Is hairdressing enough money?

[ashleg2610]

Okay so I've only just qualified and in on minimum wage, which is more than enough for me at 19 as I'm not paying any bills or anything so it's great but I'm just wondering how many of you live alone? Will I ever earn enough money to pay for myself to live alone? I love hairdressing and j don't expect to make loads of money from it but here we earn 45% of our takings (I'm currently on minimum wage as I've just started) and even the stylist who charges double my price and is fully booked almost every day said there's no way she could pay for herself to live alone. My goal is to have my own salon one day but i need to know it's an achievable goal!!

 

[surf girl]

Such a strange question? We all eat and have houses to live in? Some of us even have children and pets! Lol

Seriously tho, how much do you think you need to live on? Minimum wage is what the government say we need to live on (granted families will be on benefit top ups if their on NMW) is your employer paying you NMW + 45%? Or just NMW?

If you want to live in a mansion and drive a mercedes then being employed as a hairdresser is probably not going to get you there, but if you'll happily have a normal car & a normal house and eat in your house rather than in resteraunts I'm sure that would be fine with NMW, as for owning a salon, that's a whole other ball game, there are days/weeks where you don't make a penny for yourself and worry you'll have to sell the "normal" car you bought when once employed lol but you could make it big time at some point, it's a long struggle tho, and very hard financially

So it depends what you want out of life really?

 

[Grace_Hair]

As long as you're sensible with your finances, of course you can!! You might never be a billionaire. But, you could be a lawyer and never be a billionaire.

 

[ashleg2610]

Yeah I don't care about making loads I love the job but worry i won't be able to support myself financially! I just warn 40% of my professional and 20% of retail then next year it goes down to 30% of professional. I just worry £800 a month is not enough!

 

[Grace_Hair]

I still live at home, so, I probably have no real idea of what things cost.

But that's about £10000 a year right?
I'm sure my parents ran a house and bought up 4 kids on a little over that?!

 

[surf girl]

£800 may well not be enough in Essex but it's pretty standard here in wales, I thought NMW was higher in England? Those commision figures are to get you achieving so make sure your banging out the clients and retail and you'll be fine

 

[RED STAR]

Well...what's 'enough'......Strive to be the BEST you can be, be passionate, determined, and brave......
and you can earn a VERY GOOD LIVING.
In my opinion, you have to GIVE IT YOUR ALL.......Don't be a 'flaky wakey'
GOOD LUCK

 

[lorna_]

Hairdressing is always going to be a basic minimum wage. It's one of the lowest paid jobs about. I think the real money is owning your own business or being mobile so I would try for that!

 

[kay7672]

Find a salon that knows your worth. If your worth it then they will pay you for it. As you're newly qualified I can understand why you are on minimum wage. Use the next 12 months to improve and prove yourself. If you do and they don't improve your pay then move somewhere else.

 

[HairByCharlotte]

I think The money is definitely better being self employed if you can make it work!
I'm a mobile hairdresser and would struggle Living on my own like I do now if I was employed. (I live with my partner) but I have a lot more disposable income being self employed. I say I get about 3 times the amount per week as what i did employed. It's HARD work mind you and I'm always knackered lol but wouldn't change it now x

 

[HayleyMHair]

I've been in hairdressing 6 years now in an independent salon fully employed. Been qualified 4 years now and it is hard first to build up clientele! But if you keep up with it and do a good job it will get better! Every year my income is improving and i have just managed to buy my first house and i've been renting for the past 2 years don't give up because people tell you its crap money because its not if you work hard x

 

[jenny miles]

I think The money is definitely better being self employed if you can make it work!
I'm a mobile hairdresser and would struggle Living on my own like I do now if I was employed. (I live with my partner) but I have a lot more disposable income being self employed. I say I get about 3 times the amount per week as what i did employed. It's HARD work mind you and I'm always knackered lol but wouldn't change it now x

I completely agree with Charlotte, I've been hairdressing for 24 years and I'm earning a lot more being mobile than I ever did when I was employed in a salon. I think as long you're confident, work hard and are good at what you do you can make it work for you!xxx

 

[ashleg2610]

Thanks everyone! I think as you said I'm newly qualified if in 2/3 years time I'm still not making much I need to move to a busier town or become self employed as by then I will be faster and better! [emoji1]

 

[krum]

800 a month is well below min wage. It's also not realistic to live and that is why so many people are struggling at the moment. If you have a partner then obviously it's fine but a single person the cheapest you can rent a tiny 1 bed flat for is around 500 a month then there's bills and food. There's no way you could run a car on what's left. Minimum wage is not a realistic living wage and people are campaigning to raise it.

 

[krum]

I still live at home, so, I probably have no real idea of what things cost.

But that's about £10000 a year right?
I'm sure my parents ran a house and bought up 4 kids on a little over that?!

That couldn't be done now not by a long way. Things are much, much more expensive and wages are comparatively lower. Rent on a house alone would be more than that. The only way low earners can afford to live and have children now is through tax credits. Private renting has ruined society.

 

[Momobile hair]

I find fitting extensions and doing wedding hair makes the wage better.

 

[Sammyaussie]

I'm in Australia and hairdresssing was ranked the 5th lowest paying job in the country.. I was fine with how much I earned until my partner bought our house and all the bills started rolling in.. I honestly think one of the best ways to excel in our industry and truly make extra money is to have a successful business by yourself or mobile business without staff to worry about the overheads.. That's what I'm looking at doing in the next year

 

[ashleg2610]

I get £800 every 4 weeks sorry not every month. I just don't want to have to rely on my partner! I definitely want my own salon one day so that's what I'm working towards!

 

[Sugarplumfaery]

Hey, I started my hairdressing career in 1994 and as I trained in Australia, did a 4 year apprenticeship. The money was terrible! But I was training and I loved it. I did leave my profession for ten years and dabbled in film and makeup but it was always the smell of a salon that would get me every time.

I absolutely love what I do and the flexibility it gives me with a large family. Three years ago we were surprised with twins which meant we had four kids under 6 so going back to a salon was impossible due to childcare costs so I built a little space in my flat so I could earn money and be happy. I don't know many careers that offer you that flexibility.

I guess you need to work out what drives you. You need to love what you do. I'm not money driven but I earn very well through hard work, and doing what I adore. And I work my own hours and I love my clients.

Money does make the world go round but it isn't the secret to success and happiness.

 

[faerififi]

You can earn a lot if your are self employed. Employed wages are ridiculous really. Once you feel experienced and confident enough to do so then go for it! You need to learn how to do accounts and keep track of stock anyway if you want your own salon, so becoming self employed is a natural progression from employment.