I’m a frugal mum but love designer clothes – how I saved £5K in a year & even bagged a £2k dress for £3.50

A THRIFTY MUM has shared her tips on bagging designer clothes for a fraction of the price.

The savvy shopper has managed to save herself £5,000 in a year by only buying second hand.

Heidi Ondrak, 51, made a New Year's resolution not to buy any new clothes during 2022.

And unlike most of us, the mum has stuck to her resolution - even bagging a £2,000 dress for £3.50.

Prior to the ban, Heidi would splurge up to £250 a month on new clothes directly from high street shops.

The fashionista claims she has always loved clothes, but found she was overspending and wanted to prioritise her important bills.

"After spending lockdowns of eating and online shopping, I decided to take a pledge to only buy pre-loved," said Heidi, from Plymouth.

"The food price rises had already started to have an impact, and I noticed a £70 shop was costing about £85!

"My energy provider had also gone bust so I’d been transferred to another supplier, but my bills rose from £98 a month to £168 a month.

"I'd bought into fast fashion during the lockdown and it was time for a detox.

"And I knew that re-using was one of the most sustainable ways to shop after re-wearing what you have already."

Now, the mum shares how she gets her bargains through her TikTok account, Duchess of Thrift.

Speaking to Fabulous earlier this year, Heidi estimates she now only spends £40 a month on clothes, but still has a new outfit to wear every single week.

She added: "I bought a Maria Grachvogel lilac beaded dress for £3.50 and when I got home I Googled it and they retail for over £2,000!

"I found a Madeline Thompson jumper for 50p, so I googled it when I got home and found out it retails for £400.

"I also found a pure silk maxi dress with a label that said Deborah Aungiers, so I googled her and found that she was a dressmaker and a grad of the London School of Fashion.

"I tracked her down via Facebook and she remembered the dress I bought; it was made for a wealthy family in London whose daughter was attending a party in 1980.

"It was made from a re-purposed silk wedding sari I love that as it ended up 400 miles away and was immaculate and is over 40 years old!"

Heidi estimates that she has already saved £5,000 on her credit by buying pre-loved goods.

The mum added: "I am an emotional shopper and fix my feelings buying nice stuff, payday treats, or something to lift my spirits.

"Sometimes even just the lure of an e-mail or ad on social media prompting me to buy would have me adding to the basket."

Now Heidi gets her kicks form car boot sales and takes just £20 with her to keep in budget.

She adds she's come back with £400 worth of stuff and sticks to paying £1 to £2 per item.

"I'm just a mum trying to make ends meet like everyone else," she said. "I don’t have a silver bullet for this awful crisis and the impending energy hikes.

"I still like treats and I don’t want all my wages to go on bills, so I try to shave costs off where I can.