Looking for ways to get "as new" electrical goods without paying full price? Don't want to risk buying second-hand on Trade Me? Then try "refurbished" items.

A Wairarapa family have become the latest victims of a washing machine notorious for catching fire.

Kiwi travellers scan the internet for cheap flights but appear happy to pay over the odds for foreign currency.

Consumers can save serious cash by shopping around. And price comparison websites let you do that at the flick of a mouse or touch of a smartphone screen.

Safe pollution levels are being breached by burning timber treated with arsenic, a study shows.

Is NZ really an expensive place to live? Overall the answer is yes, according to a global price survey. But as Amelia Wade finds in a checklist of 24 items, it all depends on what you're buying.

People reaching for a protein bar, thinking it's a healthy snack, may be unwittingly adding to their waist lines.

A strong Kiwi dollar and weak demand from European car buyers are driving up the popularity of brands like Volkswagen, Audi and BMW in NZ.

Kiwis are increasingly buying from overseas. It's not great for our retailers, but it's a fact of life.

The hardware chain offers to beat any price on the same stocked item by 15 per cent.

I was in a shop dressing room that had a sign saying if customers damaged clothing while trying it on, they would have to pay for it. It also said no one was allowed to take photos in the dressing rooms.

A tradesman who was publicly accused of ripping off clients is back, and appears to be up to his old tricks.

Pet owners are being warned that identity microchips in their precious animals may be faulty after flaws were detected in more than 1,000 chips.

Two additives that have been banned in the United States should send any consumer running, writes Wendyl Nissen.

Kiwis are increasingly becoming "convenient consumers" as they choose to shop and watch TV when it suits them.

If you wander around a supermarket, you'll find all sorts of fanciful health claims on food, writes Sue Kedgley. Health claims are often presented as if they provide vital information about the health qualities of food.

New Zealanders buy 59 per cent of their groceries on sale, the highest percentage of any developed nation.

Trying to wave down a stampede of elephants can be a thankless and possibly dangerous task, but someone's got to try to do it.

Susan Edmunds answers your consumer questions.

Elderly people are being caught out by funeral insurance plans that they do not understand, the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman says.

Scammers are back to their old tricks, according to reports.

New Zealanders who do not have time to shop around are being left out of pocket by retailers' discounting strategies, experts say.

Health-conscious shoppers are being duped into buying products labelled "organic" without knowing what it means or if the product is what the label says it is, experts warn.

The number of New Zealanders shopping online has tripled in less than a decade, with entertainment and leisure products the favourite internet purchases.

Easter egg manufacturers are likely making more of a profit this year than in Easters past, an analyst says.

Our letterboxes are flooded with flyers before a holiday weekend and newspapers do a good trade in retail adverts.

Kiwi motorists have adjusted to higher fuel prices and are getting back behind the wheel, statistics show.

Wendyl Nissen discovers that there is more sugar in this 'super juice' per 250ml than there is in Coke.

Outlet malls often have great bargains. If you're lucky, you can find branded goods for 50 to 70% off the normal retail price.