Who Spends More on a Haircut? Lina or Her Poodle?!
Do you SAVE or SPLURGE on haircuts?
What if I told ya I spent about $14.99 on my last haircut? Ha! Yep, which means after tip my price point is around $20 every couple months for my hair. I confessed on our last team retreat that I usually never have the same stylist, and get my hair done at affordable spots like Great Clips, Supercuts, and Fantastic Sams – and my team was shocked!
On a side note, this post was written up last year, but due to all of the engagement and great conversation going on in the comments, I thought it was worth a refresh and bump. Be sure to check out the previous comments for awesome advice on cutting your own hair or DIY dog grooming!
I actually get asked often who cuts my hair, and many seem surprised when I reveal my salon choice, even my friends and family.
My mom recently shared that she spends $60 for a cut/style, and we live in the same area, and have a similar hairstyle! Hah!
You can be stylish with a frugal haircut!
I guess I’ve always been a saver when it comes to salons, but I still love stylish hair! I remember in college I would go to a hair stylist’s home to save on cuts, and then after college, I would go to a local beauty school for even deeper discounts. Finding your local beauty school is a great resource to save on cuts and colors!
It’s funny, though, because I do splurge on myself sometimes in other ways like salon pedicures, gel nails, or lashes, etc. I definitely understand those who’d want to pay more for cuts and color services.
IMPORTANT NOTE –
Salons are starting to open again after quarantine, and they look much different. I just got my haircut for the first time last week and each stylist and client wore a mask. The photo below was taken before the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m super busy and rarely schedule an appointment for hair.
I actually like the fact that you can just walk-in to places like Great Clips, Supercuts, and Fantastic Sams –whenever I have some spare time between work and mom responsibilities. I take my kids with me, and we’ll all get cuts at once for convenience.
Hip Tip: Often, you can save an additional few dollars with paper coupons that come in the mail, so I’ll look for those, too, in my local neighborhood mailers.
Yes, my dog’s haircut costs much more than mine, and I’ll gladly spend it.
When you have a large standard poodle, the grooming that comes along with this type of fur can be spendy. His bill is $75 plus tip. 😱 We love our groomer, and it takes hours to clean and groom our active dog Chewy, so I understand why it’s pricey! I didn’t know this, however, when we first decided to welcome a pet, LOL.
Hip2Save team members share how much they spend!
I recently asked our team to spill how much they spend on hair salon services, and I received a wide range of answers. Most spend $40+ for hair cut/style, and up to $150 for cut/style/color. Here’s what some had to say:
“I pay $40 before tip for wash-cut-style. My girl could raise her prices to $100, and I’d still go to her. It’s rare to find someone who can handle my thick hair.” – Alana
“For just a haircut, mine is $50, which includes tip. My cut, highlight, and style is $150 including tip. It’s not cheap, but my stylist does a great job highlighting so that I only have to see her 2 or 3 times a year, as opposed to every 6-8 weeks like most!” – Emily
“I pay $35 plus tip for highlights, lowlights, and a cut… beauty schools are amazing! They’re supervised and do a great job! Seriously. Look up area beauty schools!” – Jamie
Let us know your price point for haircuts in the comments, and if you have any money-saving tips for haircuts, too
I totally get it!! My husband cuts our boys’ hair, and just shaves his(now that he’s losing it). I have longer hair and still growing it, I’ll go somewhere cheap once or twice a year to get a trim and long layers cleaned up. I spend $40 every 3 months for my 6 pound Yorkie mix….. that’s a lot of $$ per pound lol.
Oh haha yes it is. That’s funny 😆
Lina, your cut looks great! I usually only spend $20-$25, even at a higher-end salon in my area because I don’t get the shampoo and style. I love your poodle’s style, too. We have cats, no grooming needed, but believe me, they are gold-plated in other ways!!
Oh haha thanks so much for the nice compliment! ❤️
I cut my own hair, so it doesn’t cost me anything. My poodle, on the other hand, costs $50 every 8 weeks.
Oh ha! Thanks for sharing Michelle!
I cut my own hair. It is long and I just throw it all forward (in front of my face) and cut a straight line. When I whip it back it is in beautiful layers. It looks good up or down. As far as my pet. I bought dog shearers on amazon for 35 dollars 3 years ago I have bought new blades but I have never had to change them. So basically it costs me nothing to cut my hair or my pets. My husband on the other hand goes to Great Clips and spends anywhere from 6.99-12.99 for a hair cut depending on the coupon he is using. He does not look good with his head shaved.
Nice job! Thanks for sharing Leah!
Since I have 3b/c AND 4a type curls, I would never try to cut it myself. My shaping(basic trim) is about $40 every 6-8 weeks. With my stylist, she’s trimmed my hair both curly and blow dyed with no issue. Most times with a trim I get a deep condition or steam treatment which adds about $15. It’s so worth it!!! Yes, beauty schools rock, I’ve been going off and on since ‘95. Just think all professionals go to school and have to learn their trade(dentists, doctors, massage therapist, hairdressers, etc.)
I cut and color my own hair..pinterest and you tube have saved me bundles. Hubs buzzes hair through spring, summer and fall due to the hot climates of his job. Then he grows it out in winter. He has been to a hair dresser in probably 15 years, and i haven’t been in over a year. Won’t ever go back!
I have been grooming dogs for 29 yrs and love it. Yes it can get expensive but they actually get 2 haircuts , one befor the bath and one after the blow dry, and a pedicure. In order for me to save on my hair cuts, my hair dresser and I trade services. Every 5 weeks I groom her dog and she grooms me. 😀. Problem solved!
Oh that is a genius idea! ❤️ love it.
We have an Aveda Institute in town where I get a wash, cut, and blow out for $15. The services are provided by students, but are supervised by instructors. While the service might take a bit longer, I’ve always been very pleased with the results. In order for a student to complete the program, s/he must fulfill a required amount of service hours. The facility is happy to receive the clientele from the community. It’s a win-win situation for both!
I haven’t had my hair cut in 13 months 😬
I cut my own hair, my husband’s hair and my 5 children’s hair! We don’t have a pet so we’re cutting on as much expenses as possible. 😁 I watched YouTube videos and how-to tutorials & have mastered fade haircut for my boys (I have about 15 years of experience though).
I just have long, straight white girl hair, so I usually get my hair trimmed somewhere cheap once a year and then go to a nicer salon/stylist to get a few highlights and another trim 1-2 times a year. Last time I went I had a coupon for a free Supercuts haircut, so I only paid for the tip. However, I have an Old English Sheepdog/Bernese Mountain Dog mix so I pay almost $100 with tip to get him groomed every 6 to 10 weeks!
Wow he sounds beautiful! ❤️
My hair grows super fast, so whenever I get a cut I normally donate it. And then just get it trimmed an shaped at the salon afterwards. It’s super easy to donate for anyone with long hair that’s interested 😄. About every year and a half or so I cut my hair to send off 😀
What a great way to donate! Thanks for sharing ❤️
We cut and color all of our own hair! Boys get the clippers, my girls want hair with no layers and straight across, and I cut long layers into my hair. Pretty easy and I get to make sure that I keep all of my length. I’ve been to high end places and super cheap places and they ALL see long hair and want to cut it off. I’ve been butchered so many times. No thanks!
So interesting – good for you 👍 Thanks for sharing!
I don’t go to one of the less expensive hair salons. That said, my dog’s hair cuts still cost more than mine. But, I don’t squirm so much during the process! My dog groomer earns her pay! (Not that my hairdresser doesn’t. I appreciate her and her skills very much.)
I am very frugal! I have not paid for a haircut in years. I went nearly a full year after a horrible haircut that I paid way too much for at the salon before I has it cut. And the person who cut it for me was my new boyfriend, now husband on our third date. I mentioned my dread of salons, but that I needed a haircut badly and didn’t have the money in my budget to get one. He told me he could cut my hair for me if I wanted him to. I asked for details, he showed my he had the tools and explained the process, so I said please do and the next morning I was at his house and announced I was there for my hair appointment when he opened the door. He didn’t have a cape, but used a sheet, he combed out, sectioned, pinned up and then let my hair down in increments to trim each layer. I told him it was bad, take off a good four inches. He said it doesn’t need that much off. He was meticulous and he took off about an inch and a half. I dashed to the bathroom mirror, inspected his work, he gave me a hand mirror to inspect the back. Great job and it was free. I informed him he was now my regular stylist. He has been doing it for me ever since. He took over giving my boys their monthly haircuts about a year later. Saves me hundreds a year. I have even had him give mt matron of honor a trim to shape up her hair and color it to fix the mess the salon made of her hair. I wanted her to look good for pictures. She got compliments at work and was asked if her stylist takes appointments. So I get great results with free haircuts from my hubby.
Wow! That’s amazing- thanks for sharing Carolyn. That was a great story to read! <3
I have been going to Great Clips for about a year and always go to the same stylist. I went with my husband once and then started going to the stylist who cut his hair. When that stylist told me she was leaving, I asked her to recommend someone. They keep extensive notes on what they do so I always get the same cut. I get my hair cut every 6 weeks like clockwork (their app tells you when it’s time to go). I get a great cut for $20 which includes the tip. Will never pay $40 for a haircut again! I do my own color using Wella ColorCharm. It’s a demi-permanent color. I used to pay $150 plus tip for highlights, cut and style but not anymore!
Oh nice! And you’re right they do keep notes. Thanks for sharing Nancy!
I go about every 4- 6 months on a haircut with getting just my bangs trimmed in between to save money and spend $25.00 now my standard poodle goes about every 10 weeks for $80.00 but sometimes i get a coupon for $5.00 off her cut (which isnt much) but every little bit helps
I cut my own hair I have been doing it for along time I would watch how they did it ! I also save on the dog a cuple ways I bought the clippers set watch YouTube read the instructions! When when I first started cutting the dog we had a pomeranian he went camping and hiking with us it was easy to keep him clean than my parents got a cocker spaniel I had to learn as I went I took longer I didn’t want to burn them plus take a break!
We could just not cut our hair except every few years and donate it to locks of love or other cancer wig places. That’s what I do. 2 years ago I got 18 inches cut off. 3 years before that and so on. Plus my hair cut is free since I donate my hair. I just tip $10 for a 15 min hair cut. It’s a win win. Please consider doing this. Imagine how many smiling faces will proudly wear a wig made from your beautiful hair.
I love this!! When my daughters were small I used to grow their hair just to donate their hair to a good cause.
I would never spend more on my dogs hair than on my own. I have Wahl clippers for my dog and $25 New blade once a year goes a long way. For me I get ombré, balayage of highlights and it’s long. So $150 is probably bare minimum.
I cut my three kids’ hair every month and my husband’s hair. I bought some clippers from Kohl’s 3.5 years ago for $25. I use the clippers on my husband and oldest. I just scissors to cut my younger kids hair for $14 from Target. They work great! I go every 3-6 months for a trim ($15+ tip) then also get my eyebrows done. My parents get me a gift certificate to my stylist every year for Christmas, so I usually pay maybe $40 a year for my cuts(cuts +eyebrows+ tip) after I’ve used the gift certificate. We have a Yorkie Poo and she goes every 3-6 months and it’s $35+tip. So she does cost more than all of us combined.
I have been a stylist for 20 years and also an educator at a Paul Mitchell The School for 15 years. So, here my thoughts/advise…
1. If you plan on going to a supercuts, fantastic sams etc book the same stylist. Even if your haircut isn’t perfect the first time it will usually get better as you give them feed back.
2. If you go the a hair school, like Paul Mitchell, they have a honors program called Phase 2. These students have finished more then half their program and have been put through extra testing to ensure they are on point.
My cut costs $20 plus tip. I have long wavy hair so a few layers and trimming and I am good. I have two doodles and they are $110 a piece for grooming. I’m thinking I don’t spend enough on myself:)
Haha yes! Thanks for sharing 💕
I pay about $100 not including tip I’ve known the stylist for a few years and she cuts, colors, highlights my hair. I go about 3/4 times a year But I wouldn’t go to anyone else, I’ll wait till she’s available and never rush her for my stuff. And I always tip a good amount.
I also go to Great Clips–but I see the same stylist. I usually only go when I get one of those coupons in the mail. Also, at Christmas Great Clips sells gift cards that you can load up with $9 (or so–prices change as cuts go up) haircuts–as much as you’d like to load! Every 3 years I whack off my mid-back long hair and donate it–that’s a serious cut, but the rest of the time, I just get my neck shaved and then only one trim across the bottom as needed. I think it helps to get a haircut their if you have just a straight across cut like I do (most of the time). If you have lots of layers, maybe not?
Lina you are always SO gorgeous—I’m so shocked that your cute cut is not at an upscale salon somewhere!! Love this post!
Ah that’s so sweet of you Juliee 💕
Youtube. That’s where I learned to cut my dog’s hair AND nails. I also bathe him monthly myself. Saves so much $$.
We’ve been going to Great Clips for about 8 years. I’ve had my best haircut ever there, but also my WORST ever. In fact it was so bad the next stylist asked if I’d done it myself! 😟 The vast majority are very good. I would probably not take a chance for a special occasion, but for our every 4 weeks cuts it’s fine.
Thanks Laura for sharing!
We are definitely low cost, my husband continued to cut my hair and give my two teen boys their haircuts on the regular schedule, despite the shops being closed. Hubby has the right tools and supplies to do them. Our dog is a breed that does not need a groomer, but just to be brushed out regularly as he sheds a lot and baths, which we have been doing at home. We are not spending any money for a groomer. Salons are still closed in my area and when I had a couple friends of mine visit to grill on the deck and drink some wine, the conversation about things opening up included the hair shops. My best friend asked hubby to give her a trim, nothing unusual, he regularly trims her long hair. My other friend watched him trim her hair and asked if he had cut short hair as it is harder than trimming long hair. Her bangs hanging in her eyes, over her ears and the mullet thing on her neck was bugging her as it had been months since her last haircut. I mentioned that hubby gives my boys their haircuts and she said they both look really good, and asked if he could give her a haircut? He said ok, then got the barber tools bag. He caped her with the white pinstriped cape and put a neckstrip on her. She told him to cut her hair short on the back and sides, leave it a couple inches longer on top. He asked if she was ok with him using the clippers and she said sure. So he went to town with the clippers using different attachments on the back and sides, then took off the attachment to do clippers over the comb cutting on the top and to blend the sides. There was a lot of hair rolling down the cape onto the deck, he finished up with the peanut clippers on her neckline. My son vacuumed up the pile of hair. Hubby took off the cape and she felt her head. She was glad to have all that hair gone. She inspected her hair in the bathroom mirror and liked the results. She posted pictures on Facebook and got compliments, her stylist liked her haircut, but commented that she was jealous that she cheated on her. She assured her that she would be back soon. My friends like saving money getting free haircuts, so they don’t think we are odd doing haircuts at home. I have seen friends post their home haircuts pictures, and thankfully their boys were not going to be going to school with them or they would get made fun of. I was never a fan of the salon having a stranger touching my hair and now a lot of people are hesitant to have such personal services done.
I also use the beauty school nearby. Paul Mitchell. They are very good. One of the instructors is a great gentleman who cuts and styles my hair almost entirely, just to teach the future stylist. After Aretha Franklin passed, I saw my good friend on the local news: he was her personal stylist! My mouth just dropped! I love him!