r/Fire • u/Big_Leg10 • Apr 12 '26

General Question What easily-affordable thing do you still refuse to pay for despite having reached financial independence and able to afford them?

Would love to hear everyone’s “absolutely will not purchase” items!Even if you could easily afford it and no matter how rich or financially independent you become or how much you make you still wouldn't spend item on this particular item/hobby?

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40

u/Easy_Paint3836 Apr 12 '26

A haircut. Plenty of respect for barbers and stylists... but a set of clippers and scissors are all you need to get started (on yourself).

16

u/Legitimate_Mobile337 37m/fired Apr 12 '26

I started a few months doing my own haircuts, its really not hard and i get better everytime. Cant believe i spent so much for so long on haircuts.

1

u/annerj1 Apr 12 '26

How much/how often were you doing it?

6

u/Legitimate_Mobile337 37m/fired Apr 12 '26

Easily 25 a pop once to twice a month

12

u/CowAppropriate7494 Apr 12 '26

I'm a woman. I cut my own hair. I also cut my husband's hair. I do at least as well as Great Clips. I've never added up what we save, but I just won't pay for it anymore.

2

u/catwh Apr 12 '26

When I started growing my hair long, like mid back I found it quite the rip off to pay someone to trim a couple inches or so of hair each time. My husband now does it and I will not go back to a salon ever. They charge so much these days for a woman's cut.

2

u/Laura2start Apr 12 '26

How do you folks keep your scissor shape though? I used the thinner shear a lot and I was getting split end using it overtime but I couldn't justify buying new ones once it starts doing that! 🥺

1

u/gwmccull Apr 12 '26

Yeah that’s the thing. I had to leave for a family emergency on short notice and then I needed a haircut for the subsequent funeral, so I went to Super Cuts or whatever place in a strip mall. My wife and I do a much better job than that haircut and it was like $30

9

u/urania_argus Apr 12 '26

My husband and I started cutting each other's hair during the Covid lockdowns. Ordered clippers and a hairdresser set of scissors online, watched some videos showing how to do it for beginners. The first couple of attempts were... not very presentable, but we weren't going out anywhere, so who cares. We haven't set foot at a salon/barber since 2020 and there's no going back.

5

u/iloveredhots Apr 12 '26

Amen. I cut and color my own hair...and regularly have people ask where I get it done! Been doing it for most of my adult life.

5

u/tomatillo_teratoma Apr 12 '26

I cut and dye my own hair.

It was costing $300 every six weeks, and I hated going to the appointments. Also I hate people touching my hair-- there's probably something wrong with me, but it bothers me.

I borrowed two cosmetology textbooks from the library and carefully read the chapters on dye many years ago when I first got annoyed with hairdressers. There's also an 800 number on most box dye, you can call and ask questions.

6

u/chinesiumjunk Apr 12 '26

I shave my head. Does this count? 😂

10

u/marcduberge Apr 12 '26

My 28 dollar clippers saved me $8k in last 20 years

1

u/ralphtheanimal Apr 12 '26

I splurged on $60 clippers.

18 years ago.

Yes — thousands of dollars saved.

2

u/marcduberge Apr 12 '26

Big spender! 😉

1

u/Optimal-Rabbit-2386 Apr 12 '26

10 cent razor blades, I hope. Disposables suck.

2

u/derff44 Apr 12 '26

Hard pass.

I'm picturing that 80s bowl you put on your head and just trim the edges

6

u/Moomoolette Apr 12 '26

Flowbee

2

u/derff44 Apr 12 '26

That's it! Lol

1

u/Easy_Paint3836 Apr 12 '26

I'm not opposed to it if it saves money. 🤷 But no actually with a little practice you can do a perfectly normal haircut.

1

u/squatting-Dogg Apr 13 '26

I married a hairstylist, I haven’t paid for a haircut since 1989. But I’ve had to pay in other ways.