We have three boys. They all need haircuts about every 5-6 weeks or so, but do I want to pay $30-$40 to have their hair cut every time in a salon? No. Actually, I can probably count on my hand the number of times we’ve taken one of our boys to get a haircut outside of our home. Instead, whenever we feel their hair is getting a little too long and bushy, my husband kindly sets up shop in our garage and cuts each of the boys’ hair one by one.
This used to be a drudgery because when our firstborn was little and needed a haircut, he would cry a large part of the time which made the whole process difficult. But Nathan (now 10yrs. old) got over that a long time ago, and we are thrilled that our now youngest, David, has never had a problem getting a haircut. He loves it, and there’s usually a lot of giggling involved.
Here’s a short list of ways we have saved money on haircuts in the past:
:: Cutting the boys’ hair at home, of course
:: Going to a local cosmetology school and having it cut there. They charge a fraction of the price of a salon, and I’ve noticed that the students seem to take extra care to do a good job. My daughter and I have actually had our hair cut a few times at a local training school with wonderful results. Thanks, Raquel!
:: Waiting a little longer between cuts. This one doesn’t apply a lot to the boys since they get their hair cut at home, but my husband always gets his hair cut at a barber shop, and we save money on his haircuts by waiting a little longer in between cuts.
Haircuts at home works for us!
How do your save money on haircuts for your family?
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mountain mama says
great idea, we need to do this. π
Sandra says
It’s a great idea – especially when you live in the mountains. π I’m curious how you cut Logan’s hair?
Jennifer Ott says
Great tips! I cut our kids’ hair (well, only 3 out of 4 have hair!), but the girls have curly hair (one is fine, the other is thick), so that makes it easy! My hubby insists on the barber, but I clip coupons and he goes where its cheapest! My hair…well, I have a friend who works at an Aveda salon, so I get it cut twice a year. She is worth it; I finally love my hair, but it’s pricey!
Sandra says
Thanks for visiting Jennifer! We occasionally use coupons to get my husbands haircut, too. And I’m okay with paying a little extra money for a haircut for myself, too. I’ve actually finally found a girl from my church who recently graduated from cosmetology school and does a fantastic job on my hair.
Cheap Sally says
Have you tried the Flowbee? It’s a haircutting system that hooks up to the vacuum so that anything you cut will be sucked right in! My father loves his and hasn’t gone to a hair place in years.
Sandra says
I’ve never tried the Flowbee before, but I’ve seen the infomercials. π Very interesting. Maybe one day if I ever find it on sale, I can try it out. For right now, we simply use a hair clipper/buzzer.
Thanks for visiting!
Jill says
Great idea, saves the cost of the cut and the tip =)
I love your husband’s shirt lol
Sandra says
Thanks, Jill!
Cheryl says
DIY at home saves money. Since I started cutting my children’s hair at home, I have gotten better results than haircuts I paid for. My boyfriend cuts mine as well, and between my children and I we are saving hundreds of dollars a year without the dread of bad haircuts at the barbershop and salon. And the time and money traveling to and from, let alone the wait even with an appointment. A definite win-win for us all.
Sandra says
Hi Cheryl! Thanks for sharing how your family works DIY haircuts. π My husband still cuts all three of our boys’ hair at home, and I know we’ve saved tons of money because of it.
Cheryl says
For me the tipping point was each boy received two bad haircuts in a row. I was fuming when I saw how bad they were after they got a shower. I told my boyfriend I was not paying for another bad haircut for either of them. He cuts my hair, so I have already stopped the hassle of the salon, so cutting the trips to the barbershop were definitely OK with me. We researched clipper sets and I bought a good set of Wahl clippers, roughly a few dollars less than the cost of two haircuts with transportation. Then I got a child’s hair cape and the neck strips. Children squirm with hair clippings down their neck and won’t sit still. A tip from a friend who used to cut hair, before she changed jobs. I watched alot of Youtude videos. Saw techniques that were very good, and some that I believe the person should not be allowed near scissors or clippers. Really bad, sad that most were women π So we set the boys outside on a stool, and then used the clippers, trimmer for the neckline and sideburns as well as the scissors for the top. I was nervous but he got me through it. He kept reminding me to stick with the techniques and don’t go too high with the lower number guards. A common mistake with most DIY and lazy barbers. Net result: Great haircuts and compliments from family and friends. Your husband has been doing the boys, soi he has a clue. Whether you choose to use the valuable resource at your finfertips to do your hair is your choice. But I would suggest you be proative and ask your husband to teach you his techniques so you can practice on your boys before you attempt his. It will save you hundreds more a year. For me, I cringe at the thought of anyone else near my hair with shears except my boyfriend. That level of trust between us makes it easier. I love having him comb my hair and I know he will never get scissor happy and chop it. I certainly cannot make that statement about the salon stylists. I have come home in tears far too many times to let them at my hair again. Love your blog.
Sandra says
Hi Cheryl, thanks for the tips. Your set up sounds a lot like ours. Only my husband cuts the boys’ hair in the basement and then uses the shop vac to vacuum the floor. He just recently replaced our old clippers, and he bought a new cape from Sally’s Beauty store.
I love that we save so much money this way. As for me, I probably only have my hair cut once every 1 to 1 1/2 years, but someday, I may just have to ask my husband to cut if for me too. π