Non-motoring > Bargains Thread - Volume 21   [Read only]
Thread Author: R.P. Replies: 103

 Bargains Thread - Volume 21 - R.P.

***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 22 *****

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More bargains !

Post links in here of any offers/bargains that you come across. Need not be motoring but motoring related is of course welcome.


PLEASE NOTE:-

To try and maintain some kind of logical order of discussion, if you start a new subject then reply to this post and remember to change the default subject header.


Volume 20 can be found HERE

Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 16 Nov 17 at 02:12
       
 Lidl tools. - Ted

Popped down to our local Lidl on Sunday to pick up a tap and die set. 8 each of taps&dies M3 to M12. One of each 1/4 BSF. The handles for both seem well made and there's a thread gauge as well. All presented in a nice flat metal tin. All for under £15.

There were plenty in stock, I don't suppose they're a must have with the weekend shopping for most peeps. The seem good quality and the proof will come this week as I need to cut threads on both ends of two water pump shafts for the old car, damaged by being hammered out of the casing in the past. The original thread is 1/4 BSF but if that won;t reclaim, I'll cut then back to M8

Of course, beer and vino had to be bought while I was there !

       
 Lidl tools. - sherlock47
www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?articleId=7489&ar=2

       
 Lidl tools. - Ted

That's the one ,Sherley. Even cheaper than I thought...didn't look at the bill, which had other stuff on it. Been using the M10 die today and it works admirably. A lot of 3/16 BSF threaded holes in various spare alloy engine casing I have are stripped of their threads from long ago. I can tap them to M7 just using a bolt but I'll try the tap to start them in future. Must go and get some cutting oil tomoz.
       
 Lidl tools. - DeeW
Ted, would this help a problem I have?

A friend kindly put together a bed for me, but unfortunately put one piece in the wrong way round.. and destroyed the screwtops by using a drill bit too enthusiastically on two screws that should be there and the one he added to attempt to rectify the mistake... Would like to take the bed apart and start again, but cannot remove these three screws. Nothing quite fits now
       
 Lidl tools. - Ted

Dee, I don't think a tap/die set will sort you out. Can you photo the problem close up and post on here or to my profile email. The screws should be available if they can be extracted. Some years ago I was asked by the lady across the road to help dismantle a metal bunk bed. One bolt wouldn't undo. In the end I had to use oxy/acetylene on it.

I have a large stock of fittings like screws and bolts. If not , there's an engineers supply firm nearby. I take it you're not near Manchester.
       
 Lidl tools. - Duncan
>> I have a large stock of fittings like screws and bolts. If not , there's
>> an engineers supply firm nearby. I take it you're not near Manchester.
>>

New Forest. Nice part of the world.
       
 Lidl tools. - DeeW
Ted, thank you. I have spare replacement screws ... it is the extraction of the spoilt ones that is my problem.

Have just followed Henrys link and there is a Shed group not that far away, so might stop creaking soon ;-)

Duncan thank you Sir, indeed a lovely part of the world.

       
 Lidl tools. - henry k
Dee
If you contact this organisation you might get help or a pointer to solving your screw up..

menssheds.org.uk/find-a-shed/
Just input your post code for the nearest group.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - henry k
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-5060213/Experts-say-chains-steal-customers-other.html

A free Waitrose coffee,or two, is an even better bargain.
SWMBO enjoys them so an even bigger bonus/ brownie points.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Manatee
According to latest research, the average Brit spends more than £2,000 a year in coffee shops.

Cobblers. But some people do.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - smokie
Yup, when I worked in Canary Wharf we used to take it in turns to "do" the coffee shop and a round used to cost a small fortune (about 6 - 8 of us). Evened out though as everyone got "their share".

(It had the usual problem with drinking in rounds, that some need their next drink considerably before others, so you often ended up drinking at a faster pace than you wanted, or skipping if you were full, or had a long journey home with few facilities, as I did!!)
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
thats about 570 cups. 10 a week.

But if you add grub, like a pastry, thats 6 quid. And if you take your wife thats 12 quid. thats 166 visits a year, 3.2 visits a week.

Not so unlikely now, if fact for me, thats about right.

       
 Coffee from well known sources - CGNorwich
I guess it's not too far out for me too. Spend a lot more on coffee than I do on petrol.

Coffee shops are one of the better innovations of modern life.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Manatee
>> thats about 570 cups. 10 a week.
>>
>> But if you add grub, like a pastry, thats 6 quid. And if you take
>> your wife thats 12 quid. thats 166 visits a year, 3.2 visits a week.
>>
>> Not so unlikely now, if fact for me, thats about right.

For you yes. But not for the "average Brit". 40 million adults? £2,000? That's £80bn sales a year.

The market was estimated at just under £9bn in 2016.

The number of times I visit one in a year is in single figures, and that is probably true for a majority.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
I would never insult you by calling you a majority M. Seriously I'm guessing you dont visit travel or shop in towns much. For the 8 million that live in London, or similar conurbations, that figure is about right.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - CGNorwich
Although the article refers to coffee shops I think you have to include everywhere thatserves the stuff. Coffe shops, traditional cafe, motorway services, department store, book shops, pubs etc.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - sooty123
This article is a little old but it suggests £8bn total sales which include pubs etc. Around half that is branded coffee chains.

www.fdin.org.uk/2014/01/uk-coffee-shop-market-demonstrates-strong-sales-growth/
       
 Coffee from well known sources - No FM2R
>>£2,000 a year

About £10 a working day? Even every day its still over a fiver.

And what does a Starbucks coffee cost in the UK? couple of quid?

       
 Coffee from well known sources - tyrednemotional
....though the wording is "the average Brit" (WTF is that?), not "Brit's on average".....

Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Wed 8 Nov 17 at 16:00
       
 Coffee from well known sources - No FM2R
>> ....though the wording is "the average Brit" (WTF is that?), not "Brit's on average".....


About that apostrophe, are you quite happy with that?
       
 Coffee from well known sources - tyrednemotional
....on average, yes ;-)
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Stuartli
>>And what does a Starbucks coffee cost in the UK? couple of quid?>>

Doesn't matter what it costs, it's absolutely awful. What's more, Costa coffee is beginning to go the same way....:-(
       
 Coffee from well known sources - bathtub tom
I've found Subway coffee to be quite palatable.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
>> I've found Subway coffee to be quite palatable.

because of the smell that eminates from a subway, i cant even pass the door let alone go inside
       
 Coffee from well known sources - No FM2R
I don't like the prices, but the coffee is not awful. And sometimes I quite enjoy the environment.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Lygonos
>>Doesn't matter what it costs, it's absolutely awful. What's more, Costa coffee is beginning to go the same way....:-(

I go to these chaps in Edinburgh when I get a chance - cakes are fabulously diabetogenic too...

www.coffee-angel.co.uk/

and these guys are good too, especially for washing down a tasty kebab (sorry NoFM2R) from Palmyra a couple of doors away

www.blackmed.co.uk/

www.palmyrapizza.co.uk/?responsive
Last edited by: Lygonos on Wed 8 Nov 17 at 22:30
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Bromptonaut
>> Cobblers. But some people do.

The average wage in UK is reported to be £27k. Spending nearly 10% of your gross income in coffee shops is, as you say, cobblers.

Maybe people with coffee shop loyalty cards spend that much. Probably spent a fiver a day myself when working in London albeit on lunchtime food rather than coffee from local Eat, Pret or Sainsbury Metro.

About same now on a working day now but Greggs not premium and that's Brekky and Lunch.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 8 Nov 17 at 22:03
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Fullchat
Gotta confess I got a Costa habit then went off it. Surprisingly I find McDs toffee latte quite acceptable and cheaper. Trouble is its full of kids :)
McDs in Germany have their McCafes which run alongside their heart attack inducing products. They supply fresh bean coffees and of course the cakes. Would give the chains a run for their money if they expanded over here.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Stuartli
Nowt wrong with Greggs. Been using them for 30 or more years....:-)
      1  
 Coffee from well known sources - VxFan
>> Cobblers. But some people do.

I imagine people in other trades besides shoe mending spend varying amounts on coffee ;)
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Duncan
>> According to latest research, the average Brit spends more than £2,000 a year in coffee
>> shops.



How did they arrive at that figure for the average Brit?

Take total coffee shop sales and divide by the number in the population? Somehow I don't think so.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Duncan
>> According to latest research, the average Brit spends more than £2,000 a year in coffee
>> shops.


Well, according to Mintel:-

tinyurl.com/y78kqvxb (is her name really Trish Caddy?)

We (The Brits) spent 3.4 billion pounds in coffee shops in 2016, divide that figure by, say, 50 million for the rough size of the population and one arrives at a figure of 680 quid per person, per year. Which is very roughly one third of the quoted figure.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Manatee
3.4bn/50m = £68 actually.

Using a figure of 8.9 billion for the market size (presumably includes other comestibles) and a more conservative 40 million adults gives £223.

www.ukcoffeeleadersummit.com/yet-growth-uk-coffee-shop-market-coffee-shops-become-new-local/

Neither figure is anywhere near £2,000.
Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 9 Nov 17 at 08:12
       
 Coffee from well known sources - R.P.
It would be around £45.00 a week on coffee ! If you didn't become bankrupt you'd be a diabetic insomniac suffering from kidney disease. What nonsense.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Duncan
>> 3.4bn/50m = £68 actually.

Yes, I was waiting to see who would be the first to spot that!
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Duncan

>> A free Waitrose coffee,or two, is an even better bargain.
>>

I don't think they are free.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Clk Sec
>> I don't think they are free.

Depends how you look at it.

Called in when I was passing last Friday for my usual punt on the National Lottery, and no additional charge was levied for the coffee on that occasion.

Of course, one does need to spend a few pennies to qualify.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - henry k
>> A free Waitrose coffee,or two, is an even better bargain.
>>
>>>>I don't think they are free.
>>>>Depends how you look at it.
>>>>Of course, one does need to spend a few pennies to qualify.

As I regularly shop in Waitrose they do appear to be free to me .
They even send me a quarterly report of what I have saved on coffee and newspapers.
To avoid any adverse comments I do visit the checkout twice with my loyalty cards when I obtain my coffee "cup". Unlike some I can afford the time.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Ted

Had a very nice toasted teacake and a cup of tea in one of our two local M&S food places this morning. About £3.50. Half an hour spent watching the stunning 50 something lady going about her cookery duties and trying not to make it obvious she fancied the pants off me. Well worth the money. No approach, though...mebbe next time !...sigh.

While mentioning teacakes, why is it when you order what turns out to be the crumbliest scone on God's earth, the butter always comes out of the freezer, via the fridge, leading to spreading misery ? Can't they anticipate how much they'll need when shutting shop the day before. I end up putting my hot cup on top off the frozen butter pats. ( as long as they're wrapped ).
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
In my typical small suburban Surrey commuting belt town surrounded by golf courses we have 4 coffee houses

one is an established mafia money laundering operation, a costa, an artisan coffee house, an artisan patisserie, and one just opening that will be an artisan deli and coffee house.

Oh and a coffee shop in the station that is only open on morning rush hour.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 9 Nov 17 at 14:01
       
 Coffee from well known sources - hjd
>> Oh and a coffee shop in the station that is only open on morning rush
>> hour.

Are you referring to W.B.? If so you can apparently also get a cup of coffee at Waitrose. Costa will shortly be moving to a portacabin or some such during building works.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 10 Nov 17 at 02:12
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero

>> Are you referring to W.B.?

I am

>>If so you can apparently also get a cup of
>> coffee at Waitrose.

you can


>>Costa will shortly be moving to a portacabin or some such during
>> building works.

No-one is quite sure if when and in what form the building works will take place.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - VxFan
>> Half an hour spent watching the stunning 50 something lady going about her cookery duties

Were her buns ok ;)
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Ted

Yum !
       
 Coffee from well known sources - BiggerBadderDave
'Half an hour spent watching the stunning 50 something lady going about her cookery duties and trying not to make it obvious she fancied the pants off me. Well worth the money.'

Top man, Ted. Absolutely. And that's why I never bother with all that delivery malarky.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - R.P.
They've just opened a massive Aldi in our local town. Maybe one day we'll get a Waitrose...we had one on Anglesey.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - tyrednemotional
>> Maybe one day we'll get a Waitrose...we had one on Anglesey.
>>

....that's John Llewis for you........
       
 Coffee from well known sources - R.P.
There is a very nice one in Chester (and a Waitrose)...
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Dog
Nice new Waitrose in Truro now doncha know. Did our first shop there last week and going back again this week. The fresh produce is much better than the stuff from where the great unwashed frequent but, I wont be buying their pink grapefruit again, being it is Israeli (Jaffa).
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Old Navy
>> I wont be buying their pink grapefruit again,
>> being it is Israeli (Jaffa).
>>

I didn't realise that antisemitism applied to grapefruit.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
>> Nice new Waitrose in Truro now doncha know. Did our first shop there last week
>> and going back again this week. The fresh produce is much better than the stuff
>> from where the great unwashed frequent but, I wont be buying their pink grapefruit again,
>> being it is Israeli (Jaffa).

Well me ole fruit hound, As you voted to get us out of the EU you are going to have to put up with produce from Israel or die of starvation

Price worth paying and all that
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Dog
The Waitrose blueberries came from Zimbabwe - BIG mothers they were, and oh-so sweet (better than Polish!)

*If* we leave the EU, more produce from Africa will find its way into our supermarkets, and that can only be a good thing.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Stuartli
>> They've just opened a massive Aldi in our local town. >>

Aldi are about to build a second in my town - the original is a big store and was enlarged a couple of years ago.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Bromptonaut
>> Aldi are about to build a second in my town

We've recently got third - hollowed out from what was previously the 'trade' section of B&Q.

Second (motoring connection) was on site of former Citroen and Saab dealerships and opened about 5 years ago.

Two further Lidls, now also three in total, were acquired in a similar timescale.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Ted

Our nearest Aldi ( of 4 ) is a real grothole with not much parking. They've just opened a much bigger one in a newish retail estate about 300 yds away. The old one is or will be shut. The new one is next door to my voyeur base M&S and is a couple of units away from a Food Warehouse ( Iceland ). Just down the A56 is a monster Tecso which is also a picking centre for the vans. Opposite that is a modern building which used to be a PC World. They closed and went into Currys opposite the M&S. Now the old PC World is going to be a Lidl. Anyone for musical supermarkets ? There must be at least 5 places on there where you can buy a lounge suite ! Who buys them all and why do you never see suites advertised on telly ?

That'll be 4 Lidls within striking distance. At least, I won't have to drive 5 miles to the Cheadle Hulme one to stock up me booze shed !

As an aside, I thought Zero was a Southern sort of lad. Now I hear he lives in West Bromwich ! Supporter of the Baggies, Z ?
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero

>> As an aside, I thought Zero was a Southern sort of lad. Now I hear
>> he lives in West Bromwich ! Supporter of the Baggies, Z ?

Different WB you northern bum Ted!
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Ted

Hell, I like you Z. You can come over to my house and **** my sister !

FMJ.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Zero
At least I would have the decency to give you a reach around Ted.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - Ted

I shall look forward to that.
       
 Coffee from well known sources - sooty123
Getting our first lidl in town, there's only aldi, tesco and asda there. I think it's due open before Christmas. Although I'm surprised they've not moved in before now.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Roger.
Following a link from the weekly Money Saving Expert email and using their negotiated code, I've just ordered two pairs of prescription spectacles from Glasses Direct for £15 the pair, including delivery.
These are just for reading, with no fancy extras, using the NHS free test and prescription I obtained today from Specsavers. (I scanned and sent the prescription by email and paid by Paypal)
OK: they aren't fancy, but I calculated I would be hard put to buy two pairs of off the shelf supermarket glasses for that, so the risk was well worth it.
Last edited by: Roger. on Fri 10 Nov 17 at 16:26
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Duncan
>> Following a link from the weekly Money Saving Expert email and using their negotiated code,
>> I've just ordered two pairs of prescription spectacles from Glasses Direct for £15 the pair,
>> including delivery.

Well, I bought two pairs of glasses, nothing fancy, just reading glasses for £2.

Now - what was the name of the shop. Wait, wait, they were a pound each? The chain has loads of shops up and down the land. A pound? That's cheap?

Can anyone jog my memory?
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - No FM2R
Woolworths?
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Zero

>> Now - what was the name of the shop. Wait, wait, they were a pound
>> each? The chain has loads of shops up and down the land. A pound? That's
>> cheap?

If you cant read the sign outside the shop, then clearly its not reading glasses you need.

www.specsavers.co.k
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - R.P.
Hahahaha. When we were down West Wales on our hols found a £1.20 shop in Aberaeron. Unbelievable emporium. Not much for £1.20 or less though
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - VxFan
Bloke at work needed new glasses. Went online and found a pair for £5.99 (inc. delivery) from someone in China. Sent off his eye test results with the order and several weeks later they turned up. Said they were the best pair of glasses he ever had, and the quality was better than the £100 pair he'd previously bought.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Roger.
I KNOW that there is more to the cost of a pair of prescription glasses than may be apparent, but the prices charged for a bit of metal and plastic, which is all frames are, is beyond parody.
It would be more transparent if the only techy bit - the actual eye test and making of the lenses was charged out at a price reflecting cost and a fair profit, with a few pence worth of frame being sold at a price more nearly indicative of the minute cost of manufacture.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - zippy
.>> I KNOW that there is more to the cost of a pair of prescription glasses
>> than may be apparent, but the prices charged for a bit of metal and plastic,
>> which is all frames are, is beyond parody.
>> It would be more transparent if the only techy bit - the actual eye test
>> and making of the lenses was charged out at a price reflecting cost and a
>> fair profit, with a few pence worth of frame being sold at a price more
>> nearly indicative of the minute cost of manufacture.
>>

Yes, especially when you realise the "fashion brands" don't make the glasses themselves. They licence their names to the big high street brands that get £200 frames made for £5 in China! The fashion brands do have right to veto designs if they don't suit.

The lenses are all pre-made to set prescriptions in large disks and cut to fit the frame.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Zero

>> The lenses are all pre-made to set prescriptions in large disks and cut to fit
>> the frame.

I can assure you that my lightweight titanium frameless glasses are NOT made in china. Nor are the very optically complex varifocal lenses a "set prescription in a large disk cut to fit the frame"
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
How are the lenses made? Being a type of plastic I rather suspect they must be individually molded to the specification but how is the mold made? Do you know any details of the process?
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - zippy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ykG84__vs

My client had two parts to their business. Firstly a frames manufacturer. They would licence names of big fashion brands, design frames and get the designs approved by the fashion house. The frames used to be made in the UK but manufacturing was shipped out to the Far East years ago for a few Pounds per frame.

Lenses used to be made to order but that changed when some large multinationals got in to the business and made lenses in bulk.

Standard single vision lenses are made to standard prescriptions (with more made for the more common ones). They are oversized disks which the local supplier then cuts to size to fit the frames.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
How are complex prescription varifocals made? I assume they are still individally madebut how? Are the molded individually as I supposed or are they ground from a blank? ther must be some very expensive precision machinery involved
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - smokie
There had a be a YouTube and here is one...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCjGNUPO0WU

That is, I think, for single lenses. I've no idea if it's he method they all use.

I didn't bother searching for varifocals, Seems to me they would be more complex but there is probably a llimit to the combinations of strengths in any lens. As any wearer knows, the more you pay the wider your field of view etc etc.

was typing this as Zero added his latest
Last edited by: smokie on Sun 12 Nov 17 at 12:59
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Zero
I can assure you my lightweight titanium frameless glasses with a complex varifocal lens are not made in china, nor are the lenses made of stamped out standard prescriptions.


As far as how the lenses are made,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDbEmjfkiU

And being made to a unique specification for each prescription, you don't get these made for a couple of Yuan for a back street Shanghai factory.

       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
That is interesting. Some very expensive kit involved

Amazing that Specavers can actually knock out two pairs of varifocal lenses from £118
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Stuartli
I have two friends that served their time with local opticians. Eventually they opened their own business making the glasses ordered by customers using the local "big name" opticians.

it took a while but eventually they realised that they were doing all the real work whilst the opticians were charging fancy prices for the glasses they had produced for them.

So they opened their own optician's outlet and have never looked back since.

Nice when you see the light....:-)

I recently bought two pairs of reading glasses through Amazon (Foster Grants and a pair from a Chinese manufacturer) which cost me £23 delivered.

Both are excellent, with the Chinese brand also coming with a case and cleaning cloth. Good though the Poundland glasses prove, these are even better.

       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - smokie
I sometimes wonder, Stuart, whether you ever made a bad choice or purchase!! :-)
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Stuartli
>> I sometimes wonder, Stuart, whether you ever made a bad choice or purchase!! :-)>>

Research, dear boy and taking others' advice on board...:-) :-)
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - henry k
>> And being made to a unique specification for each prescription, you don't get these made
>> for a couple of Yuan for a back street Shanghai factory.
>>
We have never bought cheap specs and always bought the best available and today my varifocals are also in Titanium frames.

Moorfields is our guide and now that one of daughters great friends is a consultant there we get even more attention. We facilitated my godson getting his eyes sorted at Moorfields when his local hospital said no more could be done.
Eyes are too precious and one of our top priorities for funds.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
Cheap or dear if they are made to your prescription they will do the job.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Zero
Not at all, cheap and optical quality do not go hand in hand
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
They will both do the job. If the glass are simple lenses then the user is not going to find any real difference between those produced by the cheapest and dearest makes .

Varifocal lenses are different in that the more expensive lenses may give additional benefits on the periphery of your vision. They are more complex to manufacture and thus more expensive. The cheaper version will still do the job, perhaps not as satisfactorily from the users perspective as the expensive pair but neither will harm you eyesight in any way
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Zero
you just carry on ignoring the phrase "optical quality" then, I assume you dont wear glasses all the time?
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 12 Nov 17 at 20:25
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - commerdriver
The cheap glasses fans also ignore the wight and thickness of the lenses where you have, like me, an extremely strong prescription for the weaker eye.
Old adage, still often true - You get what you pay for.
We have more opportunity now to reduce costs but always to go for the cheapest option rarely gets the Best Buy.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - CGNorwich
indeed if you want thin lenses for cosmetic or weight reasons you will need to pay a little more. Specsavers will do you the very thinnest lenses for £50 extra. The standard thin lenses are free.


www.specsavers.co.uk/offers/free-thin-and-light-lenses
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - Manatee
>> The cheap glasses fans also ignore the wight and thickness of the lenses where you
>> have, like me, an extremely strong prescription for the weaker eye.
>> Old adage, still often true - You get what you pay for.

Often, but nor always. And if you are minus 9 like the distaff side of our family, go for face to face dispensing. But you can get thin lenses etc online. Like estate agents, opticians are discovering that expensive premises are unnecessary. Internet aside, there's a dispenser near me on an industrial estate and my local Costco isn't bad.
       
 Two pair of specs for £15 ! - commerdriver
Some things , like nice frames I am happy to pay a bit more for, similarly I trust the place I have been using for the last 25-30 years so I am happy to pay a bit more to go there.
It's all about choices, like many things in life.
In my case I have worn glasses every waking hour since I was 5 so they are important to me.
       
 Data SIM for your tablet - smokie
On Amazon only, Three are doing a deal for pre-paid data SIM. There are various flavours but the one which caught my eye was 24Gb which lasts 24 months for £39.99. That is much cheaper than my "cheap" deal with Virgin (£5+ pm), which is for SWMBOs iPad which rarely leaves the house WiFi anyway. I think it would come with the usual European (and US, in Three's case) roaming.

It is data only though. And it's been much cheaper. And it looks like they've run out of stock since I ordered, but you can order one now for when they are in again.

tinyurl.com/ycqksr5h
Last edited by: smokie on Wed 15 Nov 17 at 10:00
       
 Data SIM for your tablet - VxFan
>> That is much cheaper than my "cheap" deal with Virgin (£5+ pm),

Is that for 1GB per month?

I pay £4.94 a month for 1GB of data for my MI-FI device from a company called Globalgig, who piggy back off the 3 network, and therefore cheaper.

uk.globalgig.com/

uk.globalgig.com/assets/globalgig-mbb-service-description.pdf
       
 Data SIM for your tablet - smokie
I'm payng a fiver-something with Virgin for a gig. Never really thought about it till today, I've had it over 2 years now I reckon. I originally went with Virgin as they gave me by far the best price for a data sim, presumably as I had all my home stuff and two mobiles with them.

The new Three one gives you 24Gb to use over 2 years, if you use it up early you can just buy more or get a different deal, maybe better by then. I guess if you reach the 2 years with some left that is lost.

I imagine data usage generally will rise as people use devices more to stream media etc. But SWMBOs iPad is still not that likely to be far from WiFi when she needs it.

It works out about £1.60 a month for equivalent 1Gb.

Last though a mate has a MiFi device which he takes away and he has a SIM in that. Gets him connectivity for all his devices without faffing about trying to work with some crappy hotel WiFi. Might ask for one for Crimbo, with one of these SIMs!!
Last edited by: smokie on Wed 15 Nov 17 at 12:10
       
 Google Home £79 or less - smokie
Internet is awash with this device on offer today. Usually mroe like £129. Might go even cheaper on Black Friday. I don't think I need one but at that price I've ordered one anyway.

John Lewis tinyurl.com/y77k5fwh has 2 year warranty

Also Argos, BT Shop, Currys and elsewhere.

Also the Mini is down around the £34 mark.
       
 ECP 50% off pads and disks today only - madf
Code Flash50

Till tonight 9pm.
Cheapest I have seen - bought front pads (Brembo) for Jazz at under £26..dirt cheap

Targetted I suspect at Carpart4Less who are having some supply problems.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Roger.
I've gulped, hesitated, dithered, but finally jumped and bought my first item from Gearbest.
A quite nice looking pair of shoes, which from the pictures may be good for driving as they seem to be lightweight.

tinyurl.com/ycyddf5c

(The advert is showing, for me, on this page of C4P)

Delivery is quoted as 18 to 25 days via unregistered post.
I'm risking under twenty quid, so if all goes pear shaped, it's not the end of the world.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - R.P.
Look away Humph.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Runfer D'Hills
I don't actually have the words.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Zero
>> I don't actually have the words.

May I suggest "Special Needs"?
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - No FM2R
>> I don't actually have the words.
>

I bet you do. But I doubt the swear filter would let you use them.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Roger.
:-)
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - CGNorwich
All sorts of goodies on that site. These are subtle.

www.gearbest.com/casual-shoes/pp_668202.html
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Zero
>> All sorts of goodies on that site. These are subtle.
>>
>> www.gearbest.com/casual-shoes/pp_668202.html

Humph likes yellow boots

www.gearbest.com/casual-shoes/pp_618656.html


Oh no, sorry, its red now init

www.gearbest.com/men-s-boots/pp_997515.html
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Roger.
>> All sorts of goodies on that site. These are subtle.
>>
>> www.gearbest.com/casual-shoes/pp_668202.html
>>
I'm looking for very lightweight shoes for driving, not for fashion, as my feet lack some feeling and I need more feedback than "normal" shoes usually give.
I can manage to drive perfectly well with ordinary shoes, (automatic car) but more feedback from the only two pedals I have would be nice.
       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - tyrednemotional
...if you're looking for good feedback, I think you're getting plenty of the same....

       
 Gearbest - Cheap shoes! - Roger.
>> ...if you're looking for good feedback, I think you're getting plenty of the same....
>>
>>
>>
Ho,Ho !
       
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