Avoid the Crowd

The Money Engineer

Published Jul 21, 2025

I usually go to the barber shop for a haircut on the weekend, and I’ve noticed something quite fascinating.

Weekends at the barber shop are hectic. It’s like the whole world decided that’s the only time to get a haircut. Parents bringing kids, working men lining up, teens getting fresh trims for school—it’s packed. Even the barbers look overwhelmed. You sit, wait, scroll through your phone, and wait some more.

Then, I tried going on a weekday morning.

What a difference! No line, no stress. The barber is relaxed and focused, even cracks a few jokes. I’m in and out quickly. Same haircut, same price, but a much better experience. All because I showed up when most people don’t. I simply avoided the crowd.

And the more I thought about it, the more I saw this same idea everywhere in life.

Take holidays, for example. Everyone wants to travel during school breaks or festive seasons. Flights are full, hotels are expensive, tourist spots are packed. But travel just a little earlier or later than everyone else, and suddenly the prices drop, places are quiet, and the whole experience becomes smoother. You spend less and enjoy more, just because you picked a less crowded time.

Or think about traffic. When most people are rushing to work or picking kids up from school, roads are jammed. Cars crawling, bodas squeezing through, everyone in a hurry. But drive the same route an hour earlier or later, and it’s clear and calm. Same road, same car, but the timing makes all the difference.

Even with money, this principle still holds.

Buying land in a developing area before everyone hears about it is usually cheaper. You get more options and better deals. But once the crowd moves in, prices shoot up, and competition kicks in. Investors who made their move early are the ones who win big. The same thing happens with shares and business ideas. The biggest returns often go to those who quietly moved first, not the ones who followed the noise.

Even electricity pricing works this way. For large users like factories and commercial businesses, there’s something called a Time of Use tariff. It simply means that the cost of electricity changes depending on when it’s used. During peak hours—usually in the evening when everyone is at home using appliances—the cost is high because demand is high. But during off-peak hours, especially late at night when most people are asleep, power is cheaper. So a business that shifts some of its work to those quiet hours can save a lot. Same electricity, same machines, just smarter timing. Once again, those who avoid the crowd come out ahead.

This also applies to careers and professions.

Sometimes we all get caught up in chasing the same few “popular” careers—medicine, law, accounting, engineering. They sound safe, respectable, and promising. But because so many people are rushing into them, the path becomes crowded. Jobs become harder to get, salaries stagnate, and the pressure to stand out becomes overwhelming. Meanwhile, there are many less-known paths—like plumbing, coding, welding, data analysis, animation, or financial planning—that aren’t flooded with applicants, yet offer great opportunities, solid income, and room to grow. Just because a career isn’t trending doesn’t mean it’s not worth pursuing. In fact, the less crowded paths often offer more freedom, better work-life balance, and quicker progress. You just have to be brave enough to look beyond the obvious.

Avoiding the crowd doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. In fact, it might mean you’re finally doing something right. But let’s be honest—it’s not always easy. Crowds feel safe. When everyone is doing something, it feels normal. When you take a different path, it can feel uncomfortable. People may question you. You might even question yourself.

But if you stick with it, the rewards start to show. You’ll spend less time waiting. You’ll save more money. You’ll experience less stress. And you’ll often end up with better results—just because you chose the less crowded path.

So whether it’s your next haircut, your next trip, your next investment, your career choice, or even how you spend your evenings—remember this quiet little truth:

Avoid the crowd.

It just might be your shortcut to a simpler, smarter, and more fulfilling life.