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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you can cut your own kids hair well then going to the barber's is a waste of money

58 replies

Bubblemac · 29/08/2021 10:22

Just that really.

Why spend £20 a pop having your kids hair cut at the barber's when you can do it well enough at home for free?

(Backstory: DH isn't good with money and always spending unnecessarily)

OP posts:
romdowa · 29/08/2021 10:53

20 pounds is extortionate for a child's hair cut. Surely there must be somewhere a bit cheaper than that

Bagelsandbrie · 29/08/2021 10:54

£20 is expensive. We pay £8 for our sons barber cut - he’s 9. I couldn’t do it myself, tried once and he looked like a little lego man and cried. I felt awful!

youdoyoutoday · 29/08/2021 10:54

But I do cut my DPs and my own hair so that saves a small fortune

maddening · 29/08/2021 10:55

I have learnt to cut ds and dh's hair over lockdown, I now have my own hair cutting set and we just do at home as it is easier and cheaper.

I rarely cut my hair, I just do it myself every now and then.

daisypond · 29/08/2021 10:55

Maybe it’s cheaper if you have boys.

CarrotTops · 29/08/2021 11:01

I can't believe the barber charges the same for a 3 year old as a full grown adult man!

I think for a toddler mum cutting hair is fine, but as they get older they will want more stylish haircuts than can be offered at home and it starts to become embarrassing that your mum cuts your hair. At 9 I'd be thinking barber

CarrotTops · 29/08/2021 11:03

The caveat to my post is that I am most definitely scarred by being 15 years old with my mums wonderful all one length cut Blush

DramaAlpaca · 29/08/2021 11:04

@SquirryTheSquirrel

Not children but DH. About 10 years ago he needed an emergency haircut on a Sunday - no barbers open so I got a clipper from Argos and managed to do a reasonable job. He's never been back to the barber since! The clipper is still going and has paid for itself many times over!
Same here. I bought some clippers at the start of the first lockdown and have been doing DH's ever since.
NoSquirrels · 29/08/2021 11:05

What do the boys - particularly the older one - think?

You can’t dictate your DH’s hair cut choice. I wouldn’t pay £20 for a 3 year old! But as they get older - by secondary school age at least, but probably upper primary - I’d think a bit of independence at your own hairstyle at the barbers is fine, tbh.

seaandsandcastles · 29/08/2021 11:12

YABU. You can always tell when an untrained person has cut a child’s hair and “neat and tidy” rarely looks good.

daisypond · 29/08/2021 11:13

@CarrotTops

I can't believe the barber charges the same for a 3 year old as a full grown adult man!

I think for a toddler mum cutting hair is fine, but as they get older they will want more stylish haircuts than can be offered at home and it starts to become embarrassing that your mum cuts your hair. At 9 I'd be thinking barber

Well, the adult price will no doubt be a lot more than £20, not the same price.
Peanutsandchilli · 29/08/2021 11:14

Having 5 girls forced me to buy some hairdressing scissors during lockdown. I was surprised how well I managed to cut their hair. Now my 13 year old asks me to do it, rather than taking her to the hairdresser's.

Thorilicious · 29/08/2021 11:15

My DH does his, and ds 9 and 5. It has saved loads of money, but I do take them once a year, so that it's done properly.

TartanJumper · 29/08/2021 11:16

Depends how good you are.
My sister got clippers and does her boys hair every few weeks. The girl child goes to the hairdressers because she has curly thick hair that needs a proper cut.
I doubt the boys will be happy with their mum cutting their hair in a few years, mind you.

OhRene · 29/08/2021 11:24

I had never cut hair before lockdown and found I actually have quite the talent for it. DH still insisted using the (only) local barber though after because he felt we should support local businesses and that a professional cut is better than a home one even though the result is exactly the same. I got annoyed knowing he was throwing away £15+ every time to get the same cut as I could do.

Then in June when the schools broke up the very unreliable barber who half the town won't go to because he only worked when he wanted (pre-covid too) and his wife puts big whiney FB posts up about "getting abuse" when really it's people asking why he's shut again, his wife rather abruptly rudely messaged DH and told him that they weren't accepting bookings for people who could have been in contact with Covid and he was sure DH would understand him not accepting irresponsible people and putting his family in danger and this pretty much applied to anyone who had kids in school. Before DH could even say that the kids hadn't been in that week the barber cancelled his appointment online and DH received the notification. DH wanted to message back and tell him but I stopped him as there would be just another post on FB about customers putting him at risk and giving him abuse when he's "just a poor barber trying to make a living and doesn't need all this" etc.

DH is now of the mind of "Well fuck you then mate, if you don't want our money then fine" and I cut their hair now.

I'm much happier saving money.

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 29/08/2021 11:25

‘Kin hell, it’d be cheaper to get the train to another town and get them done there.

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 29/08/2021 11:30

I'm not paying a chunk of money to get mine cut! I'm getting a colleague at school to just cut it straight across so I can tie it back! She did it in March and it has grown loads!

stairway · 29/08/2021 11:39

We are a family of six and don’t use the hairdressers or barbers anymore . It’s not rocket science and with the right equipment and a bit of practice anyone can do it.

SemiFeralDalek · 29/08/2021 19:14

Dh is a trained barber, DS (age 4) still prefers to go to the "proper barbers" because he likes the fuss Grin

He'll let DH tidy his fringe. I cut DH's and he cuts mine. Haven't been to a hairdresser in years. If we're tight on cash then DH would do DSs.

Picklypickles · 29/08/2021 19:36

I'd never attempt to cut anyones hair, I'm terrible at arts and crafts so can't imagine a postive outcome! During lockdown my dad cut my sons hair with his clippers a few times and it was fine, did the job of keeping hair out of his eyes but it always looks much neater and nicer when he's been to the barbers, I'm glad they're open again! He had his hair cut on friday and it was £12, oh gets his hair cut less frequently and me and daughter can go months and months without haircuts so it doesn't work out too expensive.

CarrotTops · 29/08/2021 23:05

@daisypond no, OP say its 20 for her dh
'Almost £80 for three boys plus DH, or just £20 for DH and the boys have theirs done at home. It's a no brainer for me but then I'm the budgeter'

That's the same for an adult as a 3 year old, which is ridiculous

gogohm · 29/08/2021 23:06

Well yes, or go to a normal barbers - it's £8 for a basic cut where I live now, was £5 in the Midlands. If dp only spends £16 on his fancy barbers (sw)

Blerg · 29/08/2021 23:14

I did my husband and son’s (5) hair in lockdown with clippers. It was alright but very glad not to have to do it now. Home hair never looks quite as good, well theirs didn’t.

Also I want DH to be in charge of his own damn appearance, I’ve already got two kids to sort. DS cost £11 and money well spent for me.

Also I got hair in my bra however careful I was and it was a full shower needed each time!

EmeraldGreenVelvet · 29/08/2021 23:19

My friend spends £60 getting her 8 year old son's hair cut at the trendy London salon where she has her own done. I couldn't believe it when she told me Shock

Anordinarymum · 29/08/2021 23:23

All i would say is that when your hair looks good you feel good, and this applies to children as well.

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