What are you all up to
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Very late light lunch after our return from picking up caravan, taking it to the tyre fitters, and waiting while they fitted 5 new tyres, very busy place so a bit of a queue.
The Tyron bands slowed things down, so glad they had a cosy waiting room as it has been snowing here since about 11. Big wet flakes, which I now have to venture out in to get the van back on the driveway.
Caravan seems to be in good shape, very good damp test results, and everything working as it should. The aerial mount and awning light fitting were checked out for leaks, and declared OK, but some additional sealant has been applied just in case, so we will keep an eye on the situation.
Between the service and the tyres, it has been an expensive day!
Letter re bone density check, now booked in for Thursday next week, so that will complete all the tests and checks before we go away. Going to be a busy week next week.
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Glad you arrived safely TG - have only just read this morning about the sandstorms. It seems to be one thing after another throughout the world at the moment, what with the weather, the virus, and the worst plagues of locusts for years in some African countries.
Still, good to be able to get away,
Hope all remains good for you and you enjoy your holiday.
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Haven't really had time to read through all the news on this thread since returning home on Wednesday. Suffice to say I hope everyone is well and, if you're living in some of the areas hardest hit by all the storms, you've managed to survive intact!
We await the arrival of Ralph tomorrow! I'll post more about him on the pets section.
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We await the arrival of Ralph tomorrow! I'll post more about him on the pets section.
It wouldn't have surprised me to find that this was the new named regular weekend Storm! Happy to remember we're only up to Jorge. What happened to Storms beginning with E,F,G,H, I and J? Last I heard we were being battered by Dennis.
ps good luck with new arrival, M.
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It depends on which country's met office names the storm. This one was named by the Spanish met office, and I guess that they've had a lot more storms than us if they use the same process as the UK is starting each new storm season with a name starting with A
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Tomorrow should be an interesting day for you all, especially Lady I think, M. Hope all goes well.
Good to read that you've got a date for your scan, Kjell. Fingers crossed that all's fine. I had a phone call yesterday regarding my appointment. They have to postpone it but just for a day so no problem as far as I'm concerned.
Millie, I suspect that you already know but the hand gells must contain alcohol and not be an antibacterial gell as COVID 19 is a virus, so antibacs don't work against the infection.
Horrible wet day today. Managed to get away reasonably dry but I got rather wet setting up. Has continued to rain on and off all day.😬
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Rain all day here as well. However.......had a brilliant result with renewing our broadband contract. With perseverance and polite persuasion managed to save a whopping nearly £600 on the next 18 months. Extended contract period, same download speed, and got them to throw in a new mobile SIM card with double the data, two thirds price reduction on monthly phone cost for one of phones. All ads up to the above savings on what we would have been charged had I not haggled. Some great tips on MSE website paid off!😁
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Amazing result TTDA, hate to think what you would be paying otherwise!
We have stuck with Vodaphone as the price for us stayed the same after the initial 18 months, £21 per month for BB and landline.
Plus another £80 per year to 3 for our mobile phones and mobile broadband.0 -
Good deal TDA, You will have to let me have the magic phone number you used so I can try and save some pennies. Been with VM for over 10 years so think they owe me.
Got my test results back, blood all OK but 2 X Rays showed abnormalities so have to go and chat with the Doc sometime
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OhH Oneputt mixed news - thinking of you especially after your comment about a couple of emotional days in the Cotswolds.
Takethedogalong please pass on the number or offer your skills 😂. I feel really uncomfortable about this sort of thing, OH was great but sadly he now says just leave it 😤. I was very unsuccessful when I tried last year and haven't plucked up the courage to try again! In the great scheme of things its only money, and we're lucky enough for this not to be a huge issue for this matter - I'd swop but it's the upheaval of all that goes with that! Virgin will not let you take your email address, OH is still blueyonder so that shows our loyalty.............. I think it's most unfair that loyal folks are 'stung' cos that's what it is 😤😤😢.
On a brighter note I finally got a response, I followed a tip from someone in CT, regarding our shower upgrade. Found the company's fb page and sent a message saying disgusted that 2 emails had not even been acknowledged etc. Didn't threaten public comments at this stage, keep your powder dry 😉, but very swift response. Sent that person the emails, went to local shop and by the time I was back OH had had a call putting £50 back onto our card. If I'd been there I'd have been questioning some more, especially how they still had my card details......... OH said I was stressing for nothing over service, so didn't bring up bit about the card! That's how changed he is.
I have to ask myself why I can sort an 'after' situation - generally have had good success there over the years but CANNOT sort the 'before' as in the case of Virgin Media. We are funny creatures???
Well another wet, heavy rain, and windy start to the day. I'm sooooo cheesed off with it and we aren't suffering like some poor folk - but it doesn't take the blues away.
Over to mum's shortly as the guy from a homeless charity coming to get some bedding and towels and discuss other items like cutlery and crockery for those who are offered a place to live, just given keys, and themselves as a charity. Only one who said yes when I phoned! So much 'useful' stuff she was 9 when the war broke out and things were cared for, you may not get another and kept if a replacement was purchased in case it was useful. 64 years of this 😱🤐😂😢. I do hope someone can use things - I've taken the 'poorer' quality "will make good rags"! to the dogs homes but this is too good for this.
Hope those away are enjoying themselves. Would those abroad please bring back sun and not the 'dreaded' virus??
Good luck moulsey with Ralph's arrival. Our turn will come when it's right 😀
Stay safe and dry folks
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I think if I saved £600 on my internet and phone they would owe me money!!! Be interesting to see how the costs break down?
David
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Yes, its unusual not to have an increase in Personal Allowances although the previous increase was quite large from memory. It looks as if it's tipped Margaret back into paying some tax on her pension. As they say give with one hand but taketh away with another!!! The idea being put about of cutting NI contributions will have no impact on pensioners as we don't pay it anyway. Fingers crossed that the Budget will give some hope, assuming we are not in financial meltdown by then!!!
David
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B2......changing BB provider is very easy these days, and much quicker, we are on at least our fifth different provider. It is very much like switching gas and electricity now.
Get yourself a gmail e mail address, then you have it forever.
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Happy leap day everyone. An extra day this year, make the most of it
I wonder who will be born today and only have a birthday every four years?
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My BIL for one! He’s 14 today! 😂
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tell him happy birthday
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We had a leap year neighbour when growing up, it used to intrigue me that Mr B was only 10.
Horrible stormy night here and now bright sunshine but with more storms on the way, the rivers are up and it's very soggy.
B2 sounds like you are making progress with your parents home, such a lot to sort. Our eldest daughter has to do the same with an Aunt's bungalow, it has just been decided that she is too poorly to go home (alzheimers.) OH is going up to help nearer the time when it has to be done.
Don't think we've gained anything with the pension increase, the local council tax rise takes all and more! Just hope it's put into social care improvements.
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I was rather chuffed with the VM deal, much of the result I got does have to thank the Money Saving Expert website. I simply decided what we needed, rather than what they were prepared to provide us, looked up a good few of the offers that met our criteria, then thought of what add ons I would like, a longer contract on a fixed price being one. The first call always goes to Brenda in Bangladesh or some other overseas call centre, they offer you a paltry sum not worth the phone call. However stage two is to decide you want to disconnect. This gets you through to Glasgow call centre, and there the staff are all about trying to keep you. So that’s when the polite haggling starts. Been loyal customers, bit disappointed with BB speeds, calling isn’t easy, long waits, better offers for new customers, blah, blah... Decide to go. They will without fail offer you something much better. I was instantly offered a £37.00 per month contract rather than the proposed £61.50 contract. We chose to lose the TV package (barely watch TV) but would like faster BB and a longer contract? Okay...... Oh, and I see you have a package that includes a new Sim as well, more data? Only available for new customer? Oh dear, that’s not good. Silence. Don’t fill the wait............
We might be able to offer you a smaller data Sim? Hmmm.... I will think about it. (They have to check things, so while the phone is quiet, calculator is working overtime😂) Deal came back. We lost something we no longer use, we upped the BBspeed, we extended the fixed price contract for six months longer, and the Sim was a real win, 2 extra GB with a near £7 per month reduction on mobile package, unlimited texts and calls for a longer contract period. (If you choose to keep TV package, then simply list channels you don’t watch, load of rubbish, not worth it, cross fingers and you might get a better TV package, it’s all up for negotiation👍)
All done politely, respect on both sides, firm but fair. I had timed things well as well, OH needed a new Sim, we had planned to ditch TV, which was only basic package, never used. It’s the fastest BB going as well is VM, by a long way, so moving elsewhere would be a bad move for us. Others will no doubt not use phones like we do, but with being responsible for Mum, I want good coverage, phones on contract rather than PAYG, and we tether our IPads when away, so like the data package that suits. It took an hour, but call was free. Unfortunately, Mum can’t get VM, otherwise I would sign up a package for her, but I shall be tackling Plusnet this week on her behalf😁 It helps of course as well if you use Virgin mobile as you can link deals, etc.....
But whatever you do, don’t just go with the new contract they send through post, reject the trivial so called loyalty reduction that is first offer, and ask to be disconnected, it gets you through to those that can offer the big deals. Thank you, Martin Lewis.
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The main thing is you are happy with the deal TDA.
We pay our landline rent with BT, use a telecom provider for broadband and "free" landline calls plus Giffgaff for mobiles. We don't have good broadband in our part of the village so adverts for great speeds and low costs doesn't mean much to us. I think it all works out at around £50 per month. We are thinking of just using Gmail but I've heard some companies won't accept it, is this right, I don't know the ins and outs?
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We are very lucky brue, being able to get VM. Mum only lives two miles away, not available where she lives. Have you looked at Plusnet, it’s another arm of BT I believe, but not sure if it’s countrywide, think it originated in Yorkshire? I can’t help on the Gmail, don’t know anything about it.
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I have, amongst others, got a gmail account which I use when internet shopping etc., (not family, friends and important stuff). Had it for over 3 years and not had any problem.
My VM account is over 10 years old and is month by month. The broadband is great so I don’t really want to change. For line rental, phone, tv and broadband comes to just over £70/month. Mobile phone, sim only is another £12/month
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I've got a gmail account too but have wondered if it would be easier to just use that if I wanted to swap providers and couldn't take my present email with me. At the moment our costs don't seem too bad but they're a bit complicated from three different providers!
Came back after a visit to neighbours to find extra dog in the house...daughter and partner have to play in two gigs today, one in Glastonbury and then an evening in Bristol as the "warm up" band for the Wurzels. We've had a giggle about it as she spent a lot of her teenage years at the Barras in Glasgow listening to some very different music!
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We have been with Plusnet for many years and before that BT (Plusnet is owned by BT) I pay about £34 a month for broadband and phone with unlimited calls. The fibre (FTTC) broadband is rated as 35 Mbps which is enough for my internet use. In addition I also have mobile phone contract with Virgin which costs me £11 a month and I have enough data (4GB) to tether my laptop when in the van. Margaret has a monthly contract with Tesco but I think she pays less than me. As an experiment I also have a second internet connection (FTTP) via City Fibre/Vodafone which is capable of 900 Mbps. I only have the basic package of 100 Mbps which costs £28 a month. I have heard a rumour that City Fibre might open up their network to others and if Plusnet happens to be one them I will keep them and ditch City Fibre!!!
David
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could not match your result TTDA, but newly arrived Love Letter from DWP tells me I'm a couple of quid a week better off from April, so it would be wrong of me to quibble 
