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Vent: last Tuesday I did 31 cuts and walked out with less than I make on a normal Friday | Barbers - SMM Buzz

Vent: last Tuesday I did 31 cuts and walked out with less than I make on a normal Friday

So last Tuesday was supposed to be a light day, I had 6 guys booked in the morning and figured I'd be out by 2pm. Then the walk ins started. I ended up doing 31 cuts total, my clippers died at cut 22 so I had to finish with my backup pair that pull hair like crazy, and I burned my hand on the hot towel warmer somewhere around cut 27. Here is the part that got me. I checked my drawer at close and I had less cash than a normal Friday where I do maybe 18 cuts. Turns out three of my regulars paid with card through that little Square reader, the walk ins all wanted the $15 kid cut which barely covers my chair rent per hour, and two guys shorted me because I was running 20 minutes behind. My back was shot, I smelled like bay rum and sweat, and I sat in my truck for like 15 minutes before I could even drive home. Any of you ever had a high volume day that paid worse than a slow one, and did you change how you book after that?

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1 Comment

barnes.wren10d ago

Man, this hits close to home because I used to book my days the exact opposite way, just pack em in and figure the money would follow. What changed my mind was a Saturday last spring that looked almost exactly like your Tuesday, 29 heads and I went home with $40 less than a normal Wednesday. The card payments killed me too, plus the kid cuts ate up the same 30 minutes as a full price cut. I started blocking my books after that, 20 cuts max on a weekday and 25 on Saturday, and weirdly my weekly take went up because I stopped burning out and the regulars tipped better when I was not running behind. It stings to turn walk ins away but a $15 cut that takes 25 minutes is basically paying my landlord to stand on my feet. Two things saved me. First, cash discount or a small card fee, because Square takes a bite on every swipe. Second, I gave the kid cut its own short slot on certain days only, so it does not eat the whole schedule. When you stack up volume and every ticket is small, all you did was rent out your back for free.