In these tough economic times, we've got to find ways to cut corners wherever we can. Whether it's replacing your Starbucks latte with Folgers crystals or settling on a moderately priced prostitute, saving dollars is the order of the day.

One way to save a little dough is giving up trips to the barber and taking matters into your own hands. That's right: We're suggesting you cut your own hair.

But giving yourself a trim has the potential to go very, very wrong -- and can leave you looking like a semi-literate mountain person. So we asked Ivan Zoot, the director of education and training at the styling tool company, Andis, for some tips on how to make sure you don't clip yourself into a corner. (Zoot is also the world record holder for three categories in the "fastest haircut" realm. His achievements include a "layered bob" in 55 seconds; 34 professional haircuts completed in an hour; and 340 cuts over 24 hours.)




1. Get the best tools you can. "Craftsmen do good work with good tools," says Zoot. "Trying to do this with your kitchen scissors or your brother-in-law's dog clippers is probably not a good idea." Clippers or scissors can be used, but a professional clipper with several settings will give you the best control -- making it easy to cut a consistent length. Sharp scissors are harder to maneuver and may leave a clumsy self-stylist bleeding.

2. Do your homework. Look at pictures of the kind of haircut you want to achieve. "Take a good look and ask yourself, 'How are the hair lengths arranged?'" says Zoot. "Try to figure out what you see going on there."

3. Set yourself up. "The bathroom is probably best for this," says Zoot. "But either way, you want a good room with the right lighting, with a large mirror and a place where maybe the hair clippings can be rinsed down the drain."

4. Give yourself leeway to screw up. As with anything you've never done before which might affect your appearance, you really shouldn't do this on the night before a big meeting. Seriously.

5. When you're cutting the top, do it in sections. You know how the barber cuts your hair by holding sections of it between two fingers, measuring it out and then snipping it even? Try to do that yourself. Go layer by layer, holding your hair away from your head and cutting in horizontal lines to even it out.

6. Have a hat ready. The first few times you try this may involve some trial and error. Be prepared.

Would you like expert advice on how to do a particular task? Let us know in the comments.