MOB rants - Page 24

Derek, I pay no tax on my interest.  If you pick the right one, interest is paid in full.  Once again, not very 'up' on these things. I get very confused with all the savings accounts there are these days.  Wish I could go back to little Post Office account days - things were so simple then. 

The DIRT is taken from your interest before you get it

Derek

We are taxed on the interest on our savings, which doesn't amount to much these days! ISAs are not taxed. I was told that in Ireland you pay no tax on the first ten thousand pounds and then half of everything. Don't know if it is true, really.

Don't really want to rant about tax, though, because the west is in big trouble and I'll be content if things stay stable and we don't get more economic collapse. Cheery soul, aren't I?

Yes you are ,

Derek

If you have it you pay tax on it end of story, think about it when you next vote.

Rant:- Self service check outs, what do I think of them? @#=#+'/\@@## to put it very mildly. Tospots were the first to remove the lovely friendly staff and put them in, I dodged them like the plague until one day with a full trolley one of the girls said come on I will put them through for you and there by hangs a tale!! of unmitigated disaster.
It was not reading some of the bar codes and the dam things talk to you all the time, it turned out she could not read the small bar-code so I read them (two very good eye's) and she put them in although there seems to be a time limit so I would read them again. We ended up with another helper, me still reading bar codes and a small pile of goods that would not go through, meanwhile the long queue I would have been in had vanished. Three weary people finally got some of the goods into my bags, worn out nerves shredded and me swearing first and last time, she wanted to drop the discarded goods into my bag and I pointed out there were camera's watching our every move so not a good idea. Then you have the checkout police who jump on the self checkers turn it all out and put it through again how would that make you feel, it would be my last time in that shop.
NOW M&S have put them in, Thursday the queues at the fewer checkouts were down the aisles and two people in the self service bit, I give up, how can that system be better than a freindly person a smile and a bit of chat whilst rapidly packing it all away. At one time I did time and motion study, nothing in that training tells me this is a better system.

Frank.

Morning Frank It is not a better system I hate them as well, but and here's the the rub you only buy the machine once it will run 24/7 where as if you had people  , 3 shift cycle Tax , Pay ,Holidays  , Sick leave

Derek

Ah, that's why I do on-line shopping. Sit in the comfort of your own home, a few clicks and, hey presto, nice delivery man at your door with all your goodies.  Even brings them into your kitchen for you. What more could you ask for. 

I find these days that the friendly chat at the checkout is disappearing and the monotonous recording has taken it's place, ie, 'Sorry to have kept you waiting'. 'Do you want bags, would you like help with the packing', etc.  Then those dreaded words, 'Enjoy the rest of your day'. It's not the assistants' fault. Blame the top dogs.

Did try the self service checkout in Morrisons a couple of times, but never again.  I felt such a fool as I felt I was doing everything wrong.  I do agree that all the staff in these shops are only doing their best but have management breathing down their necks.  They have to say all the things they do, company policy and they also have to get customers through as fast as possible.  Have forgotten now how many in what amount of time it is now.  M&S assistant told me this.

My local B&Q is entirely self service.  Needless to say, I no longer use it preferring to travel a bit further where they still have proper tills.  For how long though, I wonder.

I have sunshine!

Hi, all. I am terrified of self-service checkouts and would not even try to use them. I do find that the checkout staff are now trained to be friendly and ask you about your day. I had a lovely chat to the young man in Tesco this morning by asking him about himself and I came out feeling cheerful. It is all about price really, isn't it? People do want the cheapest supermarket and the competition is intense.

I use online shopping sometimes, but quite enjoy the jaunt to the supermarket and the exercise involved in walking around an enormous store. I suppose it is a bit sad! The most exciting thiing likely to happen to me today is that visit to Tesco...

Hi GG.  I used to like the spontaneous chat at the checkout.  By the time they have got all the speil out it's time out.  I usually manage to find an assistant, or anybody for that matter, on the shop floor to strike up a conversation with. Last week, it was two young female students from local college who asked me what was the best steak for grilling.  Said what I thought then we went to the butcher to ask his views.  There's always someone to chat to and it is my favourite pasttime.

Good Afternoon, Oh ? bring back the days of each item having it's own price label on it I can't read bar codes. you go to a shop be it hard wear store or supermarket you queue for the check out and discover that the item is dearer than what was labeled and I am not prepared to pay the difference . @ 56 I'm getting to feel like my Grandad ,Grumpy

Derek

Got a call out to Daughters just after posting the morning rant, could I baby sit the house as a parcel was expected, Got home at quarter to four and still no parcel.
Rant 2, in this day and age of all things computerised surely the parcels firms could give a time to say within two hours, the spy in the cab tells the office exactly where the truck is so could advise whether they would be on time or not.
When my oven was delivered before Christmas I was phoned the night before and given a rough time, next day the driver phoned and said half an hour OK and they were spot on, why some and not others I ask.
Derek at 56 you are still a youngster and should not have time to rant, your life should be full of climbing mountains, swimming lakes then cycling twenty miles, bird watching and I do not mean the flying kind, now I am old enough to be grumpy.

Frank.

Any age is good for a rant Frank.  Keep going Derek and you are still a young man!

I hate the delivery companies that give you any time between 8-6.  'Can't you be a bit more specific'.  'Sorry, no.'  Thanks a bundle.  I believe a lot is to do with what couriers are used. Some are better than others.  I find that most of the couriers I have dealings with operate a tracking system where you can check on line when and the approximate time for delivery. Now Tesco grocery deliveries are spot on.  Always show up within the allotted hour so you know exactly where you are. 

I have found with those firms that won't give you a time, they are sometimes willing to ask the driver to ring you on the day and tell you a rough time. It is so unrealistic in this day and age to expect someone to stay in all day. Times have changed!

Due to my policy of not advertising for the Supermarkets or anything else actually I have my own names for them. Tospots, S&M, More reasons Saint berry, Cohops, Waiters arose (throw off your ties to the skimpy meals in artisticly small piles on large blocks of wood) "oops" got carried away then.
I was castigated once for using Tospots although it was a friend who had worked there for years told me the staff called it that at times.
I do a history board locally and the cries for bringing back the shops of what was once a fine old market town are long and pleading. The same people shop out of town as parking is free they can park in front of where they need to shop and our local Tospots is a super one packed daily as it is all in one shop, the town is empty, nowhere near the shops to park and they charge.
Now many people shop on line, my daughters included but moan about the town going down the river, well yes, town centres unused will become redundant and I for one will miss them and yet "a big yet" shopping at the supermarket at my age is a boon, plus the local village butcher and the farm shop all within a very short distance, so I am also guilty.
Well that turned into a good old rant did it not.
There is your answer Lyn we probably shop at the same places, where else is there and you got me ranting, not good for the blood pressure.

Frank.

Life is strange ,you have jogged a memory tea cards Lyons Gold label Tea in the days when tea making was an art form and not what it is now "boil water ,put in mug with a t-bag squeeze it add milk and sugar to taste ,no I don't drink tea just coffee and as it comes black , do you remember the cut outs  that used to be on the back of corn flake boxes my Mam would collect all of them cut them out and pin them to the cupboard doors .

Derek

You don't have to use teabags and you don't have to use selfservice checkouts. I hate self service checkouts too and I make a point of not using them. There are too many people unemployed already so I do my bit to keep local jobs.  I am an occassional drinker as in i can't recall the last occassion so I buy good coffee and good tea, and butter, For the small saving you get from instant coffee and margarine it's not worth bothering with, tastes revolting once your used to the real stuff.  Food generally comes fresh or frozen or fresh then frozen. I over  prepare veg and freeze the excess. Processed food is junk and you eat better and cheaper when you can prepare from natural ingredients. I'm in Ireland and here it costs to have your bins emptied so I don't bother any cans get washed out most packaging goes on my fire and helps keep me warm at night. Coffee grounds and tealeaves go into the soil. Every so often I take a trip to the recycling bins and recycle my bottles and cans.  Blimey this is quite theraputic