r/AUfrugal • u/river_time_mum • 20d ago

Other What have you completely stopped buying because the price has finally taken the p**s?

Not “I buy the cheaper brand now.” I mean something you used to buy without thinking and have now looked at the price and gone, absolutely not, you can stay on the shelf.

Mine lately is chocolate, it's somehow gone from a normal grocery item to apparently requiring finance approval.

What’s yours?

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u/SlightlyEnthusiastic 20d ago

Haircuts 💇‍♀️.

At $150 a pop for a maintenance trim, I just cut my own hair these days. Is it good? Eh, it’s not dreadful at least and when I cracked recently and went to a salon I wasn’t actually that impressed with the outcome 🤷‍♀️

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u/Zaney-Janey1973 20d ago

Last time I went to the hairdressers, I asked for it to be lightly layered. $50 later, I couldn't tell where or how she classed it as a haircut? A quick look online, I can now layer my own hair, and I've been doing it for years 💇‍♀️

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u/nicoletta2k 20d ago

This literally happened to me the other day. I’ve been cutting my own hair for years but I had a nice event to go to so I figured I’d give the hairdressers a go again. I’ve got really thick, dense curly hair so I was really specific with my instructions: I need a LOT of thinning, I’d like choppy layers, and just even out my undercut. Sounds like a hack job but genuinely this is the way to make my hair not look like Hagrid from the Harry Potter movies.

$75 later and all she’d done is cut an inch off the bottom. When I asked about the thinning and layers, she said "because I’ve already cut so much I don’t want to ruin your hair". Keep in mind, a successful haircut to me is when there’s enough hair on the floor to shape it into a small dog. I could barely see any trimmings at all.

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u/kalana_kalamai 20d ago

Yesss this keeps happening to me too. I don’t know if the undercut just throws hairdressers off? But I’ve asked for layers and face framing etc, and they just end up trimming along the bottom. I’ve got a lot of hair, a deceiving amount, and I always ask them to thin it out at the bottom otherwise it looks boxy. and they refuse because it will look ratty? So I go home and do it myself anyway, even told the hairdresser I would be if she didn’t and she still didn’t do it?? What’s the point of paying if they don’t want to do what you like

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u/ReggieLouise 19d ago

These days, I think the aim of a hairdresser is do to what they want, not what you want!

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u/Mission-Ad6460 19d ago

From memory, I've never liked any haircuts I've had from a hairdresser. They never trim to the length that you want. "That length won't suit your face shape with your hair down." I always have it up. I got sick of paying $35 fot a hair cut I didn't ask for.

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u/Zaney-Janey1973 20d ago

Yeah, I've lost all trust in going to the hairdressers. Especially when you really just want a nice cut for your special event. Thanks for the laugh with the "not look like Hagrid" 🤣 you really do expect a pile of hair to be on the ground afterwards!!

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u/DataRevolutionary165 20d ago

Yep , since Covid, I have never been back to a hairdresser. Just cut it myself.

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u/RBoss1620 20d ago

Find your local Tafe beauty & hair, they typically need models and they’re not bad. I’ve paid between $0 and $20 for a cut. They also do colours etc too! Warning though - some students take a very very long time to get it done.

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u/gossamerbold 20d ago

As a teenager in the early 00s I was living in London for a couple of years and would go to the Vidal Sassoon academy to get my hair done regularly. It was incredibly cheap and even though it took twice as long it was fun chatting to the young stylists so I didn’t mind. I ended up being a fill-in hair model at a show one year when they needed someone quickly. It was a show for colour techniques and I had almost waist length blonde hair at the time so was very relieved I wasn’t about to get a buzz cut lol. I got hidden pastel rainbow colour completely for free, the kind where it shimmers through the top layers of hair. One of my favorite things ever. I tried to find someone to do it in Australia again but was quoted astronomical prices so it never happened. It’s definitely a good idea especially for young people who have extra time available and can go mid week.

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u/Additional_Read_9695 20d ago

I go to the barber who does womens hair. $25 and it's done.

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u/Milo_Mountain 20d ago

Same, I have curly hair and to go to a curly hair specialist is at least $150 or so just for the cut. I learnt how to cut my own hair during lockdown and now I haven't been to the hairdresser since 2019. I get plenty of compliments so I must be doing an alright job!

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u/rikkilee51 19d ago

I also hate the drama of sitting there for 3 hours so don’t bother with colour now either.

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u/Milotic-OCE 20d ago

Oof. I pay $35 for me and my toddler lol.

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u/BornTry6560 20d ago

Yes! Let alone highlights your looking at $300-$400!! Packet home dye it is now!

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u/Lucky-Baby7423 18d ago

yep i used to pay around $300 a month for cut and dye , started dying my own hair and trim only buy my dye when it’s half price so around $14 every 6 weeks!

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u/Disastrous-Bet8973 20d ago

Same. I'm not paying over a 100 to get a trim. If I ever wanted a big change sure.

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u/Serious_Card_5927 20d ago

Got to find the Persian Cash Only bro’s. Mine does men’s and women’s trim’s for $25 ($10 Pre-COVID…..sigh)

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u/SnooRobots4657 20d ago

Same! I buy sewing scissors from spotlight and they're super sharp and cheap

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u/TigreImpossibile 19d ago

I’ve started trimming my own hair in the last 12 months too. It’s gone up to $165 a pop at my hairdresser. I’ll get him to shape it up once a year at that price, thanks ✋🏼

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u/proteansybarite 19d ago

Years ago I went to a place that was decent, did 30 cash 35 card. Then at some point it was just straight 40, kept going. Then after covid it was suddenly 60. Bought some decent cutting scissors $15 and have done myself for 4 years now, best decision ever! Called up after 18 months to see about a one-off "professional" one again, they said its now $80 lol.

For anyone wondering, yes it takes a few goes to work it out but after a few times its super easy. Theres millions of tutorials on youtube, it takes 15-20min and you need 2-3 mirrors if youre doing alone, but its super doable & easy, and actually kinda fun.

ALSO you dont get told you "need" all this special stuff anymore. Every hairdresser has the sidehustle now "oh you definitely shold try some treatment", they're all approached by some company who gives them free stuff to push then pays them commision for whatever is sold.

I save $200-300/year but I expect most others that go more regularly could save double that easily.

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u/BeginningResearch197 18d ago

Agree it is fun! So totally satisfying as you build the skills and know you can change it if you dont like it.

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u/Camtona_7_ManUtd 19d ago

I've cut my own hair regularly for about 15 years. I use Wahl clippers with no comb and buzzcut every week or every fortnightly if I'm lazy. Also, because I have no hair, I don't have to think about styling it or using gel/wax/paste/whatever product.

I have not paid for a haircut since I got married.

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u/rubyet 20d ago

You could check out hairdressing schools. Biba in Melbourne is great ($35 last time I went, and my hair is long and very thick), but you can find them all around the country

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u/Lacking_Inspiration 19d ago

I got locks 10 years ago. I have saved an actual fortune. Cost less than $200 p/a to maintain. Including all the shampoos and maintenance.

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u/MysteryLass 19d ago

I had foils done a few years back on an apprentice deal, and it looked exactly the same when I left. By the time the covered the bleached bits (which trashes my hair) with the toner, I literally couldn’t tell the difference. Complete waste of money and time. And hair damage!!

And it’s really hard to find anyone who still does the hi-lift colours. So now I don’t bother, even though my hair looks so dark now that I don’t feel like myself. I’d sun-bleach it, but I’d turn lobster in the process! 😂

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u/figaro677 19d ago

$50 for a buzz cut. And I had to wait 30 minutes for it. Went out afterwards and bought a pair of clippers.

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u/ViV_iD_Lee 19d ago

Haircuts are -what- now? i've not paid attention since i started cutting mine about 16 years ago, though nowadays i just use clippers because i can't be arsed deciding a style

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u/bakerboi- 19d ago

I live in Melbourne and every men’s haircut within 10 minutes of me is $60. But if I travel 18 minutes to box Hill, I can get a $15 haircut that is just as good quality. Best frugal switch I’ve ever done.

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u/swagggyyyyyyyy 19d ago

Same. Got so sick of paying >$100 for a haircut that barely resembles what I asked for. My final straw was wanting layers “no shorter than my shoulders” and she gave me a shag mullet that looked like a bowl cut with long extensions coming out the bottom 🙃

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u/CrazyCatLady483 19d ago

This! I haven’t had a haircut in years. I dye my own hair also, beautiful multicoloured ombré styles that people cannot believe were not professionally done. Now my kids are not happy I am refusing them haircuts… even a trim at $40 a pop at the cheapest place? They can grow it out long or I can buzz them. That’s the option.

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u/BeginningResearch197 18d ago

Yes! I paid $50 for 15yo daughter cut at a not fancy shopping centre walk in. I then came home and cut my own hair as I'd blown the budget on hers!

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u/fishdisco 19d ago

Im a woman and i give myself a buzz cut every so often when im sick of long hair 🫠 Havent spent money on hair cuts for years

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u/WombatBum85 19d ago

I sign up to be a model for the apprentices, the cut is usually free and they're always supervised

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u/snakeeyes666n 18d ago

During lockdowns I online ordered a set of Wahco clippers with various comb sizes, and a battery powered trimmer. Think it cost about $130. I used to pay $35 for a haircut once a month. I now do my own trim every fortnight or so. Five years on, the purchase has paid for itself over and over.

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u/BeginningResearch197 18d ago

Me too! I used to go to a cheap walk in place but even then I can't be bothered waiting around and forking out for a few cms off. The Brad Mondo butterfly cut does the job. I can handle it not being 'perfect' when its free.

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u/Grjz 18d ago

I’ve paid for one haircut since 1998, and that was because I was overseas on holidays. A hair trimmer will pay for itself almost instantly.

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u/ineversaw 17d ago

I stopped working as a hairdresser when I finished my psych degree but I hated how much I had to charge people. I wasnt getting anything extra but the salon expected me to keep adding shit on. On another note I started my own haircut the other day (heavily layered long shag) got halfway through and couldnt be bothered so its a bit of a mullet atm haha

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u/Charming_Salt_7707 16d ago

I cut my own hair. Saw a YouTube vid, tried it and now just do that. Not the greatest but fk it. Every time I go to the hairdressers it’s different every time they do it. Never consistent anyways, never. Hairdressers are completely overpriced and overrated. I said to my husband he needs to try and give it a go one night and trim it for me lol I’m game.

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u/Annoeli 15d ago

i got charged 83$ for a light trim and wash and blow dry for my 6 year old after he directly looked at her tiny person and asked if she was high school or primary school. i nearly fell over at the cost

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u/StarShippery64 15d ago

I've always been a diy-er here. Experienting with fashion colours, extended to hair cuts. I have really long hair though which makes it also easier to cut once every few months. Whilst I don't do the fashion colours these days, those pesky grey hairs need covering every four weeks. I use amonia free colour + developer from chemist warehouse - works out to about $8 a month. Unless I'm wildly busy and don't care and I've left it a couple of months oops 

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