AIBU that a haircut shouldn't cost £60!?

[HollyLondoner]

Why is the cost of my haircut increased every time I visit? I have my haircut every 12 weeks on average and the price increase a few pounds every time. It's gone from £35 around 5 years ago when I started to £60. My favourite hairdresser hasn't been promoted so it's not that. I know she gets paid minimum wage and it doesn't feel right but she's an amazing hairdresser. I went today and was charged £62!?

The cheapest person is £58 and most expensive £90! Not a crazy fancy salon. I'm on the outskirts of London fyi so no means central!

YABU - that's how much it cost
YANBU - it's become so expensive!

@Sickwithkids was that in London? I was thinking of getting a ‘curly cut’ for myself and kids but it is very expensive. Wondered if it was worth the extra cost.

SE here; I pay £35 every six weeks for DH and DS to have their hair cut and for me to have a box dye and a trim. Hairdresser used to work in local barbers til it shut and now she comes to our house. I make her a coffee and we have a chat while my dye "sets".

My hairdresser tells me she doesn't feel right charging the earth for her services. She's always fully booked.

@Pistachiomix Yep, in London. There’s a page on FB called sensible curly people and they have a list on there of trusted curly cut providers. Before the most recent debacle I previously, some years ago, had a ‘curl by curl’ cut with a lady who works under the name Kinson by Kizzy in South East London. I found her expensive but knowledgeable. She only releases blocks of 3 months at a time and gets booked very quickly. Maybe if you’re more organised than me you can get space with her.

Once a business passes the VAT threshold, they have to pay 20% of everything they bring in straight to HMRC. With some businesses - retail - they can reclaim the VAT that THEY pay so that offsets their bill a little. This is more difficult for service industries. So there's £12 of your £60 straight away.

Then your hairdresser needs to be paid, there's a minimum of £12. Plus, she'll need paying for holidays that she takes, so that'll probably be another £4. Then there's her tax, NI and pension (and accounting costs).

Does the salon have a receptionist? There's another percentage towards their wage.

Then there's a coffee, biscuit, the magazines, music licence. Disposable towels or towel washing. Website and marketing costs. Insurances. Scissor sharpening. Paying towards ongoing education, investment in the salon. A generally small profit for the owner.

Then there's rent and utilities, etc.

It actually costs a lot of money just to open the salon door.

Do you have any tips on how not to look like you got attacked by a toddlers with rusty shears? I do the hair around my face with nail scissors when it gets too long but have no idea how to cut my own hair at the back so that it hangs well.

I do the front and sides myself and get someone else to cut the back as I just can't do it myself.
You need better than nail scissors.
What sort of hairstyle do you have? Long'ish, short?

It's a lot of money for a haircut by a junior stylist (which I assume she must be if she's on minimum wage).

I pay £60 for a haircut in Manchester, but my stylist is the salon owner and creative director, works with some major brands, trains other hairdressers in new techniques etc so I'd expect to pay top whack for her services (and frankly she's a genius). But an appointment with one of the junior stylists at her salon is £40 - and I know she she pays them well above minimum wage.

YANBU. I have long hair and have avoided having my hair cut for months as a basic hair wash and ordinary trim is £60!

Most salons don’t even offer a dry trim anymore so you can’t even plump for that as a cheaper option. My solution is to leave it months between cuts.

Most hairdressers are now self-employed and rent a chair at a salon, and they have to pay for this. By the time they've covered their costs for an hour's work, they aren't getting much in their pocket. My hairdresser has gone mostly mobile and will now come to my house and do a cut and blow for £30. It would be nearer £70 if I went to the salon for her to do my hair.

Mobile is probably better if one is having colour too.

If it's in your house with just you, the hairdresser can't do someone else while your colour is developing, accidentally leave you too long and ruin your hair.

True story. Three years later I've nearly grown out the damage she did.