Highlights dilemma: groupon/student salon OR grow out?!

[LadyCatherinedeBourgh]

I have been a slave to highlights since the age of 16 and since becoming a SAHM this summer have started to resent the £100+ bill every few months. I now have two inch roots and a decision needs to be made! My natural colour is a dark blonde but I've tried several times over the years to go darker in salons and my hair has never 'taken' the colour-ending up an attractive shade of bleurgh.

My hair is long. Has anyone ever successfully grown out highlights? Any tips welcome. When do roots become that cool 'dip dye' look that celebrities like Fearne Cotton make look so cool?! (I suspect never).

The other option is cheaper highlights. Groupon are offering £39 for cut and half head highlights, which looks great (if not a bit scarily trendy) online but unsure of salon quality if they are struggling for clients? Or I could risk the local college for about £50. What would you do?

I'd try the local college as I'd imagin they would be well supervised. I feel you pain, was a SAHM for a while but have just gone back to work - hair appointment is made for the day after payday!!!!

Go to the local college, but £50 sounds a lot.

I can have half head highlights with a level 3 student for £15 with a cut and blow dry costing an extra £5.

I stopped getting highlights when on mat leave to save money - did it by getting the hairdressers to give me an all over permanent tint in a darker colour instead.

Huge mistake, look back on photos and it ages me dreadfully. Keep getting your highlights done - I would be a bit suspicious of groupon deals as well so would probably go for the salon deal.

I've started having fewer highlights less often - cheaper up front and you can go for longer in between. Tell hairdresser you want to blend them more with your natural colour and have skinny ones instead of chunky. I have a t-section and a cut for £55 all in at a local salon. It's worth shopping around asking for offers - many smaller salons are struggling as people cut back. I had a great Groupon experience - they try extra hard so people will come back and pay full price. Make sure they've got appointments though - sometime they can be booked up for months.

Thanks all, have decided to keep going with the highlights and am going to risk the groupon deal, given that the college costs were going to be more.