Being the behemoth of a shopping centre Chermside Westfield is, it has the two major department…read morestores. This DJs is pretty big, but not quite as shiny as the city store. But let's face it, not as bedraggled as the old Toombul store had become. Staff are helpful. I've gotten some good advice here, not just someone trying to make a sale, which they could have done. Of course, it's not always the cheapest, but that doesn't mean you won't find a bargain. There's been one or two times when they HAVE been the cheapest, so it can pay to pop your head in if you're after something and you're doing the rounds.

When it comes to shopping, Brisbane is always seen as the poor relative to Sydney. And it usually…read moreis. But the uber chic Level 1 Designer section David Jones is definitely equal to, if not better than its counterpart down south. Let me run through just a taster of the labels you can get your hands on here: Burberry, Paul Smith, Scanlan and Theodore, Easton Pearson, Willow, Romance is Borne, Sass and Bide, Camilla and, my fave, Thurley (note to parents: as the sales will be on by then, I'd love the one shouldered lurex top or the long sequinned necklace for my birthday!) The drawback - the expense makes your eyes water. So my tip to you is, browse now and make a note of what you want, then come back in sale season and rummage, rummage, rummage. It's worked for me many a time. Ladies, be strong, be determined and above all, keep looking until you find it!

When I was a young whipper snapper I remember going into the David Jones store in Sydney. It felt…read moreall fancy, and i'd marvel at the food markets they had in there too. And the cost! Well, DJs still goes for that fancy, up market look, and if their Brisbane store ever had food markets, they're long gone. This is a newish store in Queens Plaza, and it's still quite fancy. Multiple levels, I usually come in for clothes, or sometimes to check out the electrical stuff. They've scaled back on games, and I note that their electronics is just a Dick Smith now. The department stores of the past are long gone. Despite the up market vibe they go for, I've found they are quite often competitive with prices, so it's definitely worth checking out if you're shopping around for the best price.

"Anytime you need a friend, I will be there..." once sang a youthful looking Mariah Carey and it is…read morethis song that probably accurately sums up how I feel about my local Kmart. Plus it is open til 9pm Monday to Friday (it once saved a friend who had Air BnB guests arriving at short notice and needed a new sheet set before they arrived). That's the beauty of Kmart - at least a 98% success rate of having what you need whenever you need it. Sure, it isn't anything glamourous or high-end but for basics it works for me (and my purse strings) just fine. Whether you need underwear, a tooth brush, arts and craft supplies, potting mix, affordable whilst still practical gym gear (hello $10 for gym pants!): Big K, Little Mart has you covered. My personal favourite way to fall into the vortex that is Kmart? Wander the kitchen aisles for bits and bobs that you probably didn't know you needed until you saw it was only $2 and couldn't resist taking it home with you.

I LOVE this shop, it has literally something for everyone. It's bigger than the Daiso in the city…read moreand tucked away at the back is one of the best value dinnerware sections I've seen in a long time. The store is always neat, clean and tidy and stocked very well. The craft sections has some delightful little packets of oragami paper, different craft items and cute pencil cases for something a little different. For those of us girls who like to keep their beauty on the "edge" there are some quirky Japanese beauty routines for, you guessed it, $2.80. The lolly/sweet and drink section has some great things to try. For me however the winning sections would have to be the storage aisle and dinnerware. The storage aisle has lots of small, medium and large containers perfect for travel, organising beauty or bathrooms or any tiny nickknacks. The dinnerware has lots of tiny plates, bowls and cups.of all descriptions and I have to admit that I've used a couple of these to decorate my dressing table. If you go in with a sense of fun and no expectations you will never know what you will find. Cute, kitsch, cheap and cheerful give it a try.

Lots of things! Cheap!…read more House and home, office, school, even fishing hooks. You can get most anything in Daiso, and everything is the same price. $2.80. Hooray! It can be pretty expensive to shop here because it all adds up pretty darn quick, and logic dictates that some of the items just aren't worth $2.80, while others are worth more. It averages out in the end, but you need to be careful not to buy what you don't need, and shop around too, because you aren't necessarily always getting a bargain, but buy the right things and you're on a winner. A downside is a lot of the packaging information is in Japanese, so you're never quite sure what the item is. An upside is the Engrish. Always a joy! Still, check it out, it's bright and cheerful and you just might find what you're looking for.

Pssst! Listen up home cooking foodies. I'm going to let you into a little secret. (I think I am…read moregoing to regret this...but I'm such a blabber mouth) This magical hidden oasis is where you can buy a whole bunch of flours, nuts, legumes, spices, olives, cheese in bulk and save big! This is where you can get half a kilo of kalamata olives for $4, 1 kg of spelt flour for $3.75, and 1kg of dried chickpeas for a coupla bucks. Not to mention the bags of nuts! I grabbed a 1kg bag of cashew nut pieces for a crazy $9 (to make raw cheesecake etc). I also buy my Tahini from here, $19 for 2kgs. They have lots of great Greek and Middle Eastern inspired ingredients as well, which can be hard to find elsewhere, such as frozen artichoke hearts and the proper haloumi made from a mixture of goats and sheeps milk. Do yourself a favour and check it out! Or don't. Actually don't, more for me. I'm going to hypnotise*** you now and hope you don't remember this post. ***Look into my eyes, Look into my eyes, no, not around the eyes, the eyes, Look into my eyes,*click* aaaand you're under... You didn't just read this post, and you know nothing of Mega Continental Deli in West End and how awesome it is for food stuffs. 3, 2, 1 aaand you're back in the room. ***

This buried away Mediterranean food warehouse offers a pretty respectable selection given its…read moremodest size. It is probably the best place for plain dried beans and grains I've seen in Brisbane, and I was able to get one of the few decent servings of hummus I've had in this country. You could really do well for your health by shopping here. They don't have any fresh vegetables or anything; it's all canned, dried, or in a freezer. My real source of ire with them is that their hours are annoyingly limited, even for this town, including not being open on Sundays, on relatively minor holidays, or during the evening. I wonder when they think people buy food.

Barcode's a funky, modern little boutique in the Valley selling clothes, homewares, and…read moreaccessories. You can get some pretty awesome sunglasses, hectically cool phone covers, and some great vintage-style clocks. I'm loving how old-school alarm clocks are making a massive resurgence, and Barcode has these and more funky home furnishings to really jazz up any place. There's kind of a bit of everything in this place, so it's hard to pinpoint just one awesome feature. The way it's furnished just reeks of cool with dark floors and a ridiculously appealing chandelier that just casually hangs around the middle of the store. This is a great place for giftware with just the right amount of Valley arrogance, but not so much as to detract from its appeal. The clothes are edgy and fresh, and this store seems like it has a lot of potential. Monday and Tuesday they are only open by appointment. Find them on Facebook for a look into their stock and the Valley store setup. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barcode-Space-Australia/151544388194557?sk=wall.

It really is quite a random store, this Barcode Space. At first I thought it was a cool place to…read moreget rare imported toy figurines... But upon entering the store, I find that is has clothes, shoes as well as accessories for men and home. Now, that I think of it, it's an eclectic mixture of mans cool items. Home decor suitable for man. Clothes, shoes and accessories suited for man and everything in between suited for... Man oh man. I felt jipped. It looks like a really hip place inside and out. What I don't get, is why they only allow appointments for Monday and Tuesday? Perhaps they hardly get customers on that day, therefore it works out cheaper to not have staff working a full day unless needed? How boutique of them. If you're looking for a gift for a brother, male cousin, male friend or boyfriend/hubby, then check this place out. If they're not into the clothes, I'm sure they'll like the cool accessories or funky home decor.

Your first hint that there's more than bra's and panties in Honey Birdette is the mostly closed…read morestore window. You're not going to find any cutesy twin set PJ numbers here that's for sure. Honey Birdette specialises in fancy pants lingerie (think sexy not practical) and, um, adult things. Which is actually a very clever combination as a lot of women feel very uncomfortable going to a sex shop, so adding an adult line to a lingerie store no doubt makes it heaps easier for less brave women to make their first foray into the land of sex toys. The staff are very professional and helpful, and definitely not there to make you feel cheap. You can get a proper bra fitting when you're buying your corset too. Prices are premium, but if you don't feel comfortable going to a full on sex emporium - and want some classy knickers while you're at it - visit Honey Birdette.

I swear this boutique was transplanted directly from Noosa; it reminds me so strongly of many of…read morethe shops up there, and, less flatteringly, many women's clothing stores you find in shopping centres. It's definitely better quality than the shopping centre chain stores, but the styles are quite similar. A lot of horrendously bright colours and not especially nice patterns, with many of the items made of that semi-satin like material that so many resort holidaying mothers seem to wear. The shop itself is nice, unfortunately it's just not for me.