A little dose of reality today

[UncleHoney]

Got a hair cut this morning and got a dose of reality to go along with it. The barber shop is now a one man operation instead of two like it has been for the last twenty years. The shop owner said October and November business was so bad he could hardly afford to keep the shop open with two people trying to earn a living and pay expenses.

A coworker friend from MegaCorp stopped by to visit at lunchtime. Things don't sound good for next year at all. They are down to a 60 day backlog of work and beyond the middle of February there are no future sales in the pipeline and very few outstanding proposals. They just had a 10% rif in October, one of those thrown overboard had 28 years service. My friend just had his 26th anniversery at MegaCorp.

Feels good to be retired and not have to get lashed with the whip that's sure to come.

 

[wrigley]

Got a hair cut this morning and got a dose of reality to go along with it. The barber shop is now a one man operation instead of two like it has been for the last twenty years. The shop owner said October and November business was so bad he could hardly afford to keep the shop open with two people trying to earn a living and pay expenses.

A coworker friend from MegaCorp stopped by to visit at lunchtime. Things don't sound good for next year at all. They are down to a 60 day backlog of work and beyond the middle of February there are no future sales in the pipeline and very few outstanding proposals. They just had a 10% rif in October, one of those thrown overboard had 28 years service. My friend just had his 26th anniversery at MegaCorp.

Feels good to be retired and not have to get lashed with the whip that's sure to come.

I'm sure the Dems would be more than happy to bail out the barber shop owner!

Mike

 

[Nords]

You would think that hair would grow just as fast during a recession as a bull market.

I wonder if there's a correlation between men's hair lengths and the economy. For some reason all those Will Ferrell 1970s movie plots are coming to mind...

I'm sure the Dems would be more than happy to bail out the barber shop owner!
Mike

Hey, take it to the soapbox.

 

[unclemick]

Michele - payed the extra bucks - still looked like a crew cut to me. At 65 glad I have hair to cut.

Gave us a his and hers package deal. Business is down so much she has a second job at Dilliard's for the Holidays.

Doing our best to spend more to help the economy.

heh heh heh - Keep hearing more antidotal stuff about the downturn.

 

[OAG]

We have been visiting kids the past couple of weeks. Traveling from Columbus, OH to Ashburn (DC area) of VA for a week and now in NE (Jacksonville), FL area. Really hectic as in lots of traffic, busy stores, etc., in DC area (recession proof area) and also down in Florida. Even at NAS JAX the foot traffic in the Commissary and Exchange was very heavy over the weekend and still heavy on Monday. Local (Orange Park, FL) Mall was packed. Highway traffic out of Columbus along I70 was really light. Will be heading west from here along I10 to I75 north back to Columbus on Friday. BTW we just returned from the local "Beauty School" where DW got a haircut and shampoo for $6 ($5 for the haircut and shampoo and $1 tip). Prices have gone up since last visit about 2 years ago from $4. (Back home in Dublin, OH she pays $10 just for the Haircut). She cuts mine so we have no costs there.

 

[DangerMouse]

Things seem to be really bad around here that's for sure. My old company had another round of layoffs last week and have projected 2 further rounds in Q1/Q2 for 2009. Found out yesterday that DH is likely to get laid off in Jan 09. However we did have an inkling this might happen so he had an interview at another company last week and an offer is on it's way we hear. In the meantime I have been spending time on FireCalc to see if we could make it work without either of us working - think the budget would be a bit slim at this time and until the market settles it seems prudent to keep the dollars coming in.

 

[Martha]

How long do recessions generally last?

 

[ziggy29]

How long do recessions generally last?

Here's some information about past recessions as it relates to the current one:

How long will the recession last? - Dec. 3, 2008

I like this quote, particularly the part I've boldfaced:

However, the fact that the recession is now already 12 months old, and clearly not approaching its trough yet, raises the distinct prospect that it will exceed the length of the 1973-75 and 1981-82 recessions (both at 16 months), making it the longest since the Great Depression (43 months, from August 1929 to March 1933). The crowd fond of making comparisons to the Great Depression will be quick to declare some kind of victory on this one.

Isn't that the truth.

 

[LOL!]

In the last month we have received postcard coupons for free haircuts from two different local chains. I think that Christmas is a traditional time to give a big tip when you get your hair cut. I guess that these places must really be suffering and all the stylists need some money even if the haircut is free, the tips may still roll in.

I just had a haircut back in September, so no need for another one until March or so.

 

[riskadverse]

I don't know about barber shops - my wife has cut what hair is left for the last 25 years, but often people who get tips will complain about how bad business is to get your sympathy and bigger tips.

 

[Goonie]

I haven't been to a barber since 1974! When my favorite old barber retired I bought a pair of hair clippers, and have been doing my own haircuts ever since. $18.95 plus 5% sales tax for the clippers = $19.90 ÷ ~4 haircuts per year for 34 years = ~15¢ per haircut (so far....and that cost drops each time!). Of course that doesn't include the electricity to run 'em.....but it still probably comes out under 20¢ per haircut! Not being frugal...I'm just picky about who's gonna chop my locks!

 

[Scrapr]

I got some clippers this summer. Mrs Scrapr thought I was crazy. But I don't have much and trim it pretty short. Was costing me $15 ea trip. ($12 plus tip, sometimes $20 if he didn't have change)

Noticed a couple quickee cuts closed in the last few months. Now the fitness lite places are going in. Snap Fitness and another one. Not sure they are going to make it through this recession though

 

[CuppaJoe]

Just the opposite happened when I went for a haircut. She pawned me off on her new assistant; was shaking in my boots, it's a so-so cut but at the owners' full rate.

Never had to make an appt. before she starting cutting Eddie Fisher's hair. Next time it will be SuperCuts or the cut rate version, NiceCuts.

 

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

I got some clippers this summer. Mrs Scrapr thought I was crazy. But I don't have much and trim it pretty short. Was costing me $15 ea trip. ($12 plus tip, sometimes $20 if he didn't have change)

Noticed a couple quickee cuts closed in the last few months. Now the fitness lite places are going in. Snap Fitness and another one. Not sure they are going to make it through this recession though

I've been using the self clipper method the last few months, but now with winter upon us I'm starting to see the error of my ways.

That's OK, because my back up system is also pretty good. My mother is the head instructor at a beauty college and tipped me off that if you show up some time during the week you can schedule a $2 hair cut on Saturdays and get the cream of the crop to do it. I always find a 200% tip give you all the pleasure of being a big spender while still being a big saver.

 

[Gardnr]

I've been self-shearing for many years now. Electric "clippers" without the guard once every 10 days or so and I'm good to go! Fits very well with my LBYM lifestyle, and I gave up on the vanity issue a long time ago. My wife [-]tolerates [/-] likes it and that's all that counts. Very low maintenance too.

So you can't blame my lack of spending for their demise. They haven't relied on me for revenue for a very long time.

 

[Nords]

I haven't been to a barber since 1974!

I'm impressed... a new goal to add to my list!

 

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

I'm impressed... a new goal to add to my list!

Time travel to 1974 and tell yourself to stop paying for haircuts?

 

[Dawg52]

There is a barber shop close to my house that I have been wanting to try just because it is convenient. Been reluctant as I hate changing barbers. Well I pull up the other day and there is a guy sitting on the front porch with overalls on and a straw hat. I almost backed out but I figured it must be an old guy killing some time. Wrong assumption as he greeted me and asked if he could give me a haircut.

He actually did a good job and told some pretty funny stories. I thought for sure he was going to be cheaper but no.....the same $12 rate most charge around here.

 

[bbbamI]

The woman that cuts my hair moved her business to her home. The lease was up and the folks wanted more money, so she said "see ya."

DH has his hair cut once a month to keep that corporate look. He will be saying "adios" to his job soon and recently I told him he should let his hair hang down....literally. At first he resisted, then he got a gleam in his eyes, and cancelled his next appointment.

The devil made him do it....

 

[dex]

Shave your head, as I do - saves time, money and your health - barber with cold/flu breathing in your face.

 

[Goonie]

I thought for sure he was going to be cheaper but no.....the same $12 rate most charge around here.

I don't have $12 worth of hair!

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I buzz mine. 40$ hair clippers have paid for themselves many times over. Shaving my head seems like it would be a pain.

 

[Spanky]

I stopped getting my haircut at Great Clips. DW has been doing that since July, 08. She's pretty at it.

 

[ziggy29]

She's pretty at it.

I'm sure she is. But how are her haircuts?

 

[Redbugdave]

Where I used to get my haircut, it used to be $7. Two years ago they went up to $10. And now, a month ago...$12. So as of last month, my adorable wife is now attempting my haircuts. She is getting better at it! A couple people at work have asked about the notched places on the back of my head. I simply told them that the ringworm is now being treated...

Everybody has a line where enough is enough...mine was $12.