Cutting your own hair at home: the real savings barbers won't tell you about

Cutting your hair at home: €1,100 in savings over 15 years

Fifteen years without setting foot in a barbershop. The calculation, based on real data from people who cut their own hair, shows net savings of over €1,100 after subtracting the cost of the clippers. A figure that makes you wonder why most people keep paying €7 every three weeks for a haircut they could easily do themselves with a bit of patience.

The tools that make the difference

The initial investment is low: a mid-range hair clipper costs around €37, and with interchangeable guards it can handle everything from military fades to longer cuts. Those who have been doing it for years recommend brands like Wahl, with guards ranging from 1 to 6, and thinning scissors for the fringe. The trick is to work from longer to shorter to avoid steps.

Techniques to avoid a botched job

For men, the most cited method is to run the clippers over the whole head except the fringe, then reduce the sides and nape, and finish with scissors. One trick: use a finger as a guide at the nape for a clean finish. For long hair, the ponytail technique lets you cut several centimetres at once, though it requires careful evening-out afterwards. The main risk is the fringe: one mistake and the result brings certain political hairstyles to mind.

The calculation that debunks the marginal-savings myth

With a barbershop price of €7 per cut (neighbourhood prices, not city-centre rates), someone who gets a haircut every three weeks spends about €112 a year. Over 15 years, that adds up to €1,680. Subtracting the €37 for the clippers and the odd replacement part, net savings exceed €1,600. But the most surprising figure comes from those who haven't been to a barber in 15 years: €1,100 net, including clippers and accessories. The discrepancy suggests many don't upgrade their equipment or cut their hair less often.

The striking fact: the biggest savers aren't necessarily those who spend the most at the barbers, but those who have never gone. With current services inflation, the gap only widens.

Most shared

Related forum discussions

• 100 Trucos para ahorrar dinero · 18 replies
• Lonchafinismo petrolero...como está el panorama · 39 replies
• Los forasteros nos dan clse de lonchafinismo · 39 replies
• Ahorro en peluquero: maquina de cortar el pelo · 140 replies