A Tale of Two Hairdressers

A Tale of Two Hairdressers | brokeGIRLrich

A Tale of Two Hairdressers | brokeGIRLrich

The other day I got my bi-yearly haircut (it’s true) and since I’m not particularly chatty, my hairstylist struck up a conversation with the neighboring hairstylist that was fascinating to me.

Hairstlyist #2 enters salon and drops a half a dozen shopping bags on the floor next to the neighboring chair (that salon is in a mall).

Please read with strong New Jersey accents.

HS#1: “What’d you buy?”

HS#2: “There’s a sale in Macy’s, so I picked up some shoes. And grabbed lunch in the food court. American Eagle had some great tops too. Look at this one!”

HS#1: “Aw, yeah, definitely cute.”

HS#2: “You should check out the store today. There’s lots of great sales. Don’t you need anything for your new apartment?”

HS#1: “Maybe. How do you buy all this stuff every day? You’re negative today. You haven’t even had a customer.”

HS#2: “I figured, what the heck? Might as well make today worth it.”

HS#1: “Ugh. I’m so cheap. Mike [boyfriend] comes to pick me up and grabs a box of Raisinettes and a coke from the Dollar Store every day. I’m all, why are you buying that every day? You don’t need Raisinettes every day. It’s a waste of money. He’s all – it’s 2 bucks babe and I’m all – it’s 2 bucks babe right back at him.”

HS#2: “That’s ridiculous. It is just 2 bucks. I mean, I managed to pay my rent this month. The rest of that’s shopping cash. You get it, I mean, you’re gonna furnish your apartment aren’t you?”

HS#1: “Yeah.”

HS#2: “There are plenty of cheap ways to do it. I got everything at Ikea.”

HS#1: “I don’t really like Ikea though. I like the stuff in Pottery Barn, but it’s so expensive. It’s gonna take a while. I walk in, look around, but I don’t just love it. So I’m not spending that kind of money until I do.”

HS#2: “Well what’re you gonna use until you get real furniture?”

HS#1: “Our old furniture. It’s fine. We just need a few more pieces. They can wait.”

HS#2: “It’s not like you can’t afford it.”

HS#1: “Yeah, I just don’t want to spend that kind of money, you know. I want to make sure it’s right. But I think I’ll definitely get the furniture at Pottery Barn.”

Lessons Learned:

  • Only buy what you love.
  • Don’t buy Raisinettes and coke everyday.
  • Then you too can afford a Pottery Barn couch on a hairdressers salary when you really want one.
She did a pretty good job, too.

She did a pretty good job, too.

*Part of Financially Savvy Saturdays on Femme Frugality*

18 thoughts on “A Tale of Two Hairdressers

  1. I love overhearing other people’s conversations about money. Way to go hairdresser #1. I can’t believe the other one thinks everything after rent is spending money. She has no other bills? I can only shake my head. We’ve kept old furniture and I plan on either having my dad build us things or getting them off craigslist. Cute haircut, too!
    E.M. recently posted…Being Grateful: Twentieth EditionMy Profile

    • I know! Hairdresser #2 was definitely making me twitch. I was like “omg, where is your emergency fund?!?! How are you ok if you haven’t had any clients today?” I think I was hyperventilating for her, but I kept it to myself.

  2. Ha! I love the new hair cut and the fun conversation you got as a bonus. Raisinettes and coke every day just sounds crazy, but more crazy than that is the comment that it’s just $2 and they paid their rent. If he is really going every day, that is $40 and almost a cell phone bill in savings, not to mention the calorie savings.
    Shannon @ Financially Blonde recently posted…Top Ten Inspirational WomenMy Profile

  3. Funny thing: I always thought hairdressers made a lot of money here, since it’s so mad expensive to get your hair done 🙂 Good for her though, I would have cheered too! (inside. Silently)
    Since I’m not the biggest chit-chatter either, next time I [can afford to] go to the hairdresser, I’m gonna keep my ears open for a lesson or two!
    Debby recently posted…Day 165 – Time is Precious.My Profile

  4. PF eavesdropping is fun but I can certainly understand it making you twitch too! I’d be clenching my hands under the smock to stop myself from grabbing HD#2 and shaking her. Don’t wanna be judgmental though … I’ve done my share of “I deserve its” in the past.
    debT debS recently posted…Throwing up a Blog Time CapsuleMy Profile

  5. Love hearing stories like this… a close family member of mine was a hairdresser (some do make lots of $$$). Usually it is the other way around – the hairdresser hears all the gossip from the customers. You would not believe what some people tell their hairdresser. Cheaper than a therapist maybe…..
    May recently posted…The Hindsight Budget – TransportationMy Profile

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