The Abundant Wife

One of the areas of our budget where we rarely need to spend money is haircuts.  Although we all enjoy a professional wash, dry, cut, & style on occasion, most of the time we don’t pay for our haircuts.  Here is how we do it:

1. Brad’s Hair: My parents gave me set of Wahl clippers for Christmas 2010.  Brad had been laid-off from his job, and we were desperate to save money in any way possible.  Although I had never cut hair before, I learned quickly!  Brad told me which clipper lengths he preferred, and I learned to do touch-ups with the scissors and clippers.  I have cut Brad’s hair ever since.
2. My Hair: My Mom has cut my hair since I was in diapers.  With six kids, my parents couldn’t afford to pay for eight haircuts and styles multiple times per year.  My Mom learned how to cut my Dad’s hair, and then learned to cut her kids’ hair.  As we got older and wanted more complex styles, she mastered more advanced hair-cutting techniques.  My Mom still cuts my hair whenever we go home for a visit.  I taught myself to french-braid in 2003, so I often style my hair with braids, or other products/styles.
3. Naomi’s Hair: I learned how to thin Naomi’s bangs (with my Mom’s help) shortly after I learned to cut Brad’s hair.  Within the year I decided to grow out Naomi’s bangs.  Now I only need to trim the bottom of Naomi’s hair, so I don’t have to cut it as often as I did when she had bangs.  I usually give Naomi a pony-tail on top or pig-tails on the sides to keep her long straight hair out of her face.  Sometimes I experiment with french-braids or other styles, using hairbands and barrettes.
4. Oliver’s Hair: Oliver’s toddler hair is finer than Brad’s, but most of the same techniques still apply.  I use the clippers and follow-up with the scissors.  The great thing about learning on your children when they are very young is that they are very forgiving!  If you make a mistake, don’t worry…it will grow back!  Work quickly and don’t expect perfection.  You can always go back and touch it up again later.

Have you ever considered cutting your family’s hair?  How do you save on professional hair care costs?