What are you all up to

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  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,044
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    edited December 2017 #12722

    Looks as if we were one of the few couples who didn't bother with doing any shopping. All our's was done a few days ago. It was a warmish, dry but cloudy day and we walked the Nev Cole/Trent Valley way to Burton upon Stather and back. Mist was lying over the Humber when we set off but had lifted somewhat in the afternoon and we had decent views on the way back.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited December 2017 #12723

    Spent  the  afternoon  doing  some  washing  so  I  can  present  a  clean  &  tidy  face  to  the  World ( Family  actually  ! )  over  the  Festive  Season.  Any  spare  moments  got  filled  in  by  READING THE NEWLY ARRIVED  CLUB  MAGAZINE !!

    Saving  the  crossword  for  the quiet  times,  but  I'll  be  checking  on  Whats  On  At  The  NEC  to  start  the  I  Really  Do  Want  A ==>  list  early  in the New Year.  Some  cheese  comes  to  mind .. .. .. .. followed  closely  by  thoughts  of  a  diet  frownyell

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12724

    I use my Tesco debit card to pay for fuel because I get double points for that. In Tesco stores you get more points by paying with a debit card than by credit card. If you pay by credit card, you get 1 point for every £4 spend. So an £8 spend by Tesco credit clubcard gets you 10 points. The same spend by Tesco debit card gets you 16 points.

    Also, I found out that when buying petrol or diesel, use the same debit card for payment as well as points because you get more points that way than if you use a separate points card to collect points.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12725

    It wasn't too bad. Yes, there was traffic but it was moving at a reasonable pace. The biggest problem was parking when we got there but we did eventually find a space. The other problem was finding what we wanted to buy as we were unfamiliar with the layout of the store. We did a big shop, including a turkey for Christmas Day. The bill came to £126 which I paid using my Tesco debit card, so 152 points!

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12726

    I didn't realise there was a Tesco Extra that close but we did notice one whilst driving back along the M32, is that the one you meant, SteveL? We didn't bother buying diesel, it was madness in the store. By the time we'd finished the food shop, we were exhausted! Also we couldn't find any bread sauce to go with the turkey. We've still got half a tank of diesel left, so no urgent need to re-fuel the Shogun. I missed the Smart car when shopping. The Smart is so much easier to manouuvre with being automatic and power steering, plus tight turning circle. However, the Shogun is a brilliant towcar. When towing the caravan, it pulls effortlessly to the extent that you wouldn't know that you're towing a maximum size twin axle!

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12727

    Pizzas? I'm having a two week break from that!

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12728

    Thanks Chris. We'll have to do another shop in a weeks time so we'll search on the google map for the Eastville Tesco Extra.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12729

    We were in Tesco at Yate at the time when you posted that!

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12730

    My absence on here was due to it having been a very busy two days for us.

    Yesterday we left Lancing Fruit Farm CL at about 10 a.m. The site owner came to help us manoeuvre off the pitch. We stopped for lunch at Cobham services on the M25. when we got back on to the motorway, it was jammed up on all four lanes. It was stop start all the way. It didn't ease until we exited on to the M4. After that it was fine. We stopped for another break at Reading Services.

    We reached Bristol using the M4 up to the junction with M5 and then left at junction 18 as per site directions. We got as far as Hotwell Road and then somehow missed the turning into Cumberland road. We found the correct way on the second attempt.

     

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12731

    This morning, we checked in with the warden and paid the site fee. We asked if we could turn our caravan the other way round for the view. She came over to our pitch to see if there was enough space and then agreed that it would be ok.

    We used our motor mover to get the job done. Our front window is now facing the waterway with the hill and buildings going up the hill in the background. Lovely at night with all the lights reflecting on the water and our real pine needle potted Christmas tree in the caravan front window, also decorated with lights.

    Next job was to get the awning up, awning carpet laid and awning furniture assembled. By the time it was all finished, it was about 15:30. That's when we left to do our Tesco Extra big shop! It was dark by the time we finished shopping. Then back along the M32 through Bristol and back to the site for a drink accompanied by tortillas and dips, followed by our evening meal.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12732

    Just checked my points balance. 3009 points with more to come for the last two days spend which is not yet added. So £30 in vouchers so far! There's still time to go for this quarterly statement, so maybe I can make it to £40. However, I have already beaten my previous record!

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12733

    November and December are always high spend months for us but it does mean that the big bills, such as car insurance for the whole year, seasonal pitch fees also for a whole year and this year the added cost of my wife's visa application including visa solicitor costs of £3000. So I might as well get Tesco Clubcard points for it. It's better than getting nothing. After all, the vouchers can be worth up to 4 times their face value when used to pay for days out, holidays etc.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12734

    What I meant to say was that with all the big bills for the whole year out of the way by December, when the New Year starts we can relax knowing that everything is paid up for the whole year and all we have to pay for after that is food and unleaded petrol for the Smart and diesel for the Shogun. When we changeover to Smart Electric drive, no more money needed for unleaded petrol. The Shogun diesel cost is now only about £30 per month because we hardly use it except for the occasional run to keep the battery charged and the engine ticking over, a 10 mile run around Long Furlong every 3 to 7 days and that's it!

    These two weeks are unusual in that we're on holiday so £93 spend on diesel to get here and to use whilst here and then a further spend to top up for our return journey to Lancing Fruit Farm. However, I'm enjoying the change of having a different car to drive on holiday compared to the car I use daily when in our home area.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12735

    What about the Tesco price guarantee that gives you money back on any branded item that is cheaper elsewhere?

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,386
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    edited December 2017 #12736

    I didn't realise there was a Tesco Extra that close but we did notice one whilst driving back along the M32, is that the one you meant, SteveL?

    Yes that is the one Malcolm. Although the one at Brislington at a similar distance from the site would be less hassle, I think. Personally I hate driving in cities, even ones I know well like Bristol, so would always go for the easiest option.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12737

    Brislington Tesco is nearer too. I just looked it up on the google map, 3.4 miles from here.

  • ggregu
    ggregu Forum Participant Posts: 214
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    edited December 2017 #12738

    It's been an interesting (?) read over the last week or so. We now have the latest saga of the location of the nearest Tesco and accumulation of points!

    Merry Christmas everyone 🌲

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,159
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    edited December 2017 #12739

     Disappointed that last night the sky here was clouded over so no chance of seeing the Ursid meteor shower, might have a chance tonight, fingers crossedsmile

     

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,386
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    edited December 2017 #12740

    Off to get the M&S order shortly. Shop is in the middle of town, so plenty of parking to have ago at. I wonder how far away we will have to park. 🤔 My mums old shopping trolley comes into its own in situations like this. Much better than having arms several inches longer 😂 by the time you get back to the car. Bus could be an alternative, but takes too long as it weaves its way into town. Perhaps a walk in Clumber this afternoon, in this spring like weather.

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12741

    Now we're into our second day of getting set up and settled in. This morning I htuned the tv. We have a connection lead which is now plugged into the site socket to give us a perfect picture on the screen! We tried it out and watched BBC breakfast for a while and then switched over to the music channel which was playing Ed Sheeran and also some of the no.1 hits of 2017 including Havana. Many of them I'd heard over and over again on the car radio but had not previously seen them on video.

    I also got the Christmas lights up in the awning front window this morning. Our electric oven is out there too, ready to cook our Christmas turkey. We couldn't find a frozen one so we bought a small fresh turkey. Well it says small on the packet but probably big enough to last several days for just the two of us!

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #12742

    You got back then!! Our understanding is if you have a Tesco credit card and use it in Tesco store it give the same as a debit card + the extra for it being a credit card,as when used in some Esso filling stations,not the we use Tesco much just have their Platinum credit  card,and because we do not use their stores,we are continualy receiving discount vouchers to get us to shop therecool

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #12743

    That is like any store but normally as usual the "branded" item is not quite the same so no comparisonwink

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #12744

    Have you ever tried their on line store finder,it always gives the nearest to your locationwink

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12745

    The Tesco debit card gives double points. Have a look at your clubcard statement and you'll see what I mean. If you accumulate £30 worth of vouchers, you can change them into  3 to 4 times the value through Tesco partners, so potentially £120 worth of spending power! Last summer, we used the vouchers to buy us a return ferry crossing for a day trip to the Isle of Wight!

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #12746

    You should have followed the Brown tourist sign to SS Great Britain as suggested cool

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12747

    Yes, that's where I went wrong. On the second attempt, I did follow it. I couldn't drive and read the directions at the same time and my wife had difficulty reading the abbreviations. Also it was getting dark and hard to read anything!

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2017 #12748

    No different to tesco credit card then when used in their stores/fuel stationswink

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,377
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    edited December 2017 #12749

    Can't believe the weather here in our part of Yorkshire at the moment. Too warm to be Christmas, 14c yesterday. Sunshine is most welcome, but I much prefer a cold hard frost this time of year, kills lots of bugs, stops plants budding up early then spoiling when a frost does arrive.

    Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone, home or away, may you all keep safe, and may next year be a nice one for all!laughing

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176
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    edited December 2017 #12750

    Best wishes to you and yours TDA, have a happy and peaceful Christmas.

    It's 9C here, Yorkshire must be sub tropical! 

  • Malcolm Mehta
    Malcolm Mehta Forum Participant Posts: 5,660
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    edited December 2017 #12751

    Sunshine? Where Ttda? No sunshine here at the moment, just grey sky!