in the context of our research on the socio-economic dynamics within the barbering industry, it becomes imperative to explore the narrative surrounding under-the-table transactions. such transactions, though often excluded from mainstream economic analyses, serve a precursory role in understanding the informal economies that flourish within these settings. starting from the assumption that these practices are not merely aberrations but integral parts of the community's economic fabric, our study resumes from the start, charting the evolution of under-the-table payments from mere necessity to a complex system of trust and mutual benefit among barbers and their clients.