Thursday, January 14, 2016

How I Saved Over $9000 and Have Nothing to Show For It!

I've been thinking that with the name of my blog being "A Nickel Here, A Dime There" that I should write about how I do try to save some money here and there instead of just writing about the things I sell to make money!

One way I've saved money over the years is by cutting my husbands and our 4 boys hair. I think I started when my oldest boy was probably 2 or 3 years old. My husband had always gotten his hair cut some where or other and I'd watch the stylest and it didn't seem like it would be that hard to do so I finally talked my husband into letting me try it out on him! At the time (28 years ago) he had really nice, thick black curly hair so it was very forgiving if I did botch it up! It actually turned out pretty good and I was in business from then on! I figured it saved us $10-$15 every time I cut his hair. When our little boys got to be about 2 years old I would start cutting their hair also. I figured that I probably cut their hair about 8 times a year. I would aim for every 6 weeks or so but sometimes it would be more like every 8 weeks. I figured out how many years I've been cutting each ones hair, figured roughly $12 per cut (which it probably really would be more) and then came up with this rough estimate of how much I've saved......$9312.00! Not too shabby! Now wouldn't it have been  nice if I had actually put $12 per cut into a jar or savings account over all those years and HAD that money in my hands?!! Why YES, it would! Of course one of the main reasons I cut their hair was to save money because with a big family money was always tight and I figured if I could save money by cutting their hair, then we could use that money for groceries! So, I really did save that much money by learning a new skill but sad to say, it's not in the bank! :) I also have trimmed my girls hair and bangs over the years so I could add more to that figure also!

Here's the only picture that I have of one of the kids getting a haircut. This is our youngest boy 10 years ago. Keep in mind I was 9 months pregnant with our last child and I must have about had it as you can tell by the look on my face! Not a good picture! He did not like getting his hair cut either!

(This was in the middle of the haircut---not the finished product! )
 
Here's a picture of our boys about 4 years ago.
I think they look pretty sharp but I'm probably biased!
 
If you think you'd like to save some money this way then there are lots of YouTube videos on how to cut boys hair! Maybe I should look up a video too ....maybe I'd learn some new tricks! 
 
Thanks for stopping by! ~~Pam

28 comments:

  1. Fun post Pam. And what handsome sons you have. I cut my daughter's hair. It's pretty much a straight cut across the back, but I do the bottom layer first, then the top layer. It usually comes out fine, but I'm always a little nervous because one time I cut it too short.

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    1. Thanks Lorraine! It was fun to write about something a little different! In fact I wrote it and waited a couple of days to post it trying to decide if I really wanted to do it! ~~Pam

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  2. A beautiful family! I did the same thing while I was raising my son and with only a couple exceptions I cut my own hair my whole life starting when I was 3 and got a hold of my mom's scissors and gave myself a reverse Mohawk! :o)

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    1. Thanks Sondra! And that's only half of our kids! I'll have to post a pic of the girls some day! I'll bet your mom loved finding you with that hairdo! :) ~~Pam

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  3. I've always cut SweetiePie's hair since we first met. Of course I was in school learning to be a cosmotologist so I had a small edge on things. Never thought to add it all up. I cut my girls hair when they were growing up and they never thought about the savings until they had girls of their own!!

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    1. It really does help, doesn't it? That's great that you're a cosmetologist! I'm doing good to just cut these guys hair, let alone other peoples! :) Thanks for your comment! ~~Pam

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    2. Oh I retired years ago but couldn't retire from cutting the family's hair. I wonder how much it would add up to for 43 years?

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  4. Such a handsome family! My hubby bought onevof those electric clipper sets some years ago and called me to come cut his hair. I was terrified, and did ok but got better at it. :) now he does it himself. Your idea of putting that money on the table instead of into all those haircuts was genius!

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    1. Thanks Pam! I love the clippers! I need to get a new set though cuz ours is making a lot of noise...lol! ~~Pam

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  5. You may not have that money in the bank, but at least you're not in haircut debt. :-)

    I cut my husband's hair, and he cuts both our boys' hair. It works out well for us.

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    1. Yes, but I wish we weren't in any other debt either! :) Thanks for your comment!

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  6. My hubby cuts his hair and my 6 yr olds hair. I was going to try to do mine, but my mom is sweet and pays for my 2 year old and I to get our hair cut, but I am getting enough grays I'm going to start doing henna hair color at home.

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    1. That's really nice of your mom! I'd really rather not have to cut hair but it's a necessary evil I guess! :) ~~Pam

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  7. Great looking family :) Do the older boys still let you cut their hair?

    I've been cutting my own hair for about two years now. I wish I could remember when I started. I'll just have to guess. I've saved at least a couple hundred dollars. I started because the place I liked to go went out of business and I really don't care for sitting in a chair making small talk with strangers :)

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    1. Thanks Nancy! Yes, they let me sometimes if they're strapped for cash! :) I whack on my hair too...I have a layered look and curl it when I go out so it's a forgiving hair-do! ~~Pam

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  8. Nothing wrong with those haircuts-pretty sharp if you ask me!

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  9. Great looking boys! I too have always cut my boys' hair..since they were babies. They are now 16, 14 and 10 and I still cut it. I've been cutting hubby's hair for several years now too. He never liked they way salons did it..so I figured I'd save some money. I do it, but I don't enjoy doing it. I do like not having to pay someone to do it though. LOL

    Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks Margaret! I'm like you...I do it but I don't enjoy doing it...lol! ~~Pam

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  10. Wonderful post my sweet sis! Remember Dad cutting the boys' hair? I think we have some slides of it. I should hunt those up.

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    1. Thank you my dear! Yes, I remember...I should have mentioned that about Dad cutting hair in my post! Yes, I'd love to see the pictures! ~~Pam

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  11. It's fun to look at things a different way once in awhile!
    And great picture of your boys! I'd recognize those name tags anywhere! lol. We were at the same event...just a different city. ;)

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    1. Thanks Shannon! I didn't know you were "one of us"! So glad to hear it! ~~Pam

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  12. Handsome boys! I cut my kids hair as well, saves so much money. Not time though, I'm a little slow but I'm always so afraid of cutting someone up!

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    1. Thanks Kristen! Yes, it does save money! I've gotten faster at it as the years go by. I really hate doing it so I try to hurry...lol! ~~Pam

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  13. We have been doing haircuts at home and it saves a lot of money. We started with my husband, whom I had just started dating trimming my hair for me. He did the full sectioning, pinning it up and trimming each successive layer with a really good pair of hair shears he had. No ponytail chop, or just cut straight across the bottom. Best haircut I could remember getting, no losing six inches, when I asked for a half inch trim. It takes him about 20-25 minutes to trim my hair properly. It has enabled my hair to grow longer to my elbows and much fuller. He uses this method. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ixwCfku3fY
    We started doing my boys haircuts when I had enough of paying for them to get bad haircuts at the barbers. We made a trip to Sally’s to buy a good set of clippers. We read reviews and avoided buying a cheap set as they are noisy, vibrate too much, get hot and do not give an even cut. So we spent a little more and bout a set I could use on my future grandchildren. Bought a cape and the neck strips as well. We started doing the haircuts on the patio as it is easier cleanup, just use the leaf blower to clear the clippings. I figure between my hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks, the two boys monthly, the amount saved of the cost of the haircut, tip & transportation, I am saving over $1400 a year with great results. Better than the salon and barbershop, and more convenient. My husband started coloring my hair with henna last year, the color is great and saves a lot of money. Like you, I didn't put the money in a jar, but went to things like gas for my car, shoes, clothes, groceries and other life expenses.

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  14. I cut husband's and son's hair, plus the two daughter's hair. Often I trimmed my own bangs.

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