Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

mech_2

1carminestocky wrote: »

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.

Not according to mysupermarket. The more I click on, the bigger the gap between Tesco and Sainsburys gets in percentage terms. Partly because if I stick to just what I can carry and can consume before it goes off there are lots of good BOGOFs I can't use.

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

Are you saying there was a Clubcard Deal on crates of Stella? I must have missed something there.

(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.

It wasn't really important to the main thrust of my argument. It's just what I do and helps explain why my Tesco shop is so small. Though to be honest I don't find it any more time consuming to walk around lots of little shops compared to one big one. Shops are usually not that far apart.

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.

Admittedly I'm a man and therefore not fussy about toiletries so long as they do the job, but frankly the range of stuff like that in my local Qualitysave seems pretty good to me. I've been in the Superdrug next door and frankly can't understand how it stays in business.

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.

I wouldn't know. None of the deals on offer appeal to me anyway, but Martin always says use the deals rather than the face value of the points. The only deal I've ever used was RAC membership when I was running a car. I wasn't aware of another way of getting membership that cheap and Mr and Mrs Twocars could certainly make use of it.

1% is just a minimum. As I said, I've beaten 10% savings with coupons and points on every major shop in the past 2 months just with "£x off when you sepnd £y" coupons. Then there was a topup shop where I used a couple of bonus points coupons to reach 5% (when redeemed at face value). No cashback card, no Clubcard deals, no expensive gas and electricity provider. 1% is just a minimum.

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.

FUD quite frankly. Desperate straw-clutching. I have a credit card so I know it doesn't have to be a hassle. Are you saying you don't have one? Are you saying Mr and Mrs Twocars wouldn't have a credit card?

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 you failed miserably. Mr and Mrs Twocars are at just the right expenditure levels to qualify by the scenarios you've already posted. How does it compare with the UW card given that is actually offset by UW's high tariffs? Besides: use the AMEX for 3 months, then cancel it and get the latest best deal.

All supposition trying to prove your point so not worth a reply as such.

That's just feeble.

I've shown you/explained clearly why sainsburys is far and away the cheapest for us, I'll leave it at that.

Except when I try mysupermarket I quickly find that it isn't. You actually haven't shown anything verifiable. So unless you can show us your shopping list the assertion is rather suspect.

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.

So really it comes down to resistance to changing shopping habits and not price at all.

1carminestocky

mech wrote: »

Not according to mysupermarket. The more I click on, the bigger the gap between Tesco and Sainsburys gets in percentage terms. Partly because if I stick to just what I can carry and can consume before it goes off there are lots of good BOGOFs I can't use.

Like I have clearly stated, not one BOGOF in our order, mech. It's not rocket science, you know, I've explained what's happened here. Sainsburys' Basics range is 600 product-strong and encompasses Depts that no other supermarket's value range extends to. If you are that interested in knowing how it's done, pm me and i will send our entire shopping list from last week to you for you to verify it. On that shop, we are paying far far less than the corresponding basket at Tesco and Asda. Even on your small budget and even paying for delivery (£3.50 if you can manage to get it to £40) if you shopped like us you would save money at Sainsburys. And no walking involved. Check out the Sainsburys thread in the Shopping forum to see that it isn't just me (and you) who is surprised at Sainsburys these days.

Are you saying there was a Clubcard Deal on crates of Stella? I must have missed something there.

Not specifically on crates of Stella but I used the 750 pts on £50 coupon floating round the Codes Forum to take advanatge of a loophole. The crates of Stella were due to halve in price to £6.99 the day after I ordered (i.e crucially on the day of delivery. They of course went into the basket at full price on day of ordering allowing me to make 2 separate orders for 4 crates and qualify for the 750 pts on each order. Plus a free delivery code was (successfully) used. Job done. The fact my mate (not interested in clubcard deals etc) bought 4 crates off me for £28 (he wouldnt accept th 4p change) made the deal an even better one (I'm not a big drinker so 8 crates was overkill). £62 worth of clubcard deals for £30 outlay. Great deal.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=20154765&postcount=21

It wasn't really important to the main thrust of my argument. It's just what I do and helps explain why my Tesco shop is so small. Though to be honest I don't find it any more time consuming to walk around lots of little shops compared to one big one. Shops are usually not that far apart.
Admittedly I'm a man and therefore not fussy about toiletries so long as they do the job, but frankly the range of stuff like that in my local Qualitysave seems pretty good to me. I've been in the Superdrug next door and frankly can't understand how it stays in business.

I'm sure a time and motion observer would be sceptical of such a claim but if you are happy, that's the main thing. I agree with you about toiletries, BTW. I've just had a shower this morning and used Sainsburys 10p shower gel. As it says on the packaging: 'Cleans, no added promises'. BTW, this isn't my review (I'm sad but not quite that sad!)

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/body-care/sainsbury-s-shower-gel-basics/1216428/

I wouldn't know. None of the deals on offer appeal to me anyway, but Martin always says use the deals rather than the face value of the points. The only deal I've ever used was RAC membership when I was running a car. I wasn't aware of another way of getting membership that cheap and Mr and Mrs Twocars could certainly make use of it.

We have 3 cars if you include our eldest son's . Your description of us, I feel, hints at sacrasm or, even worse, resentment? If you are a committed money saver there's no way on Earth you should use clubcard voichers for in-store discount. Why not convert them to vouchers and flog em on ebay? You could probably get a fee shop out of the proceeds as opposed to the paltry 1% you're getting now.

1% is just a minimum. As I said, I've beaten 10% savings with coupons and points on every major shop in the past 2 months just with "£x off when you sepnd £y" coupons. Then there was a topup shop where I used a couple of bonus points coupons to reach 5% (when redeemed at face value). No cashback card, no Clubcard deals, no expensive gas and electricity provider. 1% is just a minimum.

And I'm telling you you are shopping at an increasingly expensive supermarket (Tesco). Not just me saying this, you know. Check out the new Shopping forum. But it's all irrelevant, anyway, as we have already agreed you are in no way a candidate for UW or its card. The fact that you then can't understand why ANYBODY would be better off with it is the puzzling part of your stance on this...

FUD quite frankly. Desperate straw-clutching. I have a credit card so I know it doesn't have to be a hassle. Are you saying you don't have one? Are you saying Mr and Mrs Twocars wouldn't have a credit card?
Well you failed miserably. Mr and Mrs Twocars are at just the right expenditure levels to qualify by the scenarios you've already posted. How does it compare with the UW card given that is actually offset by UW's high tariffs? Besides: use the AMEX for 3 months, then cancel it and get the latest best deal.
That's just feeble.

Do you know anything about how things affect ones' credit rating? I'm suspecting not...... unless this paragraph was a joke without a smilie. And there's that 'Mr & Mrs Twocars' again. We've worked very hard to get where we are, we never resented anyone who had more than us when we had nowt. A lesson in life? Anyway, back to Amex. AFAICT, on our projected spend of a core £500 per month rising to £9,000 for the year taking into account mucho increased Xmas spending, that would net us £140. Almost £300 less than the UW card (which, again, isn't a credit card). I'll stick with that, thanks. And what about this little-discussed T&C:

Earning rewards has never been easier — we deliver them straight to you. No calls required; simply look out for your rebate as a credit on your statement one month following your Card Anniversary date. (If you opened your account in January, for example, you should expect to see your rebate in February the following year

Sounds too much like an npower 'discount' to me.

Except when I try mysupermarket I quickly find that it isn't. You actually haven't shown anything verifiable. So unless you can show us your shopping list the assertion is rather suspect.
So really it comes down to resistance to changing shopping habits and not price at all.

Neither have you, if we are nitpicking . See my first response to you in this post. The offer still stands. Will you take up the Sainsburys Challenge?

NigeWick

Plushchris wrote: »

What happens if you remember the card but forget to top it up before you go shopping? Can they be topped up anywhere?

How do I top up my card?

Topping up is easy. Choose from:

• 'Instant Top Up.' Call our automated telephone service, or go online, for an instant top up.
• 'Auto Top Up.' means you've always got money on your card. We check your balance every night and automatically top your card up by your chosen amount if it has dropped below your chosen minimum level.
• 'Monthly Top Up.' Top up a fixed amount each month by debit card or standing order.

I am a Independent Distributor for Utility Warehouse and any views expressed are mine and not necessarily the company's.

NigeWick

Plushchris wrote: »

What one of those top up methods would you choose Carmine?

I have an automatic top up as I know what I'm spending. Bear in mind that it can take a couple of days for funds to get to the card. I suppose I should use an instant one when I actually need it but with interest rates being so low, I really can't be bothered for what it would save me.

I am a Independent Distributor for Utility Warehouse and any views expressed are mine and not necessarily the company's.

Cardew

mech wrote: »

I think you should reread some of your posts on this thread vinnyph. Do you really come across as you intend? It seems to me you've got yourself wound up and are babbling. It happens to the best of us, but anyway at the moment you're very hard to take seriously.

It would appear all of his posts have been deleted?

1carminestocky

http://www.sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=2689657

Telecom Plus on track for record profits

Tue 31 Mar 2009


LONDON (SHARECAST) - Utility services provider Telecom Plus said a record number of new distributors are joining the business which is sparking a record number of new customer applications.

The company has added 3,100 distributors in the last three months, taking its distributor membership total up to 26,800.

The company added 66,000 new services, net, during the final quarter of its financial year, taking the total above 789,000. The increase, which tops the previous quarter's record performance, represents an annualised growth rate in excess of 36%.

Customer numbers have risen to almost 280,000, a rise of around 63,000 from the levels at the end of March last year.

The current quarter has seen a substantial cash outflow, reflecting increased usage by budget plan customers during an exceptionally cold winter. Despite this, the company expects net cash at the end of March 2009 to be in excess of £20m.

I suppose they can't lose in the sense of every time they get a new distributor they usually get a new customer . Seems like many are opting to pay by budget plan (another brilliant innovation IMO) which is impacting on the cash pile (I read a report the other day that predicted a £10 million cash pile by year end so £20 million would seem a great result). An approx 10% cash pile proportionate to the capitalisation of the company is truly remarkable when you add that to absolutely nil borrowing and the recent cash purchase of the £9 million HQ. Currently adding new distributors at the rate of 1,000+ a month.

(Relevant to post this due to some people on here questioning UW's continued viablity as a business in relation to putting funds on the cashback card...)

Drunkstar

OK, Im really bored of this back and forth so can I ask a couple of questions to each 'side' in the pro and against camps on UW?

1) Can we all agree that it is possible to save money if you take out the full services? If not can anyone compare what was posted before about services someone had (was it Carmine?) and find it cheaper?

2) Can any distributer/defender explain the exacts of this guarantee and how it can be claimed against? Is it actualy anything more than meaningless words to sound good?

3) Is UW ever actually a better choice than any of the other big 3 if all you want is gas and electric?



Can anyone answer those questions without blubbering on about slander, poetry or just clouding the issue.

vinnyph

It seems that 26,800 distributors and 280,000 customers can't be wrong. No matter how much slander there is against the company by a few individuals with an issue, the company keeps growing anyway. It must be because it is doing it right.

I guess the distributors do well because they are the right sorts of people who are likeable, have credibility with their friends and have lots of friends and willing to put in the extra effort. They don't want to be reliant on the state when they retire. People who want success.

1carminestocky

Drunkstar wrote: »

OK, Im really bored of this back and forth so can I ask a couple of questions to each 'side' in the pro and against camps on UW?

1) Can we all agree that it is possible to save money if you take out the full services? If not can anyone compare what was posted before about services someone had (was it Carmine?) and find it cheaper?

2) Can any distributer/defender explain the exacts of this guarantee and how it can be claimed against? Is it actualy anything more than meaningless words to sound good?

3) Is UW ever actually a better choice than any of the other big 3 if all you want is gas and electric?

Can anyone answer those questions without blubbering on about slander, poetry or just clouding the issue.

Not a distributor but do seem to have become a bit of an expert on this company due to the to-ing and fro-ing on this thread

1) Well, obviously I can! I do note amaongst all the bluster on here (from both sides, btw) I haven't really seen my actual figures taken apart yet. There's time yet, I suppose.:D

2) I personally don't think ANY guarantee/claim/whatever in the energy industry is worth allowing it to sway your decision. BG tell me I can save £115 on my gas and electric. Against what?? It's all marketing speak AFAIAC and I ignore it all. The reason I will use a company is the figure that will be at the bottom of the bill. Don't care what comes before it. Simple as. Don't see the problem with that FOR ME. Others do.

3) Without the cashback card, and if you're not bothered about getting paper bills every month, UK-based CS and if cheapest price is at the very top of your agenda etc etc, I would say no.

Quentin

The uw "price guarantee" is often misquoted by the reps who come (and go) here.

We have spotted the flaws in it, and tried to get the answer to what does it mean when it says the uw guarantees to be "competitive", but never had an answer - apart from the rep who gave us the dictionary definition of "competitive"!

The official uw ho explanation is on the net - where their energy services and executive services director admits that it is really a "sales tool"! Note the reps are urged "To market our energy services effectively, it is highly recommended that we avoid getting into the details..."

The director goes on record as saying the uw will endeavour to be in the "bottom half of the market"!

Note there is no mention of the small print (like not competing against dual fuel, or pointing out the membership fee comes on top of paying the bottom half of the market's prices consistently). In fact, checking where uw come on price comparison sites usually puts them in the top half (when top = most expensive)

The director insists its a tool which "makes getting energy customers much easier".

When repeated like the rogue reps do to their relatives (as in "its cheapest and we guarantee it"), no doubt it does!

http://www.networkerplus.co.uk/videos/triple-value-guarantee-wayne-coupland.html