He saved me. I went to 4 shops to get some self made xmas…read morecards and no one would do it The gentleman did it for me straight away and fixed some size problems Great!!!

A brilliant resource centre for the local community, Marc Ltd is a not for profit organisation that…read moreoffers cheap design, print and computer services. The materials are more limited in terms of colour and stock than other printers but it's ideal if you're looking to photocopy hundreds of copies of a zine or get flyers and posters printed for a new gig or club night. To paraphrase the band Bis: The DIY revolution starts here!

A treasure trove of second hand & vintage items!…read more This is a charity shop which funds the work of the Mustard Tree. They support vulnerable people across Greater Manchester in a variety of ways. This shop is a couple of minutes walk down Oldham Road, just out of the end of the Northern Quarter. They have a huge range of second hand items including furniture, white goods (but not cookers), clothing, bric a brac, electricals and entertainment items like vinyl. Everything is very reasonably priced as you would expect and they get some amazing vintage items in. They offer delivery for either £5 or £10 depending on the distance which is much cheaper than most other local charities. They also accept donations of items and can collect furniture for free on their vans. Call their office to book in a collection of you want to donate or you drop things like clothing off at their site. Check the website for opening times. It's well worth the extra small walk out of the main city centre to have a rummage in this hidden gem!

This place has furniture so laughably cheap I could, well, laugh. As the proud new owner of a small…read morehouse I visited here one Saturday to kit the place out. I left with: 1 double bed (frame) 1 single bed (frame) 1 double wardrobe 1 single wardrobe 1 chest of drawers 1 bookcase 4 kitchen chairs 1 hallway unit All look very nice, all very functional. Combined cost: £253. Add on a tenner and they delivered the whole lot, carried each piece into the correct room etc. NB: CASH ONLY. They know where the nearest ATM is, but don't get caught out.

As my friends will tell you, I love a bargain. I have been known to buy things I don't need or even…read morelike, because they've been cheap. I always get a good feeling when I grab a bargain, more so when it's something I actually want. And when it's for charity, well that makes it even better! The Wes, as it is affectionately known by locals, runs entirely on donations and voluntary work and aims to help those who might not be able to afford to furnish their homes by offering everything they sell at incredibly low prices. A fridge will set you back £25, a washing machine £35 and you can pick up a double bed for £20. It's a great place to go if you're just setting up house; me and the boyf got a dining table with four chairs, and a bedside table, for £60. The dining set is incredible quality, and the chairs are very similar to ones sold in M&S for £150 a pair. Needless to say, I was pretty chuffed with that particular bargain. As well as a fantastic furniture section, the Wes has a great section of bric a brac, where we picked up two camping chairs for festival season for £10. This section sells clothes, shoes and household bits and bobs, and there is a great book section, with books from as little as 20p. The Wesley prides itself on supplying low price furniture "to those in greatest need from all over the City of Manchester". As if its low prices weren't enough, they also offer 'starter' packs for £50-80, for those who have very low incomes and who can get a referral letter from the council, or social services. These starter packs are a great resource for those who are really in need. The Wes is a fantastic hidden gem with a real heart of gold. All of the money spent on furniture here goes to the running of the centre, and it's such a good cause that it makes me feel even better about grabbing a bargain.

Fantastic Cafe with a great vibe. Appreciated that they are minimizing plastics . Love the Chicken…read moreClub

This is a not for profit, community run, church linked cafe…read more As it's a not for profit cafe my brie, bacon and cranberry panini plus side salad cost a very reasonable £3.50. My freshly made banana milkshake tasted of the real thing and cost £1.99. It's pleasingly decorated in a fresh green colour with pretty cotton bunting on the ceiling. There's seating at the front although you'll be looking at the Stockport Road, so we decided to eat inside with a view of the garden instead. The menu is the standard cafe fare of jacket potatoes, soup, sandwiches and paninis. Plus brownies and scones. They also have ice-cream cones for a £1. The food is good, but what's great is supporting the "I love levy" community spirit. On a side note, they do have some modern hymns on but I only noticed after being there about 1.5 hours so I find that acceptable. Also, it seems to get busy later in the afternoon with mums and young kids.

Yes, yes, yes. Just my kind of place…read more Somewhere I can drink coffee, relax and be surrounded by modern art. It is hard to find places like this near home. The art here is different, unusual and probably most people will find it strange and meaningless. Yes, there is a big rat head (costume) and a giant teddy bear hanging around. Constantly something is happening - life drawing, film nights and street artist exhibiting their creations. I'm always too distracted doing something or even just sitting on a comfy sofa drinking good coffee. So I've never tried the food here. Drinks are good. It is an interesting place to visit and take a break from your regular cafes. Why don't we have places like this in London ?

The quirky and cool social atmosphere…read more Plenty of seating that ranges from extra comfy to just plain weird. The coffee is great for the price and the tea is the same, the food is decent enough, if a tiny bit pricey. I'd say the staff are mostly awesome and friendly, although there is 1 guy who works though with a really crappy attitude that really puts me off staying whenever he is on the counter. Other than that, its a cool place.

Oxfam Emporium is attempting to take charity shops to the next level. Not content with making money…read morefor an awesome charity, this branch on Oldham Street is attempting to fit in with the multitude of amazingly cool record and art shops that litter the Northern Quarter. It does a half decent job of it, with a really good books, records and CD sections that actually house some decent titles. Also, it's not as ramshackle as other charity shops and definitely has more of a boutique feel. Oxfam Emporium offers photocopying as well, if you're in a fix. Make copies and support charity. Excellent!

Girls with small feet. Ooh don't get me started…read more I have been blessed with my height of 5 foot 2 and a half inches, yet what size am I in shoes? 5 and a half. Smack back in between the two most popular sizes. You see a friendly red 'Sale' sign, rush in, see a beautiful pair of black patent sandals with bows, heart beat quickens... Oh, they only have 3s and 4s left. And so it also is at the Oxfam Emporium- their glass case of Miu Mius flats and Marc Jacobs heels at the back (bargains) is all in small sizes. Ahh well. At least the rest of this massive 'emporium' will cheer me up. Its like a really cool supermarket but without much food (bags of tea, Green and Blacks and Divine chocolate). They have loads of ethical goods and some adorable material jewellery, like a felt flower brooch made by women helping themselves in developing countries. Good selection of vinyl too; I'm building up my collection and was tempted by a Barbara Streisand record. Don't worry I decided that I only really liked Hello Dolly not her music.

The International Society is part of the University of Manchester. It's a building for…read moreinternational students to meet, start groups and share interests and experiences. Also, its not closed to non-international students, and as they have a great café, its worth a visit for all. Situated across the road from the Students Union, the International Society is in some ways another version of the Union. Its similarly a place for students to meet and have a laugh. You can find out all international related things here, from learning languages to help with work, to where to go if you're new to Manchester to advice about living in a foreign city. Being British, I find the most appealing aspect of the International Society to be its great café, which is probably the best place to get lunch out of all the university cafes and eateries. Baked potatoes of alarming size and excellent piles f fresh salad for a few quid are enough to keep me going back time and again. If you're a University of Manchester student, make sure you check it out.

International Society- Manchester University's most proud society stands tall and white next to the…read moreOxford Road Natwest branch, bang opposite the Student's Union. It's a great society to start your univeristy and also join it anytime in between or even when you're out of it! They have great events, exciting meetings and most importantly it's the people you meet here that make the best of this place. It attracts all kinds of interesting people and hence is the hot spot for making new friends or even just doing something exciting with your old ones. They organise very enjoyable trips at very reasonable costs, giving you the exposure to indulge in a completely different experience with people from abundant nationalities! I remember this weekend trip to Bath which was just £75 including everything! It was an amazing one and I got to know some real amazing friends from there! The cafe there is a nice little invite to chill and unwind. Amazing experience and enthralling memories for life!