He Says/She Says: Haircuts


71 Comments
He Says/She Says haircuts

“I think someone is using our bank account! There’s this random $100 charge.”
“Johnny, remember? I got my hair cut.”
“I know you got your hair cut, but what does that have to do with this $100 cha… NO! SERIOUSLY?!”

And so only a few weeks into our budding marriage, I was introduced to the extremely sensitive topic of women and haircuts.

Prior to marriage, I thought I had a decent idea of some of the new expenses I’d incur with a ladyfriend. After all, I had two sisters, dated a handful of girls, and watched my fair share of chick flicks (and hated all of them… OK, a few were tolerable). But nothing, nothing, could have prepared me for the cost, frequency, and general animosity I’d feel toward haircuts in marriage.

It might help to explain my history with hair. I, like most mammals, have hair. For as long as I’ve controlled my own hair, I do two or three haircuts a year. I bought a clipper set years ago for like $30 bucks. I have Joanna clip with a 5 and 6 on top, 2 and 3 on the sides, and then let it grow out until it becomes too long to maintain. That’s how I roll.

That doesn’t mean I’m not particular about my hair. I know the different looks I like. I’m also extremely on edge when Joanna clips my hair because she has this really weird tendency to burst into laughter about half way into my haircut for absolutely no reason. To all wives/future hair stylists/barbers: never ever, ever, EVER start laughing when you’re giving a haircut. Your vulnerable subject sitting in the chair can only assume that you messed things up so bad that laughter is the only answer.

But I digress. My haircuts probably cost, oh, $1 a pop. And as the lifespan of my clippers grows, that cost continues to shrink. Joanna on the other hand? We’re talking anywhere from $75 to $200. Don’t get me started on the $200 one. Seriously. Don’t. To make matters worse, half the time Joanna gets her hair done, she comes home and complains about how awful it looks and how it makes her face look this way or that. Then I have to find it deep within me to console her instead of tending to my aching wallet in my pocket.

I understand that girls have different hair needs than guys. Cut, highlights, blah blah. But $100 to use some scissors to chop off some filamentous biomaterial? It’s not totally Joanna’s fault, either. She’s “shopped” stylist deals, but “cheap” is still anything but cheap. And she’s limited to number of trips to the salon to two or three times a year. But when I offer suggestions, like getting it chopped and highlighted at one of those hair salons at the front of grocery stores, she stares angrily into my soul. On a few occasions, I’ve talked her into doing hair coloring from “box color” at home instead of forking over big bucks at a salon, so she has made concessions. In fact, I mostly blame the industry. Don’t get me wrong. Those hair stylists deserve to get paid. But this is madness.

What say ye wise OFB readers? Do I need to develop more follicle compassion? Or am I justified in questioning Joanna’s expensive hair needs?

————————————-

(Original photo by booleansplit)

Previous Post Next Post

You Might Also Like

71 Comments

  • Reply Michelle January 24, 2013 at 8:15 am

    For us it’s the opposite. Since I like my hair long, I just get like a trim every couple of months from a friend, and she only charges me $10 when I go to her salon. However W LOVES going to this upscale salon and they charge $30 for his trim that he gets every 2 weeks. It seriously kills me inside whenever he goes. $60 A MONTH for a BOY?!

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:20 pm

      That is a lot for a guy! But I’m sure he always looks dapper, and it keeps him feeling good about how he looks. When you work outside of the home, I think nice clothes and hair are a necessary expense because feeling good about yourself can affect your work performance. Too bad I work from home and can’t use that as my excuse!

  • Reply Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank January 24, 2013 at 8:15 am

    I personally think you are justified in being upset at the amount of money being spent on hair cuts, but I am a guy and probably don’t really understand what a woman gets out of spending so much money on hair.

    My wife is really good (comparatively to many) when it comes to hair cuts. She only goes every 3-4 months and it normally costs between $70-$100.

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:23 pm

      Those are very reasonable costs (IMO). I JUST had a friend recommend a stylist who will cut and highlight my hair for $50 from her home. I haven’t gone to the stylist yet, but fingers crossed that she is a keeper!

  • Reply Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies January 24, 2013 at 8:23 am

    I say justified. I’m a girl, and I think it’s weird that women regularly spend that much on their hair. I get my hair cut ever 18-24 months and it costs about $50. Most recently I donated the hair to charity, but I could also sell it since it could sell for about $1K.

    • Reply MomofTwoPreciousGirls January 24, 2013 at 9:58 am

      So it sounds like you just keep it long…shorter styles need more maintenance. I generally stick to every 6mos, but mine gets SOOOO blah when it gets long. The last time I did highlights was bc my mom gave me a gift cert…2 years ago. The the bottom 3 inches are still colored! If I really feel the need to color it, I do the box stuff….getting close to it since even my girls are noticing the grays!

      • Reply Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies January 24, 2013 at 12:46 pm

        After a cut, it’s pretty short – most recently the cut was chin length, but then it grows out significantly and I chop it off again! Super low maintenance.

        I don’t have an issue with gray yet, but I’m the kind of person that thinks gray hair is beautiful! My mom looked ridiculous trying to cover it up for so many years, but I finally convinced her to just stop it and her hair looks so much prettier!

        • Reply MomofTwoPreciousGirls January 24, 2013 at 12:51 pm

          Lol…I’m not even 35 and I just have a weird patch on the top center of my hair! Not attractive at ALL! I used to have really curly hair and when I had my kids I lost so much I had bald spots (both times). When it all grew back my hair was straight as aboard with zero lift. When it gets to about six months it looks like I have a dark burlap sack on my head….awful!

  • Reply Laurie January 24, 2013 at 9:27 am

    I have to side with Joanna on this one. :-). As a former stylist, I know that there are good stylists out there, and bad ones. Once you find a good one, you’ve got to stick with them. We are in a situation where I’m forced to go without for now, but once we’re back on track, I’ll be right back to my $100 trips to the stylist. And this from a normally super-frugal girl! There are some things it’s just worth spending the money for. That being said, I’ll bet if she continues to look around, she can find a good stylist that works from home for cheaper, or a gem at a cheaper salon that doesn’t know or doesn’t care that she could be charging/making a whole lot more money. There would be some possibly risky trial and error to find one, though. 🙂

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:26 pm

      Nice to feel some support, Laurie! My friend JUST gave me the number of her stylist who does hair from home, so I’m hoping against hope that this stylist works out. Having nice hair boosts our confidence and self-image… can we really put a price tag on that?!

  • Reply MomofTwoPreciousGirls January 24, 2013 at 9:54 am

    Yeah…I tried one of those grocery store places for the simple task of cutting my daughters’ hair. Since it was a simple cut I thought it would be best. YEAH, I then had to take my youngest somewhere else because they neglected to cut one side of her hair! (My husband dealt with her cut while I was with the older child, which went ok…he was too busy on his phone to notice!). I found a place that does an ok job for $28 for me (but adds $10 to the price if you want THEM to style it). However, they can only do a very basic straight across kind of cut. Every time I have brought them a picture of a sale I want, they just cut it the same way. They trim the girls for just $15. BUT like you I hate spending money on it!

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:28 pm

      It will be good for Johnny to read these comments from other women! I don’t enjoy spending money on my hair, but it really is hard to find a good stylist. Here’s to us both finding a good place that doesn’t cost too much!!

  • Reply Brian January 24, 2013 at 10:17 am

    Yeah, I just let my wife get her hair cut every other month or so and she pays whatever insane amount it is. I just default to “happy wife, happy life” mode at that point. I probably get my hair cut once a quarter (#3 all over). My wife loves short hair/baldies. I’m pretty sure she is just biting her time until I lose enough of my hair I start just bic’ing it. Jokes on her… I’m going to pull the old ear to ear comb over ala former Purdue basketball coach Gene Keady!

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      I’m going to have Johnny read and re-read the first two sentences of your comment. Well said! 🙂

      And I laughed out loud at your comb-over threat! I’m sure Johnny knows who Gene Keady is, but I had to look up his picture, and all I can say is AWESOME.

      • Reply Newlyweds on a Budget January 24, 2013 at 2:24 pm

        my husband is definite believe in happy wife, happy life motto. my mom cuts his hair every few weeks though so its essentially free for him. balances out right?

  • Reply Catherine January 24, 2013 at 10:49 am

    I would never pay $100.00 for JUST a cut. Though I am neurotic about who does my hair so can appreciate if she goes to someone she is happy and comfortable with…I was (prior to getting pregnant) spending about 130 every 6 weeks for cut and color, and about 50 for just a cut. I keep my hair short so cut it every 6ish weeks. I couldn’t justify the money anymore once I got pregnant and went on mat leave so stopped coloring my hair and while on mat leave found someone who will cut my hair for 20.00. She’s amazing, she actually teaches at the local ‘beauty collage- so knows her stuff. I will, once I start back at work pay for a few 50.00 cuts/year though because I genuinely enjoy my normal hairdresser. She’s a good friend of mine now and want to support her. My sister-in-law cuts hubby’s hair in our bathroom every 4 weeks. …I did a similar post about this a few months ago…http://plungedindebt.com/paying-more-for-loyalty/

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:48 pm

      Let me clarify… I have never paid more than $40 for just a cut. If it’s $100, it includes highlights. I think it’s all the same to Johnny, haha… just money leaving his wallet!

      That’s awesome your hairdresser is also a good friend. I think it would make it a lot easier to dish out the money to someone I genuinely cared for!

  • Reply Mary January 24, 2013 at 11:01 am

    I say.. JUSTIFIED 🙂

    I get my hair done twice a year and fork over $140 each time. Thats a total of $280 a year! I go for a cut and highlights. I hate the way she blows out my hair but it comes with the cut, so why not?

    The man has never complained. He knows I’m particular about my hair and since I’ve started getting it highlighted, I feel that I can only trust my hair girl to keep it looking the way I like it. A friend of mine paid $80 for a cut, highlights and blow and dyed it black the next month. She hated the job. She’s like one of those Extreme Cheepskates you see on TV but she’s coming with me this month to get her hair colored at the shop I’ve been going to.

    • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 2:06 pm

      Thanks, Mary! I was hoping some girls would take my side on this one 🙂 Totally worth it to pay a few extra buck and be happy with how you look!

      And I don’t think I’ve ever had a stylist blow out my hair in a style I like! Haha. I always go home and restyle it pronto!

  • Reply Chris January 24, 2013 at 11:15 am

    Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I love this one. I’m on Johnny’s side! I get my haircut from my neighbor who operates a salon from her house. It’s a $10 cut, some great neighborhood gossip, and a $10 tip. AND she knows me so I never have to remember what to tell her to do. She’s just good at it. I don’t get how women can drop that kind of dough on something like a haircut!

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      Even with Joanna doing my haircut (almost) every time, we still NEVER remember what we did the time before. We usually end up scouring our Instagram and Facebook photos to try and find a photo from when I last cut my hair.

      When you get around to married stage, take the advice of some of the other guys on here: “Happy wife, happy life.” 😉

  • Reply John S @ Frugal Rules January 24, 2013 at 11:17 am

    This totally describes my wife and I when we first got married. At that point I think I had not paid for a haircut in at least 5 years and she was getting $200 cut/color do’s several times a year. Mind you, she was from L.A., so the cost was higher. Thankfully we worked it out to a much more manageable cost.

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 11:08 pm

      As much as it’s a “hornest’s nest” of a topic, Joanna was similarly agreeable in finding a way to make her haircuts fit our budget. It makes them a little easier to swallow. But only a little.

  • Reply Budget and the Beach January 24, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Well I just wrote about this actually. I get my hair cut every 8 wks because it’s short and in LA stylists anywhere but supercuts aren’t cheap. Hair to girls is a BIG DEAL. If we are’t happy with our hair we aren’t happy. So as long as it fits somewhere in the budget, I’d say let her have her hair habit. Keep the peace bro! 🙂

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 11:29 pm

      I quickly learned that we needed to figure out a way to squeeze her haircut into our Happy Wife Insurance category of our budget. Moderate peace has permeated the walls of our home since. But this remains one “big deal” I may never understand.

  • Reply Erin January 24, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    For a girl, I think I’m pretty reasonable. I go to an upscale salon, but I keep my natural hair color and I just get a trim. Total comes to $50 – $42 for the cut & $8 for the tip. I go every six months because I have curly hair and no one can tell if my ends are bad anyways :). At $100 a year, I’m cheaper than my husband!

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 11:42 pm

      This is just the comment I didn’t need to read. Now I know that a $50 women’s cut isn’t the elusive unicorn Joanna made it out to be. It’s out there, and you’ve found it. 🙂

      • Reply slinky January 29, 2013 at 3:47 pm

        Actually, you may have missed the target a little with this. Joanna stated in another comment that she doesn’t pay more than $40 for a cut either. But unlike this commenter, she also colors her hair with highlights. That costs extra, bringing her up to the $100 range.

        I pay anywhere from $50 – $100 depending on what i get done. Sometimes if i want to save the money i grow my hair out and only get a trim as needed depending on cut and what my ends look like. Another way to save is to add one (or two) extra weeks in between visits. highlights can sometimes last a little longer between visits and some cuts grow out better than others.

        • Reply Johnny January 29, 2013 at 9:50 pm

          Touche! Good catch. I forget that there’s more to a getting one’s hair “done” than just getting it clipped. And like you mentioned, Joanna’s actually started spacing out her cuts weeks, in some cases, months longer between visits. So she, like you, has done a good job looking for some savings.

  • Reply Grayson @ Debt Roundup January 24, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    I am in the same boat as you Johnny. I bought clippers about 5 years ago, so now it costs me nothing to cut my hair, but my time. I am lucky that my wife doesn’t pay a lot of money to cut her hair and that is about every 3 months. She spends about $50 every 3 months. I can live with that.

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 11:49 pm

      Clippers are the way to go. Joanna has actually been a lot better about the amount of times/year she goes. But it’s nowhere near $50. Maybe I’ll watch some hairstyling tutorials on YouTube and start doing Joanna’s hair. I’m sure that will go over well.

  • Reply MomofTwoPreciousGirls January 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    Obviously we girls can’t just clip our hair. Funny how you all complain about the cost but I bet you love the way your wives look and love having them on your arm when you are out!
    To add to this women that are in work outside the home jobs or any job that involves dealing with people are expected to be well maintained. “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have” which includes hair, makeup and nails.

    It’s like the makeup thing. Guys always say they prefer no makeup. I saw a survey where they showed women with NO makeup, very simple makeup and then heavy makeup. They all chose the ones that had simple makeup. Nobody liked the heavy and nobody really like without!

    • Reply Johnny January 24, 2013 at 11:51 pm

      “Funny how you all complain about the cost but I bet you love the way your wives look and love having them on your arm when you are out!”

      Hahaha! Truer words have never been spoken. You might have singlehandedly bailed Joanna out of this debate.

  • Reply DC @ Young Adult Money January 24, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    I honestly wasn’t that surprised when my wife got a haircut and it was in the $60-$80 range. It’s just something I’ve accepted. One thing that makes her delay her haircuts is that I really llike long hair. She personally hates when it gets long but I think she holds out an extra few months for me : ) I like when it’s cut, too, but I really just like long hair. I think 2-3 times a year is definitely reasonable.

    It’s just one of those things we have to stomach 😉

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:03 am

      Yep, I’m pretty sure I’m at the acceptance phase, but I had to crawl through all five stages of grief to get here. 🙂

  • Reply Rob January 24, 2013 at 1:19 pm

    Johnny, Johnny, Johnny – do you really think that you are going to get some sage words out of me on this one, eh? Excuse me while I choke and giggle myself silly here !!! 🙂
    One thing that this retired guy has learned over the years is not to touch the minefield topic called “women’s hair” with a 10 foot barge pole !!! lol

    Ok, but seriously though, ever since we got married (many moons ago) my wife has always cut my hair as well as the kids’ hair (when they were living with us) – at least until our daughter started attracting the young men to our house (and my baseball bat came out of the closet) when she then joined my wife in their hair stylist outings. And yes, over the years, to “take one for the team”, my wife did consent to do the “box colour” thing at home from time to time in order to save some $$$ and placate my cheque book.

    Now Johnny, I can’t speak to Joanna’s satisfaction after her “hairy outings” (lol), but in my wife’s case I usually consider it money well spent, with fringe “benefits” often looked forward to later that night (after the kids are in bed, of course), if you catch my drift (evil grin). It just is the perfect thing to freshen up her mood and make her day. But of course she has a great hair stylist who knows how to treat a sexy blonde just right !!! 🙂

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:12 am

      Hahaha. I’m learning! I promise. I don’t think I made a single comment about the cost of Joanna’s most recent haircut. And believe you me, my brain was exploding with snarky things to say.

      So like other aspects of our finances and marriage, progress has been made. In other words, I’m slowly learning how to navigate the minefield. 🙂

  • Reply Joanna January 24, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    Quality hair styling tools are totally worth it, in my opinion.

    And I wish Johnny would just go somewhere, too! When we lived in Boston I finally convinced him to go to a shop down the street from us, and he has never looked so dapper as he did after that haircut!

    It took lots of convincing from him at the beginning of our marriage to get me to agree to cut his hair… so he really can’t complain if I burst into nervous laughter at times when I make a teeny mistake 🙂

  • Reply Newlyweds on a Budget January 24, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    every time i get my hair done, it’s at least $80-100, and that’s only because I was able to score a Groupon deal about two years ago, and the guy (because he wanted to increase his clients and is older and is financially set) let me keep a super discounted rate. He normally charges about $150-175.
    I know that when I can afford it, I would really like to go to this awesome hairdresser but she charges about $200 plus. I have also thought about just dyingmy hair back to its original color to save money…but i really really really enjoy getting my hair done. i just feel so amazing afterward.

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:19 am

      That’s cool that there are Groupon hair deals. I’ll have to keep my eye out for those.

      I guilted Joanna into going back to her natural color a year or so ago. Saving some dough was definitely an ulterior motive, but I also like Joanna’s natural color. Anyway, it lasted about six months before the cut/color/whatever else itch came back and needed to be scratched. And scratch she did.

  • Reply Shannon-ReadyForZero January 24, 2013 at 5:56 pm

    I’ve also felt the pain at the costs required to maintain hair cuts as a woman. Unfortunately, I’m just not willing to go to Super Cuts or something like that, but it seems any decent hair stylist costs upwards of $75 or more – and that’s not even including the days I would dye my hair. (We won’t even talk about the prices I saw when I was living in NYC. Yikes!) Now I’m growing out my natural hair color (to save my hair and my budget) and have grown my hair long enough to just trim every few months. But take it from a frugal girl who also cares about her appearance – finding a good hairstylist who isn’t expensive is hard to do!

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:31 am

      I had guy friends in NYC who would pay around $75 and higher for their haircuts. It required everything in my power to not openly lecture them.

      But I’ll take you at your word on finding a good stylist for a good price. Joanna’s definitely got her advocates on this post.

  • Reply Jane Savers @ The Money Puzzle January 24, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    I would never trust my hair cut to an amateur but I have found a good hairdresser for just under twenty bucks and that includes the tip about 4 times each year. I save because I don’t get a wash or blow dry. She just spritzes my hair with a spray bottle and then goes all Edward Scissorhands on me.

    A penny saved is a penny earned and I look darn good saving money.

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:36 am

      Hahaha. The next time Joanna goes to get her haircut, I’m going to make sure she tells her stylist to “go all Edward Scissorhands” on her. That’s amazing.

  • Reply K.K. @ Living Debt Free Rocks! January 24, 2013 at 7:48 pm

    Uh…definitely siding with Joanna on this one. I am very finicky about who cuts and styles my hair. I am of mixed heritage so my tresses are a challenge to many. I’ve found a NY salon that will do a decent job for about $70. My absolute favourite stylist who makes my hair feel like feathers will charge me upwards of $100…but I come out of that chair looking like a celebrity! Women and their hair = serious business.

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:39 am

      Serious business, indeed. If anything, this post helps me realize that our problem isn’t unique. And that Joanna or I need to learn how to style hair because apparently, those folks make bank.

  • Reply KK @ Student Debt Survivor January 24, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    I used to spend a crazy amount of money on my hair ($200 every month or so, for highlights and fancy cuts). What I came to realize is, with my stick straight hair, no amount of highlights or fancy cuts will make it do anything other than lie straight. So now I get a cut every couple of months and have stopped the highlighting. It is what it is, I’m embracing it and saving cash.

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 12:49 am

      Way to embrace it! It’s refreshing to hear a “success” story from a commenter. Hopefully Joanna will be writing her own success story post before too long. 😉

  • Reply Emily @ evolvingPF January 25, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    My husband has the same attitude toward his hair as Johnny (and the same clipper length preferences). I go back and forth between cheap ($15-20) and “expensive” ($50 MAX) haircuts and I honestly can’t tell the difference. In fact, the last haircut I got was $50 and was literally uneven – I had to fix it myself. But I don’t dye my hair at all or do anything other than ask for it to be shorter, and I only cut it about twice a year. My husband actually objects more to the amount of money I spend on jeans ($40 1 to 2 times per year) than to the cost of haircuts.

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 9:34 pm

      Air five to the hubs on clipper lengths. I’d have to agree on not being able to tell the difference. In fact, some of the haircuts Joanna has complained about most have been the most expensive.

      And jeans are a whole ‘nother beast. Don’t get me started.

  • Reply Dacia January 25, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    I’m with Joanna on this one. I spend about $65 once or twice a year on just a haircut/blowout (any sort of color would add another $75-100 on top of that). I feel justified in this expense and the expense of getting my nails done once per month because I work outside the home and also agree with Joanna that it is important to look your best while doing that. Plus, my stylist uses a pair of scissors for which she paid something like $750 which sounds totally ridiculous until she cuts your hair with them and you realize it isn’t being pulled and you don’t leave with or get any new split ends in your hair for months afterward. #totallyworthit

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 9:35 pm

      You, and a few others, brought up a very valid point of looking/feeling your best for work outside the home. I totally get that, I just wish it didn’t involve three figures. 🙂

      $750!!!!!!! No words.

  • Reply Kendal January 25, 2013 at 5:58 pm

    To be honest, I’ve spent 10 minutes racking my brain for a compelling argument for Joanna’s case since I, too, spend upwards of $150 on hair cut/color appointments. Ultimately, the money we put into our hair is not a necessary expense but it’s a really, really important one. Unless you’re destitute, it’s one of those splurges that guys with buzz cuts just have to accept and girls with long hair can totally relate to. As the comments to this post point out, not all women spend an exorbitant amount on their hair, but those that do feel it’s an important investment in themselves. Bottom line: you’re just gonna have to let her have this one, Johnny. And Joanna, never return to a stylist that makes you shell out big bucks for sub-par style — you should be swooning when you leave!

    • Reply Johnny January 25, 2013 at 9:40 pm

      Point taken. And actually, I had a major proud frugal husband moment when Joanna was able to have the cost of her last haircut fully refunded because the coloring the stylist used was almost a dead match of the color she had when she walked in. So no more Mrs. Nice Girl for Joanna and sub-par cuts.

      • Reply Kendal January 26, 2013 at 9:21 am

        Love that! Kudos to her for pointing that out and getting her money back.

  • Reply debtperception January 26, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    I hate paying more than $10 for a trim. I’m a cancer survivor and have about as much hair on my entire head as many people have for bangs! I hate that I have to pay the same price for a cut when I clearly have a lot less hair and it takes a lot less time to cut it than someone with a full head of hair. Heck, I hate that men get a cheaper cut and even they have more hair than me! I could care less where I get my hair cut, as long as it’s cheap (free is better!)…if it gets messed up, it’ll grow back! I think it’s kind of ridiculous that women spend so much money on their hair (and some men too). I’m more of an au naturel type and it saves $$$.

    • Reply Joanna January 28, 2013 at 12:17 am

      Congrats on being a cancer survivor. Your comment helps keep things in perspective! I wish I had your attitude about cheap hair cuts, but I’ve been burned one too many times by trying to go cheap!

  • Reply Sarah January 27, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    I think I saw Joanna and another commenter mention something about how important looking put together is out in the workplace–can I just say it’s honestly important for us stay-at-home-moms, too?!! There are days when you’re not gonna get a shower and won’t ever get to change out of your pj’s…and days when you questions everything you thought you knew about being a parent! But at least having a haircut that makes you a look a little less like something from the black lagoon when your husband gets home from work sure does go a long way in the sanity department! And, a really good haircut can also be a huge timesaver–finding a stylist who can work with your hair can save you a lot of time daily when it comes to styling!

    • Reply Joanna January 28, 2013 at 12:19 am

      I’ve only been a mom for three weeks, but I’m already starting to understand where you’re coming from! I’m getting tired of not feeling or looking like my old self. If we’re gonna spend all of our waking moments devoted to our children, we should at least be able to look in the mirror and be happy with the person we see!

  • Reply Rachael January 29, 2013 at 6:53 am

    Guys I feel your pain with this one, I have been bottle dying my hair black for about a year and now want to go back to my natural blonde colour.

    Now the average price of a womens cut and blow dry in London is between £50-£80. So when I asked about the stages of getting my hair back to factory settings….well I wont tell you the price but there was more than one quote (as it had to be done over 2 appointments) but both were 3 figure quotes!!!!! I know my hair is long but come on!

    Trying my best to get as much of the colour out with home box kits so hopefully all I need to go in there for is highlights! But for women sometimes it’s worth paying, if for no other reason than to know your hair is in good hands and your odds of looking great at the end of it are higher! 🙂

    • Reply Joanna February 2, 2013 at 11:58 pm

      Wow! Black to blonde is a big change! I’m totally impressed that you’re starting the lightening process yourself. If I could find an awesome box brand, I’d be happy to do it that way every time! So far I haven’t found any in the US that are great… but some do a better job than some hairdressers I’ve been to!! 🙂

      • Reply Rachael February 6, 2013 at 8:15 am

        I agree with you on this one, I had a sample test done on a piece of my hair by a salon and I have been getting much better results doing it with box brands….yes it takes a little longer but saves so much!!

        The best brand I have been using is Decoulor Stripper (link below) I’m not sure if this is available for delivery in the US or maybe someone knows an inequivalent brand out there?

        http://decolourremover.com/shop/decolourstripper

        After using this a couple of times my hair is now varying shades of dark to light red 🙂 maybe next month I will be ready for those highlights!!

  • Reply Mindy C March 21, 2013 at 9:45 am

    I was led here by today’s post, and I’m definitely with Joanna on this one. Hey, a nice salon haircut is more than just that, it’s also precious ME time.

    A good hair cut allows the hair to grow out looking good for months. A stylist who knows my hair well enough to foresee how it grows and cut accordingly is worth his weight in gold! I have no qualms paying for a job done well, time saved from unnecessary visits and potential anguish from a lousy job.

    • Reply Johnny March 23, 2013 at 11:28 am

      Joanna’s inability to find a stylist that “gets here” probably stems from us constantly moving from state-to-state in the early years of our marriage. As soon as we are a little more settled down somewhere, hopefully she can find her stylist. And then hopefully said stylist can give her a deal for being such an awesome customer. 🙂

  • Reply taylor May 23, 2013 at 8:08 am

    it totally depends on your hair type and where you live. i have extremely thick hair that i am trying to grow out. i HAVE to go at least every eight weeks if for nothing else than to get it thinned out. otherwise my head is a poofball. i live in rural nc and pay $20 ($17 plus tip) for a trim and eyebrow wax. i have lived in a larger nc city and paid $40 for just a dry trim – in and out in 15 minutes. so just keep in mind that there are more factors than just expensive or. ot expensive 🙂

    • Reply Joanna May 24, 2013 at 10:07 pm

      Great point, Taylor! I also have *very* thick hair, and if I don’t get it thinned regularly, I can’t even wear it down!

      And it really is all about location. Getting my hair cut growing up in Alabama was so much cheaper than anywhere I’ve gone since moving away from home! And higher prices don’t necessarily mean better quality, unfortunately. Once you find a good hairdresser, you gotta hold on tight and never let go! 🙂

  • Reply Cheryl February 27, 2014 at 2:07 pm

    OMG, there is such a wide spread of views here on whether the cost is worth it for a good haircut or not. I moved a couple years ago due to a divorce. Went nearly nine months with a trip to the salon, and finally went to a place recommended by two friends. Paid $75 and he yanked my hair rough, jerked my head around, used a razor on it after I asked him not to twice and then burned my head with the blow dryer. This is after I waited 50 minutes past my appointment time. My budget was tight and I really could have used that money for gas for my car to get to work or groceries. I was not satisfied, but the two friends commented it looked great and wasn’t their stylist great? Um…no!
    About seven months later I met a new guy and we were dating for about two weeks when I mentioned that I needed to get my hair chopped. Very nonchalantly he said he could cut my hair for me. A combination of being low on cash and my last hair salon disaster, made me say, ok! That would be great. He set a stool in the middle of his kitchen for me and took out his tools. He had hair clips, a cape, a couple combs and an expensive pair of hair shears. The kind with the knurled nob on the top. He combed my hair without yanking it and I thought that was great. Then he put the cape around my neck. He sectioned my hair and pinned up the upper sections. So far so good. And then he confirmed exactly how much I wanted cut, wow he was listening to me! Well the rest of the haircut went well. When he was finished cleaning up the clippings and removed the cape, I dashed to the bathroom to check out my new do in the mirror. It looked really good. What a relief, I had not thought of what I was going to do if he gave me a bad haircut. Turns out he had an old girlfriend who was a hairdresser who hated getting her hair cut in the salon, so she taught him how to cut her hair. She had told him it was easy, anyone could do it if they learn the basic techniques and pay attention to what they are doing. So for the last two years, my haircuts have been FREE! I have saved hundreds of dollars. I don’t know if your wife is as open minded and brave as I was, but if you are willing to work with her, listen to how she wants her hair cut, there is the potential to save hundreds of dollars each year. Being she cuts yours, she has established that at home haircuts are a good idea. I don’t know if you feel insecure about doing her hair for her, some guys feel it is somehow not manly. I’m lucky, my guy is not insecure. Oh and by the way, I always get a great haircut, exactly as I asked him to cut it, and no cost to me 🙂

    • Reply Johnny February 28, 2014 at 1:16 am

      That’s awesome! I would love the cost savings… but I’d be terrified of being the one behind the scissors who gets the death stare if I do it wrong. 🙂 When I was in college, I used to cut my friends’ hair, but those were dudes and I was using a pair of clippers. I love the idea, but it might take Joanna some warming up to let me go to town on her do.

      • Reply Cheryl February 28, 2014 at 12:48 pm

        I would say it would definitely not be a good idea to pull out the clippers and ask Joanna to have a seat, lol. What I would do is do a search on YouTube for cutting instructions on hairstyles similar to hers. I see her hair is below her shoulders, so before you reach for the shears, may I suggest you also look at some of the braiding tutorials? After you have mastered a couple braids, I am sure she will get used to you doing her hair in a nonthreatening, no cutting required situation. I love having my hair combed and played with. My guy does french, dutch, fishtail and even french twists for me. I really enjoy the one-on-one time and the attention he gives me during that time. So less than 1% of the time ever involves the hair shears. And I get plenty of compliments on them. Joanna is a very pretty lady and she would look great in any of the braids I mentioned. Especially after a little practice on your part.
        Discuss it with her while you watch them and reassure her you want to make sure she is comfortable with it. And when you do, take baby steps. Start with a 1/4 inch trim on her ends to remove any splits. And be sure to walk through the steps to properly section, pin up and ensure you establish a good guide. If you trim so little that it is not even noticeable that it was cut, it will raise your comfort level and hers. Good luck Johnny, I know you can do it. Just the fact that you are willing to do it for her, shows you feel secure enough about your manhood to do this for your family 🙂
        I fully understand your hesitation and hers. But I think if you start out with the no cutting scenario, it will give you both a boast of confidence to take the next step.

        • Reply Johnny March 6, 2014 at 1:03 am

          Thanks for the awesome tips, Cheryl!

  • Reply Cheryl March 6, 2014 at 9:55 am

    Here is a great link to check out. ” how to french braid like a man”,

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=6BFLeaXORg0

    Sorry to say I cannot braid my own hair, but as you can imagine it is easier to do it when you are doing it from the back rather than behind your own head by sense of feel only. As she states in her video above, practice! And if you mess up, just start over. You won’t ruin her hair. The first few times I got mine braided, I was sitting on a chair in the dining room with an iPad on the table to watch the videos. And It took several attempts before he was satisfied the braid looked right. So don’t get frustrated if your first few braids are a little crooked.

  • Leave a Reply