<p>When my haircutter’s S went to college, he really had a quandry. If he came home looking neat and trimmed, his mom felt he’d been disloyal. If he showed up shaggy, she felt she hadn’t raised him right. :)</p>
<p>Astrophysicsmom, count me in your group. $14 haircuts here. They look fine to me. I haven’t been in ages because I’ve grown it long and it’s been in a pony tail or bun all summer. I do tip 20% - I have no idea who the owner is. My favorite cutter there is the one who said “Holy S@$#)!” when she saw the state of my son’s Geek-fro and sideburns (a la Hugh Jackman in X-men if you were being charitable.) She cuts your hair in about 10 minutes and does a great job to boot.</p>
<p>arrrgh…I have one of those complicated expensive cuts and enough silvery gray to require double processing, again expensive. $70 for the cut, $130 for the color/highlights. Add the 20% tip and I’m approaching $250 for the durned hair. BUT, I am a girl who will wear $24 Old Navy jeans with my $250 hair and $500 purse. And I try to drag out the time between appts (though with gray roots, this is tough). </p>
<p>Some things are crucial to my mental well-being… ;)…good hair, good purse, good watch are my few indulgences. Other things, I don’t care about…cars, jewelry, designer jeans…eh, who cares. So…hopefully, it all balances out.</p>
<p>another $14 haircut here, I do see the owner of the place. I usually give her an extra $3. Been going there for 17 years. No wash or blowdry, just a cut. I would feel weird not giving the couple of extra $$. I feel like I get a bargain. I go every 6 weeks without fail. I have the kind of hair that gets wider, rather than longer if you know what I mean</p>
<p>$500 pocketbook?? I don’t think I’ve spent that much on pocketbooks in my entire life. I’ve been carrying the same Stone Mountain bag ($56) yearround for at least 3 years.</p>
<p>I can’t afford any indulgences :-(</p>
<p>Hey sue…I wear a LOT of cheap jeans and the car is old and paid for…lol!</p>
<p>Those expensive purses were actually gifts from my husband and kids, some I’ve had for years and they look still new. The last one was for our 25th wedding anniversary. My husband had a crazy idea I deserved diamond jewelry for putting up with him for so long, and I convinced him I truly would rather have another nice purse. Come to think of it, the nice watch was also an anniversary gift and that thing runs perfectly even after 10 years. I guess if you prorate the cost of these things over their useful life, they actually are pretty reasonably priced. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…hehehe!)</p>
<p>I’m sure you’re getting you’re money’s worth out of your stuff. But I would feel weird if the purse was of more value than its contents!</p>
<p>I’ve actually gotten panicky when I left my ‘coupon wallet’ in the grocery cart at the market. I drove my 17 year old honda back to retrieve it!</p>
<p>My hairdresser told me I had ‘color resistant’ hair. meaning it doesn’t take color well. I wouldn’t mind the grays so much, but do they have to curl a different direction than the rest of the hairs? Not only does the color change, but the texture as well. Maybe it’s time for a blond wig :-)</p>
<p>LOL. We all have our little luxuries. Ours (husband and me) is gourmet meals. I’ll happily spend a hundred dollars on a fabulous meal. :)</p>
<p>Well, to chime in from the male side of the fence (if anyone’s interested), when like me you’re middle-aged and gray and the person who cuts your hair is young (mid-20s) and cute - and a lot of fun to talk with, too (oh, and she also gives a terrific haircut) - you tend to tip well: on a $45 haircut, say, $20 (and worth every penny!).</p>
<p>Wow, this is amazing and intimidating. I haven’t been to a salon in years. My hair is long and it’s okay. I have some interesting (nice but cheap) hair clasps, and I straighten it or whatever myself. I buy the boxed haircolor at the drugstore. It works fine. My hair grows fast so I do it every three weeks. People compliment me on it.</p>
<p>So if you spend $250 on your hair every month, that’s $3000 a year. Sorry, that’s astonishing. I’m not criticizing, I’m just agog.</p>
<p>However, I do break the curve when tipping in restaurants and hotels. I always tip too much and only realize it later. $5 sounds fair for hotel housekeeping – I need to remember to always have cash.</p>
<p>AnudduhMom</p>
<p>What brand of color do you use? Is it permanent or semi?</p>
<p>@bethievt
Well, for years I used the semipermanent, because as it grew out it didn’t leave a ‘line’. My hair was in really good shape. I alternated between Natural Instincts and something else (Loving Care? or something? whatever was on sale) Then stupidly I switched to permanent for a more drastic color change. I really have to do it every 3 weeks because there is a definite root line and the texture is fragile. I started to use a ‘hair mask’ to help the texture, and it seems to be helping. I am gradually switching back to the semipermanent, because permanent is too much hassle. I think the color I used was L’Oreal Preference, about $8 a box.</p>
<p>Oh, thanks. I couldn’t stand the roots with the permanent color either, but I was getting them even with semi-permanent. I’ve switched to foils but am considering gradually going back to my natural color. It does feel like a waste of time and money sometimes. But I guess we’re just “redistributing the wealth”–a Marxist act?</p>
<p>LOL, bethievt! I’m starting to think I’m in the wrong business. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can handle those on-your-feet-for-hours jobs anymore, and hats off to those who can.</p>
<p>Cut that in half Annuduh…I try VERY hard to stretch my appts out to every other month because it IS ridiculously expensive. I get very inventive with my part line to hide that grey…lol!!</p>
<p>I have that hard to color hair too. And what is up with the gray? It’s nothing like the hair that I used to know and love. It goes where it wants to go, and it does not matter how hard I smash, mash, and crush it. It hates me! I can get a rinse, perm, wash, and style for 74.00 (Fantastic Sam’s). I am working on improving my tips. The owner of this franchise takes care of me. For many years I did not include the hairdresser in my budget. Most times I did it myself. I call those years, “Hags row.” lol Now, at 45…single, and finally working in the town where I live, I am building up my self esteem. I treat myself to the hairdresser and although it’s just Fantastic Sam’s…I makes me feel fantastic! ;)</p>
<p>ldmom06,
your post made me laugh. Reminded me of the time I was staying at a swanky hotel in Hollywood. When the valet brought around my Cadillac Escalade he actually asked me if it was a rental! If I’d been thinking I would have asked him if it was my Costco jeans or Walmart sweater that gave me away! Instead I just laughed, and told him, “no, that is my car.”
So you are right on there…everyone spends their money differently.</p>
<p>For color resistant gray hair try Clairol Nice’n Easy Gray Solution. It works much better than any other I’ve used although I do get the line. But I’d get that with anything. I also have to color my hair every three weeks or more. I start to see gray roots after only a few days. I haven’t seen any semi permanent hair color in the drug stores in a while. There’s no way I’d spend $60-$70 plus tips every couple of weeks. I also cut my own hair. It’s very, very full, curly and long. Paying big money to have someone else cut it makes no difference.</p>
<p>exactly ebeee! </p>
<p>lol…after reading this thread, I asked my husband if he thought I was being excessive with the hair maintenance costs. He said since he was practically bald and only needs the occasional $15 buzz, I was entitled to his share of the hair budget…lol! Apparently, he’s getting a vicarious hair experience every time some other family member gets the full treatment.</p>
<p>I get my hair cut at Tony & Guy and it normally runs $60. Tip is usally $15.</p>