Shopping in Australia
For crockery, cutlery, towels and all the little bits and pieces that you might need such as bins, pots and pans etc, K-mart is hard to beat for value and prides itself on guaranteeing its customers the lowest prices. Two other stores offering fantastic value on an enormous range of everyday household items and clothing (amongst other things) are Target and Big W. All have stores in major towns and cities and are hugely popular in Australia.
For those with more generous budgets Bayswiss stocks a beautiful range of furniture and accessories including vases, candles, crockery and cushions. Their stores have an upmarket feel to them but are still affordable and they have fabulous sales throughout the year. Some of their stores also have delis with wonderful foods, which you can eat in or take away.
If you are a DIY enthusiast or want outdoor furniture for your new home, try Bunnings Warehouse, which is the Aussie equivalent of B&Q and Homebase.
Do haggle if you are paying in cash or in bulk. Australian retailers are willing to slash prices if it will secure a sale.
Supermarkets
Australia's two main supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, are also good places to pick up cheap and cheerful household items and offer both convenience and value.
Department Stores
David Jones and Myer are the main two department stores in Australia, and both offer consumers a wide variety of high quality products including men's and women's clothing, cosmetics, jewellery, home furnishings, etc. David Jones is more traditional in feel and can be compared with John Lewis in their commitment to ensuring consumers the best in service, value and range of products. In some David Jones stores you will also find the most wonderful food halls offering an incredible selection of exceptional fresh produce.
Secondhand
A great way of picking up bargains is to buy your household goods secondhand. This is a common way for migrants to furnish their homes as there is a constant flow of people in and out of the country therefore many people sell their goods on when they leave.
The most common ways to purchase used goods is via ads in the local newspapers, The Trading Post (see below) or garage sales. Of course ebay (www.ebay.com.au) is an increasingly popular way of buying and selling secondhand goods and is worth surfing for bargains.
The Trading Post
The Trading Post is a nationwide publication which offers a comprehensive range of new and used goods including cars, electrical, home furnishings and pets. It enables you to search by location and price and is a great place to pick up bargains. www.tradingpost.com.au
Garage Sales
These are an Aussie tradition and tend to take place over weekends. The term refers to when people sell items from their house either as part of a spring cleaning or moving home sale. You will regularly see signs displayed in local shops or newsagents with a time, date and address.
People tend to get there early in order to pick up the best items at dirt-cheap prices.
Charity Shops
Australian high streets would not be complete without a St Vinnies charity shop. They are generally of a good standard, selling secondhand clothes and items, and are worth popping into on a regular basis to see what gems are on offer.
