Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

jimexbox

mech wrote: »

He asked a question. How is that an accusation?

How will I sleep tonight? The worry, the hurt, my house is now in jeopardy. :rolleyes:

1carminestocky

jimexbox wrote: »

Im current on Eon's Online extra extra saver 13. UW standard user would cost an extra £255, high user £259 per annum.

Too the UW reps who frequent here, dont take any criticism personally. Read a few Eon threads, I criticise my current supplier with far more vigor and venom than I can muster for UW.

I've seen the thread in question, jimexbox :eek: Having said that, the criticism is entirely justified IMO. Sneaky company.

Plushchris

1carminestocky wrote: »

Quentin ALWAYS completely ignores questions he can't answer. It's just what he does. Each to their own.

To be fair, Vinny ALWAYS completely ignores questions he cant answer too!

I have asked, on more than one occasion, what UW classes as a standard tariff as vinny says they compare the cheapest, not the most expensive "standard" tariffs.

As yet no answer...

SwanJon

I go away for a day.....

Had a thought.

NigeWick wrote: »

Is it possible that, including paying all relevant fees, by using the pre payment card and shopping to a certain level at Argos, Boots, Burton, Comet, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Goldsmiths, Halfords, Homebase, House of Fraser, JJB Sports (in-store only), Marriott Hotels, Miss Selfridge, Mothercare, Outfit, River Island, Sainsbury's (for the sake of argument, food & drink only), TGI Fridays, Thorntons, Topshop, Topman, Virgin Experience, Wallis and a few others that one can pay less for utilities than with any other company?

Yup, probably ture, but not comparing like with like. To be sure of the absolute winner we would have to give non-UWers a card too. So we'd be looking for a cashback card, ideally prepayment, for them to use, the charges applied, cashback percentages, and interest rate if it is a credit card.
Any suggestions?

mech_2

1carminestocky wrote: »

But with respect, mech, you have already admitted that you spend just £15 a week on groceries. On that tiny level of spending you just aren't going to notice much difference between ANY stores, TBH.

Well maybe in absolute terms, but note I was talking about a £30-£35 basket. The percentage differences should be pretty much the same whatever the spend levels once you get a good spread of goods. Obviously the more goods the better.

Part of the reason I don't buy that much from Tesco is because I can generally get the high-value non-food goods, alcohol, toiletries, etc much cheaper elsewhere than any of the supermarkets. Even some non-perishable food items: Douwe Egberts filter coffee came up as £2 in Tesco in mysupermarket as it was on offer (and therefore cheaper than Sainsburys). Poundland had it for... well yes, Poundland had it.

The likes of Boots and the Supermarkets can't come close to the prices in discount stores. Exactly because the latter don't do stuff like the UW card.

And I can't imagine you accruing many Tesco points now the silly code offers appear to have dried up. The UW deal is *definitely* not for people like you. Unquestionably. People with families and several cars on the drive would definitely be more candidates to make use of the UW deal.

People with families and a car would get more value out of a Clubcard than I can. I spend all my points at face-value these days as none of the deals appeal to me. A family can spend them on days out, RAC membership etc and get 4 times the value. That's 4% off their grocery shop before even adding in extra points offers and "spend x to save y" coupons. If they get an Amex Platinum card, that's offering 5% cashback for the first three months and 1.5% thereafter (as long as they have the income and expenditure to do that, which I don't). With the Clubcard deals that becomes 9% and 5.5% respectively. Plus they get to pick whatever utilities tariff they like and save in comparison with UW that way.

Those families who already shop regularly shop at Sainsburys for groceries and fuel (millions of the blighters, no doubt) are almost certainly missing out on savings no matter what energy company they are with and on whatever tariff. It's almost a certainty. Again, it still doesn't mean they will go for it, as it's an entirely personal choice.

Well yes, if they shop at Sainsburys anyway it would seem that would be the case, but maybe if money saving is a priority they would be better off not shopping there anyway. Two cars in the drive gives them more choice of supermarket than I have. They could still be better off buying from Tesco. Or Asda, which consistently came out similar in price for me in mysupermarket even though I was making choices based on Tesco's offers. Asda is probably the cheapest of all three on that basis. Even without transport, the delivery charge for a family shop is going to sting much less than it does for me. Realistically, what percentage of people are going to be better off with a UW card if they properly assess the alternatives?

I still say spending more in the high street to save money doesn't work.

1carminestocky

SwanJon wrote: »

I go away for a day.....

Had a thought.


Yup, probably ture, but not comparing like with like. To be sure of the absolute winner we would have to give non-UWers a card too. So we'd be looking for a cashback card, ideally prepayment, for them to use, the charges applied, cashback percentages, and interest rate if it is a credit card.
Any suggestions?

Apparently Quentin knows of just such a solution. Only problem being he only appears capable of posting links to UW distributors personal web pages in this thread . This thread, although addictive, is truly a bizarre and surreal experience on occasions...

To be serious for a moment, I think its addictiveness (is that a word?) maybe causing the rest of the G&E forum to get totally neglected. This could actually be renamed the UW Forum at the moment.

1carminestocky

mech wrote: »

Well maybe in absolute terms, but note I was talking about a £30-£35 basket. The percentage differences should be pretty much the same whatever the spend levels once you get a good spread of goods. Obviously the more goods the better.

But you we're talking about a £30 basket that lasts you 2 weeks, so it's still £15 a week when all is said and done. And you are never going to get an appreciable better or worse deal withany of the big supermarkets on such a small shop. That was my point.

Part of the reason I don't buy that much from Tesco is because I can generally get the high-value non-food goods, alcohol, toiletries, etc much cheaper elsewhere than any of the supermarkets. Even some non-perishable food items: Douwe Egberts filter coffee came up as £2 in Tesco in mysupermarket as it was on offer (and therefore cheaper than Sainsburys). Poundland had it for... well yes, Poundland had it.

You're not doing it right. I have 8 cases of Stella from Tesco in my study that have been more than matched by clubcard deals points (the wife and I use them to get away for the weekend in Hilton Hotels so definitely worth it for us). I accept if you have infinite time (and no family/kids to worry about etc) you can get better deals if you shop around. It's just whether you value your leisure time or not. Or, indeed, actually enjoy shopping. Can't say I do, TBH.

The likes of Boots and the Supermarkets can't come close to the prices in discount stores. Exactly because they don't do stuff like the UW card.

I sort of agree with you but it comes back to time again. If you could get your whole shop in a discount store, fine. You can't, though, and I would suggest that is why they are cheap - they buy up surplus stock whathever it is and not the massive range of products that a supermarket/Boots have to stock to stay in business. And if you look in the huge Boots thread you would see some people who get extraordinary deals in there that can't be matched elsewhere.

People with families and a car would get more value out of a Clubcard than I can. I spend all my points at face-value these days as none of the deals appeal to me. A family can spend them on days out, RAC membership etc and get 4 times the value. That's 4% off their grocery shop before even adding in extra points offers and "spend x to save y" coupons. If they get an Amex Platinum card, that's offering 5% cashback for the first three months and 1.5% thereafter (as long as they have the income and expenditure patterns to do that, which I don't). With the Clubcard deals that becomes 9% and 5.5% respectively. Plus they get to pick whatever utilities tariff they like and save in comparison with UW that way.

I know all about the Tesco card deals as we have, as previously mentioned, relied on them for mucky weekends in posh hotels we wouldn't normally have booked into. The good times are over with them, though, as the paucity f loopholes testifies. And if you spend them at face value they are IMO almost worhless. 1% 'discount'I'm surprised such a person as you claim they are 4% off the grocery shop, mech, as you and I both know that the deals exclude buying at the special offer prices that are normally available. Nowhere near 4% 'saving'. at all. The Amex card is a credit card with all the hassle that entails. Firtsly you have to go through a credit check (these are getting more and more difficult to pass these days), you can get yourself into much debt very easily (18.9% interest!!) and if you are are unfortunate enough to get it cloned there's the potential to get fleeced up to your credit limit. The cashback card could only be emptied of the money you actually had in it. Big difference. And UP TO 1.5%** after 3 months is, frankly pathetic IMO (which is probably why Quentin never links to this 'alternative because he knows it would get torn apart).

Well yes, if they shop at Sainsburys anyway it would seem that would be the case, but maybe if moneysaving is a priority they would be better off not shopping there anyway. Two cars in the drive gives them more choice of supermarket than I have. They could still be better off buying from Tesco. Or Asda, which consistently came out similar in price for me in mysupermarket even though I was making choices based on Tesco's deals. Asda is probably the cheapest of all three on that basis. Even without transport, the delivery charge for a family shop is going to sting much less than it does for me. Realistically, what percentage of people are going to be better off with a UW card if they properly assess the alternatives?

All supposition trying to prove your point so not worth a reply as such. I've shown you/explained clearly why sainsburys is far and away the cheapest for us, I'll leave it at that.

I still say spending more in the high street to save money doesn't work.

For you and your spending habits, definitely not. For many millions of people who do it regularly anyway and have no intention of changing their habits, the UW card would be a no-brainer.


** Small print: Quick Stats: Intro Cashback. 5% for 3 months on up to £2,000. Standard Cashback. 0.5% on up to £3,500/year, 1% on £3,500 to £10k/year and 1.5% above that. Min. Salary Requirement: £20,000 Maximum cashback/year: NO MAXIMUM

NigeWick

SwanJon wrote: »

Any suggestions?

Yep. Go with what you are happy with. I am happy with what I have got and I believe that many others would be happy with a similar deal.

1carminestocky

NigeWick wrote: »

Yep. Go with what you are happy with. I am happy with what I have got and I believe that many others would be happy with a similar deal.

I was behind a couple in Asda the other day who had 2 huge trolley-fulls of shopping. The bill came to £175!! :eek: When you think about it, the weekly grocery and fuel bill is probably the largest financial commitments a family has (even taking into account the mortgage). If you don't try and make that outlay do something for you apart from just acquring groceries it's a huge waste, really. That's why I think the UW card is such a brilliant idea. I think the main problem some have with it on here (and I can understand it what with what has often gone on with new posters spamming the UW business) is that it was UW who brought it out

NigeWick

jimexbox wrote: »

Too the UW reps who frequent here, dont take any criticism personally.

I don't. What I can't get to grips with is that people will not accept that their particular best deal may not fit the requirements and lifestyle of another person's best deal.

I am content to use my pre payment card at Sainsbury's (mainly) and Boots & Argos (rarely) as they are on my walk to or from work. Others are prepared to spend more time and effort searching out cheaper groceries etc. I accept that. My own likes and dislikes motivate me to do what I do. I get the best value for my wants. It seems reasonable to me that some people will have similar wants to mine and other folk will have vastly different ones. From conversations here, it appears that some people refuse to accept the concept of personal choice to such an extent that they show themselves to be bigoted with regards to Utility Warehouse.