PAYING for a haircut provides an awkward social moment, so how do you handle it? To tip or not to tip, that is the question.

You stand up from the chair after thanking the hairdresser or barber for a job well done, even though you’re not convinced the trim they’ve given you has really made a difference or the new style they told you is the in-thing is really what you wanted.

You then walk over to the counter to pay and after picking you jaw up off the floor from being charged fifty quid for about 10 minutes’ work you hand over your card or cash.

It’s around this point you have to decide whether to provide a tip or not.

Do you give the stylist a bit extra for his or her work? If so, how much do you give and how do you offer the tip? Do you give the tip because you think it’s fair and deserved, or because you feel under pressure to comply with convention?

Add your comments below and tell us how you approach this one.

News Shopper: Burning Questions

The Burning Questions feature aims to resolve some of the oddities of social etiquette, settle some of life’s perennial arguments and crack some of those tricky questions with readers’ collective knowledge.

If there is an issue you’re always squabbling about with workmates or friends or something that makes you go hmmm, email me with your suggestions for future burning questions to ask.