The plastic bag ban by the major supermarkets (and Coles’ pivot away from its ban after backlash, then pivot back to the ban after a backlash to the backlash) has left plenty of people scratching their heads.

What are the best replacements for single-use plastic bags? Given that reusable bags are much sturdier, how many times must we use them to compensate for their larger environmental impact?

Impulse buying is a thing, and we’re all guilty of it from time to time. Sometimes, if you’re feeling a little down, it feels good to place an order for that little thing you’ve been meaning to buy, but never quite got around to picking up. Or maybe you see a deal for something you’ve been eyeing and figure, “Eh, now’s as good a time as any.”

Over half of Amazon sales come from third-party items. But the reviews on those items are not trustworthy. Following a BuzzFeed News report on the weird world of fake Amazon reviews, the podcast Reply All interviewed a fake review writer, who revealed "the hallmark of a fake review."

Reusable supermarket bags are environmentally friendly, but only if you actually use them, many times. And you're probably not using the crappy "reusable" bags you got from your local Coles or Woolworths, which sit in your kitchen cabinet until you eventually throw them out.

Have you ever noticed how online accounts are incredibly easy to sign up for, but can be stupidly difficult to close? Sometimes the Close Account option is right where you'd think it would be, but other times you have to hunt it down, clicking through menu after menu until you finally find out that you can't close it online, you actually have to call.

We're about half way though Australia's first Amazon Prime Day and there have been plenty of good deals on offer. But in the midst of the offers made by Amazon and its partners, there's another aspect we ought to consider.

Warehouse workers across Europe are on strike, protesting the company's treatment of staff in fulfilment centres. These allegations have dogged Amazon for some time, not just in Europe but also in the US. Should we skip Prime Day and support these workers?

For the last month, much of Australia has been gripped in an insane tempest of petulance and stupidity because single-use plastic bags aren't available in supermarkets any more. This is so first-world problems it's almost as embarrassing as our national energy policy, but for anyone who is still stressing about this, I'm here to tell you IKEA can save you.

Amazon Prime Day starts in just two and half hours. Running until midnight tomorrow, there will be lots of bargains available. But how do you ensure that you don't miss out on special deals throughout the 36 hours? Love the Sales has pitched in with some great tips to make sure you don't miss out on special offers that matter to you.

With the average Australian spending around $4,250 a year online, cashback sites offer an easy way to save money while shopping. ShopBack is the newest kid on on the cashback block, offering users a one-stop platform to cut the costs of those indulgent internet purchases across fashion, electronics, homeware and even travel bookings.

Without doubt it’s a smarter way to shop, so how does it work?

eBay's new price matching program, eBay Best Price Guarantee, promises that if you buy a new item on eBay but find a lower price on the same item elsewhere within 48 hours you can score an eBay voucher for the price difference - plus an extra 5%. The Best Price Guarantee applies to all new ‘buy it now’ listings.

Dear Lifehacker, I'm shopping around for a tablet and have noticed that the one I am after is available much more cheaply online ($100 or more). How likely is it that the local retailers (JB Hi Fi, Good Guys, Harvey Norman and so on) will be willing to match this?

I'm very good at wanting to buy things. I want to buy a new sound system, for example. This would mean ripping five speakers out of my walls, patching up the holes, and buying a $900 soundbar. My wife points out that the current system works well, and asked me why I want to replace it. And I had to admit why: I have to control the sound system with a second remote, which I hate. My wife pointed out that solving this is not worth $900 and a weekend project. So instead I'm buying a $60 universal remote. This is a better way to reach my real goal, which is feeling in control of my gadgets.

Amazon and Microsoft have been locked in a pitched battle in the enterprise. Their AWS and Azure cloud services have, respectively, been duking it out over corporate cloud infrastructure for a while. That's been a good thing for businesses as the power and flexibility on offer have improved while costs have fallen. Now Microsoft is preparing to go toe-to-toe with Amazon in a another market - the supermarket. They're planning to introduce their AI capability and other systems to make grocery shopping easier.

Most of the time, saving money is more about knowing what not to buy then it is about squirrelling cash away. If you're an impulsive shopper like me, that can be a problem. That's why I recommend you shop at one particular store before all the others: Your own.

In the hallowed words of Kramer on Seinfeld: "RRP" is for suckers! Here are eight proven ways to score a "double whammy" discount - whether you're shopping in-store or online.

Last week brought terrible news to Japanese whiskey fans: Suntory plans on halting sales of the wildly popular, and fairly affordable, Hakushu 12-year-old single malt and the Hibiki 17-year-old blend. But fear not oh, drinker of smooth spirits, there are other great options out there. These whiskeys may not be the exact same when it comes to flavour and aroma, but they will definitely appeal to your palate in a similar fashion.

The true strength of a relationship isn't tested when circumstances are easy, but when they are dire. Over the weekend, my partner and I embarked on a journey that would test our mettle. Our ability to communicate, compromise, and show patience toward one another is what held us together through the trying ordeal, but one thing is for certain: Going to IKEA with your significant other ain't no joke.

It's an annual tradition for parents all across the country. The Christmas holidays start to wind down. They get a letter from school about their student's enrolment. They start seeing hints of "back to school" at the store. The kids are dressed in clothes that are almost too small and worn from a summer of play. It's time to start thinking about going back to school.

So you're in your brand-new apartment or house. Some of the boxes are still waiting to be unpacked, but you're so excited about making this space into a home that you're spending hours at IKEA comparing couch pillows and loading up shopping carts to see how much everything you might want is going to cost.