Why You Keep Going to the Same Salon/Barber Despite Cheaper Alternatives

Have you ever wondered why you keep going to the same salon or barber shop despite there being cheaper options in your estate or town? 

This is not just loyalty, convenience, or habit. Psychologists have a term for this behaviour: Status Quo Bias.

Status Quo Bias is a cognitive tendency where people prefer things to stay the same rather than change, even when alternatives could be better. In many cases, people stick to what is familiar to them because change feels risky, uncomfortable, or requires effort.

For many Kenyans, this bias shows up in everyday decisions, from banks, supermarkets, grocery shops, to mobile money services.

Also Read: Why People Lie About Money

The Comfort of the Familiar

One of the main reasons we stick with the same salon or barber is familiarity. You know the stylist, you trust their skill, and you’ve experienced consistent results. 

Walking into a new salon means uncertainty: will they understand your style? Will they cut your hair too short?

This fear of making a mistake—even if the alternative is cheaper—makes our brains favour what is familiar to us.the known option. It’s easier to maintain the status quo than to risk dissatisfaction.

Human beings are wired to avoid situations where they might feel regret or disappointment. In financial terms, paying a little extra for certainty often feels safer than trying something new and potentially wasting money.

Also Read: Why Fewer People Are Checking Their Bank & Mobile Money Balances This January

How Effort Influences Our Choices

Another factor driving this behaviour is effort aversion. Switching salons, barbers, or service providers requires mental energy: researching options, reading reviews, asking friends for recommendations, and traveling to a new location.

Even if the potential savings are significant—say, a haircut that costs Ksh500 instead of Ksh 1,000—the effort of change can feel more daunting than the cost itself. The brain convinces itself that sticking with the current barber is the simplest, safest choice.

This principle doesn’t just apply to haircuts. Many Kenyans experience it when it comes to banks, mobile money platforms, and even utilities. People often pay extra for convenience simply because exploring alternatives feels like unnecessary work.

Social Proof and Trust

Trust also plays a big role. Your barber knows your hair, your style, and maybe even your small talk preferences. That relationship creates a comfort zone. You’ve invested time in building this trust, and human beings naturally dislike losing investments, a behaviour psychologists call the endowment effect.

Switching to a cheaper salon means starting over—you might not get the same quality, and there’s no guarantee of satisfaction. Even if the alternative is objectively cheaper or better, the perceived risk often outweighs the benefit.

Also Read: Is it Wrong That Money Makes You Happy? - Money Psychology

The Financial Cost of Status Quo Bias

While sticking to the same salon or barber offers comfort and reliability, it can quietly add up. Consider someone who spends Ksh1,000 per haircut once a month, while a comparable alternative charges Ksh500. Over a year, that’s a difference of Ksh6,000—money that could have gone into savings, investments, or paying off debt.

The same principle applies to other areas of life. Status Quo Bias often keeps people paying higher banking fees, staying with costly mobile plans, or ignoring cheaper shopping alternatives. The familiar wins over cost-efficiency, even when the financial stakes are high.

How to Deal With Status Quo Bias

Recognising Status Quo Bias is the first step toward making smarter financial decisions. Here’s how to overcome it in the context of salons—or any other habitual expense:

1. Research alternatives: Take a few minutes to compare prices, reviews, and services at other salons. Knowledge reduces the fear of the unknown.
2. Try a single visit to a new barber or salon. Limiting the risk makes change less intimidating.
3. Identify the real cost of the familiar. Calculate how much sticking to the same option costs over months or years. Seeing the cumulative effect can motivate change.
4. Ask friends for recommendations: Social proof can ease uncertainty. A trusted friend’s endorsement can make trying a new salon less stressful.