Melanie Page

I’ve been going to the same hairdresser for years, and she charges me $55. Last week, I went to her, and she added on a credit card processing fee, and then I tipped her, too. I don’t want to see rude because she’s standing there watching me, so I hit the 20% tip button. Altogether, my haircut, which took about 20 minutes, came out to just under $70. Ack!

My hair is really curly and long, and it’s one length. Therefore, a haircut for me is just a trim. However, there is no such thing as a “just a trim” cost for a haircut that I know of, which should be even less if your hair is one length. At first, I got money conscious and started Googling how to cut my own hair online. How hard could it be?

Well, it’s possible to cut your own hair, but very time consuming. Because I am not a professional, the YouTube videos I found suggested cutting my hair both dry and straightened — as straight as I could possibly make it. That would take forever, and surely my arms would get tired. Eventually, I decided this is not an area in which I should learn something new, but seek out professional help elsewhere. Change is hard but good. For me, it’s the trust aspect. I booked an appointment for November with a new stylist at a different salon who is at the lowest rung on the ladder there, meaning she costs a lot less. Can she really ruin my long hair if I just need a trim? Yes, but I won’t walk away feeling bad that I spent $70 for 15 minutes’ worth of work.

Have you ever cut your own hair? Do you “risk” your hair on new hairdressers?