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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to not tip my hairdresser?

164 replies

hypermum1 · 02/03/2013 16:20

I have been going to her for years and always spend over £100 per visit (once every couple of months) but I never tip her. I think the hair cut is expensive enough let alone adding a tip! And I guess the standard is 10/15% which adds another £10-20 to the whole thing! But the lady before me tipped and now I feel bad for not......! What to do think?

OP posts:

sarahtigh · 02/03/2013 20:38

I rarely tip, I do in restaurants for dinner about 10% but st lunch it would just be nearest pound I would not tip for coffee and cake or at costa/cafe nero at all

saggyhairyarse · 02/03/2013 20:38

I give the NVQ girl who shampooes my hair a couple of quid but that's it and I only do that because I did a YTS in days of old and they get a pittance of a wage.

JackieTheFart · 02/03/2013 20:38

I tip the junior that washes my hair. Not the hairdresser though.

DontmindifIdo · 02/03/2013 20:38

Exotic - I pay by card then when I'm waiting while they do there bit with the card machine, I hand my hairdresser either a tenner or a fiver (depending what I've got on me), and just say "and that's for you." I thought that's why your hairdresser comes to the till to put your payment through rather than just let the girl on reception do it.

yuleheart · 02/03/2013 20:41

I pay with my card then give her the £5 I've made sure I have in my purse for her

We also tip:
the postman £10 at christmas,
the takeaway delivery driver a £1 or £2,
in a restaurant,
the butchers at christmas,
the vets get a fancy tin of biscuits at christmas,
and I buy some other people a tin of biscuits at christmas (but not saying who as it might out me ),
don't have a window cleaner as live in a bungalow, but did tip him at christmas at previous house,

when I worked at a doctors surgery there were quite a few patients who bought us wine, chocolates and biscuits at christmas.

DontmindifIdo · 02/03/2013 20:42

Mind you, I've never tipped a beautician, I don't have treatments often though.

OK, can we have a list, I tip - hairdresser, taxis, restaurants, if I'm in a posh hotel and someone carries my bags for me. That's it. Who am I missing out?

(Oh, obviously postman and milkman at Christmas)

Cherrypi · 02/03/2013 20:44

Never even occurred to me to tip hairdressers either. These rules need writing down somewhere.

StuntGirl · 02/03/2013 20:47

I don't feel embarassed in the slightest. Because there's nothing to feel embarassed over.

whistleahappytune · 02/03/2013 20:50

I simply don't understand the not tipping because "I can't afford it" or it's so expensive anyway. If you can afford a haircut and/or colour, then you should tip.

But for those who feel awkward about tipping and don't really know how to do it, here's how:

For your main stylist I would take a £5, £10 or £20 (Christmas) note - the key thing is it's folding money. Neatly fold it up (I usually do it twice, so the bill is a quarter size) and give it to the person directly with a big smile and a thank you. It's a bit more elegant and slightly cooler than whipping a bill out of your wallet or fumbling around your coin purse. Tips are ALWAYS appreciated, there's never any embarassment or sense of being patronised about it on the part of the person being tipped.

For the person who washed your hair (and these people make absolutely nothing so really leave them a pound or two it makes a huge difference to them), I'll either hand it to them directly (again big smile and thanks) or you can always ask if you can "leave something for X" at the reception desk - they often have jars or envelopes available. BTW you could also if you're still neurotic about it, tip your main stylist/colourist this way as well.

rodandtheemu · 02/03/2013 20:50

I allways tip as my hairdress is amazing and make me not look like a bag of shite

livinginwonderland · 02/03/2013 20:51

i don't tip anyone anywhere because i think it's so unfair that some jobs get tips and others don't. i work for NMW wage too but i don't get tipped, yet waitresses and hairdressers do? their job is no harder than mine. i personally think NMW should be raised and nobody should be allowed to receive tips.

rodandtheemu · 02/03/2013 20:52

wasnt aware there was a cool way to tip??? tipping is tipping to me??

thixotropic · 02/03/2013 20:53

Another non tipper here. I hate tipping, it feels patronising.

And I've done a lot of bar and waitress work. I just feel It reinforces the low wage culture in the service industry and makes the customer relationship feel servile.

That's how I feel, though it is a minority view I suppose, and makes me look tight.

Though I do remember a fabulous dotty old lady who gave me a tenner to buy some socks. At no point in the evening had we discussed socks. And I was wearing clean, New socks.

CloudsAndTrees · 02/03/2013 20:53

I don't top hairdressers. I might tip taxi drivers if the tip just rounds the payment up to a convenient amount, but I don't feel I have to tip people for just doing their job. I don't get tips for doing what I'm already paid to do, so I don't see why any job automatically seems to attract tips.

NotAnotherPackedLunch · 02/03/2013 20:54

I've never managed to tip without either feeling embarassed, or worrying that the tip has just been sucked into the salon owners profits.
So when is the best time to give the tip to the girl who washes my hair?
Do I fumble my hands out of my gown while I'm still dripping wet, seek her out once I'm finished or hand a possibly embarrassingly small bit of cash to the receptionist and hope she passes it on?

SpareHeadThree · 02/03/2013 20:57

No, I don't tip, and I find the whole notion of tipping ridiculous. Why should I be expected to top up someone's wages just because the employers are too tight to pay a proper, decent, wage?
Well, they're never GOING to pay a proper, decent wage are they if there's a plethora of people mugs who are willing to pay their wages for them.
Things are extortionate enough nowadays without having to spend extra!

StuntGirl · 02/03/2013 20:57

"I simply don't understand the not tipping because "I can't afford it" or it's so expensive anyway. If you can afford a haircut and/or colour, then you should tip."

Bollocks.

NotAnotherPackedLunch · 02/03/2013 20:57

X-post with whistleahappytune
Thanks for the dummy's guide to tipping. Will sail forth with more confidence next week.

whistleahappytune · 02/03/2013 20:58

Rod, perhaps I just like faffing about with bills. But basically it reminds me of the Sharon Stone character in Casino. There's this whole sequence of her tipping everyone at the casino and she just looks so effortlessly cool.

...well I can dream, can't I?

SpareHeadThree · 02/03/2013 20:58

I allways tip as my hairdress is amazing and make me not look like a bag of shite

That's her job though. She's SUPPOSED to make you not look like a bag of shite.
Why would you pay more just because she's done her job properly?

whistleahappytune · 02/03/2013 20:59

Thanks NotAnother!

scottishmummy · 02/03/2013 21:02

It's not mandatory to tip,wholly personal choice
However if I'm happy with service yes I tip

TwllBach · 02/03/2013 21:05

I never used to, purely because my hairdresser was just ok.

I changed recently and I adore them. They talk to me about my hair like they have masses of knowledge, they colour it perfectly. The hairdresser cut my hair for me before my work Christmas party, and then spent an hour and a half trying to curl it for me. It didn't work (through no fault of his own) and he still only charged me for the cut.

I realise I'm not explaining myself very well, but that time I tipped ten pounds and then the most recent time the bill was £45 for a cut and highlights, but he was just so lovely and wonderful that I tipped him another tenner

NuclearStandoff · 02/03/2013 21:10

I always tip the teenager who washes my hair, usually £2 - and there are boxes for the money so it's easy.

Don't tip the guy who cuts/colours my hair - have been going to him for 7 years and they have an arrangement where each hairdresser is self-employed, not employed by the salon, so I know he is getting all my money. (and no boxes for the stylist).

Always tip the cheapo barber where I take the dc.

mrsjay · 02/03/2013 21:15

they are not really doing a personal service they are cutting your hair would you tip your sales assistant in the supermarket or the bus driver ? im not getting onto anybody but many people are low paid give good service and dont get tipped.

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