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Horace

Has Strange Harold..found another home with a lady friend?

Your lad sounds like the statue:eek:

Someone that does...I'd like one of them:D

I am going to Alicante - there I have said it now..best crack on and book some flights, I only need hand luggage (I am not risking a suitcase again) so a few cropped trousers, crocs, some undies and t-shirts will be fine (there is a washing machine there now too:cool:). It is a flat in a really spanish part of town no english people around at all:D

TCM_3

Funny you should say statue - they both were at the same college and he knew her! His mum is financing the business so that he can have a job as he can't get one apparently.

Don't know where Strange Harold has gone, haven't seen him for a week so Odd George is skulking around with a look of glee now as I have relented and am buying him proper food instead of the dried stuff!

The mother lives about 15 miles south of Alicante, we normally fly into there or Murcia as it is much of a much-ness with Ryanair - cheap and cheerful and as you say, just hand luggage. You will have a ball.

Why are you stressing about the breakfast tomorrow? I think it will be a good opportunity for you - show the folks that you know what you are about

itsnowtime

Hi all..

Horace - that holiday sounds fab! Wish i was going - although I've not been able to fly due to my blood clots but there all cleared up now and I'm well on the road to recovery! So i'll be hitting the beach next year..

TCM - fantastic being a mentor and you do right make him work - he'll have to work for his own business! Can't get a job?? mmm - does he really want one?

I'm so so annoid today, I have been a little daft to say the least. As part of my pro-active health management (i.e. stop me getting future blood clots and keeping me alive) I need to lose a little bit (well a lot) of weight actually.

Not one for trying slimming pills I thought I'd look at the Acai berry as I've heard quite a bit about it - and signed up for a 28 day FREE trial of a product called Thermothin Plus.

Now they sold the product on a 28 day FREE trial basis - so I paid for my shipping and handling and thought I'd give it a whirl, but cancel any future 'autoships' just in case. However, after taking it for about a week I realised that the product has Green Tea and Grapefruit powder in it - which is not good for people who have had blood clots (whoops! - that will teach me to check the ingredients)

So.. yesterday i sent an email explaining that i would like no further orders being shipped. They then had the cheek to come back to me and say that's fine we will cancel any future orders but you will be expected to pay $59.95 at the end of your Free Trial period - Now.. where's the 'FREE' trial in that! :mad:

So I emailed them back, explained my situation and also explained that it is false advertising and under Trading Standards Law it is highly likely to be illegal. It is not a 'FREE' product you are offering it is in effect 'Buy Now Pay Later'

They've advised me that they will pass my comments onto the Manager and I told them that the should NOT charge my card to which I received this reply:

"When you signed up for the free trial, you agreed to our Terms and Conditions, which clearly stated that a full one month supply of our product ThermothinPLus free of charge only need to pay for shipping and handling of $ 4.95USD. This gives you the opportunity to try ThermothinPLus for 28days and you will then be billed for the first month at $ 59.95 USD at the end of the free trial period. Since you have opened it, So we just charge you for the free trial bottle and then take you off from the autoship program.
Today, I am authorized to give you an additional 10% OFF for the trial bottle.


So, I will only charge you $53.95 within 10% offer."

How the hell can they get away with that? I have not responded to the email as I am so so mad!

I was thinking I might just cancel my card and hope that nothing else comes of it - but I have a feeling that this company will not go away!

Do I just put it down to experience or do I fight it - and if I fight it where do I go next?

Mad Mad Mad!!

So you're help would be much appreciated on this one if you can??

On a more positive note I have been invited to the UK Leaders Reception tonight with Olivia Newton John and her hubby Amazon John prior to the Launch Event in London. In fact I'm so excited!! and I've managed to sort out a room to stay for the training tomorrow.

Hope you all have a good day!! At least mine is definitely going to get better.. :T

Horace

:cool:Snow...I would try speaking to your local trading standards office and see what they suggest, if they are advertising on UK internet then they have to comply with our laws. Hope you have a brilliant time tonight though.

I went to said meeting this morning and found it quite helpful, useful in fact as I can see that once people get to know each other they refer each other for business and its one way that I am likely to get clients. They gave me a visitor pack which contains about 35 business cards and I was encouraged to take mine so as the box of member cards went around the table, I was allowed to send my cards around separately. BNI is interesting in that each chapter (I said they sould like Hells Angels:rotfl:) has certain businesses within it and will exclude someone if they have the same kind of business as another member. I am going again next week and am considering joining (huge-ish fee but I can break into some savings), have to commit to attending each Friday preferably before 7am:eek: - I won't be able to attend the following week and they suggested that I send a sub but I had to explain that I worked for myself and didnt employ anyone. So we shall wait and see - I am thinking that it may be beneficial for me espcially for the corporate side of my business.

I need to book flights to Spain now and go and do my mystery shop (that's lunch sorted). Breakfast this morning wasnt that brilliant: 1 mug of tea, 1 small slice of bacon, 1 tiny sausage, 1 tinned tomato, 1 egg, 1 spoon of slimey mushrooms, 2 slices of toast, 1 potato thing (not a waffle). They did come round with something else but I declined. I can see now why people opt to have fruit salad instead as it was fresher and looked nicer.

I did meet a gorgeous American Personal Trainer called Mauro - and as he specialises in back problems and I always have trouble with my back then I am seeing him on 19 October - his fee is reasonable £20 an hour, I shall see him for an hour (who said that exercise is boring..I won't be bored with him as my trainer:rotfl:). I met him at BNI this morning:cool:

itsnowtime

Thanks for the advice Horace - I have just spoken with Consumer Direct who are passing it on to the Office of Fair Trading. They are an American Co so may not have a leg to stand on - however this was my response (without the images)

Thank you for you responses in repsect of my emails and the desire to cancel.

Having spoken with Consumer Direct | Uk Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading this morning. I am not prepared to pay $53.95 based on the fact that you are misrepresenting your offer.

It quite clearly states on your Website (and I have attached the images below) that I can try the product FREE! - with a 28 day trial period for International Customers but Shipping and Handling Applies.

There is no way that I am able to trial your product for FREE...

* You still expect payment for the product after 28 days - this is not FREE - as stated previously this is Buy Now Pay Later
* The only way I would have this product for FREE is if I returned the bottle to you 'unopened' - how can I trial a product if I can't even open it?

I have passed your details on to our Office of Fair Trading for them to investigate further.

No doubt there'll be an interesting reply! I'm going to cancel my card this weekend and try stop them from taking payment.

Anyhoo I'm off to get ready for the launch event...I'll report back tomorrow!! :j

Enjoy the rest of your day peeps!
xx

TCM_3

Snow, maybe I am daft or something, but how can something be FREE if you have to PAY for it? I think you've done right passing it on further and I hope that it will be sorted for you. Not nice.

I am glad Horace that your breakfast was beneficial this morning! Handsome trainer! Indeed!

I have been very busy here this morning, which is great, and gives me a real buzz then I made the mistake of phoning the OH to see how he was getting on today and he is in the FOULIST of forms. I got my head bitten off and the phone put down he's in such a bad mood. I am at the stage where I have had enough so I am now on the waiting list for Relate to see if I can do anything to make a decision any clearer. I am almost 40, divorced, and do not want to spend the rest of my life walking on eggshells because something or someone has annoyed him

ally_bally_3

Snow - very well written e-mail, sounds like a complete rip off.

Horace - I thought about joining the BNI but it seems very expensive. I like some aspects of it but to me networking is about meeting different people but at the BNI you showcase to the same people all the time (although I understand they are all then your ambassadors as it was). They seem to be very pushy in getting people to join (or recruit as they call it) and again this made me a little uncomfortable so I decided not to make a decision until after Christmas. Let me know what you decide when you go back.

Well I have not been about for a week or so, was away on tour with one of my acts who were supporting Paolo Nutini so have been in Blackpool, Leeds for radio promo, Nottingham, Birmingham then the London show. They have all gone to Bournemouth today but I am not joining them for this leg, have WAY too much to catch up on. Was still trying to fit all my other work in around being away which was no mean feat. I also used my credit cards a few times which has made me cross with myself. Haven't used them for months but will pay off in full when my clients pay me.

Just thought I would check in and say hi, got some transcription to do, a proposal to write for a new band, accounts to do for another client and minutes to write up from another bands planning meeting. Think Saturday working in going to be unavoidable this week.

Hope you are all ok
x

nzmegs

TCM - You sound like you are at the end of your tether....give him a while to calm down and then make sure he knows that it is not acceptable to put the phone down on you. We all get like this from time to time - but basic courtesy should still be there. Good luck.

Snow - may you get the first month free then they send you another month which you must pay for. What I mean is the first 28 days are free then you are "required" to pay for the first month (following the trial). Just a thought. I hate companies liek this. If they have such faith in their product why do they have to be so underhand?

As for me - i have finished my end of month deadline and now have a few more bits to get done over the nex few days. One of my articles is creating a bit of a storm on a forum. I am being blamed for the drop in a share price because i dared to question a business practice. I haven't made anything up - just reported the facts as they were. Not my fault it was dodgy! My editor is very impressed - he loves controversy.

Horace

TCM - your OH needs a good horsewhipping..putting the phone down is rude and he sounds like he needs an anger management course - you cannot spend your life wondering if today is the day he will be nice or if he will have such a cob on him (as we say in birmingham) that he becomes unbearable.

Ally - Since typing up my thing about BNI this morning I had a chat with my planning friend and mentor in gosport (oooh I love skype...for free calls) and she said much the same as you. I have had a good look at their prices and don't feel that the fee is justified as I could do far more with £575 (its just short of a month's rent for my flat for one thing:eek:) - I have made up my mind to tell them on Friday that I just cannot afford the membership fee and will see what they say to that..anyway I now have their business cards now why would I want more? Also on reading through their application form that I have to agree to attend a new member training session within the first 6 weeks of joining - is that so they can indoctrinate me to their ways?

Snow - I am glad that consumer direct have pointed you to the office of fair trading..let's hope that it sorts the rotters out. Its not free if you have to pay for it. I would be inclined to ask them to collect the sample at their expense.

Well I did my mystery shop at lunchtime and had a lovely dinner (won't need to cook tonight:j), I also ventured into Fenn Wright & Manson and was pleased that they had 20% off today - so I came out with a cap sleeved t-shirt that I have been admiring for months and a lovely long cashmere mix cardigan (it can either be worn long, or draped across with a brooch or slung over my shoulder) - it will go with all my clothes too and looks fab with jeans:rotfl:

Then I found myself drawn to Clarins..bought an eyeshadow (4 blocks in one box) and a gift set - it was cheaper to buy the gift set as I got more items than the one bottle of stuff that I wanted, they gave me a lovely bag (I had a choice of bags and contents) with £50 of goodies in it. So basically I spent £40 but got £50 of goodies free:D

S'pose I had better do some work:rolleyes:

Well done Megs on causing a furore:rotfl:

nzmegs

Ally bally - what do you do exactly. It sounds like a fab job. Are you a promoter of some sort?
I know travelling can be a drag, but it does sound exciting as I sit here in my windowless loft office. Mind you with my daughter wanting me to help with her homework (I have to be a life model for her drawing!) I guess I can't really be away as much as all that. Being a Mum makes it really hard to do those types of jobs.

Horace too - your job seems to involve lots of shopping.....:)It was the spa the other day, oh and I remember a waxig session too I believe. I don't know you would think that us self employed ladies are taking the mickey!

I fully intend to give myself a full day off at least once every fortnight. Just having an extra hour in bed is going to be bliss.

One week to go - this time next week i will be job free and totally chilled. Oh and getting ready for a night on the tiles with my now ex-workmates.