Basic Witch

By Tui Lou Christie (she/they)

Witchin’ on a Budget

A humble review brought to you by a local Witch-aboutWellington. Reviewing the places and things that will help you develop your pagan practices, revel in your arcane knowledge, and ascend to your highest self. This week, I’ve tried my best to review places that help me stick to a budget. Depending on the kind of practice you follow, witchcraft can get pretty expensive! Spiritual products are often handmade with great care and intention, and the artisans who create them deserve to be compensated fairly. But, there are a few places you can scrimp and save! I try to gather anything I can in the wild, but sometimes your spell or ritual calls for something you can’t find in the forest. I’m as anti-capitalist as the next witch, but legally this publication can’t endorse shoplifting candles from the homewares section of Spotlight, so I’ve tried to collate some other cheap options for you.

Trash Palace

5 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

When you’re on your way to dump a load of magic run-off at the local tip, Spicer Landfill, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find Trash Palace just outside. I know the landfill is a great resource in itself, with mountains of human hair, seagull bones, and unidentified cats, but it can be pretty dangerous for those of us who are presently corporeal to go picking around among the earthmovers. Skip the hassle, and head for Trash Palace. Cooking pots, books, candles, old fur, haunted dolls, portraits of dead people, Tupperware— there’s all kinds of amazing things you can find for your practice here.

Place:

Makara Beach (low tide)

4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★

If you can make it all the way to Makara, it’s definitely worth the trip for the free rocks. For all you witches out there that are both thrifty and delusional, you don’t need crystals. You just need literally any rocks and resolute intention! It’s not too long of a trip from Karori if you have the right broom, and there’s lots of wonderful potential resources along the way, like hundreds of sheep and the local cemetery. If you go at low tide, Makara Beach is also a great spot for kelp, driftwood, and bloated fish carcasses, in case any of those are useful for you. For any centaurs out there, keep in mind that Makara is a very rocky beach, and the locals might put you down if you break an ankle.

Place: Place:

Pak’n’save Kilbirnie

3 stars ★ ★ ★

This is probably the cheapest spot to buy non-iodised salt, star anise, bay leaves, sage, and any other herbs you might need if you can’t grow or forage them for yourself. I personally tend to avoid entering a Pak’n’save if I can, as the towering shelves and fluorescent lights assault my spiritual aura. I become physically aggressive and foam at the mouth. However, the bins round the back of this place are a treasure trove of free, delicious, festering rubbish. Reminds me of my first husband!