I first went to My Beautie because I had a badly broken fingernail which they fixed on the spot for $5. I have since been a loyal customer and enjoy fortnightly pedicures and manicures which are quick, efficient, sanitary, and well equipped. The salon is attractive and new and the staff are all lovely. Best of all it is easy to get a regular appointment. Their massage chairs are absolutely fantastic. Cash only.

Approximate cost: $25

I initially went to Fringes Hair Design because a girlfriend recommended them and they had a special offer on foils. I was very impressed with their staff, especially Luke, who has clients from all over the southern suburbs. Their colouring, cutting and styling are as good as any city salon. I will definitely be going back again. Recommended, ask for Luke.

Approximate cost: $85

Andrew is an excellent general gardener and looks after his local loyal customers with great care and attention. He mows my small lawn every fortnight and also does some general pruning and cleaning up around the garden. Andrew's service is very reasonably priced so you can afford to have him call in regularly to look after the lawns. He also clears gutters if you need it, but fortunately we don't have any overhanging trees.

Approximate cost: $50

I recently used Mayfair Conveyancing to handle the settlement of an investment property I bought at Noarlunga in South Australia. Charmain Gordon from Mayfair did all the work and liased with my bank and the vendors' bank to make sure the settlement went through smoothly and stress free (for me!) The service was professional, efficient and reasonably priced.

Approximate cost: $600

I recently got a new company car which was transported from Sydney to my home in Adelaide and it needed a thorough detailing after I took possession of it because it was covered in dust and grime both inside and out. Shaun from Professional Mobile Car Detailers came to my home and did a full detail of the car including a wash, cut & polish, wheel cleaned and shined, interior vacuumed, shampooed and deodorised etc. Everything was done to perfection and I was delighted with the results and my new car.

Approximate cost: $200

This small family business is just around the corner from us so was our first choice when we wanted to have a mirror made to fit a bathroom wall. We were a bit anxious because it was a large mirror and we thought it might get damaged during installation but Glass Plus took great care with the job and fitted the new mirror brilliantly. Their service was prompt and professional and they provided us with an accurate quote before we went ahead with the job. I highly recommend Glass Plus if you need a mirror, glass table top, shelf or shower screen made for your home.

Approximate cost: $490

Birchall's Air Conditioning is a family business that installs, services and repairs most types of home airconditioners. We used them to service ours because they are an authorised Daikin Service Centre and came recommended by the company. Our ducted system was fairly new but was not functioning well and Birchall's diagnosed the problem on the spot (faulty thermostat) and repaired the part straight away. The unit was still under warranty so we only had to pay for 1 hours labour. We will use Birchall's again next time. Very happy with this service.

Approximate cost: $90

Keith is a licensed builder working in the southern suburbs. He is more than just a general handy man and has years of experience in tiling, painting, repairs, decking, paving and general carpentry. I only used Keith for a small job of replacing a broken tile in my bathroom which he did quickly and without much fuss. I broke the tile after a faulty towel rail fell off the wall, which he fixed for me as well. A small nuisance job that was done with a smile and no fuss.

Approximate cost: $50

Our boisterous dog broke one of the fly screens on our sliding door so we used Aldinga Security and Showers to have it replaced. This business is located only 1km from our house so Brent was able to attend to the problem straight away and after business hours. This is a family owned business that has been operating out of Aldinga Beach for many years. Their work on our home was of a high quality and they treated it with urgency, even though it was a fairly minor job for them. They specialise in security doors and screens so we plan on using them again in the near future. Gaeten and Fiona in the office are lovely girls.

Approximate cost: $160

I recently used McLaren Vale Galleries to get a large family photograph mounted and framed. They did an excellent job although they are not particularly cheap. If you have something really special that you want framed, like some fine art or treasured pictures, I recommend you take your business to them. They are a busy firm, but my framed picture was ready on the date they promised.

Approximate cost: $110