Room 101

[AnneMarriott]

On 14/12/2019 at 17:57, AnneMarriott said:

Having posted my little triumph with administration of tablets to a cat, I'd like to put vet  consultations ito Room 101.  My cat had a sore 

 paw (left front foot).  I told the vet who then proceeded to examine her eyes, teeth, temperature, heart beat and legs, putting each leg through a range of movements starting with the back two and finishing with the front left.  She then put the cat on the floor and tried to make her walk.  Lexi declined.

 

After an eternity of fiddling about with her paw there were antiseptic soaked swabs all over the place, a very distressed cat and a very frustrated owner.  The vet then took 20 minutes to research the treatment before sending us away with antibiotic tablets, Metacam (guaranteed diarrhoea in my experience), a bottle of Hibiscrub and some gauze swabs.  The vet was clearly far from well, coughing and spluttering during the 45-minute consultation.  I am now coughing and spluttering and feeling rotten, the cat seems fine.

 

A quick follow-up:  My dog was due his 6-monthly health check.  The vet turned out to be the very same as the one who gave me the above heavy cold.  She was efficient and charming and when I tried to pay for the nail clipping said "oh, no, forget it, it's nothing" with an airy wave of the hand.  This ought to go in Room 202 really!

[alison]

I'm going to add all those shop chains whose touchscreen self-service tills don't work through "touchscreen" gloves! Yes, Boots, M&S and Sainsbury's, I'm looking at you!

 

Lidl and Waitrose are honourable exceptions.  Haven't tried Tesco yet.

[RuthE]

On ‎07‎/‎03‎/‎2020 at 17:12, AnneMarriott said:

In fact I suppose I should be nominating AXA health care insurance for continuing to use such an antiquated method of settling claims as a cheque through the post, necessitating an inconvenient trip to one of the few bank branches still available in the area.

 

If you have a smartphone, you may well find that your online banking app supports cheque deposits by scanned image.  Some of my choir jobs still pay by cheque - I can now pay them in on my phone, and haven't needed to visit a bank for months.

[LinMM]

My mind is boggling at paying the cheques in by phone RuthE! 

Admittedly am not exactly the most tech savvy person and only had iPhone for five months but are you saying you take a picture of the cheque and then send the picture to the bank 😳🤔

Do you still have to keep the paper versions or just tear them up once you know for sure the money has gone through.

I can do online banking at home  but if making transfers of any more than about £50 I'm such a coward I go into a branch in town and do it all over the counter there ....which does rather defeat the whole idea of online banking! 

 

[AnneMarriott]

31 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 

If you have a smartphone, you may well find that your online banking app supports cheque deposits by scanned image.  Some of my choir jobs still pay by cheque - I can now pay them in on my phone, and haven't needed to visit a bank for months.

Aha!  Unfortunately my phone is of the antiquated type that just sends and receives calls and texts.  In fact it takes me so long to assemble a text that it would be quicker to walk to the intended recipient and deliver the message in person.  So no apps, I'm afraid.  Thanks for the thought, though.

[RuthE]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

My mind is boggling at paying the cheques in by phone RuthE! 

Admittedly am not exactly the most tech savvy person and only had iPhone for five months but are you saying you take a picture of the cheque and then send the picture to the bank 😳🤔

Do you still have to keep the paper versions or just tear them up once you know for sure the money has gone through.

 

Basically, yes.  In my Lloyd's app, you take an image of the front and an image of the rear of the cheque, and you enter the amount and reference note.  Then, you're instructed to write "deposited" on the back of the original until it is confirmed as having cleared, at which point you can throw it away.

[Anon2]

Something that feels a little light hearted in view of what is happening internationally. 
 

I live in the middle of nowhere with no near neighbours. January 2019 a workman knocked on door to ask if I was going out that day. Asked him why he needed to know. Because he was from Openreach and they were digging a trench across the drive to lay cable. Hang on what? After a lot of negotiations and visits from the powers that be we gave permission for openreach to dig trench across our land including drive as long as all was made good. If we refused the other homes in our village would remain without cable. 
 

Over a year later with no connection to any properties we realise the last few water bills have all been estimates. Husband decides to read meter, can’t find it. Out on verge trying to make guesses as to where it was and pocking deep into soil trying to hear something metallic. Kept hitting flints and realise verge is a good few inches higher than it was before openreach got there hands on it. Going to be interesting getting Openreach back to find the water meter. 

[alison]

Once again, I've lost the "Oh no!" (or whatever it's called) thread.  Could someone please remind me either where it is or what words are contained in the title?  Thanks.

[Fonty]

Those people who have cleared the shelves of flour.  I cannot get any anywhere locally.  I just wonder what people are doing, buying all these bags.  We make all our own bread and cakes, and it would never occur to me to buy more than one bag of whatever I need at any time, and then replace it when it has run out.

 

Of course, Sod's Law dictates I run out right now, not two weeks ago. 😒

[Anon2]

20 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Those people who have cleared the shelves of flour.  I cannot get any anywhere locally.  I just wonder what people are doing, buying all these bags.  We make all our own bread and cakes, and it would never occur to me to buy more than one bag of whatever I need at any time, and then replace it when it has run out.

 

Of course, Sod's Law dictates I run out right now, not two weeks ago. 😒

I had the same problem. Make own bread and couldn’t get yeast or flour. 

[alison]

What beats me - no pun intended - even more is the run on eggs.  Sure, they'll be useful for various easy meals, but as I understand it hens produce them every day, so ... ?

 

I guess quite a few people are applying Marie Antoinette's (alleged) "Let them eat cake"!

 

But have you tried the smaller supermarkets and convenience stores?  It's seemed to me that people have been raiding the larger supermarkets - and also, in my admittedly limited experience - that towns with less choice of supermarkets are suffering more than those with more.

[Anon2]

We are so rural Alison, real trek to supermarkets. Local Coop hoping for supplies tomorrow, sadly I’m working. Hoping husband can find some on way home from work. 
Luckily no shortage on eggs, we don’t have hens but easy to pick up at end of people’s drives around here. 

[Fonty]

I live in central London.  No "small" supermarkets near me.  It seems incredible that I have Lidl, Aldi, the Co-op, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury Local  and Waitrose within a reasonable distance.  And not a single bag of flour to be had. Of any type. 

[Fiz]

Let’s put Covid-19 in there, please!

[alison]

Yes.  And seriously, folks, if you live somewhere where you share common areas with others, and you suspect you may be suffering from it, DON'T wait 24 hours or more to notify your neighbours   Time is of the essence.

[Lizbie1]

On 16/03/2020 at 13:38, Fonty said:

Those people who have cleared the shelves of flour.  I cannot get any anywhere locally.  I just wonder what people are doing, buying all these bags.  We make all our own bread and cakes, and it would never occur to me to buy more than one bag of whatever I need at any time, and then replace it when it has run out.

 

Of course, Sod's Law dictates I run out right now, not two weeks ago. 😒

 

If you get through a fair amount of flour it's worth considering an order with Shipton Mill, who I've used a few times. It might take a few days though as they're pretty busy, for obvious reasons.

 

Website is here: https://www.shipton-mill.com/flour-direct-shop.

[Fonty]

Thanks @Lizbie1  I might have to try them.  I put in an order with the supermarket 10 days ago, to pick up and collect tomorrow.  Just had an email to say that unfortunately, they are out of the things I specifically need - soap, yeast, and flour.  How come I can't get these things even when I order 10 days in advance?  

[alison]

Into Room 101 goes the market stall in my local town (you know, the ones which sell fruit and veg in bowls) which has doubled most of its prices and is selling rubbish produce as well: my broccoli went off overnight - and I thought I'd selected carefully.  The other few are still selling produce at their normal rates, and quality.  Once this is all over, I think it will be remembered which stalls supported their customers and which tried to rip them off, and I think people will choose where to spend their money accordingly.

[AnneMarriott]

I'm going to nominate for Room 101 Tesco's new improved system for keeping shoppers 2 metres apart.  It's amazing how many people don't understand arrows on the floor indicating a one-way system (and that incudes the staff with those large multi-basket wagons shopping for online customers) and even more puzzling is the system for queueing to enter the self-service checkout area - yes, all the little squares to stand in are 2 metres apart, but the little squares are just 2 feet to the side of the checkout tills themselves .  Does the virus only travel forwards and backwards and not sideways?  All very well-intentioned of course, but in practice it needs a bit of tweaking.

[alison]

Right, Nationwide Building Society, in you go!  I know the Bank of England base rate has been reduced by 0.65 to an all-time low, but is it really necessary to reduce my savings interest rate (including my "loyalty" account) by up to 1.75% as a result?  Dreading to see what other banks and building societies will be coming up with now  

 

Perhaps someone who's an economist will explain to me that it is, and why, but if so, please do so gently - economics was never my strong point.

[2dancersmum]

Going to add in car leasing companies. DH's car was on a 3 year lease and due to be collected by the company on 27th March and a new car delivered. He was told around 22nd that the exchange of car would not take place. Between the 23rd March and 7th April he heard nothing, no replies to his emails and no answers to phone calls. 7th April and they announced he had to keep the old car and would be paying an increase of almost 25% per month to do so plus surplus mileage penalty. DH works as NHS support at a hospital (engineer to look after the hospitals themselves and get ordinary wards converted to high dependency wards with oxygen supplies) so he needs transport and is about to start doing 7 day weeks. It is totally wrong that a car leasing company benefits and DH is punished financially for them not being able to swap cars over on the allotted day. Incidentally what they are proposing charging him is more than the agreement on the new car too.

[Jan McNulty]

That is disgusting 2DM and verges on profiteering.  How can they justify that?

[AnneMarriott]

On 09/04/2020 at 14:24, alison said:

Right, Nationwide Building Society, in you go!  I know the Bank of England base rate has been reduced by 0.65 to an all-time low, but is it really necessary to reduce my savings interest rate (including my "loyalty" account) by up to 1.75% as a result?  Dreading to see what other banks and building societies will be coming up with now  

 

Perhaps someone who's an economist will explain to me that it is, and why, but if so, please do so gently - economics was never my strong point.

I've just had my letter from nationwide with the bad news about the eye-wateringly low interest rate for my long-standing loyalty account.  The account is now reduced to £12.46 and the rest is transferred into a newly opened savings account elsewhere with a better rate than even the previous Nationwide one.  Details available on request!

[LinMM]

A friend has just complained about this on Facebook.

I have savings with Nationwide and also a loyalty account

The interest on the latter was never that high but still higher than another account I have there  and the best one they could give me for immediate access Etc. 
Just coming up to weekly opening of post (since Covid) so no doubt the depressing info on this will be there 😢

[Anon2]

Nationwide letter was in my post today. Along with the covid -19 letter from Downing St. No fun mail at all. 

[zxDaveM]

hate to rub it in, but I had a nice leaflet about the wine 'club' I've joined. OK, they are trying to sell you stuff, but 'fun' all the same - as it is wine! HIC!

[bangorballetboy]

1 minute ago, zxDaveM said:

hate to rub it in, but I had a nice leaflet about the wine 'club' I've joined. OK, they are trying to sell you stuff, but 'fun' all the same - as it is wine! HIC!

My last “post“ was my latest gin club box!

[alison]

3 hours ago, AnneMarriott said:

I've just had my letter from nationwide with the bad news about the eye-wateringly low interest rate for my long-standing loyalty account.  The account is now reduced to £12.46 and the rest is transferred into a newly opened savings account elsewhere with a better rate than even the previous Nationwide one.  Details available on request!

 

Obviously all providers are going to be reducing interest rates sooner or later, so make sure that whatever you put your money into they haven't sneakliy announced forthcoming cuts which are significantly lower than the currently advertised rates.  But yes, a PM would be most welcome, please, Anne.  I'm planning on waiting until the dust has settled before I move anything.

[AnneMarriott]

2 hours ago, alison said:

 

Obviously all providers are going to be reducing interest rates sooner or later, so make sure that whatever you put your money into they haven't sneakliy announced forthcoming cuts which are significantly lower than the currently advertised rates.  But yes, a PM would be most welcome, please, Anne.  I'm planning on waiting until the dust has settled before I move anything.

PM on its way.

[AnneMarriott]

Nationwide has struck again!  My interest-bearing current account with 1% on credit balances will, from July, give 0.25% on balances of £1000 less, but you still have to pay the same minimum amount in each month.  It's my housekeeping account with lots of direct debits and occasional payees so I'm reluctant to switch but that doesn't stop me steaming!

Edited April 20, 2020 by AnneMarriott
insert missing word

[alison]

I think that may be the one where I did the sums and decided it wasn't worth it for me.  I do have something with them which requires a minimum monthly amount to be paid in - I'm waiting to see what happens if one of my clients has a cashflow crisis and that amount doesn't go in one month.  The way they're behaving at the moment, they'll probably dump me.  I feel mighty tempted to dump them once all this is over.  If they want loyalty, they need to be prepared to give it too. 

 

I'm still waiting to hear from various other financial institutions as to what they're going to do rates-wise: I've only heard from 2 so far.  I think by law they are required to give you - is it 14 days' notice, or more than that?

[Jan McNulty]

I had a disaster with Nationwide years ago when they first started their Flex "bank" account.  They accidentally paid my credit card bill to Marks and Spencer by mistake.  It took me months to sort out (because they were absolutely no help whatsoever!).  They had taken over the Anglian building society where I had some money.  I decided to pay the bill from that as interest was accruing.  The 2 branches were about 100 yards apart and the accounts had not been merged onto one computer system.  So I had to get a cheque from Anglia and was told in Nationwide that it would be 10 days before it could be cleared!!!!!!!!  Needless to say that a mixture of Santorini, Vesuvius and Etna erupted in the branch and I did not have to wait for the cheque to be cleared!!!  I closed the account as soon as possible and I have never even used one of their cash machines since.

[Fiz]

I think I remember that. Awful!