Taking a step backwards: new hair

For the past 9-ish years, I have been cutting and coloring my own hair. I would simply part it down the middle in the back, bring each side forward, and clip the ends straight across -- which would leave me with a nice, rounded, graduated cut all the way around. Hair color from Sally's Beauty Supply was about $5 total as opposed to the $40+ at a salon.
However, age caught up with me. In addition to it being odd for a woman of my age to have waist-length hair, it became so thin, it would fall out of the clips I used to sweep it up and out of the way. And my hands go numb now from lifting them for so long to apply the color. I had to give in and go to a professional. I had an "old" stylist I love, but he is pricey.
I suppose it's difficult to see much difference from my before and after photos, but the layers I got cut in today give my thinning locks the look of a lot more volume. And the pricey highlights make me look and feel younger/better. Hopefully I'll only need to do those twice a year or less.
The total bill with tip was about $200. Egads! But, spending hardly a dime on my hair all those years (when I was younger and could still look okay even if my hair wasn't styled) makes me think it will all even out in the end. After all, I likely only have 10 years before I give up entirely because nothing really "improves" me (if I even have any hair left by then). Ah well. What I really need is my neck done, but I don't think that's going to happen. My scarf collection is the next best thing.