We can't be the only ones who have tried to save a buck or two by trimming our hair at home -- sometimes with the result being definitively not-a-salon cut. How many times have you seen disaster Facebook or YouTube videos where people have braved the shears and failed miserably? We want all of our readers to always have fabulous hair, even when it's not in their budget. That's why we reached out to Marsia Nogueira, owner and hair stylist at The Beauty Studio, a Massachusetts-based salon, to get the low-down on how to cut your own hair at home.

And the rumors are true: getting monthly trims actually makes your hair grow longer faster. "By removing split ends from your locks, your hair will have less breakage, resulting in thicker-looking and maybe even shinier hair in some cases," says Nogueira. Say no more, girl. Say no more. Ahead, Nogueira fills us in on how to DIY a haircut -- with salon-worthy results.

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First things first: Make sure to evenly part the hair straight down the middle ensuring that your cut will be even on both sides. The best way to do this is with a pointed comb. When parting the hair, make sure to go all the way back to the bottom of your hairline separating every piece of hair onto one side or the other.

After your hair is separated down the middle, section off the hair in a top and bottom layer. Pull out your pointed comb to make sure that the hair is sharply separated. This bottom layer is the area where you'll start to trim the hair.

Now begins the nerve-wracking part. Try your best to keep a steady hand as you carry out the next step. "If you're looking to just trim dead ends, hold the hair between your pointer and middle finger, and slide it down to the bottom where the dead ends start," notes Nogueira. At this point, you can grab your scissors and begin cutting straight across. Nogueira recommends starting by trimming just a small length, as you can always cut more if needed -- but there's no going back if you remove too much.

Sidenote: You'll get the best results using a pair of professional hair-cutting shears. But then again, paper-cutting shears work in a pinch.

When it comes time to trim the back of your hair, things get a bit more complicated. For this step, you'll want to grab a section of hair again between your pointer and middle finger, and slide it down to the same length where you made the cut on the front of your hair. "Bring the hair to its side and cut straight up so that the hair will make a straight line when you let go of it and it returns to the back of your head," advises Nogueira.