I hear life is good in Queens for a Dominican Barber?

My wife's nephew there illegally makes 500+ a week working 10 hrs a day 6 days a week. I think this is fairly standard.

If the guy is in a popular spot it seems plausible. The nephew works at a bodega stocking and cleaning.

Don't believe everything you hear. I know many people who brag about a relative making anywhere from $500-$800 US dollars a week as a barber, which is difficult to believe unless the person has a devoted clientele, and that takes years to develop.

It is the same in any barber shop-you have anywhere from two or three guys and up but only one with any type of reputation. So when you walk into one and see a line, the customers are more than likely waiting for just one or two barbers. The rest are in the back mixing Nut Crackers or doing whatever else Dominicans do in the back of any business they run, like taking numbers or gambling.

Dominicans are saturating the market with barbershops, just like they did with bodegas and taxis. No way this guy is making that much cutting hair if he just got here. That is just one of the things Dominicans always lie about-how much money they make in "Nueva Yol".

Anastacio said:

Just met my friends boyfriend who is visiting for 10 days to see her (and renting a $20 per night room) and he is making $800 per week. Amazing money for a non English speaking Dominican in Queens, I need to pretend I'm Dominican and get my ass over there.
Fantastic!

I'm being sarcastic as I've not come across this kind of dosh for this kind of work, is he possibly earning this in Queens?

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I doubt it. At $10 a head how many heads do you have to cut a week to earn $800? 80 versus how many a day? At $20 a head that is only 40 people per week, and in a 5 day week that is 8 people. Where is he cutting them? On the street? If even the shttiest locations rent is like $1500-2000/month, that a stretch to let someone cut hair for free. Thats $41600/year. More likely he is supplementing his barber income by doing demolition, taxicab and garbage under the table. All they want is a strong back. Of course you never know what you are carting. That is why they hire you. Breathe in as much asbestos fibers and lead dust as you want.

RacerX said:

I doubt it. At $10 a head how many heads do you have to cut a week to earn $800? 80 versus how many a day? At $20 a head that is only 40 people per week, and in a 5 day week that is 8 people. Where is he cutting them? On the street? If even the shttiest locations rent is like $1500-2000/month, that a stretch to let someone cut hair for free. Thats $41600/year. More likely he is supplementing his barber income by doing demolition, taxicab and garbage under the table. All they want is a strong back. Of course you never know what you are carting. That is why they hire you. Breathe in as much asbestos fibers and lead dust as you want.

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I don't know what world you live in but men's cuts in NYC have not been less than $20.00 since the mid 90s and if you count the avg $5 to $10 dollars tips that avg tippers leave would put each cut at $25 TO $30 BUCKS.

$500 to $800 USD weekly is doable, and you guys just need to congratulate them instead of hating, not every dominican that makes $500 to $800 per week is pushing illegal drugs. Hell I can't believe that you guys even think that $500 to $800 per week is good money for NYC. There are people that make much more than that just parking cars.

Mr_DR said:

I don't know what world you live in but men's cuts in NYC have not been less than $20.00 since the mid 90s and if you count the avg $5 to $10 dollars tips that avg tippers leave would put each cut at $25 TO $30 BUCKS.

$500 to $800 USD weekly is doable, and you guys just need to congratulate them instead of hating, not every dominican that makes $500 to $800 per week is pushing illegal drugs. Hell I can't believe that you guys even think that $500 to $800 per week is good money for NYC. There are people that make much more than that just parking cars.

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I call bullshtt! People parking cars DONT make more than that. Thats a schlock job for immigrants, stupids, reformed junkies and anyone who sole capability is he can drive stick. How much you think people earn PARKING CARS? Seriously, they dont break $10/hour. Why would they? How hard is that? A clean drivers license and the desire to work outdoors.

I dont know who cuts your hair, maybe you go to Vidal Sassoon or Paul Mitchell but MEN dont pay that kind of money for a haircut. Hair cut costs $10. If you pay more than that you are not at a barber shop, you are at a salon.

$800/week is NOT believable cutting hair. Most of these people in New York dont make more than $24,000/year, which is $2000/month. And those are the people with the hardworking honest Abe jobs. THAT is why they have rent control and rent stabilization. Without those acts there would be alot more homeless people.

This guy Anastacio is talking about, the OP is the same guy who would in Miami say he is rich in because he drives a Jaguar X-type while steadfastly downplaying the fact that he is living in a 4 bedroom boarding house with 7 other guys. I know because my cousin's old boyfriend used to be the same way. All smoke, no substance.

600 to 800 us is about right.

Its true u can make that much tax free. But, no health insurance, sick days, vacation. No social security contributions and no un employment. This is the way it works. A barber rents his station from the manager or lead barber (the one with the license) about $125 to $150 week. than the barber has a following and regular walk ins word of mouth. Lets say cut hair at 60 ppl a week. Then the math $12 cut plus $3 for tip makes 15 a head x 60 customers +$ 900 p/wk- the rent of 150 wk $750 take home. Now thats just for a hair cut. add beard moustache trim shape up extra $5 per customer. repeat business every 2 weeks. I have a couple of friends doing this, but again he misses out on healthcare, un employment vacation pay etc. some of the barbers in turn use there apartment for business ,with loyal customers and cuts the middle man. hope that clarifies things from u o.p.

Nope. This is the same discussion about how taxi drivers make a lot of money and are raking in the dough. Then someone throws out a bunch of numbers and it sounds right. But when you look at the composition of taxi drivers you get a better picture of the real earning potential.

post #8 f.y.i. parking attendants make more than $10 p/hr. depends on what kind of garage you work at. I could tell you some attendants make $24 p/hr plus $ 150 a day tips (non pooled) plus health coverage and all. Every one forgets how expensive it is to live in the nyc metro area. NYC has to be the only city in the US where non college educated people can make a hell of a living. Look at the Stage Hands for theatres $200k p/yr, Doorman Bellman $150k p/yr Banquet waiters $175k p year, and finally your friendly bartender make some nice change too.

It all depends on how the proceeds are divied up. To me, the numbers don't sound right for a few reasons-

1) No way a proprietor rents out a barber chair for $150-$200 a week and watches his employee rake in $500-$800 juevos during the same period without getting a cut of that. That's not the way Dominican business owners roll.

2) From what I know, barbers DO pay weekly rent for the chair, but customers pay at the counter and the barbers get a percentage for each customer. The tips are where they make their real money.

3) Barber shops usually charge minimum $15 for a cut, with anything else extra. It's not $10, unless it's one of those places that have trainees working the scissors, and I only know of two places like that in NYC, both close to Astor Place Haircutters. And it's not $20 because that's too much. Salons that cut women's hair charge more per customer because they do more stuff for each individual client.

As for the other points made in this thread-

1) Parking attendants make crap money, and hardly any of them have benefits. That is why you only see immigrants doing that type of job.

2) NYC doorman never have and never will make 150k a year. Maybe 40-45K. The management companies that are in charge of maintaining these buildings are in the process of restructuring their employee pay packets, and unless you are working a swanky building with a lot of tenants, tenants who like you, you'll get your Christmas bonus alright, but the weekly salary is going DOWN, not up.

kapitan75 said:

post #8 f.y.i. parking attendants make more than $10 p/hr. depends on what kind of garage you work at. I could tell you some attendants make $24 p/hr plus $ 150 a day tips (non pooled) plus health coverage and all. Every one forgets how expensive it is to live in the nyc metro area. NYC has to be the only city in the US where non college educated people can make a hell of a living. Look at the Stage Hands for theatres $200k p/yr, Doorman Bellman $150k p/yr Banquet waiters $175k p year, and finally your friendly bartender make some nice change too.

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Stop talking hooey. No company in NY, Kinney, Central Parking Systems, whoever is paying anyone $24/hour. What is this nonsense? You mean to tell me all the unemployed men in NYC could just forgo despair and get paid $24x40=$960x52=$49920 parking cars. BUT yet rookie NYC Police Officers make $24K their 1st year? You are silly man. Stop the insanity, please. They do not earn more than $10/hour. Why would they? All they do is stand on the sidewalk and shuffle cars around.

Stage Hands dont make $200K/year. SOME stage hands who work on theatres ON BROADWAY(34-50th Street, from 8th to 6th avenue) and are vested in the Union make that. But that is only is maybe 10-15 theatres directly in Midtown with big name productions and famous talent in the cast. Banquet waiters make $175K? Aint no banquet waiter ever made that kind of money and not since September 11, 2001. And Doorman dont make $150,000/year. That also is a union job. You guys are speculating by using tips and gratuities to determine real earnings. And since you dont live in New York, you believe him hands down no objections.

And Chip your nephew is doing something else besides stocking and cleaning in a bodega. He is running numbers or selling weed or something.

The sad part about this is that the rookie cops qualify for welfare their 1st 2 years on the job. And they are on probation for the 1st 3 years. Alot of washouts happen.

It sounds about right. Haircuts are expensive in NYC. When you consider the outrageous cost of living that kind of money does not go far.

zoomzx11 said:

It sounds about right. Haircuts are expensive in NYC. When you consider the outrageous cost of living that kind of money does not go far.

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I m sorry but THAT is not how you do a comparison. "It sounds right, its expensive there." No.

Life is always better someplace else until you get there.

My wife's cousin lives in Peabody Mass, and he takes the train everyday to NYC where he works as a tailor - normally he makes around $140 per day, except during prom season, then he can make around $400 per day. His son is working as an apprentice electrican (" makes $13 per hour, approx), wife works in a restaurant in Boston as a cook ( $ 14 per hour)

im telling yous

Not all parking attendants make 24 phr , you are right, but some do. Hotel workers do. The average rate in the city is 22 phr and up. People still tip in this recession. Traditional tipped employees , waiters, baggage handlers make less per hour but more in cash, reporting what they want. Even the security guys are making 18 to 28 p hr. Back to the original topic, a typical hood or latino barber shop math is correct. Typical barber, no license, makes 600 to 1000 a week in his pocket. More for womens hair and braiding. This is how it works most places. You have 8 chairs x 150 p wk that's 1200 wk 4800 month for the boss. The boss also works there getting his 3ooo to 4000 p month cutting hair. He pays his rent n utilities for the shop 3ooo and makes himself 1400 to 1800 from the shop plus his salary. Not all these guys are hungry, so mondays and tu3esdays are off days. I lived in queens for a long time and used to partner with my cuz in this enterprise so I ain't imaginig things. Life is expensive as well 1500 to 1800 per month rent for a 3 br . Buying a home will run you 400k and up.like I mentioned before nyc is one of the only places a non educated schlobb could still make a decent living.

RacerX said:

I call bullshtt! People parking cars DONT make more than that. Thats a schlock job for immigrants, stupids, reformed junkies and anyone who sole capability is he can drive stick. How much you think people earn PARKING CARS? Seriously, they dont break $10/hour. Why would they? How hard is that? A clean drivers license and the desire to work outdoors.

I dont know who cuts your hair, maybe you go to Vidal Sassoon or Paul Mitchell but MEN dont pay that kind of money for a haircut. Hair cut costs $10. If you pay more than that you are not at a barber shop, you are at a salon.

$800/week is NOT believable cutting hair. Most of these people in New York dont make more than $24,000/year, which is $2000/month. And those are the people with the hardworking honest Abe jobs. THAT is why they have rent control and rent stabilization. Without those acts there would be alot more homeless people.

This guy Anastacio is talking about, the OP is the same guy who would in Miami say he is rich in because he drives a Jaguar X-type while steadfastly downplaying the fact that he is living in a 4 bedroom boarding house with 7 other guys. I know because my cousin's old boyfriend used to be the same way. All smoke, no substance.

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Parking car here in Raleigh was my full time starter job in the US $$$ 7.00 Dollars an hour plus tips doing ballet parking at Marriot hotel, after a year I was promoted to fill in supervision position of city decks when entitles supervisor went for vacation or sickness $12.50/ hour = 40 hours a week.
Now I'm doing of vehicle service technician and still don't get to the average of $ 800. a week.

But when we go to DR we say our salary is $ 1,000. / week....

That's the way we Dominicans are, reason for what so many Dominicans jump on the water of "La mona passage" and die trying to reach the green land.

JJ