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.

I left my handbag on a number 52 bus on Friday. First of all, I would like to greatly thank the…read moreperson who handed it in. The staff at BHF were genuinely concerned and lent me a mobile phone so that I could ring the bus depot. They really cared. It wasn't just a duty. Real care. Thanks also to the staff at GMPTE, First Manchester and Queen's Road depot (including the lovely lady who was so happy to tell me the bag was there.) PHEW! Faith in human nature...fully justified without hesitation!

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.