OK, so it may not be fashionably acceptable to admit that I've furnished nearly my entire house…read morewith items from the 99 pence store, but hey, who cares? I'm coming clean. I love this place. Why spend £2 on a pack of sponges when you can spend 2p? And why spend a tenner on a dish strainer when you can get a perfectly decent one for £1 max? In these hard-up, borderline financial depression times it pays to be frugal. So I go here for nearly everything. It may be cheap, but it does the job and I'm not complaining; although my broom did break into three pieces after its third use, but hey, whatever, that kind of stuff is expected when you only paid 40p for it. I am, unabashedly, The Big Discount Store's number one fan.

Worth a visit. Its a bit on the expensive side but has good…read morequality stuff. And it ideally across for the train Station

It's rare that you find an independent department store these days. Even Bentalls has been bought…read moreby John Lewis, so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled out of Brixton tube station into Morleys. It's the perfect shop to waist some time in while your waiting for friends at the station. Now don't expect anything too special, you have your regular department brands like the Arcadia group but you also get Dune shoes, fabulous make up counters, various other smaller designers as well as Helen W's favourite, Jane Norman. Seriously, I can't leave her in her without he coming out with bags full of new outfits. They also have an extensive home department upstairs with rugs, bedding and quirky lamps. As you walk up the stairs to the upper floors they have lists of celebs born in the area and what street they lived on. it's all very cool, very Brixton. It's a lovely shopping experience and if you love high street brands totally worth the visit.

Limited selection of fresh produce and in general. Otherwise clean and a good quick alternative. .read more

If you haven't already, try the Taste the Difference Fish Pie. So nummy!read more

When I used to live in Brixton, I would try and visit Book Mongers at least once a week. Now,…read moreunfortunately I don't have such easy access, but it still remains to be one my favourite second hand bookstores. Rather inconspicuously hidden down the Brixton entrance of Coldhabour Lane, Book Mongers is like a little romantic vision of the bohemian bookstores you come across in films: it's small and poky, the salesmen are always friend and give good honest advice, and the books are stacked up as high as my head (and I'm six foot three inches tall). Despite the the fact the prices seeming to have gone up over the past couple of years, it's still invariably cheaper than a lot of second hand bookstores I have come across, and I always manage to walk out with something exciting. The sections range from European Literature, Philosophy, and even a special section devoted to Irish literature. One pointer though, the books aren't shelved in alphabetical and there's quite a lot of piffle to sift through before finding the read you are after; but if you're like me, you'll find the thrill of the chase even more rewarding.

Brixton Bookmongers, 439 Coldharbour Lane…read more Brixton Bookmongers is my favourite bookshop in the capital. At first glance it is a bit chaotic with piles of used tomes stacked beside crammed shelves. However after a closer inspection it becomes apparent that the owners really know their books. Obviously changing with what they buy, their fiction shelves can range from Annie Proulx to William Gaddis, Dennis Cooper to Pablo Neruda. It really is a delight for the Cult Fiction fan. That said it also has excellent Music, Academic and Crime sections if my memory serves me correctly. I can say that I have regularly stumbled across many hard to find and out of print titles and their stock is regularly full of quality reading material. Essential for the city bookworm!

Yay for fresh fruit and veg, and a magnificent selection of world foods. No more will I hunt in…read morevain for decent spices in Sainsburys. MFC is a stone's throw from me, and cheaper to boot. Oh, and they have a butcher's counter and bakery next door. Win, win, win.

One of the type of shops where you can get those really tasty orange- coloured Cyprus potatoes that…read moreyou can do anything with. Also extensive is the pre-packed range of cured (Polish?) sausages and ham/bacon pieces. I go for the particularly strong-flavoured beef and wine sausages to go with the potatoes, and an MFC white cabbage. The flat round bread with sesame seeds is always a treat, but you have to eat it the same day as it goes stale quickly. A local supermarket where you can get most of your weekly shop if you have a mind to.

I get my posh Arm and Hammer toothpaste here. I get my Nivea…read morecashmere touch shower gel here. I get my toilet duck here. I get my Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner here. I get my Domestos bathroom cleaner here. I get my marigolds here. I get my jay cloths here. I get my hygiene surface wipes here. I get loads of stuff here! I bet you can't guess how much they are?!

It's got a load of stuff, which all costs a pound. Or maybe 2 or 3 or 4 for a pound…read more They've got nice stuff. They've got crap stuff. I suggest you get the nice stuff and skip the crap stuff. Stuff to get: toothpaste, post-its, cleaning supplies, stainless utensils, notebooks, possibly food stuffs if you're into loads of tinned stuff. Stuff to avoid: anything electronic, tool-y, or anything that you really should pay more than a pound for. It's cheap, but it's not magic.

Selling everything from buckets to biros, this discount store does exactly what it says on the tin…read more Household. Toiletries. Stationery, it boasts on the outside, and it doesn't disappoint. If you would like to investigate the most broom combos in London, look no further. But if you're doing housework on a budget, pop in and support this local business.

I was very pleased with both the efficiency and quality of their service. I purhcased a large oak…read moretable and was delighted with it following first seeing a recommendation for Wood Empire in a national newspaper. Their website is really informative and I found their live online support and the girls of their customer service really useful to answer my initial questions, including them emailing photos and recommendations of style. They had a real understanding of their product down to the milimeter. The delivery and set up of the dining table was equally as efficient. The quality of the oak and its treatment is excellent, and the table still looks great after regular day use and many parties.

Gorgeous quality furniture mainly made from solid oak. They do both bespoke and ready-made to suit…read moreall needs. Delivery time can be fast if in stock, bespoke is about 4-6 weeks. The staff is very friendly and helpful too.

I love Northcote Road Market for it's diversity, it's food and it's casual atmosphere. I was a…read morelocal to SW11 a few years back and my boyfriend and I used to visit the market for fresh bread or homemade taramasalata, whatever was on offer on any given weekend. There are a number of different stalls from antiques and and odds n ends to all sorts freshly baked and prepared food. There is a huge selection of Italian bread, dips, cakes and biscuits. The market is not that big but it's the perfect size in my opinion. I hate markets that are too huge, you can never decide what to buy but Northcote Road Market is small but perfectly formed offering you everything you need for your Sunday lunch to something nice to put on the mantelpiece at home.

I think there is a real diversity to Northcote Road! Some cute novelty shops, and high street…read morenames, mixed with the weekend Market Traders that offer special baked goods, clothing products, handmade goods, household antiques and even a vintage bicycle stall that fixes your bike if you roll up! It is neatly laid out, and a good people watching area while you sip a cuppa' or if you venture back to the common to walk your dog, or catch some sun. Situated 'between the commons' so you get the best of both worlds with Clapham and Wandsworth Common lifestyle(s) and the closest station is Clapham Junction. The only down side is not all the traders are there from week to week so best to check out this market on a sunny day, or Saturdays when its more active. I did stumble across a Facebook page recently, which showcased the market traders and their current products/services. This should help those who are thinking about visiting. http://www.facebook.com/NorthcoteRoadMarket

The best costume shop I have ever seen! Anything you could ever want in terms of costumes or party…read moreequipment is available under one roof, it is like Toys R Us but for slightly more grown up people. This place is like an aladdin's cave of the ridiculous. My friends were holding a pirate party and I happened to find this place at the last minute. There was a whole aisle just for pirate gear. I was in heaven. The staff were really helpful, I guess it has to be a pretty fun place to work, but even so, they were perfectly willing to indulge any degree of craziness, which was a good job in my case. Even if you don't live in the area, if you have a fancy dress party to attend, it is well worth the trip.

You can hire or buy outfits. So so so much to choose from. Male or female, child or adult, you will…read morefind something. The difficulty is choosing which one! From Betty Boo to pirate wench, you name it, they've got it. They also provide party decorations for the whole shebang, or maybe just a plastic sword and pirate hat, what ever you want. Their window displays give great inspiration as well, the last one I saw was for a beach party so had lots of inflatable plamtrees and grass skirts! At hallowe'en they don't just go for the easy option, last hallowe'en they had a Beetlejuice inspired display. Geniuses. Pop in if not just to kill time before your train. Such a fun shop.