'I'm a thrifty bargain lover - I save £510 a year with these simple changes'

From staying on top of rapidly appearing roots to trimming those dead ends, keeping our manes in tip-top condition can be time-consuming and not to mention costly.

It’s believed the average woman in the UK spends a whopping £1,188.93 on their hair each year - splashing the cash on cuts, colours, blow drying and styling appointments.

But haircare enthusiast Cara Bradley, from Chester, has found a way to save on her grooming - pocketing more than £500 on her annual maintenance costs.

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“It always feels like a luxury to get that big, bouncy, salon-finish blow-out after a fresh cut, but this hair habit could be setting your savings back,’ 31-year-old Cara told vivamoney.co.uk.

“The average cost of a wash, cut, and blow-dry in the UK is £48, rising to a staggering £130 if you also add a colour. These prices creep up even more if you’re in London, with a cut and colour averaging at £184 per appointment.

“Opting for a dry-cut – where the stylist will simply trim your hair as it is, rather than washing it first – could work out cheaper, as you’re not making use of shampoos, conditioners, and treatments. A dry cut at popular salon chain Supercuts will cost you just £21.95, compared to a shampoo cut, which will set you back £25.50. Let’s say you have your hair cut every eight weeks. In this instance, opting for a dry cut could save you around £23.80 a year.

“Additionally, if you’ve had a dye job without a cut, you could offer to skip the blow-dry and leave with wet hair, although your stylist may want to see the finished result on dry hair to ensure that the colour has set properly.”

“Some salons charge varying service rates