Spending, saving, snogging and smiling!

vandanfc

The internet/landline/tv is £65 in total, not sure what the actual breakdown is, so these were just guesses. Sky would be cheaper but can't afford the £125 connection fee I would have to pay. Likewise with many of the prefixes - as far as I understood it, you have to have a BT line to use these?


So are you on Virgin media then ? If so check your account for what products you have and their costs, as I have just checked their site and it would cost £43 per month for L broadband, L tv (over 100 channels) and XL phone and line rental. Guessing you are on highest rate for all three options. Probably could drop Broadband and telephone down a band, especially if you have good mobile minutes.

The link that I tried to send was for an offer from BT that gives you free line installation if you opt for an 18 month contract with them. You should just be able to ring BT and ask for the special offer. The offer is now running until 31/12/09.

Once you get onto BT, then this would open up other avenues for you.

vandanfc

You can use override providers with non-bt lines:

http://www.18185.co.uk/mobilerates.php

Primus telecom can also help:

http://www.primussaver.co.uk/faqs.html

vandanfc

If Ryan really gets into his DSi I would suggest buying a special cartridge that you can use instead of buying games at £30 a throw.

If you need to but ds games, check out https://www.gamestracker.co.uk and https://www.find-games.co.uk for the best prices. Asda have had some on special recently.

Snaggles

Thanks again vandanfc, I will have a look at the BT option, because that would give me more scope to choose cheaper deals.

Ryan has a DS at the moment, but it doesn't really work because it has been thrown a few times (just to explain, he has outbursts as part of his autism spectrum condition, he's not just a badly behaved boy with no respect for his possessions).

He's been made fully aware that he will have to just use the games he already owns (which can be used on the DSi), and will have to save up for any new ones he wants. He's quite happy with that option, because he tends to obsess about one particular game until he completes it, and only then moves onto something new, so he's not bothered about having lots of choice.

I'll ring Virgin and ask about reducing the packages we have. The problem has been that the account is in my ex husband's name and they wouldn't let me make any changes or cancel it (they said 'Just stop paying it and we will send a debt collector after him for the money, don't worry, it wont affect you'. Err, we still have some joint finances, so it WILL!! :wall: :rolleyes:).

But he has now rung them (just last week) and given them his authority to deal with me regarding the account. So I should be able to make changes.

vandanfc

You may need to push the person you speak to a BT, but it is definitely a current offer.

Good that Ryan is happy to save up for any new games. I have read your other threads, so know about him a bit. Still when he has his money saved up remember to use those sites to check the best prices.

Hopefully you can make the changes to your virgin package okay now, this should at least save you a little bit.

Snaggles

Wow, that was well worth a phone call!

I rang Virgin, and said the prices advertised online are cheaper than what I have been paying - she tried to fob me off but when I gave her the breakdown of prices, she checked and agreed with me.

So I now have 10mb broadband instead of 2mb, still have the same TV channels and free landline calls at weekends, and the price has reduced by £10 a month! :j

Monthly shortfall now reduced to £52!


Thanks very much for the BT info - I may well still investigate that, but at least I'm saving some money in the meantime!

elantan

yay great news honey

Snaggles

Aaaaaand......

I've just rung 3 mobile, and have upgraded to the phone I really wanted, on the same package as before, but £5 cheaper. :j

I could have gone cheaper still but I will only end up paying more in the long run because I'm rubbish at keeping an eye on allowances etc, and always used to end up going over them when I had a cheaper contract.

Monthly shortfall now £47. :T




Edit - bummer, just opened letter from my buildings and contents insurers and it's gone up £2 a month. Shortfall £49 a month....you win some, you lose some.... :rotfl:

Will look for a better deal but it includes a staff discount so I doubt I will find anything cheaper.

redsquirrel80

That's great progress in a day Snags :T

vandanfc

Getting there Snaggles. Well done.