£450 haircut.

[Lootman]

My youngest son's girlfriend is graduating next week and decided to have her hair done (as well as nails, new dress, new shoes etc.)

The cost came to the staggering sum of £450. Actually it is an oddly precise amount - something like £452.73. It wasn't even in London - it was in Exeter - graduation is in Swansea.

As someone who pays the Monday-to-Thursday pensioner special rate of £5 I find this stunning. She is after all just a student with no independent means. I suspect she put it on a credit card and will work all summer to pay it off.

Is this normal and I am hopelessly, pathetically out of touch? Or should I advise my son to find a more prudent and frugal partner?

[supremetwo]

It's probably on a credit card so not really money?

Another thing that struck me after watching my grandson's graduation ceremony yesterday was the proportion of females who looked to be over-weight and a significant number who would be classed as obese.

So they also more than enough money for sustenance.

[AleisterCrowley]

I'd pay £450 to get my hair back..

I go for the £9-50 No 4 all over, which seems expensive to me to be honest. I'm sure it's nearer £5 back home.

[Itsallaguess]

My youngest son's girlfriend is graduating next week and decided to have her hair done (as well as nails, new dress, new shoes etc.)

The cost came to the staggering sum of £450....

I think you might want to improve your 'they don't know where I live' game there Lootman....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[UncleEbenezer]

Is this normal and I am hopelessly, pathetically out of touch? Or should I advise my son to find a more prudent and frugal partner?

You've brought him up far too rich. If he'd had my upbringing, he'd have a natural aversion to (or perhaps terror of) any girl with such expensive appearance.

I'd pay £450 to get my hair back.

I've got a potion for you. You can have a pack of four for £450.

I expect you're at a time of life when £450 is rather less of an excessive indulgence than Lootman's progeny.

Another thing that struck me after watching my grandson's graduation ceremony yesterday was the proportion of females who looked to be over-weight and a significant number who would be classed as obese.

So they also more than enough money for sustenance.

How to get fat? Food insecurity! My upbringing: Eat as much as you can to stoke up now, because you don't know when the next meal will come.

[ReformedCharacter]

Is this normal and I am hopelessly, pathetically out of touch? Or should I advise my son to find a more prudent and frugal partner?

I don't know if it is normal, it may be but graduating students don't all do it. My son just graduated and didn't bother attending. He got a first which is what matters. If you're thinking about having a word with your son, think about how much she might want to spend on a wedding

RC

[BrummieDave]

Another thing that struck me after watching my grandson's graduation ceremony yesterday was the proportion of females who looked to be over-weight and a significant number who would be classed as obese.

Last year, globally, one million people died of starvation (the absence of food, which is not malnutrition of course) whereas 30 million died of obesity (up ten fold in three years).

[jfgw]

How serious is the relationship?

She doesn't seem the sort of person I would want to share a joint bank account with or (worse) a joint credit card account.


Julian F. G. W.

[scotia]

I don't know if it is normal, it may be but graduating students don't all do it. My son just graduated and didn't bother attending.

I'm surprised you allowed him to! Its often the parents who insist. I remember one poor lad who had divorced parents, and both sets were determined to be present at the graduation ceremonial - but the standard ticket allocation was 2. He had to camp out at dawn in a long queue when surplus graduation tickets were dispensed.

He got a first which is what matters. If you're thinking about having a word with your son, think about how much she might want to spend on a wedding
RC

Yes - There's a lot to be said for missing out on a wedding ceremony - otherwise £450 is likely to be chickenfeed.

[swill453]

Yes - There's a lot to be said for missing out on a wedding ceremony - otherwise £450 is likely to be chickenfeed.

Would have paid for my (relatively recent) wedding twice over

Scott.

[JohnB]

OTOH the GF might be a high-flyer who knows they're worth it, and will continue to pay for haircuts themselves.

[Archtronics]

Doesn’t seem that unreasonable tbh, my OH must spend about £200ish a month on hair and beauty type stuff.
I could complain but she might look on the shed and ask where all my new tools have come from...

[AsleepInYorkshire]

My youngest son's girlfriend is graduating next week and decided to have her hair done (as well as nails, new dress, new shoes etc.)

The cost came to the staggering sum of £450. Actually it is an oddly precise amount - something like £452.73. It wasn't even in London - it was in Exeter - graduation is in Swansea.

As someone who pays the Monday-to-Thursday pensioner special rate of £5 I find this stunning. She is after all just a student with no independent means. I suspect she put it on a credit card and will work all summer to pay it off.

Is this normal and I am hopelessly, pathetically out of touch? Or should I advise my son to find a more prudent and frugal partner?

• Haircut £65
• Dress £120
• Shoes £70
• Nails £30
• New underwear (which she wouldn't mention) £60
• Unaccounted for £105

I'm guessing that she may be the product of her parenting. I spend quite a lot of time making sure my 12 year old daughter understands about money. She's got plenty of time to learn. I'm sure many parents do the same. Some children aren't so lucky.

It's entierly possible she's not actually flippant with money or "high maintenence" but simply hasn't had the same support and parenting that others have?

AiY

[JohnB]

You spend £200 a month on tools!!!!!

[Lootman]

• Haircut £65
• Dress £120
• Shoes £70
• Nails £30
• New underwear (which she wouldn't mention) £60
• Unaccounted for £105

No, the £450 was just for the haircut. The other items were additional but I don't know how much they were.

By the time you throw in travel, meals, drinks and a hotel, the graduation will surely cost over £1,000, although her parents will probably stump up for some of that.

[AsleepInYorkshire]

• Haircut £65
• Dress £120
• Shoes £70
• Nails £30
• New underwear (which she wouldn't mention) £60
• Unaccounted for £105

No, the £450 was just for the haircut. The other items were additional but I don't know how much they were.

By the time you throw in travel, meals, drinks and a hotel, the graduation will surely cost over £1,000, although her parents will probably stump up for some of that.

I'm doing a lot of apologising today . That does seem a lot for a haircut. Yes. I'm not sure I can be constructive after that really. It doesn't sound like moderation does it?

AiY

[Archtronics]

You spend £200 a month on tools!!!!!

Errr yeah only £200 a month.....

[Howyoudoin]

I know that my Wife regularly spends £100 to £200 every couple of months on getting her hair done.

£450 sounds overpriced but then if the Mrs found out what was I was spending on my hobbies, she'd have kittens.

If the Mrs is happy to pay £450 to get her hair done, just nod and say "looks lovely hon".

HYD

[UncleEbenezer]

Call yourself a Yorkshireman?

• Haircut £65
• Dress £120
• Shoes £70
• Nails £30
• New underwear (which she wouldn't mention) £60
• Unaccounted for £105

Still sounds outrageously expensive. Well, except the dress and shoes, which are merely expensive: presumably the ladies equivalent of the DJ.

[AleisterCrowley]

£120 is probably my annual clothes budget. And it shows..

EbenezerCrowley
(currently sitting watching a guttering candle in my fingerless gloves,shivering with dread)