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.

Love this Costco!! Way better than North Lakes. Seems to stock their shelves all the time. Great…read moreplace to shop.

Variety of sizes available and very much affordable. Located in the perfect area for shoppingread more

I love Big W. I like how it is conveniently placed above Woolworths. It has escalators and a lift…read moreif you have heavy bags. I wish they would make a security system so you could take their basket trolleys (which can't leave Big W) and supply you with regular trolleys to take down to Woolworths to shop there vice versa . I hate carrying bags. I had to buy a granny's trolley for this purpose. I wish they had a underground carpark or something because how are you gonna take your purchases home? I either have to walk far to my car or catch a cab from the cab rank which is thankfully nearby. There are buses and trains but the who wants to wait at a bus stop with all their things? Also buses can be unreliable. The train station is about a ten minute walk up the hill so no go for me. If they had more parking areas and let you take the basket trolleys into the food court I would buy more and heavier things. Unfortunately most things on the Big W website are unavailable to get delivered? Almost makes me wonder what's the point, except I suppose being able to see what they sell. Big store, lots of variety, good prices but not as dirt cheap as Kmart. I would give 5 stars if they didn't always run out of basket trolleys at Big W and Woolworths! Woolworths have regular metal trolleys but usually run out too with the annoying insert coin security system. I don't know how your expected to use the trolley and then catch a cab. How are you going to return the trolly to bay to get your $1/$2 back? Oh well. There are barely any lines at Big W unlike Woolworths and they have self service checkout there. Oh, and only spread over two levels, not three.

Im not entirely sure that i would have ever gone to spotlight on my own accord because as far as i…read morewas concerned it was a shop that sold cloth and sewing gear and that is something i have no interest in. I was however dragged their to buy bedding and pillows and was actually surprised at the size of the place. If you are looking for bedding towels and like me are impartial to designs and thread count then you cant go wrong with Spotlight. As well as all this they do have a party section which is something I am definitely taking advantage of for those fun but some times annoying dress up parties. All you need is a bit of creativity and with the huge amount of party supplies that they have. Its also fairly inexpensive and will be allot cheaper than buying or hiring a costume. I would just advise that when you go with your spouse you know what you are looking for because through personal experience you can end up staying there allot longer and buying allot of things you don't really need for the house.

Day time designers, night time crafters, do-it-yourself renovators and home decorators. If you're…read moreafter inspiration and ideas, give yourself about an hour to browse through Spotlight. While I love home decorations, I admit I'm a terrible DIY renovator. I hate sandpapering surfaces, painting walls, sewing curtains, in short anything that may cause perspiration. What I do like to do is buy cushions, candles and any sort of furnishings that may transform the room without any effort on my part. This is where Spotlight comes in. They have the A-Z of home decorations from already made curtains to cute toothbrush holders. For crafters, the Mt Gravatt Spotlight has a huge selection of supplies for quilting, embroidery, jewellery making, knitting and scrapbooking. It's bigger than Lincraft and Riots Art Supplies put together. Unfortunately, this has been at the expense of their sewing section which has been dramatically downsized in the past few years. They still stock a decent range of fabrics but only the most popular silks and satins are making the cut. If you can't nip down to Spotlight without the kids and hubby, never fear. There is an awesome helium balloon counter at the back of Spotlight. Just pick their favourite balloon design, the lovely staff on duty will fill it up with helium and you can shop in peace while your kids are entertained by shiny, nylon sharks, tigers and seahorses. The bonus is that these bobbing creatures act as beacons so that you don't have to worry about losing your kid in the maze which is Spotlight.

What on Earth happened to Kmart since I was a kid? Whatever it is - it's a good thing. No wait, a…read moregreat thing! I had my school's swimming carnival on Wednesday. Tuesday evening was the prime time I decided to search for a green shirt to wear (school spirit and all). I left Kmart after a 15 minute trip (including parking) holding a $3 shirt. THREE DOLLARS. What. Even. So you want a bargain? Go to Kmart. Honestly. I don't even understand. I also bought my lady a pie machine for Christmas from there. I'm hoping she won't read this, but it was $12 and it's fantastic. So impressed. Kmart also has self serve checkouts for those who like, as well as normal checkouts. The staff on the door I've noticed are quite nice. There's also a Kmart Tyre and auto. If you weren't aware Kmart is actually in Toombul shopping centre, conveniently close to the undercover parking. If you've not been to Kmart for a while, as I hadn't, you really must take a look.

This shop is for ladies that are in their mid 30s to possibly late 50s. The fashion is…read moreunpredictable... what could look stylish from the front may be a picasso from the back. The dresses look really comfortable if only I would be game to wear the picasso out... unfortunately i'm not, but i'm not saying you might not be! The prices are reasonable, the shop smells nice, the clothes look really good, and they even mend and alter clothing for a reasonable price with a great turnaround. The lady inside is really helpful and friendly and maybe in 10 years time it might be the place I buy all my stuff.

I LOVE this store - the colours are bright and happy and the clothes actually fit real people! The…read morestaff and friendly are helpful too :) I will be coming back, despite living on the other side of town - I was very happy to find it while driving home from a day out :)