I have purchased amazon gift cards from local vendors by exchanging the bitcoins for little extra margin. Then spent those gift cards over amazon to by stuff. Basically that's the best way available in my region to spend the bitcoins. However, there are many website which allow bitcoin payments for direct shopping purchases. Its getting very open market these days and hopefully it will continue to emerge so as to we see "bitcoin accepted here" tag everywhere.

I am happy with the bitcoin the way it is right now. I am using it for both the operations, storing for long term investment and spending only whenever I need to do so.