If you like the longer, scruffy look (which I think is so adorable) you can put off grooming until the hair is too long for your liking. I waited until mine was about 9 months old & had his hair clipped to about 1 1/2 inches all over but left the tail alone so he could keep the "plume." I have since bought myself a dog clipper & do it myself -- very easy to do since I'm not going for a fancy poodle cut & Soooooo much cheaper. The cost of 2 grooming is more than the cost of good clippers from PetEdge.com. I brush my dogs 3 times a week, at least, & that keeps the dirt down, the hair is nice & fluffy & there's less smell that builds up, so I don't need to bathe him as often. You can also just touch-up the parts that need it - I trim his feet & private parts in between the all-over haircuts. Get your pup started early with being handled & groomed (ie touch their paws, comb & brush his legs, teach him to stay standing while you rub them all over, let him smell & hear the scissors or clippers without actually cutting anything, etc.) so it's a natural thing to him & he won't freak out when he has his first real grooming.
Good luck.