$20 for below the shoulder at Fantastic Sam's

[GlennaGirl]

Okay, I'm not complaining, because A) $20 is still basically nothing in the world of haircuts and B) FS's has always served me well--believe it or not, I always get exactly what I want.

But...an observation which I know others have made before me...I've just never had this experience until now!

So, yes, I went to FS's to get my bangs and face-framing layers all neatened up. As usual, they did a great job. The woman showed me how much she was planning on taking off the back (I asked her to)...she held it between her fingers, a little less than half an inch. NO surprises.

BUT...I was surprised that my cut was now $20 instead of $16! I had to run down the strip to buy something quickly at Ralph's so I could get cash back to tip the woman. I had exactly $20 on me. She said it was because my hair is below the line of my shoulders.

Interesting, eh?

[Anje]

I don't get it... I'd think hair that's below the shoulder is easier to cut.

[dvas]

I can understand for color or a perm -- longer hair would require more time and materials -- but a cut? :confused:

[Nightshade]

I assume as FS that you're just getting a cut, not a wash?

I mean, in cases of perms/coloring/ washing I can see the price difference because of more product used (though the shampoo is pushing it), but just a trim?

Taking 1 in off is not harder if your hair is past the shoulders or above them. Even factoring in the "long hair tangles more and takes longer to comb/dry/style" (which it didn't seem like you got)... meh, it's just another excuse for more charges.

The lady at the Ren Faire who charges more for braiding long hair is okay because that takes more time, but if all you were getting was a trim, that doesn't seem cool.

[RancheroTheBee]

Oh, good. I'm just a few short months away from being discriminated against, too!

Jokes, jokes. I know some places will charge extra for longer hair. I'll bet they didn't warn you, though, which seems kind of irresponsible. All that said, I really love the name "Fantastic Sam's".

[LisaJaney]

Well, things ARE getting tighter all over, maybe this is their way of making up a little of the difference. Rather than sticking it to EVERYone (and thereby ticking EVERYONE off), they just hit a few of the clients for a few bucks more??? It still seems that a trim on a longhair would be easier/less time-consuming than a layered 'do. I know I spend more time cutting my husband's hair than I do my own (mine is layered, too, but doesn't take NEARLY the precision that his does.)

Speaking of haircuts, I need a trim. It's really not that hard, to my way of thinking. Is trimming your own hair something you could do yourself? Or take your sister/mom/BFF and have them just sit-in and watch the next one, so THEY can do it for you for free/cheap. It's an idea. Maybe not a good one, but it's an idea. I haven't paid for a haircut for any of my family for...well, Gus was three, and so that's 20 years ago now. I'd screwed up his hair, trying to learn how to use clippers WITHOUT the little plastic LIFT things. :eek: Prior to that, there was our wedding-pictures haircut on my husband that we paid for. Other than that, I've done all the haircutting since 1984. I suppose I've saved a LOT of money that way.

[RancheroTheBee]

Speaking of haircuts, I need a trim. It's really not that hard, to my way of thinking. Is trimming your own hair something you could do yourself? Or take your sister/mom/BFF and have them just sit-in and watch the next one, so THEY can do it for you for free/cheap. It's an idea. Maybe not a good one, but it's an idea. I haven't paid for a haircut for any of my family for...well, Gus was three, and so that's 20 years ago now. I'd screwed up his hair, trying to learn how to use clippers WITHOUT the little plastic LIFT things. :eek: Prior to that, there was our wedding-pictures haircut on my husband that we paid for. Other than that, I've done all the haircutting since 1984. I suppose I've saved a LOT of money that way.

Let's assume you're going by FS prices, at 20$. Let's say you get three hair cuts a year. That's... 1500$, just for you. Wow.

I stopped getting my hair professionally trimmed in 2007. I usually spent about 50$, three times a year. Holy crap. I've saved 950$. :confused:

That can't be right... Wait, yeah.

[Nightshade]

I cut my DH's hair and it takes me longer and it is much more complicated than him trimming mine.

As another advocate for trimming at home we figured out that if I got my hair trimmed I was looking at a minimum of $25 (tip included), and DH was about the same. DH gets his hair trimmed monthly, so a savings of $300. For awhile I was trimming monthly too to manage damage and that would have saved us $600/year.

Being now that I only get trimmed every few months, the savings is probably closer to only $400. Still, though, not bad!

[demitasse]

I stopped going to a professional when I hit the magic mark of being charged more. Now I go over to my mom's when she has some free time. Never have to worry about her taking off too much and she doesn't require a tip. Although, I do try to do something nice like cook her dinner or something as thanks.

Even better than saving the cash is avoiding the awfully personal questions and chitchat I always endured at the salon. ;)

[mugglemomof3]

That is peculiar.

I think the next time I just need my hemline straightened, I'll head back to my hometown and go to the Barber my dad uses. Back in grade school whenever mom thought my hair needed "evening up", we'd head to Woody. He always did a fantastic job, and I'm thinking a barber might take off Exactly the amount you told him too since he wouldn't be itching to "change" you or "spruce you up" like so many hairdressers. *shrugs*

[goodenough]

I got my long hair cut at a barbers when I was a little girl. My mom wasn't too into my hair, so my dad helped out best he could. (My mom had almost classic hair due to neglect.) He took me to the barbers and put my ribbon barrettes in. Nice memories:)

[GlennaGirl]

Well, as I said, it's not really the money that's the issue. $20 really is not a lot for a cut, not to mention the fact that I don't get my hair cut professionally more than once a year. In between I do try to trim it myself. But that was the problem this time around...I really didn't do it right, I was cutting too deep a bang to even things up and I didn't want to do any more damage to myself.

But again...I don't mind paying it. I was just wondering why.

She did shampoo my hair...but she always has and I've never been charged more because of the length of my hair. In a weird sort of way, it's a milestone.

[enfys]

I think we're missing the point here.

You officially have long hair!

Forget the money, discrimanation blah blah. That's boring.

I've never had a salon cut to know what I'm missing, but my fiance has saved £324 on haircuts since being with me (Valentines gift '08), and says I give the second best haircuts he's had (first prize goes to a very old school, very old pro in Cardiff Market).

It's a pretty lucrative business to be in; how many haircuts a day must they give?

[Auryn]

Let's assume you're going by FS prices, at 20$. Let's say you get three hair cuts a year. That's... 1500$, just for you. Wow.

I stopped getting my hair professionally trimmed in 2007. I usually spent about 50$, three times a year. Holy crap. I've saved 950$. :confused:

That can't be right... Wait, yeah.

I think your math might be wrong, unless there's something I'm missing.

$20 dollars a cut x 3 cuts a year = $60 not $1500

[enfys]

I think your math might be wrong, unless there's something I'm missing.

$20 dollars a cut x 3 cuts a year = $60 not $1500

It's backdated from 1984 :D

[Furiana]

It's also a LOT of money! :thud: