Forget B&Q, Ali's DIY shop is amazing and should be your first point of call for getting nails,…read morelightbulbs, a hammer, or whatever random piece of DIY equipment that you actually need. This place is packed to rafters with stock, and it's all reasonably priced. The customer service is great. I'm not sure if the guy serving was actually the famous Ali, but I hope he was because he was mega friendly, smiley and chatty. I love a good bot of pleasant customer service for a change. Keep things local. Next time you think about driving to B&Q, just go to Ali's instead. He'll sort you out and he'll do it with a smile on his face too.

Ali's Diy is your one stop shop for everything to do with diy, before you go to BnQ I recommend you…read morego here, the rates are very reasonable and he is very friendly. Trust me when I say I think that this shop was the reason they created the phrase 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. It is packed with everything you could ever want.

Yet another shop in Levenshulme that is painted bright yellow! I just don't get it. Well I do…read morereally. It is quite eye-catching. But it's also very yellow! Pound Choice Plus is yet another one of those mega cheap shops that sells random tat. Half of which is mega useful and cheap. The other half of which is totally pointless but also cheap. This shop has all of the important useful stuff, like piles of cheap loo roll, washing powder, cosmetics and tools. The shop is light and airy too, which is a welcome change to other dingy pound stores. What I always love about these places is that there are some hidden gems to be found that almost make you laugh out loud. My personal favourite in Pound Choice Plus is the "Elegant Drinking Glass Chess Set." Which now I think about it could actually become an amazing drinking game. Hold on, I think I'm going to back and buy the thing.

Needed a replacement flush lever for my Armitage Shanks Tulip cistern…read moreAnd found Kingsway plumbing sold the item which it Specifically said was for the Tulip cistern, and was a very good price. However when I fitted the lever with the fulcrum supplied it did not flush correctly and hit the cistern lid which moved upwards. Fortunately I had salvaged the old fulcrum and fitted that instead which solved the problem. Also there was a missing part ie a chrome cap and washer to cover the fixing bolt. I emailed Kingsway plumbing to make them aware of my findings and was a little disappointed not to receive the courtesy of a response.

Ordered a part online, easy to use Site and prompt delivery. So far so good…read more Part came without any wrapping or instructions. On closer inspection top had a chip out of it and part had an obvious waterline from where it had been previously fitted. Kingsway denied a return had been supplied, denied a damaged part had been supplied, were unable to provide fitting instructions and implied I was a fool. They did agree to a return, promising to refund postage. They have, promptly, refunded the online cost but forgot about the postage. Since found replacement part from BathSource. At a cheaper online price which came promptly, in a carton with instructions. So if you decide to use Kingsway Plumbing, beware, they know better than you when things go wrong.

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.