What's on offer: Kitchen appliances, clothes, decorations, stationery, cleaning materials, toys, pets, plants, fabric and furniture.

There are a number of markets in Beijing which are pretty much all purpose markets. A particular favourite is Huilonguan Market which is comprised of nearly 20 huge halls which resemble aircraft hangers. The site lacks charm--it looks extremely grim especially in the winter; however, go inside one of the buildings and you will find an Aladdin's cave of junk, some of it is tacky and ugly some of it useless, sure, but it is almost guaranteed that you will find something there that tickles your fancy. Most importantly all of it is extremely cheap, being almost as excellent a value as what can be found on online shopping site Taobao, but having the added bonus of being right there in front of your eyes before you buy it.

One thing to bear in mind though, quality of the products does vary greatly so a little investigation is required before any purchase. Huilonguan Market, like Dazhongsi Market, situated more handily on the west Third Ring Road, is a perfect place to pick up all of the odds and ends required for setting up a convenient and comfortable home, all in one venue and at the lowest price.