A frugal life is an easy life!

I have been teaching sprog2 little bits of baby sign language since she could open her eyes, in the same way I taught sprog1 to play chess when he was two years old, I figure if I get them young enough they'll find it easier to pick up.
Imagine my total delight when sprog2 woke up in her chair from a snooze, saying "yes" whilst clenching her fist and making it nod!

I checked again to make sure and sure enough. she says yes by using her fist to nod!
Ok, it's not a major event, but it's a start, at 11 months old, I think it's cool.
I hope as she gets older, sign language is a skill she will have instictively.

Things have settled down here at hoovertowers, visitors have all gone home, no more driving jobs lined up for a while, we've been chilling out doing odd jobs.
The two wall cupboards, that I obtained for free, are now up and have stayed up so far. The 6 foot tall, wonder fridge that my better half wanted (to replace our 15 year old electric showrooms broken one) was so tall, it had to have a restraining bracket drilled into the concrete floor to stop it falling over when you open the door!
Then I managed to melt the entire plug of our dryer and fused out both the washing machine and the dryer, which of course came without warning, until I "checked" the plug by touching it and burning my finger!
All my expensive tools are now stored away, not thrown away as was suggested by the wife.

Sprog2 has leaned how to strop... refusing to be fed without a remote control to push buttons, but it has to be a working one, she has already sussed out that the ones we give her to play with don't work, so now ignores them.
Thanks to her intelligence we have now gone forward to the year 2034 by way of the video clock settings (yes, we still have a video).

Now the hosepipe ban has been lifted (It has rained everyday for six weeks since it was introduced) we had a much needed glorius sunny afternoon, which allowed me to finish cutting down the overgrown grass borders around tomato plants etc.
As I am an amateur potterer around the garden, on my way to empty the grass cuttings and weeds into the recycle bin out front, I spotted the now huge purple and pink flowered weeds that frequent my border in the front garden. I know, I'll pull them up I thought... unbeknown to me, there was a huge nettle plant right in the middle of it.. OUCH!
I am very proud of the fact that I have never been stung in my life (Mum tells me that my grandad used to rub pollen on the palm of his hand and stroke bees when they landed on it) I have been bitten by dogs more than any insects, as indistructable as I am, nettle stings, my super powers cannot fight off.
Luckily, there are doc leaves also growing alongside the nettles which provide the antidote (why is that?)
I buried the nettles in the recycle bin - another reason why you should never buy council made compost, everything I put in the recycle bin for the garden is weeds and slug guts - so that someone else could share my pain.

Today is the first day back at work for the wife, as life gets back to normal, the never ending cycle of feeding baby, washing, changing baby, entertaining baby and communicating with the wife on the phone.
Some weeks I can go almost a full week without having face to face contact with an adult, sometimes that's a good thing though.

Summer holiday tasks completed:

• Flown a kite - In the street, can you believe that some kids have never flown one!
• Climbed a tree - After being laughed at by other adults because I was slow getting back out of the tree, they tried it and failed to even get off the ground!
• Picked conkers, apples, peaches, strawberries and onions - with potatoes, blackberries and tomatoes to come, yum.
• Danced in the rain - great fun, if a tad damp!

Little acorns and all that...
Of course we have been to the countryside, the seaside, cheered at the world cup (and shouted at the tv), spent time with the family and welcomed the birth of my little nephew Ian. Sadly we have said goodbye to one of our family friends.
There is still a week of the holidays left, who knows what's around the corner...

Regular readers of my rants will know, that I cannot stand Direct line car insurance.
I was insured with direct line for 14 years, as well as 13 years for my better half and 2 years for sprog1.

In all that time and with just four changes of vehicle, my direct line insurance costs went UP, every single year (sometimes more than once a year if I changed a vehicle).
Even when the value and engine size of my vehicle was lowered, the price that direct line charged me INCREASED.

A few years back, for some bizarre reason, several direct line staff refused to price match their own website prices (for new customers only they told me!)
Direct line staff thought it acceptable for me to have to cancel my insurance policy and start up as a new customer, instead of just price matching what they were offering new customers and making sure of keeping my custom.

Yesterday, it became clear to me, why they chose to do this!
I had to prove to my new insurance company that I had 14 years no claims bonus - I rang direct line to get a letter sent out with proof on, as on my renewal notice, they had conveniently lost 6 years of my no claims bonus entitlement.
When the letter arrived yesterday, again, they ommitted 6 years of my no claims bonus.

My direct line insurance renewal quote this year has more than doubled, despite speaking to "customer service" and "customer loyalty" departments, nothing further could be done. I left them and went with another company. In two months, my better half will also take her insurance policy and go somewhere else.
Now what do you suppose my new insurer will do, when they see less no claims bonus than stated when I took out my new policy?

Of course, they will remove some of the discount given and the price will become the same or slightly higher than the price direct line quoted.

So how does this show Direct line are hiding negative feedback?
I googled to see if anyone else has posted online about the same problem... not a single result, very unusual!
I tried a few different terms for the same issue, once again I got nothing!
I checked the keywords that people have searched for when visiting this website via search engines, strangely, almost all references to "direct line" in search engine visits to this website have disappeared in the past ten days.
I ran a search engine search for just the term "Direct line" and went through the first ten pages of results, viewing all the links listed in them, to posts on websites.

In ten pages of links, there was not one single negative link/post, that referred to direct line!
Only promoted links to direct line were listed.
Three weeks ago I searched for the term "direct line double my insurance" and got well over four pages of links to websites where people have posted about their insurance being doubled.

It is clear from this, that google or yahoo search results, etc, are not the most relevant to what a person is searching for information about.
There are ways (I do not know how it's done, either by paid methods, buying keywords, or other underhand ways?) to remove negative posts by people all over the internet, about a business or business practice! (I didn't know this could be done!)

What is evident is that my website posts and comments, about my experience of being a direct line customer, are amongst those being "hidden" on search engine results - not a problem for me as I don't rely on huge numbers of website traffic visiting my website.

It just shows you what lengths direct line will go to, to cover up their appalling customer service and the way that they treat their customers.

UPDATE:
At long last a letter of confirmation has come through from direct line, regarding my "full" no claims bonus, that I currently have.
It's another failure though, as I have 14 years no claims bonus (as confirmed by the advisor I spoke to) yet direct line have only credited me with 12 years.
Any ideas what direct line have done with the other two years? Neither have I...

Other Direct line posts:
Direct line double the cost of my car insurance
Direct line motor insurance
Companies I wish never existed - Direct line

 

I have never quite understood why Matalan requires membership cards?
To obtain favourable prices for goods? - Not judging by the prices on offer there.

Other than this, I cannot see any benefit for the customer.
The benefit is for the company, who (as with all clubcards/loyalty schemes) pick up valuable information on shopping habits, for demographics on the customers that shop with them and tailor their prices to maximise profits.

This demographical information is also shared with other companies that are part of the same group and sometimes, sold on for profit to other companies.

The store itself was tidy, a little quiet being a Wednesday afternoon.
Only a couple of cages were out in the aisles, one with stock inside, the other with rubbish.
The men's range of clothing was limited and not enough variety, a few plain T-shirts (which were priced at £4 - a £1 more than I found in Primark) and the usual wears.
A much larger range was available for women (A thing I have noticed alot of stores doing lately) perhaps women buy more?

The staff were dotted all around, although their customer service desk was limited to one lady, who was only able to help after dealing with another customer on the phone.
Friendly and helpful they were.
"Sale" racks, containing mostly women's and children's clothing, were not priced up, confusing as some full priced items (which had no original price on either) which were not in the sale, were displayed in the "sale" section.
Some clothing was placed under the "Up to half price" banner, but turned out to be full price but you could buy one for £10 or two for £15.

One thing that stood out, each of the various sections were named with big signs above them, presumably from a designer?
At each side of the design name, were large posters of women wearing various clothes of the design (I thought) it became apparent that not a single one of the model posters were wearing any clothing available to buy in the store!

In Matalan's cookware section, they had a couple of bays of cookware endorsed by Jane Asher, the actress come cake maker.
Well over priced, I don't know how much they are paying her to promote her range, wasted money if you ask me.
We picked up a plastic mixing bowl from Matalan's basic range, with a rubber base, for which we were over charged at the till, until I spotted the price on screen, the lady adjusted it down to what it said on the label.

Mystery shopper scores:
Layout - 8/10 - open and clean in all areas but the sale racks
Staff - 9/10 - helpful and friendly, if a little short staffed on their customer service bay
Range of goods - 4/10 - all too common nowadays, lots for women, men and children average at best
Prices - 3/10 - taking advantage of a lack of a primark in the area?

Overall:
I only went in for a cheap pair of work jeans, unable to find a pair for less than £12 and nothing like the range I have seen elsewhere.
Lose the membership cards and push down your prices, expand the range for men and lose the B celebrity endorsed products.

Eon staff really haven't got a clue what they are talking about. I have yet to speak to an Eon advisor or manager, that knows how Eon's own system works and how pre payment meters work.

Got my "statement" today, it was wrong again (As it has been everytime for as long as I can remember).

The statement says - "You have agreed to pay back the money you owe us for electricity"
Eon have kindly taken £2.02 from my payments, to clear the £2.02 balance they think I owed.
Eon advisor says - We don't charge you for any change in price between your credit going on your meter and the prices of our electricity. This was their answer to my question of how did I owe you £2.02?
When I asked about my "repayment arrangement" the advisor then started prattling about how accurate their meters were now. In a 20 minute call, they did not answer the question once, despite being asked about it 6 times!

The statement shows - "I have paid them £220 - I have used £213 of electricity - they have taken off £2 for their unexplained repayment arrangement - the balance shows nil" added to this Eon have printed the amount I now owe them is NIL.
I asked then where the other £4 odd had gone, the difference between what I have paid and what I have used.
Eon advisor says - Our billing system is only a snapshop and is not accurate!
I asked again, where's my £4 of credit?
- I was put on hold, the advisor came back and talked for 5 minutes about how this was the first full statement so was not accurate, but from now on it would be accurate to the penny (They told me this months ago when they got it wrong and the time before that, etc.)
I asked again, where's my £4 of credit?
- Put on hold again, the advisor came back and informed me that emergency credit on the meter and the £2 repayment arrangement (that she couldn't explain) must have had something to do with it.

I pointed out the simple maths:
Amount I have paid - £220
Cost of electricity used - £213
Unexplained repayment arrangement - £2
Statement balance (credit or debit) - NIL
This leaves more than £4 that I am out of pocket, unaccounted for. SO WHERE IS IT?

- On hold again for another 5 minutes, the advisor came back with great news - "As a goodwill gesture we will give you the £4 credit, which will go back on your key next time you go to the shop and quote the eight digit number I am about to give you!"
So you don't know where my credit has gone then?
- I'm giving you the £4 credit back now as a goodwill gesture
If I hadn't phoned up and asked about it, I would would be £4 out of pocket, Eon has more than 2 MILLION prepayment customers, how many more people are losing their credit?

The line stayed silent... This cannot be right I told the lady and put the phone down.

On further inspection of the statement from Eon, it no longer shows any current balance - which means if you are in credit, neither you nor Eon's advisors are able to see it.
This is worrying in itself, but begs the question, where is YOUR credit going?

It has been a week since I last posted, a week of complete madness!

Measles:
Sprog2 has been refused an appointment to see our local doctor, who then miraculously changed their mind and deemed it an emergency case and found a slot, once a rash came into the equasion!
The doctor told us the four days of anti biotics were a complete waste of time, as poor lil sprog2's "virus" was completely resistant to them.
If anything they made matters worse because they brought about vomiting and diarrhea, a factor of the anti biotics working... which was puzzling as the doctor not two minutes earlier said they were having no effect?
The rash - pin pricks of spots forming into groups all over her body and face - was the body "reacting" to the anti biotics and fighting the infection - again, despite being told that the infection was resistant to anti biotics?

We were given a stronger version of anti biotics and sent on our way. The high temperature was still there, but strangely, still on just her head, her body, legs, etc were normal body temperature, even her ears!
By the fifth day (first day of new anti biotics), the spots were in full view everywhere, the temperature disappeared, the vomiting stopped.
Clearly it was measles, I'm guessing that because the breathing difficulties were missing, measles diagnosis was missed?

Driving:
Wednesday - 240 miles round trip to Sunderland and back
Saturday - 360 miles round trip to Carsington, Derbyshire - Sunderland - back home
Sunday - 240 miles round trip to Sunderland and back

Visitors:
Rarely are we honoured with a family visit from my sister - a smaller version of me but with more facial hair.
Our kid is a bargain hunter and a master at kajoling things she can use at home. Always a hard worker, loves kids, she would give you her last penny. A real salt of the earth person.
So the prospect of her landing at our house for a couple of days was a rare treat.
Sadly for me... my sister is jinxed hehe.
Landing Wednesday night, going home Saturday, her two day break proceeded as follows;

• Wednesday - A call whilst I was at her house, telling me the chest freezer I had paid for wouldn't now be available until the following monday. After a nice sunny trip down, we got within a mile of home and it chucked it down, continuing throughout the night
• Thursday - The replacement fridge that should have been ready to collect, would not now be available until Friday, which meant that our payday and a day out would be hampered.
  A look around where we used to live was going well, until we headed back to the car, half way around our trek and got caught in a 40 minute drenching, we all had to go home and change.
  It continued to lash it down, washing out the rest of our day.
• Friday - A quick trip to the cash & carry in the van, was cut short when we only got 2 miles into the trip and the van conked out. A two hour wait for the AA to come out and fix a loose wire, Hoovergerl drove out and picked up our kid and I sat there like a plumb.
  Of course my auto electrician couldn't fix the wiring until Saturday, which meant that the fridge and freezer I was collecting couldn't now be picked up. I gave it a temporary fix and managed it, which left the kitchen looking like a complete bombsite when all the old stuff and the new stuff was moved around.
  I couldn't put anything outside as once again it poured down.
  We didn't get our day out and the pies I was supposed to buy and take up north with me on Saturday, were not bought.
  Eazylee landed for sprog1's birthday night out, but the bed that was supposed to be set up for him, was conveniently forgotten about.
• Saturday - With our kid and Ams (my niece) we headed out in the rain down to pick Mum up from her Derbyshire break and return them all to Sunderland.
  We got stuck in traffic going through Stockport so arrive 45 minutes late picking mum up.
  We stopped at one services on the way up north, to find they had closed not 10 minutes earlier (24 hour service station closing at 1pm?) - the next service station we pulled into had not a single parking space so we drove back on to the motorway, turning off at Scotch corner where I was stung for £23 for 4 burgers, fries and drinks!
• As if this wasn't enough bad luck, sprog2 was ill and gurny all the time she was here.

Of course, my driving jobs continued, at just 10 minutes notice, when sprog1, who was supposed to escort eazylee home, informed me, "I'm not fit to drive I feel terrible!"
Which of course is sprog code for, can dad do it for me because I cannot be bothered!

It worked okays though, as I took the now fixed van up with our old freezer up for our kid, that she had declared she wanted on her visit. Problem was, I only do a maximum of 65mph in the van, it was gone 4.15am before I got back home!

A sunny day today, despite only six hours kip, I got chance to mow the lawn, cut half the overgrown grass borders down, fitted two pieces of glass into the greenhouse, weed the strawberry patch ready for the new seedlings to come through and nip down to Asda for some baby bits (I did manage to pick up a couple of Christmas presentes as well!)

It's fair to say.... I am a tad tired.