By Mr. Dr. Frugal Scholar
I hate getting hair cuts. I hate to wait, I hate to have people impinge upon my personal space, I hate paying. I hate it all.
But for many years I put up with it because I had no choice. Ms. Dr. Frugal Scholar is an amazingly accomplished person, but in this sphere she was not much help, except regularly to note that I was beginning to look like Bozo the Clown again. (This is one consequence of your classic male-pattern balding.)
Finally an empathetic stylist, who must have picked up on my discomfort, pointed out that I could cut my own hair if I were willing to go really, really short. I was more than willing, and this was the beginning of a whole new era. I bought a good pair of scissors and medium-priced electric clippers and I was in business. All I need to do is snap the little plastic guide onto the clippers, lean over the sink, and shear away.
So now I am saving huge amounts of money. First, I’m saving on the haircut itself: let’s say $20 twice a month, times 12, equals $480 (even once a month is $240). Second, I’m saving travel: say four miles at $.50 a mile, or $48 a year. Then there’s the time I save—about two hours every month. But I use these hours saved to cut the grass, for a savings (as I demonstrated in a previous post) of $40 a pop. So that’s $960 a year.
So, using my creative accounting techniques, my savings add up to $1,480 a year. Just for cutting my own hair.
And it doesn’t end there. For years I also cut our son’s hair, until the Divine Miss Emm took over. She now also cuts Ms. Dr. Frugal’s hair, which results, as you can imagine, in absolutely astronomical savings.
Perhaps I exaggerate. The point, however, is that small economies add up. For me, however, the savings in personal discomfort would have been worth it even if it cost more to cut my hair myself. Not everything can be reduced to a dollar value.
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6 comments:
My thoughts exactly. It is way beyond financial. I hated having my hair cut.
Dear Dr. Frugal Scholar......
I feel your pain. Like you, I too hate to wait. Post a picture of your hair. If I did my own, I would totally post a picture. You would not want to see that picture because the world is not ready to see that picture :)
Why do I feel like I am writing a letter to Dear Abby??
Steady On
Reggie Girl
Mr DFS, good on you! And I too request a photo.
My DH, Le Duc, has what you'd call long-short hair, a flowy, French nerd look (which is pretty much what he is). He likes his hairdresser, half of an intelligent and creative couple who have been friends for years. He enjoys the shampoo and scalp massage from the winsome assistant, and the hour every two months away from the job, just relaxing.
A lot of men find the barbershop relaxing, and a sort of male clubhouse. But if you don't, your solution makes sense.
@Cubicle--If you lose your hair, you will find haircuts very easy!
@Midlife--If you look at the newest post, you'll see the cut. Women's hair is something else.
@Duchesse--You can bet that if Mr. DFS had long flowy hair (a la Bernard Henri-Levy???) he would seek out a good stylist. I haven't shown him the comment because I'm sure he would get jealous. He aspires to the French intellectual style.
I got to asking my hair stylist the other night if she ever cut her own hair: Yes, but she'd also had to prevail on friendly stylists to repair her mistakes. By the time we finished chatting, my hair was so short, I won't have to return for two months!
@Terri--I hope you like your new haircut!
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