Although I usually lack adequate space for bulk purchasing, my mother-in-law (and her large chest…read morefreezer) can rarely resist the deals available from Costco. For instance, a 5lb block of mozzarella cheese is about the same price as 1lb shredded from Tesco... now she has to put in the effort of grating it herself, but she has two days off a week anyway so she might as well take the time and save the money. Costco's housebrand is called "Kirkland" and is actually very high quality for affordable prices. I can honestly say I have been buying Kirkland products for years and would highly recommend pretty much anything Kirkland brand. We usually try to avoid this store on the weekends because the traffic from Lakeside can make for some pretty scary encounters however the parking lot is very large so at least finding a spot will be painless. Membership is £50 a year but allows 2 adults so if you're savvy, you can possibly share a membership between two families like my MIL (she shares with one of her sisters). If you are having a party, I highly recommend the cakes from the bakery here. We ordered the chocolate bundt cake and a carrot cake for a party we had and both were cheap, moist and sinfully delicious - especially the carrot cake! Definitely worth the membership if you have a big family or a big event to host but make sure you check the hours first because on some days they open early to business owners and not to the public until noon or later.

I tried to buy petrol at Thurrock last weekend and was unable to do so as I had the 'wrong cards'…read moreIf you have a Halifax card or Nat West the chances are the pump will not accept it.We spoke to the guy at the pumps and he said yes that's right it probably won't work - there's a dispute going on. So we had to buy petrol In Aveley which was 5p dearer per litre. When I got home and rang them and was told it's my banks fault. Totally not interested in my situation. Definitely not going to help customer relations WAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THIS ATTITUDE Shame on you Costco you should sort your problems and look after your customers

I used to love this shop untill now! The staff used to be…read morevery helpful when your buying lots of products but when it's time for a return it's a difference story, I was charged money by louise to swap my items for the same ones but another size because I didn't have a my proof of purchase and could not prove I didn't buy them in a sale!!! I asked her to trace it through my bank card but she said no we don't do that here. She was very rude when I was questioning her over it which then got my back up,

This shop is amazing, everytime I go in there I come out with a bag! It is all Next seconds…read moreclothes, so really good quality, some of their clothes I have even seen at the same time in the proper Next store, and they are always half the price! They have a good selection of mens, womens and childrens clothes. They also have some good little gifts, including a great selection of watches and jewellery. They often have a 20 percent sale or more. The shop assistants are very happy and helpful. If you are in the area you should pop in for a bargain!

Ohms Pharmacy is the perfect community chemists. Mr K ,the proprietor, knows all his customers and…read moretheir individuals needs. If you are looking for a chemists which actually cares for you and your medical issues, rather than a stand in line corporate outlet, I would strongly advise you travel the extra distance. A visit is an experience in itself. Mr (not so) Small.

Village pharmacist who has been here some years and even though there is a chemist located within…read morethe medical centre situated on his doorstep, he still seems to be holding his own. Large range of pharmacy items and accessories, but parking can be a problem.

This is a great little bargain shop which has loads and loads of really cheap products. They sell a…read moregreat range of childrens toys and games and lots of household good such as batteries and plants. It is always very busy in there but you never have to wait long as staff are friendly and helpful!!

I love going into this store. There are always deals that arent publicised or on the internet and…read moretheres so many toys that its hard to not find what you want. Their prices can be a little higher than other stores in the area, but their customer service is really good. Also, it contains a Babies r us section which covers everything you could possibly need for a baby, right from pregnancy to birth and beyond.

Located on one of the retail parks, not actually in the shopping arcade. This massive store is…read moreabsolutely fantastic. Your guaranteed to find something here for those little ones. A lot of the items are on display which means you or the kids can have a hands on try at the items prior to buying. They have a good selection of bikes for all ages and plenty of staff available to give advise. They also have an impressive babies r us department which has cots, buggy's, prams, car seats all sorts. Keep an eye out for discount vouchers on the net, you can pick up a real bargain sometimes.

Decathlon is the best sports shop there is both for value for money and range of stock…read more You won't believe the amount of stuff in there and we can easliy spend a couple of hours just browsing. They sell everything from football stuff to hunting, shooting and fishing. During the winter months they have a cheap and extensive range of ski wear and ski equipment and you can kit out the whole family easily. In the summer this changes to beach stuff and hiking gear such as boots, trousers and jackets. If you can't find what you need here it probably doesn't exist.

I have found this a great place to get reasonably priced sports and outdoor gear. It also offers as…read moreinspiration :) The best thing is the range - I have newly started a couple of different sports this year such as horseriding. For things like this, I don't want to go all out and get everything just yet as I don't know if I will like it, however I still want to be safe. Instead of going to speciailty stores, I can come here to get the basics and then as I learn more about what I need and want, can get more advanced kit as I develop.

A small Boots chemist near Upminster station. This store offers a pharmacy counter & you can get…read moreadvice from the pharmacist on different medications & treatments. The 3 for 2 offers are available in this store however, there is not a great deal of electrical items or gifts available. There is a chiller cabinet which offers snacks & sandwiches and there are usually special offers for lunchtime where you can buy a sandwich, a packet of crisps & a drink for a discounted price. This store is good for picking up things you may need in a hurry although if you want specialised items, you would be better off going to a bigger boots store

I personally think Lakeside is MUCH better than Bluewater because there is a much better selection…read moreof shops at lakeside. Much better for Christmas shopping unless you want to buy everyone clothes or overpriced pap from the disney store at bluewater.

Lakeside is a very large shopping centre and in my opinion better than Bluewater. It is closer for…read moreme any seems to have a better array of shops. I last went in the run up Christmas (probably 4 weeks before) and it was very busy. We struggled to find somewhere for lunch that didn't have people queuing out the door. Obviously not the centre's fault it was so popular that day but it did spoil the experience for me. I managed to get everything I wanted that day which is unusual and goes to show that there is a very wide range of shops there that should cater for almost everyone.