This money saving tip is probably more useful to men than women, but I guess it could apply to both sexes.  For men, getting a haircut every four to six weeks, even just a trim, can cost between £6 and £12 depending on where you go.  It’s a fair amount of money over the year for a job that can take around ten minutes.

Add to that the inconvenience of having to either go in your lunch hour or leave work slightly early if the barber shop keeps the usual office hours, it can be a real pain as well as a monthly expense.  If you opt to go for a haircut on a Saturday you have to contend with the usual rush as a lot of other people are unable to fit this in during the week as well.

Purchase a quality set of electric hair clippers

To save money and time on personal grooming purchase a set of electric hair clippers.  You will probably be surprised to find that they cost only a little more than the price of a haircut at the barber shop anyway; which means by the time you have used them a few times you have already paid for them and saved some money.  My girlfriend bought me a set from Wilkinson for about £6 and they’re still going strong 8 years on!

Cutting your own hair, even a simple “crew cut” can be quite fiddly and there’s always a bit here and there that you’ll tend to miss, so it’s a good idea to have someone on hand to help you tidy up.  Of course it’s even better if you have a partner or spouse who is happy to actually cut your hair.  Does anyone remember that scene in G.I. Jane where Demi Moore breaks into the army barber shop in the early hours and proceeds to shave her head?  Trust me – it’s not that easy and definitely not that quick doing it yourself!

If you have your hair coloured, bleached or even highlighted, save money by doing it yourself instead of spending £30 to £60 a time at the hair salon.  Hair colour and bleaching kits are only a few pounds and there is quite an extensive range of products available.  The results are often very good as long as you follow the instructions, although to be honest it may take a bit of practice and the first few attempts may be patchy.