Friday 22 September 2017

Freebies, Frugal Measures and Frugal Fails 16

This last couple of weeks I haven't had too much time to concentrate on living frugally, as I've been out of the house for most of every day, working at the CS.  However, a few frugal and not so frugal things have occurred, quite a few with a timekeeping theme to them.

Frugal Measures and Freebies

1 - I got a free ride to work the other day as the Oyster reader on the bus wasn't working.  Result.

2 - I used a £4 off a £40 spend voucher at Tesco this week when grocery shopping.

3 - I received a bunch of £8 off a £40 spend vouchers from Waitrose through the post, so I may be diverting part of my weekly grocery shop there for the next few weeks. Having said this, I do find this store to be more expensive for many things, so I shop very selectively there.

4 - After another watch failure this week, I managed to dig out an old Swatch watch which had stopped working after I'd worn it to the gym and it had got sweaty.  As it was a nice watch in otherwise very good condition, I stored it away and when I got it out again, it seemed to have dried out and once a new battery was put in it, it worked a treat, so I didn't have to buy a new watch. I've learned my lesson wearing watches at the gym.  I take them off now to preserve them.

Frugal Fails

1 - I needed to order a new natural concealer last week and the only place I could find the one I use was on Amazon.  Unfortunately, my usual source, who doesn't charge for postage, has stopped selling the brand I use, so I was forced incur Amazon's £2.75 postal charges which hurt. I think that I will either have to find another brand to use or a new supplier in the future.

2 - Three months after purchasing a lifetime watch battery warranty from Timpson's for £20, it has been rendered useless. After two months with a new battery, my watch stopped working again.  I got the battery replaced under the warranty, but was told that if it stopped working again, the watch would have to have a service (costing who knows how much!).  Anyway, lo and behold two weeks later my watch stopped working again. As I only paid £16 or so for the watch, I'm not paying out more money to get it serviced, so I'll be disposing of it.  The up side to this story is as previously mentioned in the Frugal Measures section. The moral of this story - don't buy cheap watches!

3 - OH ordered an alarm clock from Amazon over a week before we went on holiday to France.  It hadn't come by the time we went away, so we thought it would get left with neighbours.  Sadly, the delivery agent left it on the doorstep whilst we were away and someone helped themselves to it.  I then had to buy another alarm clock, as I needed one for work.


3 comments:

  1. How annoying about the alarm clock!

    I've had lots of vouchers through the post recently, quite a few of the Waitrose ones you mentioned but also some not-too-bad ones from Sainsbury's, they're trying to entice me back as I've been shopping elsewhere recently. £4.50 off £30 is worth using, especially as the mylk we use is on special offer so we can stock up.

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    Replies
    1. I agree that those sort of discounts are definitely worth taking advantage of, especially when you would probably shop there anyway and even when you wouldn't sometimes.

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  2. I never seem to manage to keep a watch working. I think there is something in my body which interferes with the battery. Glad you found one that is working once again.

    God bless.

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