Many people don't tip around here because it's a college town, and, surrounding the college town, the region is fairly impoverished. I worked a tipping job for a year and usually wouldn't get more than a 5% tip, if that. Many simply don't tip either due to their financial situation or them being in college. That said, it's really hit-or-miss, and, due to the nature of that job, I'm not sure that people really understood that they were supposed to tip. In a hair place, though, I would assume more tip.

I won't be able to afford anything "extra" for years, if ever. I have a chronic pain condition that prevents me from working, so if I were to wait until I was better off, I could be waiting for years (if not my whole life), unfortunately. I've already sacrificed so much in my life because of this, and getting my haircut and feeling pretty is one of those things I want to have in my life. I've waited 6 months for this cut because it took me so long to have extra money. Also, my haircut isn't the problem so much as the region is. Either I pay $40 for a haircut I'll dislike (my hair is super thick and has weird cowlicks, which is the main cause for it being difficult), or I pay $55 for a haircut I love, $45 if no tip. I tried speaking to male haircuts barbers in the region because they normally charge $15 for men's cuts, but none felt confident enough to tackle my hair, just from looking at it.

When I was working a tipping job, I had several clients explain that they couldn't tip me. I was thinking of maybe doing that? I hear what you're saying, but this is the one thing I want and I've worked really hard to get it. I hate that my financial situation is what it is, but I can't change that, and I need to have something in my life I can enjoy and look forward to.