Recently released industry statistics show the country's pubs and bars have an average 100 per cent mark-up across food and drink.

Are you gorging yourself on asparagus, strawberries and avocados? We are. They're in season and what's more, at their most flavoursome for the year.

Yolanda Alba has already started her Christmas shopping, and says she is enjoying a very positive start to the festive season.

Consumer spending rebounded last month, led by purchases of durable items.

Parents are fuming at early-childhood education centres that charge for public holidays, when the doors are shut and children are not able to attend.

I'd never heard of BB creams until I was at the Estee Lauder counter at Smith & Caughey's Newmarket. "Everyone knows about BB creams," my daughter uttered with a touch of disgust.

Kiwis are stocking up on sunscreens that claim to be "natural" or contain fewer chemicals. But experts say there is little evidence that they are any better.

Consumer confidence is at its highest level in two years, with nearly half of Kiwis believing the country is out of recession.

Skincare products and scented candle company Trilogy International is aiming for an up to four-fold increase in online sales.

Dear Halloween grinches. Have a heart and buy some lollies for the excited children who will be knocking on your door on Thursday.

Help is on the way for the more than half a million people who invested in KiwiSaver with no idea about the fund their money is in.

Beverage manufacturers have a clear message to those worried about caffeine levels in energy drinks: Stop your kids from drinking them.

Christmas decorations are appearing in the shops and it won't be long before perfume sales skyrocket. But where will you be buying your perfume?

Consumer prices rose 0.9 per cent in the September quarter, mainly reflecting higher petrol prices and seasonal increases in vegetables and local body rates.

Food prices have continued to climb in the past year - but the good news is that a flood of seasonal veges has dramatically cut the cost of making a salad.

Homeowners hoping to bargain with their banks are calling on valuers for assistance.

Online booking sites are revolutionary compared to the old days of phone calls, faxes, travel agents and rack rates.

More people are complaining to authorities after buying vehicles online and unseen - only to find they are not what is advertised or there are serious faults with them.

They gained publicity money couldn't buy, but NZ's Dragons' Den contestants say the only reason their businesses are still operating five years on is their own hard work and energy.

Q: I was in Freedom Furniture's Newmarket store and saw a table with an advertised price, which I decided to buy.

Consumers shelling out as much as $30 for an LED lightbulb are being caught out by a lack of regulation.

Do you dread getting your photos developed? Don't. It's getting easier by the year.

Better drivers may soon be paying lower insurance premiums than those who escape crashes only through sheer luck.

Life has never been so good for discerning fashion shoppers. Online shopping makes even the most obscure brands accessible.

I bought something from Noel Leeming and wanted to pay via internet banking so they could post it to me. Noel Leeming said that I had paid GE Credit by accident and would need to speak to them.

Low-deposit mortgages will not only be harder to get from the end of this month, but they will be a lot more expensive.

A more cautious attitude towards spending on the part of households is evident in the latest Westpac McDermott Miller quarterly survey of consumer confidence.

Chickens are increasingly common in suburban gardens but many owners are unaware of the potential dangers of their pets.

Need tickets to the Justin Bieber concert? Auckland Marathon? Or even the All Whites match on November 20?