I'm not sure why I have not been outlet shopping my entire life. I was on the hunt for new football…read moreboots and was advised the Nike Outlet at Westgate had a 30% off sale. Half an hour later I had new football boots for $90, which had originally been on sale for near $200 at their time of release. I got sucked into the outlet trap (some would argue bargain bin) immediately and explored the store that was full of deals. Replica soccer shirts were only $30, a fraction of the price at other sports stores and running gear was also much cheaper, such as shorts and singlets. Outlet shopping appears to be all about timing however. Many of my first preference boots were not the ideal size (way too big or way too small) with the limited range for the most desired and popular sizes being the trade-off. It is possible to find out from the retail Nike stores when they are sending products to the outlet stores, something I would suggest doing.

This is a pop up outdoor clearance store, which I guess means it's not going to be around forever…read more It doesn't actually say how long the sale is for, but they have heaps of stock in here to get rid of. For anyone who needs outdoor gear, this place is great. They have all the well known and quality brands for sale, and it's all pretty well discounted. If you don't actually need anything though I'd suggest that you should probably stay away as you'll end up buying something that you don't need, like I did. The store itself is not what you'd call a designer's masterpiece, but I guess there's no need for it to be pretty when it's not going to be there forever. It serves its purpose, which is to sell cheap outdoor gear and lots of it. Oh they also have some snowboard clothing near the back.

The Westgate Shopping Centre is difficult to define; it is a strip mall that goes around itself…read more This is possibly the best strip mall, in the sense that you can walk around without having to repeat on yourself. You've got all the major fast foods here, KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds. There is a Warehouse and a Noel Leeming, plus nightlife in the form of Miss Q's and Origins Bar, and there is a medical and holistic health area. Looking at it in this perspective, you soon realise that it is much better than it appears. It is a pity it is likely to die a horrible death when the new shopping mall opens across the street, but until then, many other shoppers will continue to frequent this shopping landmark. I know I will.

At the end of the Western motorway is this rather odd mall I actually hesitate to call a mall. It's…read morean interesting, rectangularish strip of shops (mostly chain stores), cafes, takeaways, a bar, a medical centre and another Event movie theatre. Can't say I've spent a lot of time here, but when I have done, it's actually been pretty good. Ample parking and you can see all the shops there are, so can't get lost really. There's also a nice park at the back of it. I remember grabbing some food from the Hollywood Bakery and venturing out with my friends on a cloudy day to picnic there. Unfortunately, the ultra violet rays were not that friendly, causing me to get a tad burnt and crispy. Woops.

After visiting Costco, I walked about 15 minutes to the nearby Northwest Shopping Center in…read moreWestgate. The mall has a Woolworths supermarket, which is prevalent throughout New Zealand, as well as a few restaurants and other stores. I mainly went in for groceries. One thing to note: in the Westgate area, grocery stores cannot sell alcohol due to local licensing laws, so if you want beer or spirits, you'll need to go to a liquor store. This restriction doesn't apply in Auckland's CBD. Parking is easy with a large lot above and around the mall. While at Woolworths, I noticed a long line outside, which turned out to be for a Justice of the Peace offering free services during certain hours--helpful for locals who need them. Overall, Northwest Shopping Center is convenient if you're nearby and need groceries or a few shops. It's clean, easy to navigate, and has ample parking.

We were in the Westgate area for Costco and decided to check Woolworths i It's located inside the…read moreNorthwest Shopping Mall, which you can walk through to get there. Woolworths is one of the biggest supermarket chains in New Zealand, so we wanted to check it out--mainly to see how much golden kiwis cost here, since this is where they originated. We've been buying them back home in Houston and were curious about the local price. Golden kiwis are delicious, for those who haven't tried. The store was bright, clean, and easy to navigate. The produce section was well stocked, and the golden kiwis looked really fresh--priced a bit lower than what we usually pay in the US but not as cheap as a decade ago :) They also had a nice variety of local fruits and snacks we don't typically see at home. Overall, it was a pleasant stop--convenient location, friendly staff, and plenty of parking. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and want to see what everyday grocery shopping looks like in New Zealand. The mall itself looks like a typical mall in the US with one exception: the information desk has a helpful attendant! I rarely see an information desk unless it's like the Galleria!

Apparently this is the biggest Farmers in NZ. It's spread out over two pretty big floors, with a…read moremassive fashion section, and a make-up counter selection to rival Smith & Caugheys. We visited on opening weekend, and all the staff we came across were super-friendly & helpful despite the hordes of people everywhere. Looking forward to giving my Farmers card a workout here on a regular basis!

If you have a thing for jumping into bed with clean, cool, cotton sheets then checkout the linen…read morerange at the spacious new Wallace Cotton store in the NorthWest mall! I love the feel of fresh cotton sheets and I would happily stock my entire linen cupboard with their sheet sets but unfortunately, most of their crisp colours and designs don't quite work with my bedroom furniture. Now if I had a batch or a country cottage, then this is definitely where I would pick up my linen. I like the versatility of their reversible designs and the fresh sea-side cottage feel they seem to create. Wallace Cotton products don't come cheap but they are worth every penny.

Oh the clearance shed! This place right here is bargain heaven, it is the place you find all the so…read morecalled rejects st a ridiculous price. You can buy makeup, cds, dvds, books, pillows, sheets, electronics and bean bags! It's s place you find everything that you didn't think you needed. If you are ever stuck for a present the clearance shed is the place to go. I blame this place for the countless pilates, yoga ane aerobics dvds that I have. At the same time I owe this place a massive thanks for helping me with my Bob Marley collection. These cds are usually $5-$10 at clearance shed. Plus if any unwanted or unexpected guests invite themselves over and you don't have any clean linen, you now know where to go.

Definitely my favourite junk shop. It's not the biggest junk shop, but they change their stock so…read moremuch you are always finding new things. They have a great collection of make up, clothes, kids' toys, hair accessories, household items, I could go on, really. Everything is organised and has its place, and the owners always say hi when you walk in, and they're always there behind the counter watching some good old TV. It's not always the tidiest with people leaving things in the aisles and kids playing with stuff while their parents shop, but it kind of works since the owners seem so laid back. They'll always go searching for things if you can't find anything either. I come and have a look here every weekend just to see what's new.

Located right next to the Te Atatu Peninsula Library is this fantastic little Op shop. In the…read moreneighbourhood visiting, I decided to take a look because as we all know; second hand stores can be like a treasure chest at the best of times. After a short walk through, I could see books, home ware items, clothing, shoes, strollers, toys. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at a Thomas the Tank engine. This toy was selling for 5 dollars, and my friend piped up; "Phoenix would be thrilled with that". I knew I had to get it! Well long story short is, he loves it, it works like magic and I found it in an Op shop! I love to explore stores and see what they have to offer; sometimes you walk out with nothing, we were lucky this time. You won't find a couch or TV, but you might find something useful for the time being.

I always like a browse in a op shop - you're giving them support and there are all sorts of little…read morenuggets of gold to be found there. This one is in Te Atatu Peninsula and I have browsed here on numerous occasions. There's plenty of clothes here but I am not so keen on wearing other peoples clothes - perhaps a jacket but not a t shirt or anything like that. The toys on offer seemed more appealing and the last time i was there I bought my nephew a couple of toy cars. One intriuging thing that caught my eye here was a selection of Jack Daniels merchandise - some Westie must have had a good clear out of his garage as there were shot glasses, trays, key rings and plates you could hang on the wall. Didn't really appeal to me but I reckon somebody will snap this stuff up. The staff here are exceptionally friendly and I must say it's one of the better Op Shops around.