This article is for many of the men out there and a much smaller number of women. Using my girlfriend as a one person survey, apparently the following advice won’t go over well with most members of the female gender. But here is it.
Cut your own hair.
I have a feeling there are a lot of guys out there who do the same thing I used to do: spend $20 a month getting a haircut at some place like Sport Clips or Great Clips or Some Other Kind of Clips.
Why spend $20 a month on a haircut when you can spend $20 one time and buy Hair Clippers
that will cut your hair as often as you want and probably last at least a year?
And if you’re going to do it, please use clippers. I don’t think this guy on the right is going to like his new haircut.
I Cut My Own Hair All the Time
When I was in college I used to cut my own hair all the time. A 3 on the sides and back, a 6 on top, and blend with the 4 and 5. I could do it by myself without anyone else’s help (although if you have a wife or girlfriend willing to help, it’s much easier). The hardest part is having someone do your neckline, but you can even do that yourself if you need to. Just put your hand where you want the line to be and use the clippers up to your hand.
It actually turns out really well. Guys hair is easy, and I never once had anyone give me trouble for a bad haircut. And trust me, my friends would have given me trouble if it looked bad.
It’s Not Just for College Students
When I graduated college, I thought I should grow up, be an adult, and pay to get my haircut like a normal person. So I did that for about 3 years and probably spent about $720 over that time on haircuts ($20 a month for 36 months). The worst part is that I probably didn’t really like the haircut about half of those times. I must be really crappy at telling hair cutters what I want, because I feel like my haircut is incredibly simple and it gets messed up all the time!
As long as it looks good when you cut your own hair, then the only reason to pay to get your haircut is if you have boatloads of money to waste and love when someone shampoos your hair and rubs your head. I will admit, sometimes I felt like the head rub was the real reason I was paying for haircuts.
So if you are a guy or girl with short hair, do yourself a favor and spend $20 on a set of Hair Clippers that will save you roughly $240 every single year.
And send me pictures of your do-it-yourself haircuts, especially if they turn out bad!
Carnival Links
Carnival of Retirement at Making Sense Of Cents
Carnival of MoneyPros at Broke Professionals
Fin. Carn. for Young Adults at 20s Finances
Carnival of Fin. Camaraderie at The University of Money
Yakezie Carnival at See Debt Run
Kevin McKee is an entrepreneur, IT guru, and personal finance leader. In addition to his writing, Kevin is the head of IT at Buildingstars, Co-Founder of Padmission, and organizer of Laravel STL. He is also the creator of www.contributetoopensource.com. When he’s not working, Kevin enjoys podcasting about movies and spending time with his wife and four children.
I used to cut my own hair, but then realized I only spend $16 every three months to do it now. So for the time I save I’ll pay someone else. However, my hair cuts typically cost me nothing since my parents love to give me gift cards to great clips as stocking stuffers. So I actually don’t remember the last time I paid for one.
But if I did get haircuts more often I probably would go back to doing it myself every now and then
It would only save me about $90/yr, since I go to a barber who charges $10 if I go at non-peak times (www.planobarber.com), and I get my hair cut about every 6 weeks (it grows slowly).
I would actually prefer to have my wife cut my hair, but she refuses. Up until I left home permanently several decades ago, my mother (a professional beautician) cut my hair.
I still regard a professional haircut as a minimal expense that is not worth avoiding.
I started cutting my husband’s hair a few months ago, although it’s only displacing about $60/year as he would only get it cut every 3 or 4 months. While it’s not saving a lot of money, this does mean that he’ll cut his hair more often as it’s so much easier to pop into our bathroom to do it than to go to a shop, which means he looks much more presentable year-round.
I’m actually going to give him a shot at cutting my hair next time I need to as my cut is pretty straightforward.
My biggest issue would be trimming my sideburns and especially around my neck as I get very straggly hairs there.
Your girlfriend was right on the money. I don’t have a super complicated hair cut, but there is no way I would get it cut at home.
I asked the wife if she wanted me to cut her hair and all I got was a angry look. I’ve been thinking about buying a set of clippers and doing it myself, but I only get my hair cut like 4 times a year. I still think I might buy the clippers though, as it will still save money and even if I suck at it at first I don’t really care. I wear a hat 95% of the time I am out in the public so it would be easily hidable.
I have long hair that I prefer to cut myself.
I usually just trim an inch or two whenever I start noticing too many spilt ends. I usually wear my hair up and it is curly so generally no one ever says/notices anything about it be uneven (if it is) or looking bad.
It doesn’t save me much money because I was only getting a trim once or twice a year, but I very rarely happen to be near those cheap cut places so it saves me the hassle of going to one.
I let my hair grow out and only cut it every 2 to 3 months. If I got it cut monthly cutting it myself would get more consideration but I also have cowlicks that stand up if it is cut wrong.
I would never do it myself, or have anyone else for that matter. A buddy of mine is a trained and experienced barber and he comes to me, plus my hair needs to be scissor cut on top. Believe me, I use to do my own hair in college (0 on the sides and back and never touching the top), but when I got out into the real world and was told I needed a professional looking style, I tried keeping t short with clippers, and it just didn’t take well. Plus, I’m tapered up the sides, and straight-bladed around the ears and neck which I trust only one person to do right now. Besides, he comes by once every six weeks or so and we bs about sports and women for an hour while he does its never a rush job and he doesn’t need to worry about volume, just quality.
I have *always* cut all of my guy friends’ hair, and many of my female friends’ hair, too– Although I never went to stylist school, it might have been a secret calling! Cutting boy hair is especially easy, or long curly hair (like Meagan was saying, a few comments up, curly hair is very forgiving if it’s long). Clippers are definitely necessary for most guy hair cuts, but they are really easy to use with very little practice.
I usually have a stylist friend (or several) that will cut my hair for some kind of trade– I’m not particularly attached to my hair, but it’s straight and obedient, so for as long as I can remember the trade is usually that they can do whatever they want with my hair and take pictures for their portfolio. This works out awesomely for me because they always do something amazing and crazy for their portfolios! (I work at an ultra-liberal university, so brightly colored hair and/or bizarre cuts aren’t a professional issue.)
My barber normally charges $15, but since I am mostly bald on top and my remaining hair grows most in the rear, he charges me $12. That plus a $2 tip comes to $168 a year. Ergo, the solution to the problem is to be born with the gene for baldness.
Secret Ninja Tip: Sports Clips will clean up your neck line for FREE!
Cutting one’s hair is a saving method I far imagined but it’s a very nice idea. I do it for my son and it’s amazing to know that there are guys who are very practical about their hair issues.
I don’t necessarily do anything special with my hair, however, it would not be easy for me to cut my own hair. If I just buzzed it, It may work.
I have a regular spot I goto near my office. I spend about 17 including a tip. If I spend time trying to cut my hair it will take me close to an hour. If I have someone do it at my regular place, they are done in about 5 minutes, I usually don’t have to wait either. You have to determine what is worth more, your time vs cost of the haircut. It is is a super busy week, it may be worth it to have someone cut your hair, if it is a slow week, save yourself some money.
Barber I leave $20 including my cut and tip and the cut is $12
Fancy salon I leave $45 because they charge $40 for a mens haircut.
The salon does a nicer job, but sorry I can’t tip that much if I’m paying $40 for a cut.
Cut my own hair at home? I’ve done it, and only works if doing the shaved head cut. Even so it’s not good for a neat office look I go for.
nice review over herehttp://www.yearoflinux.com
When I was young in my teens I actually cut my bangs once! It was worth it to extend my time of not getting my hair cut.
I am still anti-barber (I prefer to get my hair cut just with scissors).
I have been cutting my hair for over 10 years now. Besides the financial benefit, I always get exactly the haircut I want.
It started when I came home one day after getting a haircut and hated how it looked. I figured I could do a better job myself so I bought some clippers and started with buzz cuts. Once I had mastered that, I moved onto doing fades. I have it down to an art now and can cut it with a 8 or 6 on top and 2 or 3 on the sides, faded in. I then use the clippers without the blade for the neckline and sideburns. It turns out it isn’t that hard if you hold a mirror in one hand and have a mirror behind you.
I can complete the haircut in about 45 min, which is less time than it would take to drive to a barber, wait in line, get a haircut, and drive home.
This is a great idea, until you lose your income because you get fired for looking like a guy who cuts his own hair…