Look, I'm a bit broke at the moment OK? So even though I love Christmas I was pretty down in the…read moredumps about how I was going to pay for it. Enter a bottle of wine, my sister and a brainwave - this year we're having 'it's a shit shop Christmas' (excuse the festive French). Shit shops are where you buy items that some people classify as shit, not a shop of poo. I, however, cherish my shit shops. Sure, I probably don't want a ceramic dolphin fountain, but I don't know anywhere else with cheaper cleaning supplies and I can usually pick up discount Radiant washing powder at a shit shop too. Hopefully my loved ones cherish shit shops too because their stockings this year are going to be stuffed with gifts that feature flashing lights, lots of coloured foil and are possibly full of dubious candy.

T'is the season, and thus it is time to go Christmas decoration crazy and smother every inch of my…read morehouse with tinsel. But gosh, it's getting expensive (not to mention, fire-hazardous) to do so. So this year, I've decided to go with discounted Christmas decorations. What's Hot discount store is just that, one heavily discounted shop, which stocks everything from arts and crafts, ornaments, storage and clothes hangers to Christmas decorations. The actual shopping is experience is slightly less merry than I would have liked. The staff aren't particularly welcoming or friendly (I managed to walk in, wander about for ten minutes and purchase an armful of decorations without so much as a "hello" throughout the whole process). The space is quite small, yet is packed with products, so as a result it is a tad messy and difficult to locate certain items. But nevertheless, it's a much cheaper way to spread the Christmas cheer!

I came to this discount shop some time ago looking for safety pins and when I walked in there were…read moreboxes flooding the entrance and just rubbish everywhere! There were items in no particular order and the mechanising was so bad I didn't have the slightest idea where to look! After a few laps of the shop I decided to ask the lady sitting behind the counter but to my disappointment she just pointed in what she thought was the right direction and continued reading her book, I had no intentions of ever returning to this disgusting shop. Last week when finishing off my Easter presents for the family I stopped at this shop again and to my surprise IT HAS COMPLETELY IMPROVED! It must be under new management/ or ownership. The staff member on was EXTREMELY helpful and she didn't hesitate in helping me find what I was looking for, I even ending up buying things I didn't even know I needed. It still isn't the best discount shop around especially when there is a huge Overflow store only 5 minutes up the road. Keep up the good work Cost-U-Less team. You have regained my business and I'm sure others will follow.

I walked into this place, not because I've got kids, but because I thought the window display of…read moreheadless children on a deserted sail boat was quite frankly, hilarious in a kind of disturbed kind of way. When I walked in, I got that "I could get pregnant just by being here" vibe. The fact that one of the staff was heavily pregnant didn't ease my anxiety. It's the type of establishment for people who enjoy dressing their toddlers like young adults (think Suri Cruise). A pair of ballet jiffies for your beloved small person is going to cost you around about $60. There's quite a large variety, from your heavily glittered rubber sandles (circa 1990), to almost corporate looking flatties. There are cutesy summer dresses for girls, and very conservative 'I'm pretending to be dad on his way to work' clothes for boys. The accessories are cute. I even found myself posing in front of a mirror holding a suitcase that was painted and shaped like a watermelon. They had some pretty sweet toys too, like a movable wooden dinosaur for example. They had all the kind of cool, hip kids toys that you want to buy for yourself. Honestly, I'm the kind of person who believes that kids are best dressed in rags, in pillowcases, or potato sacks, even cardboard boxes, as long as they're having fun. The freedom to do that lessens the older you get. The best thing about the cardboard box? It's free. If you do find anything in here you like, expect to pay through the nose for it.

I'm not a mum but I'm a pretty hands-on auntie. My niece and nephew go around all day long in…read moreK-mart wear. Sometimes a designer brand may sneak into their wardrobe as a gift from a well meaning family friend but when it comes to their clothes, like most kids, they don't care what they wear. Seed is filled with lovely, matching, well tailored clothes for kids without any practical application. Kids below five spit up. They spill things. They roll around in mud. Unless the fabric is completely stain free, it doesn't matter how well tailored the outfit is. Added to this, kids grow at an exponential rate making the price of a shirt or a pair of shorts from Seeds ridiculously expensive as they'll outgrow it within a few months. Seed is the sort of shop I would visit to buy a special gift for a family friend's daughter or son but my own niece and nephew will be stuck in their uncool K-mart clothes for a few more years to come.

Yay - all you budget conscious mothers out there screaming YELP me with my kids!…read more There is an answer - Best & Less has provided it with their All About Kids retail shop range! It's like shopping in Best & Less for your kids clothing... but it's all kids clothing. No adults... it's fantastic. You can get everything from newborn to bigger kids here, accessories, hats, shoes even, blankets, beanies... it's like a cheaper Pumpkin Patch, and their clothes are pretty good quality if you ask me. They have some pretty nice 3 pack short sleeve onesies for $9 which is a bargain really. They're usually about $30 for 1 at Pumpkin Patch, so gone are the days you will suffer at the hands of expensive childrens clothing (Yes, you SEED and you Pumpkin Patch, and to an extent, cheaper than even you Cotton On Kids!). I love this place, you can get some cool T-Shirts for your boys and princess skirts and dresses for your gals. It's got it all in my opinion. And thank you for opening one in Mt Ommaney!

Attention Mum's out there..... we have someone who obviously has kids, have a great idea... open up…read morea child minding centre in a busy shopping centre! Enter Shop N Drop! While i'm not a huge fan of the actual name of this babysitting service, I am a big fan. You can leave your kids there for a maximum of 2 hours (3-11 years) and go get your hair done, nails done, massage done, shopping done. Just be alone without the little mongrels (oh but we do love them so so much) for a few seconds if you're catching my drift. All staff have their blue cards, background criminal checks (always good to have this one), first aid certificates and child minding qualifications. They also don't just chuck toys on the floor and tell the kids to go crazy. They have planned activities like face painting, playstations, a reading corner, themed dress ups and themed craft areas and what not... sounds fun for kids no? YES! So if you're looking for a bit of solace without the kids, and have the kids, you may want to drop them off here... might be a good idea to jump onto their website and register your child on there first (http://www.dropnshop.com.au) to save time. This place is going to go great guns I think.

Holy fucking shit. I almost gave away my kids college fund…read moreat this store but they have absolutely everything you could imagine. I definitely picked up a few things that we're really expensive, but it was all worth it in the long run, also the employees spit on you if you leave without buying anything, I really didn't want to be spat on so I had to buy something. Good wine though, I might pick up a Fortnite later.

Have been meaning to try Hawthorne Pantry for ages and finally got a chance to between checking out…read moreopen houses. It's a cosy little cafe/random stuff store - which is a combination that I love. I love being able to pour through quirky homewares, handmade jewellery and gourmet foods in tiny jars while I wait for my coffee. Cafe side offers Merlo coffee and a range of bfast & brunch cafe faves (muffins, sandwiches & wraps etc) and some daily specials. Staff are friendly and waiting times are short. I grabbed a cheese & tomato toasty and coffee which hit the spot. Only had a short time to check it all out but will be back!

I happened past the Pantry on a lunch break voyage with some workmates. Inside they were right in…read morethe middle of shifting a few displays around but that didn't stop me from accidentally buying a handful of awesome things at excellent prices. I even found some pitted cocktail cherries I'd been on the hunt for! My trip to the Hawthorne Pantry was clearly Meant To Be. The gents were so helpful and friendly, I only wish I wasn't on a timed visit so I could have poured over every nook and cranny. I'm a sucker for good packaging, and the brown paper bag with the logo sticker just sealed the deal for me. That is one lovely logo. I'm sold.

Went into the Snooze store today looking for a matress. They were not that busy and i was in there…read morefor about 45mins trying different beds. Not one staff member greeted me or approached me. They just stood around. I had to pass 2 staff members on 2 separate occasions that were standing in the walkway between beds. I figured it would be too much trouble for them so i went around the corner to Forty Winks and bought a matress. It came with a discount, free delivery, and staff who did not just stand around like stunned mullets. They did not rush me and i had plenty of time to test the beds. They offered to take my old matress and arrange an early morning delivery that suited me. I am looking forward to my purchase.

Not even a second had passed walking into the store we had been approached by 2 staff members…read morealready. When a mature lady approached us (a few metres into the store) my partner said yes we are looking for a mattress for our daughter. She walked to the back of the store and showed a mattress and went on explaining the advantages of this particular mattress. Stupidly, i asked a few questions and said how i spent a lot of time researching mattresses a few years ago choosing the "right" mattress for us and since then have regretted what we bought....Well all this woman wanted to do was try and sell a mattress to us and not to our daughter, and kept saying " how do you feel in this mattress"...then i had to not on 1 but 3 separate occasions say to her we are here looking for a mattress for our daughter, not to replace a mattress for us!!!! My partner and daughter walked around and then made there way out of the store but unfortunately the mature saleswoman stuck to me and i could not shake her off...this woman was determined to have me try beds and even give me a free analysis what bed is perfect for my sleeping habits. Finally, she pulled her notebook out and asked for my contact number for a follow up ...i gladly gave her NOT our phone number!