We've all been there... Short on money before your loan lands, or you can't be bothered organising it all, or you've just been way too busy, and you look a state. Your hair definitely needs a cut!

Well, maybe it's time to figure out how you can get a cheap or free haircut! There's actually a surprising number of ways to get yourself a fresh trim, without the pay out!

This is a brilliant way for you to get an entirely free haircut. Salons, beauty schools & aspiring hairdressers are always on the lookout for someone to practise on and try new styles. We know this sounds a little scary, but you shouldn’t worry about the thought of a potential nightmare hair doo. Student hairdressers are always under the supervision of a fully trained instructor, and because it’s a teaching environment, standards are usually pretty high. And if a mistake does happen, it’s corrected there on the spot. So if you’re willing to step in as a hair model, and grab yourself a free haircut, keep an eye out for posters or leaflets in salons and local hairdressers.

For those that are big fans of supporting local, smaller salons will often be priced a lot cheaper than the big chains. Booking in for a salon haircut with the big names like Toni & Guy, Rush, Vidal Sassoon, you know what you’re going to get, wherever you are in the country. But sadly, these guys aren’t the cheapest on the market. Smaller salons tend to be much more affordable, ideal for those of you on a student budget.

Many stylists like to work at home, saving the cost of renting a space in a commercial salon. Generally, prices charged by travelling or home stylists are going to be less than you would be charged in a salon. If you’re lucky enough to get all your friends in for a group haircut session, you can often get a slightly cheaper price too! To find yourself a local hairdresser, you’ll be surprised how many pop up when you search on

,

or

.

High streets up and down the country are filled with shops that have student discounts for everything. Haircuts for students are unsurprisingly no different. Grab your student card and check in with a few places. You can make a bit of a price comparison, and save yourself the big bucks.

Before finding somewhere to book in, have a look at coupon sites like your local

. If you time it right, you could literally get all your hair services at a discount. You might just find yourself a discounted deal for cheap haircuts and other salon services in your local area. You can even try a simple Google for ‘Salon Discounts’ or ‘Salon Coupons’. You might be surprised with what you can save!

Always enquire with your salon about the different options available. All of these different options will come along with different price tags. The more junior a stylist, the more affordably priced their services will be. And if you go to a well recognised salon, or one you’ve heard good things about, even a junior stylist will give you a haircut of high standards.

If you go to the salon, and you’re looking to get your hair washed, and enjoy the experience, we don’t blame you one bit. We’ve fallen asleep in the chair too many times to admit. But you can ask for a dry cut, don’t get your hair washed, and you actually save quite a bit off the cost of the bill! It’s worth enquiring when you book your appointment, and ask if it’s possible and how much it might save you!

Get yourself on YouTube, and have a look at videos on how to cut your own hair. See if you think you can handle it, and pick yourself up some DIY hair styling tools. This one might be only for the brave, but you’ll save yourself a small fortune in cash, and if you are tempted to give it a go, we definitely recommend it. Essential Tools? Trust us when we say, you absolutely need to invest in some good quality hairdressing scissors. Trying for anything else will end up in sadness and regret.

Keep it simple the first time you give it a go, and remember less is more with this one. Start with cutting small amounts off, so you can get used to how it all works, and if you need to take any more off, give it a second trim.

We hope you're inspired to figure out how to save some cash when you next need a trim. If you’re looking for more advice and information on how to make the most of your time at University, check out our

!