I am very frugal and spend about 60 dollars getting my hair colored. I was getting it done every 6 weeks and now wait longer (3 months). But I don’t have gray yet, that would change things. I go to a less expensive place but still love my hair.

I would say ditch the ‘name brand salons’ and search for a more reasonable place. Highlights also cost much more than regular coloring. I know for some people it’s about the ‘experience’ and not necesarily the result. But 200 every 6 weeks is alot.

Hair cuts are capped at 15 bucks for me. In college, I used to wait for supercuts coupons (they exist) and get it for 6 bucks. I have gotten 6 dollar hair cuts and 50 dollar hair cuts and there is NO difference unless you are getting some freakishly complex haircut and I hardly ever see anyone out and about with those.

I’m not going gray, but my natural color is extremely mousy – sort of half blond/half brown, translucent and washed out. I used the henna procedure in March and the color is still a vibrant auburn. It’s very flattering and the roots barely show. And the whole process left my hair feeling strong and silky, not crispy like it’d been processed with chemicals. I’m getting ready to do the whole thing again here in about a week.

Even better, the cost of the henna and other materials was under $20.

But I am old and a few strands of silver are starting to show. That doesn’t bother me–I’m not trying to hide who and what I am. However, about six months ago I decided that letting my hair fall halfway down my back probably left onlookers wondering what I was trying to prove. So, I had a very talented stylist cut my long hair, donated the stuff, and got a short, extremely cute, curly, no-hassle hairstyle.

What with the tip, the visits to the stylist cost me about $70 every six or seven weeks, a far cry from the $0-point-0-0 for the Rapunzel locks. Is it worth it? And how! Folks waiting counters and operating cash registers no longer look down their noses at me–suddenly strangers smile and treat me like a live human being. Do I care what shallow people think of me? You betcha.

$200 for cut and color is on the high end of what I would expect to pay, but it doesn’t seem outrageous. I pay about $120 for cut and highlights, but luckily I don’t need the highlights every six weeks – they last longer than color. Still, it’s hard to find a decent woman’s hair cut much below $50 or $60, where men have no trouble finding a great hair cut under $20. Hmph. You’d probably be able to save $50-$60 on each visit by shopping around at different salons, but sometimes you get so attached to your stylist and trust them and it’s hard to try someone new.

I get my hair trimmed up at SuperCuts maybe 3 or 4 times a year. I trim my own bangs if they get too crazy. My ultimate goal is to have my hair long enough to wear in a big, fat braid down my back in salt & pepper glory. There’s this really cool hippie chick professor that rides my bus to & from work who has hair like this. So cool I want to be like her when I grow up…

However, I know when I am older it will cost more to look nice. I will have to color up the greys but I will use at-home kits. I will get a hair style that does not require much cutting but I know I won’t be able to wear it half way down my back anymore.

I just feel this is one of those places I can save money because no one will know the difference!

I too have nearly always colored my own hair via the OTC method. I am not professionally trained, but I have been able to copy the mysterious techniques of the masters by observing them, and by reading the directions on the box. And as mentioned above, having an extra set of hands also helps when applying color to the back. (hint, hint, hubby)

L’Oreal makes great color products. And on the few times I have had a professional color my hair or do my highlights, I noticed that they were using the same L’Oreal products that I had been buying from the Beauto Co. or Sallly stores. Interesting. Nonetheless, my 6-8 week hair cut & blow dry charges currently run $25-$30 (and that includes brow waxing and tip!)

I honestly do feel that your wife’s self-esteem is priceless, and to compare her grooming costs to yours is probably never going to be an equitable analysis. Comparing a couple’s spending costs for items that each partner “feels” is a “necessary” expendature would be fairer. Then perhaps her grooming costs might be matched up against, say your recreational costs for fishing or golf. Would that be a closer match of spending per month? Just a thought….

I blow dry my hair about once a month, if I have somewhere special to be. I don’t use curling irons or straighteners. Avoiding all these hair products means that my hair is always soft and healthy looking, and I only need trims every 3 or 4 months. The more you mess with your hair, the more work it will need to recover from all the crap you do to it.

I consider $200 every 6 weeks to be ridiculous. But I also consider a lot of stuff people spend their money on to be ridiculous. We’re all different, that’s what makes life interesting. Overall, I’d say it comes down to whether you can afford it. If you’re paying cash for the hair upkeep, and not in any sort of consumer debt, and putting at least 10% of your income away each month, then have at it with the expensive hair stuff. But if you’re in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or trying to save for something important (like a house or going back to school), then you can’t afford $200 to get your hair done. Same as with any non-essential expense (and we all need to routinely revisit what “essential expenses” really are).

Now I get a haircut about every 6 weeks for about $45-50. I also get coloring and highlights every couple of months, maybe three and the cost is approximately $150. I have red hair and it fades faster than others so sometimes I will go more often. Every three to four weeks I go to get my brows waxed and a manicure and that cost is $50.

In the years since I began adding these services, I’ve considered letting go of all of them other than haircut and coloring. But as a woman, once you see how much better you look with them, it is very difficult to consider not making it a priority.

But I used to get mani/pedis in CA for about $30 every 2 weeks. Where we live now it’s ridiculously expensive. So I do it every 3-4 months.