If there's one thing you can't scrimp on it's a haircut.

Now I'm pretty anal when it comes to hair. Finding a good hairdresser who doesn't charge a fortune has been a holy grail of mine. I've got really fine mousy hair with a bit a wave, and it can be a bit a nightmare to style, so as much as I'd love a short sharp haircut, I tend keep it long. I'm pretty fussy, too much cut off or too many layers can put me into a bad mood for weeks (I'm not joking as my boyfriend and sister will tell you).

Anyway, women spend an average of £27,000 and men £13,000 on their hair over a lifetime. That's a lot of dosh and I've not always been entirely convinced it's worth it. So the last 12 months - and in the interests of the hair-obsessed everywhere - I've been road -testing hairdressers to see whether spending more = better haircut.

NUMBER ONE - The designer hair cut - that costs £22.50

I had to go all the way to New York (it was a work trip) for this one. But this was the best of the bunch. Amanda at the Aveda Lifestyle Salon in New York's SoHo area gave me a fantastic easy maintenance hairstyle for $45 (at $2 a £1 this was a bargain). The reason it was so cheap was because I happened to ring when they were looking for models, a cut is normally twice that - but compared to the Aveda salon's I've checked out in London it's a total bargain. Not only was Amanda one of the friendlies hairdressers ever, she also gave me lingo to use on all future hairdressers. Because my hair is fine it should never be texturised or point cut, which will make fine hair like mine look scraggy. I don't quite know what those words mean, but she's given me a great haircut. Shame I can't come back here any time soon.
There are modelling evenings in the UK, for those of you who can't get to New York anytime soon!
Aveda Lifestyle Salon New York - 456 West Broadway, 001(from the UK)  212-472-0280
www.aveda.com

NUMBER TWO - Very cheap - but for the brave - under £10

When I tell my friends I'm getting my hair cut for free I see their faces pale. After some careful research I choose Vidal Sasson's advanced academy in London's West End. You have to book a few weeks in advance but I'm told that hairdressers come from all over the world to hone their skills, so not only do you get a trained hairdresser, you get one who's more creative too. (BTW- there is a training school which is less experimental) My hairdresser has been snipping tresses in Tokyo for the last ten years and I have to say the cut he gives me is amazing. Even after a few weeks my hair just seems style itself. It's a bit way out - a bob or 'pob' but looks great. My only problem is getting the time to go back there, because a supervisor has to check things over the cut takes a few hours. There are hair academies/modelling evenings all over the country, so you don't have to head to the big smoke.

I went to Vidal Sasson's Advanced Academy 20 Grosvenor Street, W1 tel: 020 7491 0030. But you can source local hair academies from www.yell.com

Rating: *****

NUMBER THREE- Cheap and Chic -  £20 haircut.

Admittedly this was a special offer, for a salon that's just opened in Bishop's Stortford. The full price is normally £30. I got a free cup of coffee and a glass of water, plus a lovely head massage when the assistant shampooed my hair.

The cut was great, I didn't need another cut for 12 weeks. It wasn't quite as 'on trend' as the Vidal Sasson cut, but does me well while I'm growing out my hair.

I went to the Women's Salon in Bishop's Stortford - 01279 755444 but if you can find a cheap salon near you by checking www.yell.com

Rating: ***

NUMBER FOUR- The £55 haircut.

For my 'expensive' haircut I choose Toni & Guy at Liverpool Street Station. They tend to charge a bit more for their haircuts in London, but expect to pay at least £40 for a stylist where ever you are.. This is a really busy salon and because it's a Friday night they pour me a glass of wine. My stylist, who's from Russia, seems to know exactly what I want, she has exactly the same hair type as me which helps. I was a bit wary of using T&G, but this was a really good cut and it styles really well. She spends a good hour on my hair and I come away feeling a little bit special.

www.toniandguy,.com to find your nearest salon

Rating: *****

VERDICT - cheap haircuts rock, but I've been lucky. Let me know if you've had any bad/good experiences of hairdressers!

Cheap hair tips:

* Good conditioners and shampoos may seem expensive, but they often contain less detergents than supermarket brands, so they can last longer. I've always found L'Oreal's Kerastase and Redken to be good, one bottle of Redken can last two months or so. The best I've found is Aveda because it's organic, I stocked up on Aveda in New York as it's virtually half price but it's v. expensive in the UK.

* But no amount of shampoo can make up for a bad diet - if you are really worried about your hair, eat well. I started taking B vitamin supplements and iron tablets and noticed a real difference. Since I stopped coffee every day I've also noticed my hair is shinier. Before you do anything see your doctor first, as vitamin supplements are not appropriate for everyone.

* If you aren't doing anything fancy, avoid blow drying your hair.

* Extensions are the worst thing, apart from bleaching or perming your hair. I wore mine for a year and came away with a bald patch-  they really are vanity and not worth it.

* Eat lots of protein, dairy products, eggs, fish - they are all great for hair.