Nice people thread part 7 - a thread in its prime

Generali

michaels wrote: »

Lewins always have an offer on which you can then combine with cashback site and discount code (but they don't do pockets by default and I only like shirts with pockets ) However I don't know if they have a collect in store offer - do you have a UK address you can use?

I'm wearing M&S suits at the moment and yes they have become really poor over the years but 50 quid for an allegedly 300 quid suit means it is pretty much disposable anyway. Austin Reed sometimes have web sales that can be combined with discount codes and also free shirt and tie offers and of course cashback.

Purchases from a small shop your best bet is probably just a cashback credit card (I think Amex points where you can cash in the intro bonus offer and then close the account and repeat 6 months later is the way to go for max value on this) or even haggle when you are instore if you can bear to do so.

DW would tell you to be outside Next at 4AM on the sale morning:eek: I have been doing AMex foursquare offers (I think it is UK registered cards only but additional cardholders also qualify and with chip and pin don't need to be present). Recently they have sold us £100 of next cards at shell service stations with a £30 discount, £20 spend at Gap with £20 back and £100 at Gap with £50 back. Current deals are at Debenhams and Fenwicks.

Nikki I think is our resident Lakeland expert?

Sim only hones are peanuts even for smartphones or just unlock yours (jailbreak for iphones I believe although I steer clear of the darkside myself) and how about an ovivo sim assuming they are still in business when you come over and obviously skype (for Android) to talk to the folks back home.

The UK address is simple. I have tons of family and friends living in the UK. I don't know about Amex though. Perhaps a nice person would be interested in splitting the discount for M&S vouchers with me.

BertieUK

Yesterday afternoon we had SB home for a couple of days from Uni' and last evening we went out for a lovely meal at our local Toby Carvery and really enjoyed it.

SB was saying that the lift in her Halls of Residence is still out of order, that is now over two weeks and they have got problems with kitchen waste that has built up over this period. The students would usually take the waste down themselves by way of the lift so this could cause health problems.

Tasha has more side effects with her medicine this time she appears to have a sore throat or something similar because she has been rasping all night so my OH and I are knackered this morning and will be having naps today.

GDB2222

BertieUK wrote: »

Yesterday afternoon we had SB home for a couple of days from Uni' and last evening we went out for a lovely meal at our local Toby Carvery and really enjoyed it.

SB was saying that the lift in her Halls of Residence is still out of order, that is now over two weeks and they have got problems with kitchen waste that has built up over this period. The students would usually take the waste down themselves by way of the lift so this could cause health problems.

Tasha has more side effects with her medicine this time she appears to have a sore throat or something similar because she has been rasping all night so my OH and I are knackered this morning and will be having naps today.

Looking on the bright side, the lift being out of order means that SB is getting lots of extra exercise. I think that the way to get the lift fixed is to ask for, and insist on, a reduction in rent. The students can also insist on a garbage collection, etc. It would help if they get a bit organised. That will concentrate the uni's mind (if it has one) on the issue.

Sorry to hear about Tasha. Can you move her downstairs, so you are not disturbed? There's no point in you being up in the night if there's nothing you can do about it. She's 13 years old, which is a pretty long life for a GSD, so at some stage she is going to leave you, I'm afraid.

GDB2222

michaels wrote: »

and how about an ovivo sim assuming they are still in business when you come over

Fine for a throw-away phone number, but I wouldn't port my main number over to them. I just cannot see how their business model is sustainable.

BertieUK

GDB2222 wrote: »

Looking on the bright side, the lift being out of order means that SB is getting lots of extra exercise. I think that the way to get the lift fixed is to ask for, and insist on, a reduction in rent. The students can also insist on a garbage collection, etc. It would help if they get a bit organised. That will concentrate the uni's mind (if it has one) on the issue.

Sorry to hear about Tasha. Can you move her downstairs, so you are not disturbed? There's no point in you being up in the night if there's nothing you can do about it. She's 13 years old, which is a pretty long life for a GSD, so at some stage she is going to leave you, I'm afraid.

SB says that she will be making more calls to the Uni' staff but as she says the reception in her Halls are never there when she passes through due to the odd hours of her lessons. I think that the girls have not been making any noises as of yet as they are not well organised.:(

Tasha has always slept in our bedroom ever since we have had her so we cannot complain really. We live in a Bungalow so every room in on ground level. hank's for your concern.

michaels

GDB2222 wrote: »

Fine for a throw-away phone number, but I wouldn't port my main number over to them. I just cannot see how their business model is sustainable.

I agree, apparently they are looking for their next round of 'VC' funding via crowdsourcing...they promise the numbers are safe but if the bailiffs have locked up the offices and the staff are not being paid I don't see who would be available to issue the PACs?!

chewmylegoff

Generali wrote: »

@michaels - so how do I do this savvy shopping stuff? I'm coming to the UK in June/July (when the Ashes series is on of course) and need/want the following:

- Shirts from Lewins
- Suit(s) from Austin Reed or nicer (not M&S as their suits are terrible IME)
- Shoes from a small shop on the edge of the City
- Some bits from Lakeland
- Clothes for the Missus and the kids from M&S/Next/Gap/[insert mid-market clothing store of choice]
- Maybe a few bits from Selfridges depending on whether their sale is on

I'll probably also get 1 or 2 cheap mobile phones with SIMs rather than getting a $1200 bill like last time I visited!!!!!

If you do buy shirts from Lewins then make sure they are non-iron. The non-iron shirts behave like normal shirts from other shops- I.e. you have to iron them but it is possible to iron them properly.

TM Lewins "normal" shirts are impossible to iron properly and you will just look like a walking crease all day. As you're in Oz you presumably won't be wearing a suit jacket much, amplifying the problem.

Whatever you do will be MSE for you as you'll be paying with Aussie dollars!!

chewmylegoff

My phone is MSE as I know someone who used to work at O2 - whilst he was there he put me on a friends and family tariff which knocks 1/3 off my bills and even though he left three years ago I'm still getting the discount.

Not quite as MSE as michaels though...

misskool

have a craving sarsaparilla syrup, don't suppose any NP knows anywhere that will sell them?

edit: don't really want fizzy sweet rootbeer taste, want the sarsaparilla with liquorice flavor. seems to be mostly australian-centric

pawlala

I don't know how Vodafone make money out of me. Sim Only, 300 mins, free vodafone calls, 500Mb data. Usually use them all up. unlimited texts too. All for 10.50 a month. I've had the same phone for 3 years, they can't even sell me another one. happy days!