Okay, the DIY haircut! Financially it's a no-brainer. A set of hair clippers, like the Wahl Haircutting System that I use at home, costs about $35.
I have four boys, aged 1-10, and a husband. Let's say they average a haircut every two months, from age 1 up. The husband only let me start cutting his hair once I had a few years of cutting kids' hair under my belt. I think I started when Jack was about 3. So that makes probably:
- 42 for Jack
- 36 for Bobby
- 24 for Gus
- 1 for Frankie
- 24 for Jim
for a total of 136 haircuts.
A standard haircut for kids is $10-$15. Let's say $10 and include the husband in that because, like Barbie says, "Math class is tough."
That makes $1,360. Plus tip, because we're not jerks, so that's $1,564.
AND I do the girls now too. Because YouTube that's why. They probably get 3 haircuts a year, but I started later on Betty:
- 9 for Betty
- 3 for Anita
which makes a grand total (including tip) of $1,702. I have purchased 2 sets of clippers in that time. Which puts us ahead $1,652 and makes me want to go shopping.
But we knew we were going to come out ahead money-wise. So why else should you try it? And isn't it super-hard and scary? Well, I'm glad you asked.
Money's great. It's good for buying stuff. But here's why we really do it. Our time is just as valuable (and even more scarce) than our money. Who has time to get all their kids into a salon or barber shop? And then sit and wait for their turn and all their siblings turns? And who wants to be in charge of making sure they don't rip up the magazines--or maybe they should rip up the magazines, have you seen the magazines?--and make little creatures out of hair clippings and try to drink the blue juice?
That photo was taken on Sunday morning before Mass, because THAT'S when I realized that my sons were looking like a bunch of shaggy dogs. Or a boy band. Also, that photo was taken outside. Because I don't care for sweeping up hair and if they want to make hair creatures in the privacy of their own backyard . . . well, I say have at it.
Also, cutting boys' hair is really, really easy. There is a DVD that comes in the hair clippers kit. Watch it. Cut hair. Done. Start by using a little longer guide than you really want, then if you mess up you can always go shorter. Which brings me to . . .
If you start when they're little it won't matter if you mess it up. Two-year-olds do not have opinions about their hair. My ten-year-old only cares about his a little. This gives you plenty of time to improve.
And if you're bold (or time-crunched) enough to also not take your girls to a salon, there are plenty of easy haircuts to do on them too. And YouTube really is an amazing resource for learning stuff. I couldn't homeschool without it! And the hair clipper kit comes with scissors AND the little clippy things just like the professionals use.
So what do you think? Are you inspired to give it a try? Do you already cut hair at home? Why or why not?
* Full disclosure on the Amazon links: clicking on a title from any of my posts will take you to Amazon, if you buy that title (or anything else) after clicking through my blog I get a (very small) percentage.