Spill the beans... on cutting the cost of hairdressers

turbotabby

I always use the local hairdressing college. In Surrey I pay £6 for a basic cut (or the same for a perm) and in the one local to me in Enfield the same £6 buys you a cut and blow dry. It takes longer than a professional salon but last time I was lucky as my cut was a difficult one so it was done by the instructor as a demo. I got a cut by a highly qualified instructor and as it was a demo they only charged me half price £3 for cut and blow dry. Quite a bargain. Only thing to remember is that you have to schedule your haircuts round school term time!

Gleek

ruby_eskimo wrote: »

I have been going to the same hairdresser for years. They are a small independant one tucked down a back street in my town and they only charge me £14 a time for a wash/cut/treatment. I would say try steering clear of the big chains like Rush, T&G, Supercuts etc and find someone you can actually build a rapport with. I go once ever 3-4 months and never have had a complaint.

I go (usually) to one of two independant places, it's £8.50 in each.

I won't be going back again to one of them, and it's sad because I've been going for about 6 years. They've made a bad mess of my hair and she's made made a good 6 mistakes - things are different lengths, my fringe is in like a semi circle style (short sides and longer in the middle), mistakes behind both ears and at the back of my neck etc. Luckily my hair is generally short and I can side part my fringe and spike the back up so it's not noticable which is why I think I didn't notice at the time. I think she made a mistake on one of the ears and had to match the other up - but even then they're both not the same (!)

Thank goodness the other is there still

maryb

Vidal Sassoon Academy if you live in London. It's £12 and the fourth cut is free. Or you sometimes get vouchers in Metro for a cut for £5. NHS and students with ID are always £5.

I've been going for years. Occasionally I get asked to be a demonstration model so you get your hair cut by a senior stylist from the main salon. That's not always as good as it sounds as they have their own ideas of what they want to achieve though I have never been given a cut I actually disliked. I go to the "classic" school so they don't do outlandish there. There is a more fashionable bit if that's what you're after.

Other times it's students. These vary. Some of the time it's Sassoon's own trainees at different stages. You can pay extra and go to what they call Staff Training where you get someone who is in the very last stages of training and may already be working in a salon. Other times you get groups of qualified hairdressers who are doing a week's course to learn how to do Sassoon cuts. They have a lot of Japanese groups who work with interpreters - but it's fine because they basically know what they are doing and can copy what they are shown. A senior stylist supervises very closely. He will start them off with a guide line and say something like right do the rest of this side round to the ear then call me over to check. The one time I got someone who was hopeless he was so closely supervised that the senior stylist ended up doing most of it himself. In fact it was overrunning so much he took over and finished my cut.

So I don't hesitate to go there. But you do have to allow a VERY long time. Two to three hours minimum, basically allow the WHOLE morning or afternoon (staff training is quicker because they are expected to be working at salon speed). That's OK for me because I am time rich and there is no way I could get such a good cut otherwise

Squirrelchez

I've been cutting my own hair for about 4-5 years. I keep it short, so it's easier to do myself - pretty much short back and sides, and after these years, I've finally got used to blending in where it meets the longer hair at the top! (Though I will get it done professionally in July before my brothers wedding!!)
I also cut my dogs hair, as he needs cutting every 2-3 months and at £25+ a go, I really can't afford to keep paying for it. I always get compliments about how he looks like a professional did it - maybe a new career?

beth.stephenson2009

Does nobody use mobile hairdressers?

Mine charges £10 for a cut and blowdry, Andrew collinge trained so its always a tip top do!

£20 for a full head colour.

cotsvale

My hairdresser allows me to "rough dry" my hair myself with the dryer this means I get the great cut but don't pay for the blowdry - I never like that just done look anyway.

MissShoes

my friend is a hairdresser and one her days/evenings off works from home- easily half the price it would cost in the salon (this is London) if not more.

I have full head highlights with cut, blowdry, copious coffees and gossip without a haughty salon atmosphere, at my friend's house catching up for £40

I get this done every other time, and in between I just freshen up with a few highlights through the top or a half head to make the full head last longer.

msph321

This (quote below) is hilarious! :rotfl:

nonnatus wrote: »

I have always cut my childrens hair and used to do my Ex-hubby too (in fact I was so good at it that he asked me to continue when he got re-married but the new wife had a problem with that :rotfl:).

As for me, my hair is very low maintenance. Aside from going to my local salon 3-4 times/year, I do everything myself. Not having any chemicals in my hair makes life a hell of a lot easier.

Churchdown

How much do you tip your hairdresser?

Icanandwillsavemoney

I am female that uses the local barbers for my trims.... costs me £5 every 6 weeks