A savvy mum has revealed how she saves hundreds of pounds a year with a simple hack when getting her hair trimmed and coloured at the hairdresser.
Heidi Ondrak, 51, from Plymouth, says a surefire way to get a cheaper cut or colour is to travel outside of the town and city centres where high rent costs are passed down to customers, instead visiting salons tucked away on housing estates.
Heidi shares tips to help families manage the cost-of-living crisis and recently made the headlines with her budgeting hack sharing how you can cook 24 meals for less than £20.
The mum has 36,600 followers on TikTok (@duchessofthrift) and 302,600 likes across her videos, where she reveals her top tips for cutting down on costs.
In one of her most recent clips, Heidi claims that she saves £225 a year by visiting small salons in a housing estate instead of branded city salons.
“I started using a local salon seven years ago as I was fed up with paying city centre prices,” she told NeedToKnow.online.
“I found a local salon on Facebook and saw that their new stylist had just left Toni & Guy.
“That’s when the penny dropped that I would be getting a Toni & Guy stylist for half the price, plus free parking out of town.
“The first time I went I had extensions put in for a quarter of the price of a city salon and also when I told my friends they have all made the switch to this little local salon and have been with them for four years.”
Heidi says her stylist, Tom, is consistent and has the time to get to know her.
She added: “There isn’t the high churn in staff that you get in city centre pricey salons, so they really get to know you, and you get to know them, too.”
In her video, Heidi says “snobbery” is causing people to overpay for their hair maintenance.
She compares the price list of her local salon with a city centre shop and the difference for a full head of foils is £45.
Heidi said: “There is snobbery around things like hair and people may not realise that those little salons are just as good if not better than big city centre commercial chains.
“They have the same training and use the same products from the same hairdressing wholesalers.
“In the cost of living crisis people are having to give up luxuries, but switching to a local, more affordable salon you may find that you don’t have to give up on going to a salon to get your hair done.”
Heidi’s tip has resonated with her followers on TikTok, with many people saying they will make the switch.
“Spot on I’m doing the same!!!” one person wrote.
Another person said: “Gonna look for a different hairdresser.”
“Great advice and your supporting a small business,” said someone else.
Another person said: “I’m a hairdresser I totally agree with you. Same products it’s daylight robbery.”
“And the same training and skills,” Heidi replied.
Another fan said: “I go to my local hairdresser which is full of grannies. Costs me £14 for a cut and blow dry and the crack is great with grannies.”
Other users called it a “fantastic idea”
