Despite sounding like it could (and should) be me, Local Shopper is actually a free publication…read morethat provides a 'platform' (their words, not mine) for local businesses to advertise and offer deals to prospective clientele. Good idea, eh? Delivered by the Royal Mail once monthly to 207,000 homes and businesses in the Belfast, Bangor, Newtownabbey and Lisburn areas, there are different versions of the Local Shopper for each particular neighbourhood. For example, the one I receive is delivered to 13,500 homes in the Braniel, Tullycarnet, Gilnahirk and Dundonald areas, and is tweaked to suit our area, with adverts from the likes of Papa Johns in Dundonald, Envy tanning and beauty in Ballybeen and Gilnahirk Tyres and Exhausts. Not only do each of these businesses get a decent sized ad in this eight page magazine, but many of these ads double up as coupons / money-off vouchers for that particular company. Fun Works in Glengormley (one of very few businesses which isn't that nearby) are offering 20% off when you produce their ad, whilst the Green Energy Store in Bangor are promoting their business with £200 off selected energy store systems. Local Shopper is a great idea for local businesses, but also for the prospective customers. Good work!

The Local Shopper is a little advertisement free sheet which is popped in the door of of over…read more200,00 Belfast homes every month. It is quite informative and is tailored to suit your area. The businesses are actually quite useful, they'll let you know about skips for hire in your area, great deals on electrical goods and some great deals and vouchers for pizzas. As far as most advertisement free sheets go, this is a quality one worth reading instead of chucking in the bin.

What could possibly be better than a free magazine? A free magazine all about Belfast, informing us…read moreof up-and-coming events, places to be and be seen, as well as an 'essential' guide to Belfast's best bits. Throw in a few pages of makeup, beauty and fashion, a couple of interviews with stars and the chance to vote for the GO Belfast Awards 2010...and you have GO Belfast! A handy glossy A5 magazine for all those culture vultures out there, GO makes Belfast accessible for locals and tourists alike. It's handy GO listings provide useful info on places to eat, clubs, bars, shops, local attractions and accommodation. Go provides typical prices for restaurants and hotels, as well as identifying if music is played, food is provided or theme nights are a regular occurrence at bars. For me, GO Belfast's unique selling point is that is incredibly helpful in terms of informing the reader of the city's hot spots. As it is published once every two months, it keeps you up-to-date with what's happening over that period, so you don't miss a thing. Did I mention its free?!

Go! Belfast is a freebie A5 glossy magazine which you can pick up in trendy establishments all over…read morethe city centre. I recently spotted it whilst having lunch in Avoca Cafe and was pleasantly suprised. The magazine covers all bases, fashion and beauty, music and culture, nightlife, listings, pics of people out and about and some restaurant reviews. The publishers seem to be clued in and feature interviews with young and upcoming bands, along with visiting musicians. Read Go! Belfast mag if you like to keep up to date with what's going on in the city around you. I was most impressed with the arts corner section and some interesting interviews with Northern Irish producer, Mark Huffman. Ever sitting at home mid-week thinking, great 'I've seen this episode of Come Dine with me before? Then all you gotta do is pick up this nifty lil' mag and find something interesting to do in your city. Go! Belfast is cosmopolitan, trendy and chic. It may be small, but it packs a punch. Northern Ireland's No. 1 lifestyle and entertainment magazine, every issue of GO Belfast features a fabulous mix of fashion, music, culture, exclusive interviews, news, views, and much, much more. And best of all, it's FREE!

I get really angry and frustrated when press and publishing companies do their jobs half-assed. If…read moreBlackstaff did anymore half-assed a job at publishing local authors than they currently do, we'd have to call the police. Most of their publications find their way into the 99p bin in Bargain Books, with very few actually having enough merit to be stocked in a mainstream bookstore like Waterstones. Cover design is shoddy as is the writing, showing how much care they give to selecting their writers. This is what happens when companies do things purely for profit and nothing else. Bad, bad, bad.

Corries has two outlets in Ards and Ballyhackamore to sell the products off its farm, but the one I…read morehave been to is in Newtownards! Corries own a family run farm based in Newtownards.They have been operating for over 3 decades, so they really know their stuff!Corries take pride in their state-of-the-art farming facilities, and it is this kind of commitment to quality that shines through in their products! Unlike other butchers that are sometimes provided by generic meatsuppliers, Corries produce is brought straight from the farm, which goes some way to explaining the value for money and excellent quality product that you get from here. They do some of the nicest chicken products I have ever tasted, with a recent special offer £21 for 5kgs of chicken breasts, which is value that beats even the biggest supermarkets, and the quality is far superior! They also do excellent burgers and steaks, and whilst I am not a fan of lamb, my dad swears by the lamb chops from here. As well as meat , Corries also provide vegetables, buns, cakes and deserts, so they provide you with a far better range than your average butcher!So I will Corrie on buying from here, but I just hope that I haven't butchered this reviews with my lack lustre puns!

I actually bought this magazine just for the smell. Not really...though I do love the smell of…read moreglossy mags. Hmmmm. Anyway, Northern Woman isn't just a great smelling magazine. Oh no. It's a great looking one too. It has all the requirements of a true glossy - fashion pages, reviews, showbiz goss (Northern Ireland style), interviews, lifestyle pages (losing weight, healthy eating and all that jazz), and the all-important competitions (six-place Pure dining set anyone?). The choice of articles, and the information within these are broad enough to appeal to women a wide variety of women from the 20s right through to 50s / 60s. The fashion pages may be geared towards a slightly younger audience, but the rest of the magazine is pretty generic. My favourite article in the summer edition was 'Picture Perfect' - a guide to getting the best photo of yourself possible, from poses to your hair style to accessories. I also loved the feature on festival hair...a handy guide to how to the most of your hair when you're camping and slummin' it. It's great to see that everything in Northern Woman is related to our wee country - Norn Irish celebs, clothing from local shops, local salons, parties etc etc. And, as if that wasn't already reason enough to buy it, Northern Woman is only £1.95! What are you waiting for?!