How much do you tip your barber?

[MooingLizard]

None. Let me explain...

When I was a kid, my family moved and we couldn't find a decent barber in the new town. My father spent $30 on a pair of clippers, which more than paid for itself in one round of haircuts for him, myself, and my brother. Cutting hair really isn't as hard as you might think if you tend towards a basic cut (seriously).

I'm in college now, but haven't found a decent barber in my college town and don't want to spend the money on it in any event. As a result, I get a haircut every time I see my parents, in less than the time that it would take me to GET to a salon or barbershop (let alone wait in line and get a cut).

 

[Bflobill 1125]

I've been going to the same barber for over 25 years. I'm in business too and we just do work for each other back and forth. No money either way has changed hands in years.He's a great guy, a real friend.

 

[BillyR75]

None. Let me explain...

When I was a kid, my family moved and we couldn't find a decent barber in the new town. My father spent $30 on a pair of clippers, which more than paid for itself in one round of haircuts for him, myself, and my brother. Cutting hair really isn't as hard as you might think if you tend towards a basic cut (seriously).

I'm in college now, but haven't found a decent barber in my college town and don't want to spend the money on it in any event. As a result, I get a haircut every time I see my parents, in less than the time that it would take me to GET to a salon or barbershop (let alone wait in line and get a cut).

Makes sense. I'm a single guy, but I have thought for some time that if I ever get married, I would try to talk my wife into learning how to cut hair. I have a friend who has his wife cut his, and it always looks great.

 

[Scruff McGruff]

I would try to talk my wife into learning how to cut hair.

Good luck on that one!

 

[Bluestaco]

My barber was my brother, and he wouldn't take a (cash) tip from me. I'd bring him good cigars, though, or fetch him lunch or coffee to his shop. One of his well-off clients used to tip him with silver coins, which are still special to him.

Nowadays for others: usually 4 or 5 bucks, but I'll double that if I go away looking extra good or feeling especially taken care of. I also usually tip more if I was especially shaggy walking in.

 

[MooingLizard]

Makes sense. I'm a single guy, but I have thought for some time that if I ever get married, I would try to talk my wife into learning how to cut hair. I have a friend who has his wife cut his, and it always looks great.

My father cuts most of his hair by himself, then directs my mother to cut the parts of the head that he can't reach or see. You might try to get a friend in on it and see if you could learn together.

I read a lot of personal finance blogs, and I've definitely heard of women cutting their husbands' hair. It may not sound like much, especially given how much some of us spend on ADs, but when you're a little tight on cash saving $15-$20 every month or two adds up, without significantly affecting your quality of life. Alternatively, that's enough savings to justify a new soap or cream every haircut!

Funny how you never hear of men cutting their wives' hair. Though to be fair (I'm imagining a drunken redneck cutting hair with a hedge clippers here), I'd hate to see the results.

 

[tim8557]

$12 cut and a $5 tip. Besides, SHE'S Cute!

 

[cleancut]

The going rate for my area (Central FL) is $5 - $7 for a regular cut. It's hard to find a decent barber anywhere here, probably because prices are so low. After getting my usual flat top cut that looks like a /\ instead of a _ I give him a $10 for the $7 cut. I then go home and stand in front of the mirror with my home haircut kit clippers and try to flatten out the peak in the middle of my scalp.

 

[netsurfr]

Guess I am on the cheap side compared to some here. I usually tip at about the 15% rate.

 

[northmendo]

I give $17 for a $14 hair cut.

 

[Aevum]

10 euros for a 8 euro cut, its still cheaper then where i use to cut my hair,

 

[Mejnoon]

When I was a kid my mom took my brother and I to a barber named Les...old timer, super nice guy, really loved what he did. I moved out of the area, and Les passed away a few years later. I haven't had a regular barber since.

Tip well. These guys don't make a whole lot, and generally charge a pittance relative to "stylists" and the like. If they charge $10-12 (typical around here) I usually give them $20. I still feel like I'm getting a bargain.

 

[analog_kid]

$4 or $5 which comes out to a little over 20%. I would tip her more but I don't want to give her the wrong idea.

 

[tim8557]

Tip well. These guys don't make a whole lot, and generally charge a pittance relative to "stylists" and the like. If they charge $10-12 (typical around here) I usually give them $20. I still feel like I'm getting a bargain.

You make a good point. For many years I went to "Salons" for my cut/style. With tip and all, generally about $ 40. My job requirements made it more difficult for me to schedule appointments 4 weeks out. I needed a cut and went to a Great Clips and got a cut for $ 11 that was every bit as good as the $ 35 job. It may be related to age and the fact that there isn't a tremendous amount of hair to style on the top.

I now go every 3 weeks, always wait for the same lady and give her a $ 5 tip for the $ 12 cut.

 

[txengineer]

I'm forced to travel 50 miles each way to my barber. Fortunately, it's all scenic country roads I enjoy covering on the motorcycle. Why go so far? Haircuts and shaves are ten bucks each, and he's a perfectionist. I've been tipping 30%, and now I feel cheap! Maybe a Christmas present is in order.

 

[amerikajinda]

The place I go charges $14 and I always wait for the same lady (because she lets me read my magazines in peace while I'm getting my hair cut instead of relentlessly trying to engage me in some inane conversation about the weather or some such) so I give her a $6 tip (which is over 40%, but it's worth it to see the smile on her face, especially after I see the guy before me give her $1 or $2).

 

[juggler78]

$3 for $12 cut, 25% is more than i tip anyone else. think it's something to do with the sharp objects in the vacinity

 

[Gunnar]

I live in a country with a manditory minimum wage. I do occasionaly tip, but the person performing the service has to do something out of the ordinary to deserve it. I pay NOK 250 for a haircut (about USD 50) and I don't tip. This is a dry cut at a Gentlemans hairdresser. A shampoo at a Unisex salon in town costs twice as much and colouring about four times as much.

The one time I was in the US my host thought I was cheap by not tipping, but I felt that she was extreme. She even tipped a waiter who served her a sandwich in mouldy bread (it was BLACK inside....).

 

[iron maiden]

It depends....if my dad cuts it....I don't tip. I'll just do some favors for my parents around their house.

If I go to my old time barbers, I'll give a 2-4 dollar tip on a 9 dollar haircut. They are perfectionists, they know how to cut my hair, and they don't waste my time talking BS all the time. The conversation in the shop revolves around the other customers. Now, if I'm in there by myself, we will talk about straight razors....they seem to enjoy the topic

 

[lamina]

Well, tiping...kind of institutionalized (bad) habit in the US...one of my bad memories when i traveled to the US is in each shop, store, grocery, cab, hotel, hairdresser or, the worse, restaurants... you should tip...What the heck??!!For us Europeans it's not compulsory as it is in USA...here, if and only if, you have a job done nicely and fine, you could tip the person.It's not mandatory as US...that said it was quite a shock in NY, any service or purchase done..."You forgot the tip, Sir".Well your budget flies away in no time and you should consider those small (? ? ) depenses on your travel money or add kind of more 30 or 40 % to your spending previsions. Nonsense!!

I was in a nice NY dowtown restaurant when the maid hearing portuguese said, in portuguese too...hi there, i'm from Brasil, do you like NY? Yes very much...some little differences are annoying us mildly such as the tips, for example...tiping everywhere even on those hotdogs/onions rings on streets..c'mon!!?? Well you know, i understand, i've the same reaction when i came here...my boss for instance, when i asked for work to him said OK, but i can not pay you on a regular basis or even contract you but if you are interested we can see about the tips to pay you...Well the tips are fueling all kind of illegalities and are a paralel economy to the regular one...it seems to me.