I’m always amazed at how expensive it is to get your hair cut or styled. At least, it seems expensive to me.
Gratefully, I’ve discovered a few simple ways to save money at the hair stylist – and even get free haircuts!
When I was young, I thought pastors (male ones, anyway) were required to have bad hair styles. Then again, it was the 80′s…so maybe everyone had bad hair back then. 
Today, many male pastors (especially those under 40), are “stylin” with the latest cool cuts.
But whether we’re talking men or women, boys or girls, the price for haircuts for a pastor’s family can add up fast!
Where I live, the average price for a male haircut is $16.00 – $20.00 and for women it is $20.00 – $24.00. Of course, if you add a shampoo or other services, the cost increases.
The good news is that the amount of savings can add up fast too, if you follow these six ways to save money on haircuts.
Six Easy Ways to Save Money on Haircuts
1. Cut your hair a little shorter each time you get it cut, so you don’t have to come back so soon. I do this especially in the summertime.
2. In addition to cutting your hair shorter, you could let it grow a little longer before you come back to have it cut again.
3. Buy gift certificates that offer a bonus. For example, during Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Graduation and the Christmas seasons, many hair salons offer a special deal like “Get a $25 gift certificate for only $20.00.” There’s no reason you can’t buy these for yourself to use. You just have to remember that you’re paying money today in order to save money a month or two down the road.
4. Sign up for the “frequent customer” club or birthday clubs where available. Many hair stylists offer one free or discounted haircut after you’ve paid for five or six. And some salons offer a free haircut or a discount for your birthday.
5. Ask if your stylist offers a discount or bonus if you make a referral (invite someone else to use your same hair stylist).
6. Check to see if there are any beauty colleges or salon training centers in your area that offer free or discounted haircuts. In our community, there are probably six or seven beauty colleges and at least one salon training center (that we know of) where their professional stylists come once or twice a year for continued training.
My wife and our five children have received free haircuts for nearly a year at this training center. The only reason I haven’t done it yet is that you have to book your appointments in advance before the limited spaces fill up, and my schedule is so unpredictable due to frequent travel.
By taking advantage of these free haircuts, we’ll save about $1,200 over the course of the year! That’s a pretty significant amount of savings for us. How about you?