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All guides
Every guide on PoTayto Picks, in one place. Type a word into the search box to find a guide by its title, or scroll down and browse by section. We're a new site, so the list will grow as we write and check more guides.
Showing 59 guides
Home, Garden & Pet
12 guides
- How to spot a genuinely good garden deal (and when to wait)
A big red "SALE" sign doesn't always mean a good price. Here's how we sort the real bargains from the noise. Use these checks before you hit "buy".
- Spring veggie patch starter guide: seeds, soil and tools worth buying
Starting a veggie patch doesn't need much. A sunny spot, decent soil and a few basic tools will get you a long way.
- Hand tools for first-time gardeners: what to look for
You don't need a shed full of gear to get started. These are the hand tools most new gardeners use every week, and what to look for in each one.
- Pet food subscriptions in Australia, and how they work
Pet food subscriptions can save you a trip to the shops and stop that "we're out of kibble" moment.
- Flea, tick and worming basics: where to buy, without the upsell
Flea, tick and worming products are veterinary medicines.
- Outdoor furniture: what to look for before the summer sales
Outdoor furniture often goes on sale as the weather warms up.
- Composting and worm farms for small backyards
You don't need a big yard to turn kitchen scraps into something useful for your garden.
- Indoor plants that are hard to kill, and where to buy them online
Some indoor plants are more forgiving than others. None is truly unkillable, but a few cope well with missed waterings and less-than-perfect light.
- Watering and mulch basics for Aussie gardens
Hoses, watering cans and mulch types explained in plain English, plus how to check your local water rules before you water.
- Choosing pet bedding: size, materials and washing
How to pick a pet bed that fits, lasts and goes through the wash. Plain-English checks before you buy. Ask your vet about health needs.
- Storage containers for decluttering: what to check
How to choose storage containers for a tidier home: size, stacking, lids, clear or opaque, labels, and plastic, fabric or cardboard.
- Towels and linen: what to look for before you buy
What to check when buying towels and bed linen: fibre, weight (GSM), weave, colourfastness, care labels and how many sets to keep.
Travel & Points
15 guides
An error fare is an airline pricing mistake, and the airline may cancel it. We don't list any yet, and we'll only add them once we can check them.
Error fares: what they are and your rights
An error fare is an airline pricing mistake. These guides cover how to book one safely, what happens if it's cancelled, and how we'll label fares once we list them.
- What an error fare is and how to book one safely
Every so often a fare shows up that looks far too cheap. Sometimes it's a sale, and sometimes it's a mistake.
- Error fare cancelled? Your rights explained
General information only, not legal advice. Your rights depend on your booking, the airline, where you booked and the law that applies.
- Verified, Unverified, Expired: how we label fares
Fares change fast, sometimes within hours. We don't have any fares on PoTayto Picks yet.
Before you book a fare
How to check a fare yourself, read its conditions and make sense of airline sales before you pay.
- How to check a fare yourself before you book
You've spotted a fare. Before you hand over your money, it's worth five minutes of checking. Here's the routine we use.
- How to read a fare's conditions before you book
What fare names like Lite, Starter, Saver and Flex mean at Australian airlines, in each airline's own words, and what to check before you book.
- When Australian airline sales usually run
It'd be handy if airline sales landed on the same dates every year.
Airlines and bags
What the main Australian airlines say their domestic fares include, and what a carry-on-only fare really covers.
- Domestic airlines compared: what each fare includes
What Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar say their basic domestic economy fares include: carry-on, checked bags, seats and changes. No fares or rankings.
- Carry-on-only fares: what's really included
The lowest fare on an airline's site often only includes carry-on.
- Flight delayed or cancelled? What the airlines and the ACCC say
What Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar say they'll do when your flight is delayed or cancelled, and what the ACCC says about your consumer rights.
Frequent flyer points
How the Qantas and Velocity programs work, in plain English. We never cover credit cards or other financial products.
- Frequent flyer points basics
Frequent flyer programs can seem complicated, but the basics are simple.
Getting ready to fly
Passport and visa basics, packing, flying with kids, regional connections, and what to expect on the day at the airport.
- Flying from a regional airport: how to plan your connections
Plenty of Aussies don't live near a capital-city airport. Flying from a regional airport can save a long drive, but it takes a bit more planning.
- Flying with kids: what the airlines' policies say
What Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar policies say about infants, children, prams and car seats on board, with links to each airline's own page.
- Passport and visa basics before an overseas trip
Passport validity and entry requirements before you travel overseas, from Smartraveller and the Australian Passport Office. General information only.
- Carry-on packing checklist: what to check first
A simple carry-on packing checklist: check your airline's limits, weigh and measure your bag, and keep liquids within the rules. No products, no fares.
- Airport day: check-in times, ID and what to check
When online check-in opens and closes for Qantas and Virgin Australia, what Jetstar says about timing, and what to check before you leave home.
Family & Grocery
10 guides
- How to read supermarket specials: unit pricing explained
The biggest number on a shelf ticket isn't always the most useful one. Learning to read the small print can help you work out what's really good value.
- Lunchbox basics: choosing bento boxes and drink bottles
A good lunchbox and drink bottle can last several school years if you choose well. Here's what to check before you buy.
- School holiday activity ideas that won't blow the budget
School holidays come round fast. Keeping kids busy doesn't have to cost a lot.
- Meal planning for busy households
A bit of planning before you shop can help you buy less, waste less and stop the 6pm "what's for dinner?" scramble. Here's a simple way to start.
- Back-to-school checklist (stationery, bags and shoes only)
Getting ready for a new school year can feel like a lot. A checklist helps you buy what's needed, and skip what isn't.
- Pantry staples checklist for busy households
A simple pantry staples checklist to help you cook more from the cupboard, shop with a list and keep track of use-by and best-before dates.
- Cutting food waste at home: simple, practical steps
Practical ways to waste less food at home: store it well, plan your shop and make the most of leftovers. Food safety info via FSANZ.
- Nappies and wipes: what to check before you buy
What to check on nappy and wipe packs before you buy: weight bands, fit, absorbency and ingredient labels. Safety info from Red Nose and the ACCC.
- Kids' birthday party on a budget: a simple plan
Plan a kids' birthday party without overspending: guest list, home or venue, food from home, simple games and party bags.
- School-term lunchbox rotation: a simple 2-week plan
Make school lunches easier with a simple two-week rotation, a reusable template and a bit of batch prep. Food safety info via FSANZ.
Privacy, Web & Cloud
12 guides
- Do you need a VPN? A plain-English guide
A VPN (virtual private network) is a service that sends your internet traffic through an encrypted connection to a server run by the VPN provider.
- How to choose a VPN: what really matters
If you've decided a VPN suits you, the next job is picking one. Marketing pages all sound the same, so here's what's worth checking. (New to VPNs?
- Web hosting for beginners: shared, VPS or managed
Web hosting is renting space on someone else's computer so your website is online all the time.
- Starting a small website: domain, hosting and email
Getting a small website up needs three things: a name (domain), somewhere to put it (hosting) and, usually, email at your own address.
- Cloud storage plans compared: what to look for
Cloud storage keeps copies of your photos and files on a provider's servers so you can reach them anywhere. Plans look similar, but the details differ.
- Password managers explained, and how to switch
A password manager is an app that creates and stores strong, unique passwords for every account, locked behind one main password.
- Game server hosting: renting a server for mates
Want a private server so you and your mates can play together? You can rent one from a game server host. Here's what to check before you pick.
- Two-factor authentication explained: apps versus SMS
A password on its own is one lock on the door. Two-factor authentication (also called multi-factor authentication, or MFA) adds a second one.
- How to spot phishing and scam emails
Phishing is when scammers send fake emails or texts, often pretending to be a company or government agency you know, to get your details or your money.
- Website builders or hosting: which one suits you?
Want a website but not sure where to start?
- Email for a small business: your own domain, explained
An address like hello@yourbusiness.com.au looks more professional than a free webmail address, and it stays yours if you change email provider.
- Online backups: the 3-2-1 idea, using cloud services
Photos, tax records, the kids' school work: losing them hurts.
Wellness
10 guides
- Meal kits in Australia: how they work and costs
Meal kit services deliver recipes and pre-portioned ingredients to your door. Here's how they work and what affects what you'll pay.
- Activewear buying guide: fit, fabric and value
Good activewear should fit well, last and suit what you actually do. Here's what to look for before you buy.
- Mattresses, pillows and bedding: what to look for
A mattress is a big purchase, and pillows and bedding add up. Here's how to shop for comfort and avoid a costly mistake.
- Centr app: what you get with a subscription
Centr is a fitness app subscription. This guide covers the app only, so you can decide if it suits you before signing up.
- Wellness apps: what to check before subscribing
There are apps for workouts, meditation, journaling, meal planning and more. Before you hand over card details, run through these checks.
- Looking after your mental health: where to get help
Written with AI assistants and checked against the services' own websites. This page lists services. It isn't counselling or medical advice.
- Running shoes: fit and questions to ask
What to ask a shop before you buy running shoes, how to try them on, and what your consumer rights are if a pair fails early.
- Workout apps: what to check before you subscribe
Free trials, ongoing fees, cancelling and the personal details a workout app asks for: what to check before you tap subscribe.
- Meal kits and allergies: what to check
How to read meal kit labels and allergen statements, what "may contain" means, and the questions to ask before you order.
- Sheets and quilts by season
How to plan bedding for warm and cool months, read fibre and care labels, check sizes, and know your rights if bedding is faulty.
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Looking for a deal? We don't have any listed yet. We'll add deals once we've checked them.