HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[Stanley]

I used to have one of those Tiz but as I have a ceramic hob and it's enclosed by cupboards, it's easier to clean the hob and the adjacent enclosure than the guard itself....
By the way, my new hob.... isn't it wonderful when the thermostats work!

[Stanley]

Never forget the advantages of extending a meal with cheap ingredients to make it go further. No damage to nutritional value and very, very cheap!

[Stanley]

If you keep your head and a low profile, the worst aspects of the 'Festive Season' eventually come to an end. It will all look very different in a few days......

[Tizer]

Don't accept renewal premiums without questioning them. I received my renewal letter from Green Flag for `Recovery Plus' breakdown insurance. Last year it was £52.80 and this year they want £61.60. I rang and told them it was too much and they offered me about £52 again. I could get cover cheaper elsewhere so I declined their offer and told them to let the cover expire (31st December). This morning I went online and found Green Flag offering `up to 40% off' and I got an online quote which was £47. So I started a new policy for 1st January.

[Big Kev]

I have Green Flag breakdown cover with my bank account, along with mobile phone cover, travel insurance, a Tastecard and a couple of National Trust entries amongst other things. I've not had to use the breakdown cover (famous last words) and had never looked to see how much it was to buy. Your post prompted me to do a bit of research and I'm just breaking even with the 'freebies' that come with the bank account.

[Stanley]

Valuable posts if you are in those positions, it always pays to ask questions. I freely admit I am very bad at it, one occasion when I don't follow my own advice.....

[Tizer]

Our `free of charges' Nationwide current account provides us with travel insurance which is particularly useful for Mrs Tiz when she goes on her foreign trips.

[Stanley]

Always have something to look forward to. The next target on my calendar is April when all the family gathers here for Jess' wedding to Muthomi. Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that!!

[Stanley]

Taking my cue from my friends in Scotland, I am lucky enough to be entering the New Year debt free and thankfully in good health! Not everyone can achieve this and I recognise that. However, it's not a bad target to aim for each year and I recommend it.....

[Marilyn]

Similar Values...I always take great personal pride, year after year, that no matter what has happened, I always sit at my Christmas Dinner not owing anyone ANYTHING. Not a Penny. Not such a task these days, but there have been challenging times and I have always lived within my means. It is a silent thing I don't voice, but it has always given me a sense of peace.

[Tizer]

Like the two of you, we prefer to stay out of debt - and especially now when debts are sold on to others. I think selling people's debts should be outlawed. British students are soon going to find themselves in debt not to the original Student Loans Company (and that's proved itself to be bad enough) but to some faceless entity on the other side of the world, perhaps even in Russia. These days if you get into debt you don't know who's going to have a hold over you. It's a bit like being sold as a slave.

[Stanley]

You've put your finger on it Tiz. Debt is a form of slavery and one that is used cynically by advertisers and the banks to increase turnover. 'Pay nothing until....' and 'interest free credit' feature large in so many advertisements. Then people find that the only way out is a loan at 1300% plus and they sink deeper into the mire. What a brave new world we live in, driven by greed and consumerism. To paraphrase Marx; "debt is the opiate of the masses'. At the moment the financial institutions are working flat out to avert the inevitable end by making credit easier and less socially poisonous. Unfortunately it will have to end somewhere and could possibly drag the usurers down with it. Today's tip is remember Micawber......

[Tizer]

The Bank of England knows we've reached a dangerous level of personal debt, especially with interest rate rises on the horizon. The Government knows. The banks know it. When the crash comes they'll tell us it was a surprise and all due to something that happened in America or Russia or...

[Stanley]

Quite. The 'Not Me Guv' syndrome but as long as there is money to be made the Lords of the Universe, if unchecked, will push the system to the limit secure in the knowledge that they have their off-shore funds in place ready for when the crap hits the fan.
Today's tip is become cynical and question every advertisement that seems to offer an advantage or discount. Never has so much money that people haven't got been spent on goods they don't need at prices they can't afford. Glaring examples are beds, sofas and beauty products......

[Stanley]

Yesterday's tip applies to politicians as well. I say this after watching Hunt the Health Minister covering up for the crisis in the NHS. We have to question everything these days even telephone calls and emails.....

[Tizer]

...and sometimes what we think is a scam turns out to be something we need to give attention to. A recent warning tells of a man who received a letter from Paypal telling him that they were concerned about possible fraud on his account. He doesn't have a Paypal account so he was going to bin the letter. But then he decided to check with his bank and it's good that he did - someone had stolen his identity, set up a Paypal account in his name and gone on a spending spree. The account led back to his bank so the money would eventually be extracted from that account and passed to Paypal. Luckily his bank took his problem seriously and it all got sorted. The advice now is that if you receive a communication of this type don't make contact using the details in the letter, email etc but look up a genuine number for Paypal and phone them, otherwise you might regret it.

[Stanley]

And the number of times I have binned that email...... You've given me another thing to worry about....

[Tizer]

I'd probably still risk binning it if it was an email but if it was a letter through the post and looked genuine I'd look up a genuine phone number and ask them about it, quoting the details of the letter.

[Stanley]

I agree.....

[Stanley]

If you have had a shock like I did yesterday, be aware of the fact that it can make you vulnerable and prone to accidents. Any shock can have this effect so be on the safe side and be kind to yourself for a few days..... You may dismiss this as being over-cautious and of course you may be right but nevertheless err on the side of caution.

[Big Kev]

Wise words but don't let it play on your mind too much, the CC company will sort it and don't wait until your February statement to find out if they have. Get in touch with them before the end of the week to check on progress.

[plaques]

A friend of mine who did a lot of travelling and consequently used his credit card over the phone always made a point of saying to whoever it was taking the card details." Don't repeat the numbers after me and don't read them back to me. If you want conformation ask me to repeat it". His logic was that you never knew who was standing alongside and listening in.

[Stanley]

Good idea Kev.
P, I can see the logic of that but it's a balance isn't it. If we are too paranoid we damage our lives. I take precautions in many fields, for instance, I always have one hand for the ship and one for myself but I can fit this in with my life without damaging it. Best way to avoid CC fraud is not have one but they are so useful for online purchases.....

[Stanley]

Today's tip was triggered by listening to the story of a woman who killed a child by accident when he darted out into the road under her wheels. When you think about it, anyone who drives is in charge of a ton of metal moving at high speed in proximity to unprotected pedestrians. This was always on my mind when I was wagon driving.... Always bear in mind your capacity for affecting other people's lives, driving is one of the most extreme examples of course. There is a flip side to this. You can also enhance lives by simply smiling at someone or being nice to them. Always be aware of these things and try to avoid the dangers and encourage the good effects. We all know this but at times we come under pressure and forget, that's when we can do damage.

[Bodger]

When i first came to Ireland in 1968, there were hitchhikers on most roads as the public transport system was very infrequent , even short journeys you would be stopped and requested to drop some one off on the way, it was a great way of getting to know people and their accents, England during the war and after was similar especially for truck drivers every main road had "thumbers" where ever you travelled