Cheap shoes. Cheap dresses. Cheap appliances. Maybe it's…read morebecause we don't have K Mart back home, but I get excited to go here when I'm back in NZ. This is my go to spot when I need some quick supplies visiting my in laws. Forgot my jandals? No problem. $7 at KMart. Need some new swimmies? Cheap ones here that aren't ridiculous. Need new summery dresses for cheap? Yep. Golden. And then grab a cheap kapiti on the way out the door and your life is made.

I absolutely love Kmart for extremely obvious reasons. Not only do they have great bargains here,…read morebut they have almost anything you could want (although let's not get technical) and they are open until midnight- just three reasons there, but isn't that enough? The Botany Downs Kmart is my favourite. It's massive and I love exploring this place (although I do come here at least once a fortnight). The staff are great here, I'm always greeted when I arrive and when I leave and they're always nearby if i need to ask of something. Kmart is great for buying clothes to lounge around the house in at a cheap price and the occasional baking utensil (I just can't resist sometimes). My last visit had me going home with some new lounge trackies for $15 and 6 pairs of socks for $6- a really good bargain if you ask me. This Kmart also has the self-checkout service with handy hanger bins, and I definitely prefer to buy my items this way when I've only got a couple of items. Working in retail, I've seen Kmart sell similar styles they have in malls for a fraction of the cost and usually Kmart has better quality. Just goes to show that it's not always about brands and quality doesn't always have to mean a high price.

For 12 years I was happy to buy American food and things like toothpaste with peroxide and baking…read moresoda not otherwise available in NZ from Martha's. During those 12 years one of the owners frequently went to America to buy the stock. And for many years they got special orders for me. But ever since the pandemic they have lost the plot. They refused to accept special orders and their shelves rarely offer me what I want. I have repeatedly asked them to figure out a new method of getting their supplies which they refuse to do. How they stay in business is a mystery without desirable stuff to buy. They're old and no longer seem to give a damn. I find it remarkable that they stay in business. Not worth the trip.

Ever have the feeling of giddiness as an adult, that makes you say 'get ahold of yourself now?' But…read moreyou can't and your smile is ear to ear. Well that's what Martha's Backyard did to me. I was instantly hit with Americana as the doors spread open for me. No need to trouble yourself with pushing a door American, here let me automatically open for you. Star! Since the owner was clearly using her consumer... ahem marketing skills, the first sight upon entering was a stock pile of Stars & Stripes regalia. All that was needed was the Star Spangled Banner playing in the background. Independence Day is only a few days away, so stock up. Martha's Backyard which of course is a play on words, (think Martha's Vineyard) has many American culinary favorites from candies, seasonings, sauces, cereals, beverages and snacks. I walked out with Cholula, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, a pack of Lawry's Taco seasoning, mini Butterfingers and 2 boxes of Cap'N Crunch cereal for under $40.00. Not a bad price for imported happiness.

The Warehouse in Manukau has seen a couple of renovations happen over the last few years, my…read morefavourite being their Film, TV and Books section- finally a little order in that place! While there are a few more branches close by now, this one is still the busiest from what I can tell, and much easier to navigate yourself through the store. It is what it is; a massive store selling just about anything and everything. It's my favourite branch because its close to home and doesn't really try to be anything but what it is. It's full of bargains and they seem to highlight these a lot more than other Warehouse branches, at least in my observations. There's usually great deals on DVDs and fragrances, and this place goes mad when there's a great sale on. I suffer from terrible hayfever, but I've had to endure going to the greenhouse here. It's a great addition and pretty popular too! The prices here are great and my family has gone with a few new houseplants on several occasions. The other great part about The Warehouse is The Hollywood bakery that sits in the foyer. It's not the best Hollywood Bakery BUT it's great to sit down and have a bite to eat on a Saturday morning after some shopping here, or even to pick up one of their awesome thickshakes. The Girl Guides are here just outside the building every year selling their amazing biscuits, I go here every year just for these!

Attention Kmart shoppers bargains to be had ! This Kmart…read moreisn't the tidiest it's more leaning towards organised chaos . Areas are divided and there are some great household items ! This is a definite stop for a refresh in your flat or apartment . Parking here can be a bitch , but don't let that stop you . Grab a donut from the dunkin store next door and praise America for sugared bread , cheap on-trend knick knacks and Jesus .

I almost always regret shopping at this Farmers. When I go, I feel like I need to take a…read moreshopworkers' union with me, and stage some kind of sit-in protest about how miserably the staff are treated. This store is so understaffed, that sometimes I've just been unable to stand the wait (and wait, and wait) in the queue, and I've just put whatever I was going to buy down and walked out. It's not that the staff are slow either, it just seems to be that there are never enough of them to serve all the customers. I reckon customer service is tiring enough without having the extra stress of looking up and seeing a huge queue of grumpy customers waiting in line. I generally really like Farmers as a place to shop, especially for kitchenware and clothes, but this Farmers needs to do a whole lot better.

Just another farmers store. Pricy but clean and well stocked. Parking is good and access directly…read moreto pakarunga mall is good.

This is a massive Shanton. I can generally only browse about half the shop before I get tired and…read morehave to give up. So come here post-coffee, and not before! It's probably a shame that I conk out before I get down the back of the shop, because that's where they keep all their discounted stuff. I once got a really cute beach bag here with a Japanese style blue and white design on it, and I've picked up a couple of plain skirts and tops for work too. It's worth having a look just because the prices are so low, but if you're looking for beautiful fabrics and timeless tailoring, you'd better look elsewhere in the mall.