I went for a haircut yesterday, paid $10 plus a $2 tip, and to make a long story short, let’s just say that every day will be a bad hair day for the next month or so. It’s not really new for me, this has been happening for quite some time. In the last 4~5 years, I must have had only 5 or 6 good haircuts. I have changed barbers, changed barbershops, tried showing loyalty to certain barbers (in the hopes that building a good rapport might get me a good haircut), but nothing seems to work.
I am not sure what the reason is, but the most probable culprit (to me) seems like the electric haircutting machine that these guys use. It’s a one-size-fits-all gadget and some barbers seem to use it like a chainsaw…no thinking, just hacking. Somehow, I get a better haircut when barbers rely more on plain old scissors than the chainsaw…I mean haircutting machine. Scissors make the process a bit slower, but I guess that’s what gives the barber some time to think about what’s happening with your hair.
The fastest (and the crudest) haircut I ever had must have taken like 3 minutes. I agree it’s a fast world, and everyone is in a hurry, but $10 for a 3 minute job seems like a bit too much. That’s $200 an hour. I don’t mind paying at that rate if it’s a good haircut…but that doesn’t seem very likely to happen.
Anyways, after some observations, I have figured out some hacks that may improve one’s haircutting experience (and yet, it does not mean you will get a *good* haircut…you may just get a better haircut than a bad one). Here are some of them: 
- Don’t go near closing time or you will get a bad haircut.
- Go when you are not feeling sleepy; it’s very easy to doze off when you are doing nothing sitting in the barber’s chair. This is just so that you don’t regret it when you open your eyes.
- Don’t go when there is a football or basketball match going on TV. You will be watching the match and so will your barber (so nobody’s watching the hair).
- Keep talking to your barber (so that he/she is not distracted by other customers/barbers). If your barber starts talking to other barbers, it means he/she is loosing interest in cutting your hair.
- In addition to whatever numbering system they use (like number 1 = just cut 1/1000th of an inch or number 10 = make me bald) give some length clues. For example, “make it half of what it is right now” or “shorten it by 1 inch“, etc. The number system is tricking; different numbers mean different things to different barbers.
- Wash your hair before you go for a haircut. There are a couple of advantages to this. Your barber won’t need to spray gallons of water to wet your hair (I hate it when they spray too much and it starts dripping over the eyebrows). Plus, this will also keep your barber focused on cutting your hair instead of trying innovative ways to avoid the smell of dirty hair.
By the way, I still give them a 20% tip just for agreeing to cut my hair; this is to appreciate two facts: 1. it’s a standing job, and 2. if they refuse to cut it, there is absolutely no way I can do the job on my own. In fact, I am ready to give a 50% tip if someone does the job well…ever.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I generally keep my hair pretty short, but I started growing out my hair in October. Partly out of laziness, partly out of frugality, partly because the winter is cold and more hair = more insulation. However, it has started getting warm again and I found myself getting too hot, especially when trying to sleep at night.
So, I went to the local beauty supply store and bought a set of professional-level clippers. Yep, the same as the barbers use. It took me about 15 minutes to do it myself, and that was my first time (also harder because I had so much more hair than I normally do). My girlfriend and I had to do “missed a spot” corrections with scissors for the next couple of days, but not a big deal.
The results? Well, I did it shorter than I have ever had my hair before. Too short, I think. Also it was basically a pure buzz with no “styling” whatsoever. I didn’t really like it, but it’s been about a week now and it’s grown out enough that it’s not a big deal. Next time I will get my girlfriend to do it so hopefully it will look a bit better.
After I do it 4 times, the clipper will be more than paid for, and it should last for years. That’ll be a savings of $100-$150 a year. And I figure that over time, I will learn how to do it the way that I want. The first time I basically just wanted to get rid of the huge mop that I had accumulated. From now on, I’ll go for some finesse.
I’ve been shaving my head with good clippers for at least 4 years now. I shave my head once a month, always have clean hair, and never feel bad about my baldness (because short hair on balding heads is not a bad style). I love it, and I never waste money on barbers. All you need is a good clipper set, a handheld mirror (to work on the back, this needs a little practice but achievable in time) and a few towels that you earmark for the job. Done in 15 minutes, and the only person you can accuse of a bad haircut is yourself. If you have longer hair, this may not be as doable of a situation, but if you’re balding like me, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than Rogaine and cleaner feeling to boot.
to add to the point of not going in near closing time i would add to not go during the lunch break hours. i went to a ‘walk-ins welcome’ place and there was only one person on duty as the only other stylist was at lunch. i was getting a good cut until 3 other people came in for haircuts and then she just rushed the job to finish.
Golbguru,
Great picture.
My preference is to go to the least expensive stylist and take my chances. My spouse has convinced that a great stylist is worth the cost, even at $200 per hour:-) The challenge is finding that great one quickly.
Not to one up you but I’m a woman with difficult (thin and baby fine) hair, which means that nearly every haircut is a $65 minimum bad experience followed by bad hair days until, well, forever.
I’ve tried going to the cheapo places and it gets even worse. At least usually the $65+ salons TRY to do ok. Well that is mostly because then they have more time to try and sell you on the “need” for coloring/highlights/lowlights and/or a permanent for curls (if your hair is straight) or straightening (if your hair is curly). All of which are a nice $100 expense every 2 to 3 months if you want to look ok.
My defense has been to adopt the Laura Ingalls Wilder prarie look where I’m just letting my hair grow long, bangless and one length.
Gaming the Credit System and Leadhyena: You guys are good !…I think I suck in my coordination skills; I don’t think I will be ever able to cut my own hair by looking in the mirror. I might more likely cut my ear off or something. 15 minutes for a self-cut is pretty good timing
K: thanks for the tip, I will add it to the list.
Super Saver: At times, it’s cheaper to listen to your spouse, right?
db: Wow..$65+ for a better cut must be painful…even when distributed over 2 months.
Mr Dimes is a devotee of “buzz #2″ and it works great for him. Around military bases it’s also a cinch to get.
I usually go somewhere cheap every 4-6 months and get several inches chopped off at once. Usually it’s not perfect and I have to fix a few places with manicure scissors but it’s a heck of a good start for me to finish with.
i dont know if there are any in your area, but i enjoy going to aveda-trained stylists. i’m actually headed to the institute tomorrow in minneapolis. the last hair cut i got (that wasn’t by myself, i guess i’m just talented) was from a stylist who lives over an hour away. she charges ~$50/hour but you get a scalp massage with aroma therapy, shampooing, and a very talented hand and eye for detail. hope this helps in getting you a better style.
Leave a Comment