How Much Do You Tip a Barber

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A money-savvy individual who likes to keep an efficient eye over their finances and write about ways to optimise their resources.

How much should you tip your barber?
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Tipping Your Barber

So, going for a haircut, are we? Good; there are few feelings more satisfying than going to the barbers and getting a classic haircut.

Hairstyling is always a good way to make you feel good about yourself, and it can play a leading role in making you generally feel more positive. When you look in the mirror and see a stylish fade, you know that you are onto a winner. However, if you want to make sure you always get the best cut, you want to have a barber you go to each time.

Having your own choice of barber means they soon work out exactly what you are looking for in terms of style. They get to know your quirks, and they also get to know your chatter. Now, they can stop asking you the same generic questions, and over time, you can learn a good bit about them. This is a wise choice as having a barber whom you have a rapport with and can trust is very important.

When the job is done, though, and they ring you up at the till, you want to make sure you offer them a tip that feels like a fair reflection of their efforts. With that in mind, then, you might be wondering how much do you tip a barber?

The challenge is that barber tips are quite hard to work out. You want to find a fair value, so what works for most barbers?

Tipping is important!
Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

Should You Tip Your Barber?

The short answer? Yes, absolutely!

The long answer? Yes, it is the right thing to do. A barber deserves you to respect their craft and to see the work that they do as worthwhile. If you are someone who is unsure about tipping a barber, then just ask yourself this: could you do the same quality of cutting yourself? Could you even buy a decent pair of clippers for this cost?

This is something to focus on, as the quality of work that a barber does can be priceless to your look. You can stick on the suave and stylish suit, but if you walk about with straggly hair and a messy beard, you won’t look as good as you could. Get a barber to tidy you up, though, and you can look a million bucks!

So, if you are wondering whether or not you should tip a barber, then the simple answer is yes. You should give them the respect their work deserves, and you should ensure they are properly compensated for the work they do. A barber should always be tipped purely because the work they do is always a good value for money.

How Much Do You Tip a Barber?

Typically, the cost of tipping a barber is dependent on the service provided. If you go for a standard haircut, you should probably simply round up whatever the cost is; if your haircut costs you $17.50, then round it up to $20, etc.

However, for a more structured cost, anything from 15% to 20% should be enough for most barbers to be delighted. If you are merely happy with the result, then around 15% is still seen as fair compensation for their skill and time. If you are delighted, though, going to 20-25% should make a good investment for the future.

What do we mean by investment? The same as we noted above. A barber will be able to better understand you, your hair, and how you try to look if you simply give them a better tip. They will put more effort in, they will grow to understand what you like, and they will be more focused on the end result.

Especially if you are in the process of a long-term hair change – such as growing your hair out – it makes sense to go to the same barber as much as you can. If that is the case, then you should learn how much to tip that barber. The longer you are going to them, the more comfortable you will both become. However, a little tip on top does a fine job of cementing that positive and productive relationship.

So, how much do you tip a barber? Around 15-20% should be suitable for any barber.

Tips can come in more forms than just money!
Photo by Chris Knight on Unsplash

Tipping Alternatives

It's not just money that you can tip your barber with; if you are particularly close, you can treat them to tickets to see their favorite sports team or a voucher for a shop you know they like. It's the thought that counts, and after getting to know your barber, you will get a better idea of what makes sense for you and for them.

Likewise, though, know that you don't have to tip your barber if you are not happy with the services; it's totally up to you. You can ultimately decide if you have had a good experience or not and are happy with the outcome, then you can determine whether it is appropriate to go ahead with the tip.

It goes without saying that any barber should be hugely appreciative of any tip or even gift that comes their way, as you have gone above and beyond for them to reward them. If you don't think they are all that appreciative, then maybe next time, it is not something you feel you should do going forward. I think it becomes a little bit of an issue when they start to automatically expect tips from you. So I recommend only really rewarding when they have gone the extra mile in their service.

Let us know your thoughts. Do you tip your barber? If so, how much and why? Likewise, if not, why not? Is there some happy medium that you think is appropriate? We would really appreciate hearing your thoughts in the comments section just below.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.