Have you been wondering how you are going to pay for your new haircut on your student budget? The following tips can help you get a cheap (or free!) haircut that won’t break the bank if you use them.
The feeling of getting a fresh new trim is nothing short of amazing, even though there is nothing better than getting one. It is unfortunate that a trip to the hairdresser is not known as one of those activities that are friendly to student budgets.
In most barbers, the average cost of a haircut ranges from $5 to $20, depending on the length of the haircut. At a hair salon, however, it can vary from $20 to $100 or more, depending on what you’re getting done and which salon you choose to visit.
Throughout the years, we’ve compiled an extensive list of ways to save money on your haircut, including ways you can get a haircut for free over the course of the years.
How to save money on haircuts
If you’re looking for a haircut that won’t break the bank, you’re in luck! There are plenty of ways to get a cheap or even free haircut. Here are some of the best tips for keeping your hair maintenance costs down:
1. Be a hair model
This may sound crazy, but it’s actually a really smart way to get a free haircut.Hair modelling doesn’t require you to be Kate Moss or Brad Pitt’s body double. Don’t be too fussy about your locks, and let the person doing them take charge.
Free haircuts will be offered by hairdressers wanting to practice adventurous styles.
A more experienced supervisor will always supervise them, so there are few chances for problems. However, it’s still risky. You might not want to do this if you have a big event or interview.
Check out salon posters or leaflets, or ask a local hairdresser.
2. Get a dry cut
It’s part and parcel of getting a haircut to get your hair washed. Save money by skipping the fancy shampoo and mini head massage.
It may even be better to get a dry cut in some cases.
In the case of straight hair or hair that is all one length (such as a blunt bob), cutting with wet hair produces sharper, more precise lines.
In contrast, a dry cut can be better for those with naturally curly hair. The hairdresser can see how your hair curls while cutting, and work around it.
3. Get rid of big names
When it comes to food shopping and getting your hair trimmed, we suggest ditching big brands.
Countless big names compete for your attention on the high street – Vidal Sassoon, TONI&GUY…Cheap haircuts aren’t available there.
Compared to smaller local businesses, they cost more. For all but the most adventurous catwalk styles, we recommend the latter. In our first tip, we mentioned that smaller salons may offer hair models free cuts.
You can also save money by heading out of town. Consider the bus ride cost as well.
4. Reduce the frequency with which you cut your hair
A lot of hairdressers will tell you that you need a haircut every six weeks in order to keep your hair looking nice, however, this is more for their own benefit than for yours.
There are some haircuts that can last as long as three months if they are done well. A longer it will take you to feel like you need a trim, the more you’ll have to chop off before you feel like you need another trim. Be brave and get more of the length cut off so that you can make it last for a longer period of time.
5. Select a stylist
As far as getting your hair cut is concerned, you would be forgiven for thinking that it would not be a very complex process. There are, however, a wide variety of options available that vary in price depending on the type of option you select.
As an example, if you ask a senior stylist to cut your hair, the cost will be higher than if you ask a newly qualified junior stylist to cut your hair.
It is never a bad idea to ask about the available options if you have any questions. If you decide to have your hair cut by one member of staff rather than another, you may find yourself having to pay twice as much.
6. Choose a weekday for your haircut
The fact that once you are no longer a student, you will likely be working a nine-to-five job, and will only be able to get time off on the weekends is easy to forget.
During the weekdays, you might be able to get a haircut during the day by taking advantage of your flexible schedule as a student. If you book online through a third-party website like Treatwell, you will be able to make your booking during ‘off-peak’ hours, which means that your haircut will cost you less.
There are even some salons that are willing to provide a lower rate to those who can fill in last-minute gaps if they have had cancellations due to illness. There is a term that is commonly used to describe these cuts – ‘standby cuts’. If you have established a good relationship with a salon, ask if they can put you on their standby list after you’ve established your relationship.
7. Take advantage of hairdresser training colleges
Across the country, there are hundreds of students who are studying to become hairdressers at colleges. Their most pressing need is to find volunteers who will help them practice their skills while getting a free haircut at the same time.
Practicing trainee hairdressers can only do so much practise on dolls before it’s time for them to move on to the real thing and begin experimenting. It is always a good idea to supervise the trainees while they are shaving their heads, so that there is no danger of their heads being shaved spontaneously.
Set some extra time aside for this process, as it might take a little longer than you’re used to. A few of the biggest salon names also have training salons in their larger branches as well. In order to find one of these in your area, it is worth running a Google search to see if there is one nearby.
8. Find out about student discounts
Students are loved by every business, and many will offer you some great incentives to get you to book with them in the first place.
Having your trusty student card at hand will enable you to get some fantastic discounts on haircuts even if you don’t have a credit card. All students studying in the UK can take advantage of 10% off at Supercuts hairdressing chain, for example.
After the discount has been applied to your order, you can compare prices across salons to make sure you are getting the best deal. There is no point in having a 30% discount if the cut was already going to cost £200 in the beginning.
9. Utilize the expertise of your friends
Have you ever known your best friend to be a qualified or trainee hairdresser? You have a stepdad who works in a salon, right? It’s time to put those contacts to good use.
Whether it is from a friend or a family member, never expect anything free from them. In this case, you are probably not going to have any problems if you ask them about their ‘mates’ rates.
During their time off, they might not feel like cutting more hair because they have already cut so much hair at work, so they won’t feel like doing any more cutting when they get back to work. Since you are going to be offering them some extra income, they might be willing to take advantage of this opportunity.
10. Make frequent changes to your hairdresser
It is easy to stick with a hairdresser or barber that you like for months or even years when you find one you like. In fact, you might even become quite good friends with your favourite hairdresser if you are lucky enough.
The only thing to remember is that places often offer special discounts to first-time customers who come in for the first time. As a result, if you do not mix things up a bit from time to time, you will be missing out on something great. Check around for the best deals for new customers and use them the next time you need a haircut to see if they are any good.
I don’t think it will be an issue for your old hairdresser. Don’t worry, he will take it in stride.
11. Make your own hair cuts
In order to take advantage of this option, you will need to be brave, put in some preliminary preparation, and have the funds to get started.
It is important that, if you are going to attempt this at all, you invest in a good quality pair of hairdressing scissors before you begin. Any other course of action will end in tears.
First, you may wish to check out YouTube tutorial videos to see how it’s done, and you may want to keep it simple the first time you try it. Also, check out some videos on YouTube which demonstrate what not to do when you’re doing a DIY haircut, so you know what not to do.
12. Keep your locks healthy
There is a high probability that you will find yourself in a hair emergency if you don’t take good care of your locks. It is crucial to treat them well in order to extend the time between cuts as much as possible.
Your hair doesn’t need to be blow dried or straightened every single day (see the next point!). Nevertheless, if it is a necessity to use heated products, apply a heat protection spray to your skin before using them.
In order to maintain glossy, healthy hair, take proper care of your hair by washing it well, brushing it well, and not experimenting with hair dyes and bleaches.
13. Low-maintenance hairstyles
You don’t have to listen to us when it comes to how to style your hair, but some hairstyles are more easy to maintain than others.
There is more time between cuts for hairstyles that are longer than those that are short. In addition to this, fringes tend to add a lot of unnecessary trouble to the face.
You may want to invest in some hairdressing scissors if you happen to be a fan of fringes. Unless you do so, you will be spending a lot of money on trimmings to keep your hair neat and tidy.
If you are unsure as to how you should style your hair in order to keep it hassle-free, then ask your stylist for some advice. As a matter of fact, they prefer to keep you as a client for the long run, rather than giving you bad advice
14. Look for discounts on the Internet
Besides student discounts, you can often find excellent bargains on discount sites (particularly daily deal sites) or in local newspapers. Be on the lookout for new developments.
Don’t forget to check out our health and beauty discounts on a regular basis. The deals that we post on our website are updated on a daily basis, and you often have to get in there quickly to take advantage of them. Alternatively, you can also join our Telegram group to get all the deals straight to your phone, so you won’t miss a thing!
15. Group haircuts can be arranged
At some point, most of your university friends will also require haircuts, so why not join forces with them?
It is more likely that a salon will offer you a group discount if you ring up and ask about booking five haircuts rather than just one if you wish to book five cuts at once. I am sure that there will always be someone else who requires a haircut around the same time, so be sure to ask around.
Some salons also offer referral discounts, which means that your friend gets a discount on their first haircut if you refer them to the salon, and you get a discount on your first cut too if you refer them to the salon! It wouldn’t hurt to ask next time you get your hair trimmed if there’s anything you’d like to know.
16. Use home-visit hairdressers
Do you feel lazy? There could be a solution to the problem if mobile hairdressers visited your home.
There is a great deal of flexibility when it comes to hairdressers (especially freelance ones), who are willing to cut your hair at home. As a result, you will be able to save up to 50% on the standard prices as they are not paying for membership at a salon.
The best way to find home hairdressers is to search online, you can find them on Gumtree or you can find them on Facebook Marketplace. Your area may have a good number of people working in it, so you might be surprised at how many there are.