long layers, and voila, it's done. My MIL would take our son to get haircuts at the barber (ooh fancy) but since quarantine I've cut his once. I give buzz cuts to my husband.
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Let's see--back when I had long hair, I spent about $20 a year on haircuts, including tips. In the last two years I decided to get a pixie cut because I had always liked the look of them.
I actually think I look great with a pixie, only took me a few minutes to style in the morning. But the haircut costs! It cost $40 for the initial cut because I went to a place recommended for knowing how to cut pixies to look good. Probably overkill in retrospect, but I was trying to look super professional at the time and willing to toss money at it. Then came the maintenance cuts..once every month and a half. Going from $20 a year to $160-$200 depended on where I went. Oh, and plus products.
Honestly, it's not that much money. The main annoyance is scheduling hair appointments, taking time to go get my hair cut what felt like all the time. If it made me happy long term I would have kept the pixie. But I found myself wishing to do braids again, and have been using COVID to wait out my hair growth through the awkward scraggly bob stages. My new goal is to let my hair get long enough that it is super easy to DIY cut. Shoulder blades or bust!
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Every 3-4 weeks, around $23/cut (I usually leave a $5 tip).
I’ve gone through many phases in the last decade where my wife buzzed it. Usually the busier that I get with work, the first thing to go is haircuts.
It has nothing to do with the cost, but more so the driving there, the wait (or setting up an appt), and all that. I look great with a fresh haircut so have no issue spending the money, but do not enjoy the time spent. My schedule is variable where I might be within a 60 mile radius of my home, so it’s hard to plan ahead, plus, there’s only a couple people I like cutting my hair.
Since the pandemic started, my wife watched a youtube video on cutting men’s hair. I just get a standard men’s, high/tight haircut. About 1 finger length on top and she uses like a 1 or 2 on the sides and then blends up.
She has cut my hair 3x now, and every time has gotten better. Other than special events (like a wedding) I foresee her always cutting my hair in the future. Cheaper, less time spent, and I can get it done a bit more often!
Care to share the video?
Sure!
https://youtu.be/mBtay3_Ux7c
The good thing is, the first time was a slight struggle, but with some good inspections by both of us as we were going, it ended up great. Each time got easier and easier.. It’s also nice being at home with a spouse doing it so you really don’t mind spending a bit more time in the mirror examining it. I can’t count how many times I gave it a “quick once over” at a professional place, then got home and found big chunks of hair that they missed..
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I used to go to the fancy salon in my neighborhood, which charged $60 for a women's haircut and style. Now I go to the Paul Mitchell school and get one of the "advanced" students, cut and style is $10, and I give a $5 tip.
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This poll really needs to be separated into men and women. While it is not a universal truth, men's haircuts tend to be pretty basic, and they do not color or perm their hair routinely. Women have been marketed at incessantly, so as a group they are likely to add more complexity to the purchase. Plus the hair industry has decided to charge women more, regardless of the cut.
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My number reflects a cishet relationship! One male, one female.
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My number is for me, but I cut my partner's hair so his is free. We bought a set of clippers and I do it every couple months.
At fifty bucks a cut, I'm paying a bit more than the cheapest possible, but I'm very happy with the results and since I can go 4 months or so between cuts it's not a big deal. I've had a lot of shitty haircuts in my life so I'm willing to pay more for someone talented who understands my hair and earns a decent wage for her work.
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Been rockin a buzzed 1-2mm dome for nearly a decade. Estimated savings with compounding is ~$3,000
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I have shoulder blade length hair that I cut myself. It's wavy so it hides a multitude of flaws. I will also play around with dying it myself (no bleach, though). I think the last time I had my hair cut professionally was fall of 2018. I grew it out from a pixie back in 2016 (which was maybe the third iteration of the pixie). Crazy how much less expensive longer hair is!
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TheHusbandHalf and I go to 'barbers' about every 6 wks or so. He gives them $45, but that include a tip
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I have been cutting my husband's hair ever since we met, using a pair of high-quality scissors. During grad school, he did mine a few times but was so careless I fired him. I was getting a few professional cuts per year but quarantine cured me of that! My mom cut it all to an even length and I did my own layers. It was easy and looks great. I have wavy hair so it's quite forgiving.
Color: I got way more gray hair postpartum so I decided to try getting it colored professionally. I loved how it looked but I live in a high COL area and it would have really added up. The stylist mentioned eSalon as a way to touch up between appointments. I get a $25 kit of demi-permanent dye (gentler, no hard line, blends well, covers lots of the gray but leaves it looking natural) that lasts for three uses, and I use it every 6 weeks. I haven't seen the need to get any more professional coloring, since my hair naturally has a few different tones of color. So, that's less than $100 per year!
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Being completely honest I cant remember the last time I went for a haircut. Surely not since retired (last 5 years) perhaps once in last ten. My hair is simple to cut as are the boys and my DW colors and trims her own as well.
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Whatever SuperCuts is charging these days, I think it's $17.99. Plus $3 for a tip. Haircut maybe every 2-3 months.
Also $9-11 for a box of hair dye, depending whether I buy it at Walmart or Target. Hair gets dyed every month, or the grey roots start to get real obvious.
I've never understand women and the hair salon thing. I had a friend who used to spend over $200 a month at the hair salon. Back then, $200 a month was a car payment. I was just aghast at throwing that kind of money away.
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I've never understand women and the hair salon thing. I had a friend who used to spend over $200 a month at the hair salon. Back then, $200 a month was a car payment. I was just aghast at throwing that kind of money away.
My sister does that whole thing. Short cut, hair a much lighter colour than natural and streaked, so bleach, heavy duty hair conditioner, the works. When I went to her favourite stylist for a cut she was all about me getting the conditioner and all that, and the stylist said I didn't need it - my hair is not damaged by all the treatments! My sister's hair is so damaged and brittle. Looks good though. She was in the kind of job where she needs the super professional look, and that included hair. She is still doing it in retirement, but she has FAT FIRE.
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$18 including tip about every five weeks. Pre-lockdown of course.
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I have short hair and was getting a $25 haircut about every 8 weeks. When it was long (halfway to my waist) I did it myself. I've always done my own bangs because they need trimming every few weeks.
With Covid I am at that shaggy messy stage, my last haircut was March 17. I hate having hair on my neck in the summer heat and humidity. How long can clippers cut? I don't want "guy short" hair.
One reason I keep my hair long is that it is so easy to just stick in a pony tail, braid or bun when it gets hot out. No having to bother cutting every few weeks to get it off my neck. I always wonder why more people don't just do that? I had short hair a few times and it was a major PITA to deal with.
Agreed. I’ve often heard women who cut their hair short say they did it because it would be so much easier to deal with. I always found the exact opposite — my short hair had to be washed and styled every day.
Now with the pandemic, my friends with shorter hair are super-frustrated about needing a haircut. I’m just letting mine get longer with curiosity at how long it will get before I’m finally able to go back to my stylist.
My long hair took a lot longer time in the shower not to mention the time to dry it during winter. I was really surprised that I was put of the shower with a washed hair in 2 minutes the first time after I cut everything short. I had to wash it every other day in the beginning instead of every third like with my long hair.
What is annoying with short hair is that it grows pretty fast and it starts to annoy me in less than 4 weeks. But I have learned to cut it really short myself so the cost has totally disappeared. When I had long curly hair I would probably not have been able to do it myself so depending on your preferensers either option can be the best.
I am wondering about the tip: why don’t they just add it to the price if everybody has to give it?
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Here comes the mop top price-gouging:
https://moneyweek.com/economy/uk-economy/601629/inflation-and-an-economics-lesson-from-my-barber
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About $30 once a year (or two) for a haircut.
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A couple of weeks ago I cut my husband's hair for the first time. It had been 3-4 months. He has glorious, thick wavy hair. He likes the #4 on the clippers.
It took soooo long because his hair was soooo long. It was at least 6 inches long. It took a full hour to trim the back and clean up the top, and I do need to fix it, I missed a little spot.
An hour. Well, next time I'll cut it after a month, not 4.
Here comes the mop top price-gouging:
https://moneyweek.com/economy/uk-economy/601629/inflation-and-an-economics-lesson-from-my-barber
Supply and demand. It's not price gouging, if you don't like it, cut your own hair. I mentioned it took an hour what a professional could do in 20 minutes, and loads better to boot.
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My haircuts cost $50 - that includes tip. However, since I don't color it, wear makeup, perfumes, do my nails, get massages, or use all sorts of fancy products, that's the vast majority of my personal care budget. I'm ok with it.
And it does probably include the female tax. I like my hair cuttest person, and she's really good. I don't look like a mop!
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I used to spend £10 a year on haircuts (I have long hair and would get it cut back from my waist to my shoulders once a year). But the COVID situation has pushed me to try cutting it myself, and I'm very satisfied with the results and plan to continue cutting it myself even after COVID. All I need for the method I am using is something to tie my hair with, a reflective surface, and some scissors.
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I am going to spend $50 on my haircut today and it will be the best money I've spent in a month. I also have to pay an extra $3 for covid costs and I'm going to give a good tip. My hairdresser is awesome and worth every penny.
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I get a haircut about once a year when it gets to donation length, usually as a treat for myself on my birthday. It costs $75 at my fav salon with tip for just the cut, no extra styling or dye or anything. Female tax is pretty real. I don't mind the expense though, since I like the hairdresser and the salon is in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I usually make a whole day of it and enjoy the afternoon walking around with a new hairdo. My husband's haircut cost is $0, I've been cutting his hair for years.
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I get a haircut about once a year when it gets to donation length, usually as a treat for myself on my birthday. It costs $75 at my fav salon with tip for just the cut, no extra styling or dye or anything. Female tax is pretty real. I don't mind the expense though, since I like the hairdresser and the salon is in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I usually make a whole day of it and enjoy the afternoon walking around with a new hairdo. My husband's haircut cost is $0, I've been cutting his hair for years.
Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
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I get a haircut about once a year when it gets to donation length, usually as a treat for myself on my birthday. It costs $75 at my fav salon with tip for just the cut, no extra styling or dye or anything. Female tax is pretty real. I don't mind the expense though, since I like the hairdresser and the salon is in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I usually make a whole day of it and enjoy the afternoon walking around with a new hairdo. My husband's haircut cost is $0, I've been cutting his hair for years.
Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
Yeah, it’s a woman thing. It’s the pink tax.
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I get a haircut about once a year when it gets to donation length, usually as a treat for myself on my birthday. It costs $75 at my fav salon with tip for just the cut, no extra styling or dye or anything. Female tax is pretty real. I don't mind the expense though, since I like the hairdresser and the salon is in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I usually make a whole day of it and enjoy the afternoon walking around with a new hairdo. My husband's haircut cost is $0, I've been cutting his hair for years.
What does your hair look like? Women are expected to have hair that is styled, men can just cut their hair short.
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Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
What does your hair look like? Women are expected to have hair that is styled, men can just cut their hair short.
My hair is long and a little curly. I don't get it styled, just washed and cut. They typically do some layering so that the cut sits nice with my curly hair. I don't use any products other than shampoo in it or style it on my own, I just roll with my natural look. There's a price uptick for longer hair, another price uptick just for being female and I tip well, so that's why the total is $75. I also live in an urban HCOL area, so that has some impact on the price. The cost is kind of ridiculous but I make a day out of it being a rare treat for myself.
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$15 every 8 weeks or so, once it starts getting long enough to annoy me (especially on the sides). Might try another barber as I moved in May and the place I used to go to is a little drive away, but there's barbers walking distance from my new place.
Used to go to a place near work, but since they increased their price to $35, I'll go there if I want it done during the week rather than on the weekend, or if I have a special occasion.
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Zero. I asked for a pair of clippers for Christmas, and got them. Since Christmas, I just clip my hair every 3-4 weeks. s
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Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
What does your hair look like? Women are expected to have hair that is styled, men can just cut their hair short.
My hair is long and a little curly. I don't get it styled, just washed and cut. They typically do some layering so that the cut sits nice with my curly hair. I don't use any products other than shampoo in it or style it on my own, I just roll with my natural look. There's a price uptick for longer hair, another price uptick just for being female and I tip well, so that's why the total is $75. I also live in an urban HCOL area, so that has some impact on the price. The cost is kind of ridiculous but I make a day out of it being a rare treat for myself.
That price uptick is something I never understood. Unless you are getting a very elaborate style then it seems long hair should be the same as short just for a straight cut and basic layering. I'm in the VERY long hair club and cut it myself every couple of years and donate it but have been told I'd have to pay much more if it was cut at a salon even if just a straight trim with no styling. Why??
This is kind of along the lines of my curiosity. Why are these things more expensive? How do people get away with it? I mean, I definitely understand and acknowledge that women pay more for all kinds of things for whatever reason it is. What I don't see is why it happens and/or how it continues to happen. I guess it's just accepted? I mean, I would have thought that someone somewhere would start a salon where they didn't charge as much for women's hair cuts - more just in line with how much time they actually take, and they would get swamped with people to the point that they would be fine and not have to worry about not getting as much money per person. I dunno, I'm sure my view point is hopelessly naïve.
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I revolted after being charged $10 to get a beard tripped about ten years ago and went across the shopping mall to a Wal Mart and bought a set of clippers for $19.99 and have done it ever since.
Then in Oct 2015, got ticked at yet another price increase and decided I would just cut my own. First attempt was a learning lesson, getting my hands to move correct in the mirror, but every time since then has been easy. I get lots of compliments. This is part of what pushed me to discover FIRE in Jan 2016. And I've never looked back.
I use to cut it monthly before my council meetings, but with Covid, I just stopped all together.
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My husband has crazy hair and the ONE time he got a good haircut at a salon, he went back and it was so bad that he was in tears. Now I cut his hair and my own. Required $50 or so in good scissors/razor to start, but I've been cutting his hair (and my own) for years now. I am lucky that I have easy straight hair to manage and I normally keep it back in a ponytail anyway.
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85 every 3 months for cut and color.
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Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
What does your hair look like? Women are expected to have hair that is styled, men can just cut their hair short.
My hair is long and a little curly. I don't get it styled, just washed and cut. They typically do some layering so that the cut sits nice with my curly hair. I don't use any products other than shampoo in it or style it on my own, I just roll with my natural look. There's a price uptick for longer hair, another price uptick just for being female and I tip well, so that's why the total is $75. I also live in an urban HCOL area, so that has some impact on the price. The cost is kind of ridiculous but I make a day out of it being a rare treat for myself.
That price uptick is something I never understood. Unless you are getting a very elaborate style then it seems long hair should be the same as short just for a straight cut and basic layering. I'm in the VERY long hair club and cut it myself every couple of years and donate it but have been told I'd have to pay much more if it was cut at a salon even if just a straight trim with no styling. Why??
Because they can? I assume a few things:
1. It requires more time/ product for more hair (if you get it washed first).
2. It requires more skill. I have a friend with this thick, glorious wavy brown hair. She's very picky about her style and it requires skill to cut it in such a way that it's not one big "poof".
3. More time? I mean it took me an hour to cut my hubby's hair from 6+ inches to normal. On a regular cut, 15 minutes I think. Takes longer to cut my hair because: no clippers.
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The haircut my partner gets from me is a lot more simple and basic compared to what I get at the salon. I can see why there would be a price difference, although I would prefer haircuts be based on complexity or length rather than gender.
What my hairdresser does requires education, practice and skill, and I'm paying her because she's able to do a much better job than I or my untrained partner could do.
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I probably spend $20/quarter for the neighborhood barber to do it.
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I get a haircut about once a year when it gets to donation length, usually as a treat for myself on my birthday. It costs $75 at my fav salon with tip for just the cut, no extra styling or dye or anything. Female tax is pretty real. I don't mind the expense though, since I like the hairdresser and the salon is in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I usually make a whole day of it and enjoy the afternoon walking around with a new hairdo. My husband's haircut cost is $0, I've been cutting his hair for years.
Not knocking you at all; you obviously are wise about doing it (I mean you only do it once a year, lol) and have evaluated the benefit for you, but why on earth would a hair cut with no extra styling or dye cost $75? I guess I'm just used to man priced hair cuts, but it just seems extreme.
Lol, try $130 with tax and tip for my hair, which when it was short, needed to be cut every 4 weeks.
That would be why I stopped wearing my hair short.
DH goes to the same salon, has the same texture hair, and the same length, and it costs him less than half. It drives me insane, and technically, I believe it's against the law.
A lot of high end salons here are starting to charge based on hair length, which I think is a smart compromise that allows them to legally justify their pink tax. This especially makes sense since it's time in the chair that matters, and drying and styling is the big time suck for women's hair if it's long.
However, there's an additional point to note. Here, a barber doesn't need any kind of license, whereas a stylist does fairly intensive education and must be licensed, so that produces a significant difference in cost as well.
An RMT I know used to be a hairstylist and said the two programs were similar in intensity and difficulty, and she charges about the same per hour as she did as a stylist.
That said, I just shaved all of my hair off because I truly despise having to get haircuts, so my cost is now $0
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I don't really know either. I think as @mm1970 said it "usually" requires more time and skill on average so it will cost more. That I can see. But when it's just a straight cut that takes a few minutes it's strange to me to charge so much more. Cutting my hair (long straight and with bangs) takes less time to do then the average of anyone's hair - male or female. Even if it took as long as someone with short hair what's the difference? Don't get it.
In any case I think places like Super Cuts don't charge more for a basic cut but I may be wrong.
Yeah, to me, a time-based/complexity based thing makes sense.
Lol, try $130 with tax and tip for my hair, which when it was short, needed to be cut every 4 weeks.
That would be why I stopped wearing my hair short.
DH goes to the same salon, has the same texture hair, and the same length, and it costs him less than half. It drives me insane, and technically, I believe it's against the law.
A lot of high end salons here are starting to charge based on hair length, which I think is a smart compromise that allows them to legally justify their pink tax. This especially makes sense since it's time in the chair that matters, and drying and styling is the big time suck for women's hair if it's long.
However, there's an additional point to note. Here, a barber doesn't need any kind of license, whereas a stylist does fairly intensive education and must be licensed, so that produces a significant difference in cost as well.
An RMT I know used to be a hairstylist and said the two programs were similar in intensity and difficulty, and she charges about the same per hour as she did as a stylist.
That said, I just shaved all of my hair off because I truly despise having to get haircuts, so my cost is now $0
Oh my word that's ridiculous. Also, good point on training, it's easy to forget training and licensing requirements.
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Side effect of covid is I haven't gone to a haircutters since. I always hated going anyway. It takes me a while but I can do it myself now (even got a compliment on it last time).
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In any case I think places like Super Cuts don't charge more for a basic cut but I may be wrong.
This is true. We go to such places (Fantastic Sams). It's $20-22, men or women. Well, now I'm just going to cut my husband's hair every few weeks. Little one is next though. Big kid is probably going to start stealing my pony tail holders.
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Costco not only finally had clippers again, they were on sale for $24.99!
Hopefully, our haircuts will look a bit cleaner now. I couldn't even get the replacement blades when I was looking a couple months ago, but they are almost the same prices as the kit.
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bought a walhs clipper set from costco $30.
bought a 2" clipper guard (#16) from ebay for $15. (it looks like it was made with 3D printer.)
hair cut at my local hair shop $15 so i break even on 3 self hair cuts.
it's EASY.
shave whole head with 2" clipper guard. you can still part your hair no problem.
use the tapered side guard (included in the set) on the sides and lower back of head.
(for back of head, use a hand held mirror in addition to your bathroom mirror.)