Earn double Clubcard points at Tesco when you scan the app

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• vol says:

  15 Feb15 February 08:59

  OT: 400 additional membership rewards for £400 spend just popped up on my free Amex MR card.

  …it’s a bit stingy but it’s better than nothing I suppose 😀

  vol x

  • BJ says:

    15 Feb15 February 10:33

    1 extra point per pound which is way better than most got.

    • Harry T says:

      15 Feb15 February 10:43

      Yes, I would have to spend £5500 to get an extra 1500 MR!

      • Shoestring says:

        15 Feb15 February 10:53

        …worth £15

• Billy says:

  15 Feb15 February 09:07

  Gatwick Express is a joke. Needs to be incorporated back into Southern and have at least one stop at either East Croydon or Clapham Junction.

  The trains are always empty. When London is crying out for extra capacity on trains this would be an easy win.

  • Dan says:

    15 Feb15 February 09:11

    The fact that it is unnecessary more expensive when compared to Southern and Thameslink really doesn’t help when the journey time on Gatwick express is only around 10 mins more.

    Gatwick Express always seems to be rip-off to me as I use the service to travel to/from Gatwick and Brighton.

    • Lady London says:

      15 Feb15 February 11:25

      I am not looking forward to these works starting. Landing at Gatwick on a weekend night is a nightmare as it is very, very frequently with anything from long delays to complete meltdowns and the chaos of them only offering a service from Redhill and bussing everyone there. The later your plane lands in the evening especially on a Sunday the more likely your journey to where you’re going in London is going to take closer to 4 hours than 1 and a half.

      For sure Thameslink services will also be very affected.

      As that is BAU now then this will be a cluster**c*. I’d think of changing all my flights to Luton instead if Luton wasn’t….Luton.

      • Dan says:

        15 Feb15 February 13:26

        I can’t for the life of me work out why the service is so bad when there are effectively 3 options to go from London-Gatwick-Brighton. Surely with that much choice and competition, the standard would be higher.

        I agree 100% with the weekend statement. If the trains go AWOL (i.e. a leaf landing on the track), the whole network is down – which kind of says more about our public transport infrastructure more than anything else.

        • Lady London says:

          15 Feb15 February 13:44

          Yes I have got really sick of landing at Gatwick at 11pm on a Sunday night, should reach my place in London by 1am latest, and limping in through the door at 3am or even later to start work on Monday morning.

          And that’s now before these works even start.

        • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

          15 Feb15 February 16:52

          There’s no competition. Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink are all operated by the same company.

• A270 says:

  15 Feb15 February 09:49

  I have a double clubcard point paper voucher. Will using that as well as scanning clubcard from app give me more, less or same points?

  • Peter K says:

    15 Feb15 February 10:58

    Try it and see 😁

• maccymac says:

  15 Feb15 February 09:54

  OT: Valentines Day KLM offer – Long Haul – £40 off Economy, £125 off Business.

• Anna says:

  15 Feb15 February 09:56

  OT – advice please! I have booked a weekend break in London for the first weekend in May (not changeable). Originally we were going to return on the bank holiday Monday but due to government tinkering it’s not a bank holiday any more and we have to come back Sunday night.
  Looking at rail options, there is going to be major disruption that weekend and travelling via either Preston or Manchester will take nearly 5 hours and involve multiple changes.
  Flights from MAN to LHR are available at decent cash rates, and also with avios, but the hassle factor then is getting to and from central London from LHR. It’s feeling a bit like swings and roundabouts! What do other readers think who go from LHR into the city (we’ve not done this for about 8 years).

  • Stu N says:

    15 Feb15 February 10:08

    It’s roughly an hour from Piccadilly Circus to T5 on tube. HEX is good value if booked far
    in advance but often not much quicker by time you get to Paddington. Try Citymapper app and see what it suggests.

    I’d aim to arrive around 90 mins before flight then 1h to MAN = 3.5 hours to fly. Depends how you’d get home from MAN, really.

    Is the Chilterns line from Marylebone to Birmingham then change there an option – would only work if engineering was at the Euston end I suppose.

  • Anna says:

    15 Feb15 February 10:40

    Thanks xcalx, maybe if we were still students 😂

  • RussellH says:

    15 Feb15 February 11:30

    Not sure whether you are closer to Preston or Manchester, but I would get a train from either to Leeds, and then to London. Reasonably frequent service from both to Leeds, and, as far as I can see on a very quick look, no major disruption that weekend.

    15+ years ago, when the WCML was being upgraded and the service was completely mangled we did this a number of times, taking trains along the Carlisle – Settle line to Leeds, and then to London.

    • Anna says:

      15 Feb15 February 12:48

      Funny you should say that RussellH, I’ve been looking at alternatives and our best option certainly does seem to be Leeds (£42 return to Kings Cross, bargain!). We might just drive and park there for the convenience, it works out at about the same as getting a connecting train from over our way.

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 12:59

        If you’re staying in town then I’d grab that @Anna. After trying to check for planned rail works on the line that weekend. Rail card or other offer or split tickets may get you First for close to regular price as it’s a weekend?

        • Anna says:

          15 Feb15 February 16:16

          Very good price for First, however apparently you don’t get much in the way of service at weekends so I’m not sure it’s worth it! Also, I think it said that if you buy any kind of “saver” ticket, you’re not allowed in the lounge, so even worse value.

  • Lady London says:

    15 Feb15 February 11:55

    There is a Great Western Trainline that goes from Iver and other stations near The Langley if this is your Langley weekend? Can decant onto Central Line or District Line at Ealing Broadway where the Heathrow Connect line also stops on its way back to Heathrow. Ealing Broadway is also 1 stop on the District Line from Ealing Common from where you can also get to LHR on the Piccadilly Line by getting off and changing direction to the opposite platform somewhere like Acton Town or Hammersmith.

    Sorry if that’s TMI. My strategy for LHR as a longterm (cheap)London resident is(1) Piccadilly line because it’s cheap and I don’t have to think about it (2) Heathrow Connect from Ealing Broadway if I’m near there anyway. If stuck travelling overnight after tubes and trains close then No. 9 bus from the bus terminal atT2/T3. I’d consider a car service for 4 not sure about 3 – might work out well with an offer. If booked in advanve HEX might work but Paddington where it lands is off centre so you’d have to decant onto other transport anyway so what’s the point? If you’re at Sofitel then its a nice walk from Green Park tube on the Piccadilly Line through some pleasant streets – shorter but harder to find first time and not so pleasant from Piccadilly Circus.

    Personally you should also consider Gatwick if you’re in town somewhere like the Sofitel At James’s. You might snag a ridiculously early flight on Monday morning instead and still be able to get to work! Sunday night is the pits for all sorts of transport not working.

    • Anna says:

      15 Feb15 February 12:46

      Hi LL, no, confusingly it’s our trip to the big city for the Tutankhamun exhibition (I have gone a bit OTT booking stuff this year as it’s my 50th and my retirement lol!). Already booked exhibition tickets and a night at the Conrad St James in one of the recent Hilton sales.
      OT – you were asking about Farfetch – they have now refused to disclose details of the retailer who supplied my bag and which, according to Farfetch, has sole liability under consumer law, so I’ve reported them to Trading Standards as their practices are being revealed as shadier by the day! How can you ever be sure you are getting what you paid for if you aren’t even allowed to know who’s selling it?!

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 13:16

        Outrageous. Did they withdraw their offer of a complete refund including shipping then? I assume receiving both handbags as ordered was essential to you so you are rejecting the entire order? As the delivery was not what you ordered you are entitled to be put back in the position you would have been in i.e.you are not liable for costs of incorrect thing being delivered.

        Sorry but I don’t understand why you’re not doing s75 or chargeback (whichever you qualify for) with card company right away. And I hope you gave them notice to collect at their own cost promptly so as to be within any time limit as you did not receive what you ordered. Card co is best way to go once you’ve covered your rejection legally.

        Farfetch / their vendor may turn out to be in an unsue-able or unenforceable jurisdiction (by the look of their t’s and c’s they will have arranged this too 🙂 or situation. Even if you could be bothered to get judgment which no one would if cardco will refund and take the money off Farfetch for you. Trading Standards avenue not quick.

        Please let us know what happens.

        • Anna says:

          15 Feb15 February 16:13

          It’s a bit complicated to go into but I’ve sent a “final position” email, so I’ll give them a week or so then get on to Amex.

        • Charlieface says:

          15 Feb15 February 19:08

          You don’t actually need to wait for the retailer for s75, if the company is being difficult or not responding file the claim immediately.

• Nick says:

  15 Feb15 February 10:43

  “Southern services will no longer run directly from Victoria to Brighton”

  Haaang on a minute… yes they will, they just can’t be used to make the journey to Gatwick! They’d never remove trains from Victoria to Brighton, they’re Southern’s cash cow!

  • Billy says:

    15 Feb15 February 11:17

    Well, since Thameslink and Gatwick Express and Southern are all part of the same company they will still be laughing.

  • Sarah says:

    15 Feb15 February 11:37

    Taken from the Southern Website:
    To achieve this, Southern off-peak services from London Victoria will no longer run direct to or from Brighton. Passengers to/from Brighton to London will need to either use direct Gatwick Express or Thameslink services or change at stations such as East Croydon, Haywards Heath or Preston Park.

    I sincerely hope that GE pricing is brought in line with Southern during this period

  • Andy S says:

    15 Feb15 February 12:21

    Yes they are doing due to capacity issues, it would appear all trains from Victoria will either turn right at three bridges or left after Haywards Heath!

• JamesPond says:

  15 Feb15 February 11:03

  OT: Are Curve ATM withdrawals still charged as a purchase on the Virgin Atlantic Mastercard?

  • Nick_C says:

    15 Feb15 February 11:40

    Yes. My last one was 4 Feb.

    Nothing has changed with Curve at ATMs

    • JamesPond says:

      15 Feb15 February 17:39

      Thanks!

  • Connor says:

    16 Feb16 February 23:53

    Not been charged for any purchases on mine. Took out £ and euros and just went through as a purchase.

• Shoestring says:

  15 Feb15 February 11:57

  O/T got a free 1 month Prime trial on Amazon Germany site yesterday! Handy as they had a submersible pump I wanted unavailable in UK and the postage was quite a lot (they weigh about 8 kgs)

  you log into the German, Italian, Spanish, French Amazon sites using your UK ID – UK Amazon credit can’t be used

  the German site is often cheaper than UK for same item

  • marcw says:

    15 Feb15 February 12:37

    Indeed Amazon log in credentials are universal.

    • Lady London says:

      15 Feb15 February 12:44

      They’re not actually. Each country Amazon is a separate entity.

      I would love a universal Amazon prime with a single signup btw.

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 13:28

        Ive had to set up a different one for each of the countries I use on amazon. In actual fact I use the same details. But login still has to be done again when logging into another country even if I am currently logged in to a different country site. Profile info such as addresses and wish lists defo not accessible across countries.

        So I really don’t know what you’re saying here.

      • Shoestring says:

        15 Feb15 February 13:49

        I never set up Amazon a/cs in Germany, Spain or Italy but have ordered items from all 3 Amazon countries, always using my UK email address, password and one time password delivered by phone (I have the 2 step log in)

      • Michael Jennings says:

        15 Feb15 February 14:46

        Your Amazon credentials for European sites and for the US are the same. You do have to set up separate credentials for some sites that are further afield – Japan for instance.

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 15:56

        Definitely something wrong with mine then as I have always had to manage mine separately.

    • Lady London says:

      15 Feb15 February 12:53

      eBay seems to be one profile across eBay selling countries.

      Ebay amalgamated a few years back which really annoyed me as I wasn’t asked and didn’t want to share data across countries but suddenly discovered them doing this. Noting ebay still makes you sign in each time open a new country even if you’re already signed in to another country ebay.

      But this isn’t the case with Amazon. At least so far as customer-facing front is concerned.

  • Lady London says:

    15 Feb15 February 12:46

    Does this mean you made Amazon Prime in one country work for f.o.c. delivery to another EU/UK country? Is it supposed to work that way?

    • Shoestring says:

      15 Feb15 February 12:58

      Item Subtotal: EUR 79,90
      Delivery and Handling: EUR 0,00
      Order Total: EUR 79,90
      Selected Payment Method: Amex

      (I bought 2) – no idea if I got lucky but sure, they were happy to give free expedited delivery to UK (arriving tomorrow) whereas standard delivery was EUR 12 and takes a few days

      btw same item *was* available previously in the UK @£60, so buying from Germany saved me quite a bit

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 13:34

        I think you got lucky possibly due to order value or possibly there is no.validation of delivery address being domestic to the Prime sign-up location once Prime signed-up flag is set.

        I’d be interested to hear of other cross border examples,think I saw an offer of eur49 for de prime not very long ago. Had it had crossborder possibilities on order or delivery I would have gone for it.

        • Shoestring says:

          15 Feb15 February 13:46

          it’s a ‘fulfilled by Amazon’ item so delivery would otherwise (non Prime a/c) be chargeable and the cost was indicated

        • Lady London says:

          15 Feb15 February 14:28

          Hum. I will have to mess around with it next time I want something crossborder. Agree with you that .de is better especially for tech and tools/DIY. Better choice in quite a few.other categories even if pricing has only just come back to reasonable due FX.

          Wondering if me not seeing these cross border abilities is due to Amazon having royally **c*ed up my account when I signed up for Robs first Amazon Business account offer. They took my 11 year old multicountry personal account and made it an Amazon Business account instead. They chucked some vouchers at me when I complsined but I’ll bet my account is still””””ed up and guessing I will find BN out they never fixed it.

          Wish I’d never applied for the Amazon Business account their ****up wasn’t worth it especially as it still seems to be affecting me.

        • Peter K says:

          15 Feb15 February 14:53

          @LL Why not open a new Amazon account? It very useful to have more than one anyway and you’ll soon never miss the old one if your didn’t want to use it.
          If you need to know what you have bought in the old one then log in and copy the item number into the new account.

      • Lady London says:

        15 Feb15 February 16:04

        Good idea but history is valuable to me. Looks like I am going to have to go back to Amazon on this when I have time. I really hate having to de
        battle through low quality non-empowered multiple levels of call centre to get something fixed that Amazon has ****ed up which I’ve now had to more than once.

        Feeling glum about all the hours that will take based on experience. Will leave it to next year as I’m so busy and still cross about their non-fixed “”””ups.

        • EwanG says:

          15 Feb15 February 16:33

          @LL I hear the ‘country’ CEO offices are well empowered to get things sorted quickly and to a high level of satisfaction, suggest you try that route and if you need more specific info ask Rob to send on my contact details and I will pass details on.

        • Lady London says:

          15 Feb15 February 17:13

          Ta @EwanG. Would only use that ‘nuclear,’ option for something urgent and involving a lot of money, will make a note of your kind offer but even at the supremely irritating level I’d prefer to walk away. Only once in my life have I ever been forced to use a :nuclear: option and that was after 5 months of struggle, polite warnings and with half a ton k at stake. Friends who were colleagues still remember the day it went down :-).

          I might take @Peter K’s advice and start using another account as my main one when i’ve had time to think about it.

  • BJ says:

    15 Feb15 February 17:00

    I’m looking for a good kindle unlimited offer but they seem to have dried up lately. Cannot understand the prices of kindle unlimited relative to prime, I think kindle should be cheaper.

    • Lady London says:

      15 Feb15 February 17:17

      As soon as you buy any Kindle they put you in a cycle of offering and offering. Maybe new Id? I agree with you in most countries Prime is better value but UK and US standard pricing seems to have risen a lot. Guessing MSE might tag if nothing appears on here?

      • BJ says:

        15 Feb15 February 17:41

        I just keep watching, the problem in the interim is that we cannot sign up for a month because the 3 or 6 month offers are not available for existing subscribers when they come along. I don’t actually own a kindle, I just use the app. I was actually surprised to discover I liked kindle ebooks, it is interesting to read and support aspiring writers who would otherwise find it difficult to break through the mainstream publishers.

        • Lady London says:

          15 Feb15 February 19:43

          Same discovery here about Kindle ebooks. I take it you’re signed up for their £1 daily deals? The actual Kindle is better than just the app for travelling but it is another thing to carry. The £1 daily kindle offers have some crackers in amongst all the dross.

          You probably won’t suffer from this but they keep sending me rubbish female fiction offers. What I actually read and buy is action thrillers just like every bloke I’ve gone out with. So annoying when they send me romantic fiction offers when I’ve never even clicked on any. They’ve denied profiling when I asked them but I bet some of it is. Give me Andy McNab and Jack Reacher for goodness’ sake! 😉

        • BJ says:

          15 Feb15 February 20:14

          @LadyLondon, in that case I recommend you Karin Slaughter if you have not already tried. Start with the Grant County series in order (the first was Blindsighted) followed by the Atlanta/Will Trent series in order.

        • BJ says:

          15 Feb15 February 20:28

          Yes, signed up for the daily deals. I’m tempted to get a kindle but just for home/UK use given I travel HBO. Could never decide whether just to go for the basic one or a better one.

        • Cat says:

          15 Feb15 February 22:24

          I’m a little bit obsessed with Jo Nesbo, the Harry Hole series at the moment.
          Have downloaded Blindsighted, thanks BJ!

        • Anna says:

          15 Feb15 February 22:31

          Definitely give me Jack Reacher LL! If you like those you will like the John Milton series by Mark Dawson, he’s sort of a British Jack Reacher lol.
          I’ve had several free trials of Kindle Unlimitec and have ended up keeping it this time as I have so much time to read these days, including an hour on the treadmill or exercise bike a few times a week (too boring otherwise). I feel it’s good value for me at the moment.

        • Lady London says:

          16 Feb16 February 00:37

          V happy with Paperwhite, defo worth the little extra. Paid USD for the latest one just before the £ tanked so worked out ok. The luxury one is great tactilely but can’t justify it. Even if I do caress it each time in Dixon’s when I’m in an airport.

          @Cat how are you managing to read the Kindle while you are on the treadmill? Are you casting it?

        • Lady London says:

          16 Feb16 February 00:47

          @Anna treadmill question was for you, sorry! Each time I’ve met @Cat at the HfP parties she’s told me about another three mountains she’s hiked up since the last time I saw her so I thought it was her reading the Kindle on a treadmill!

          Yup hoovered up about 3 box sets of the Mark Dawson on the £1 deals and they are waiting to be read. Did you say his guy is the British Jack Reacher? I’ll get my coat … off!

          @BJ I read a couple of Karen Slaughter, found quite bloodthirsty? wouldn’t mind reading more though, liked a couple of Jo Nesbos too. Hmm must get into those Mark Dawson ones soon…

        • Cat says:

          16 Feb16 February 02:01

          I tend to use the cross-trainer through the winter months. Not sure I could manage reading at the same time – I alternate between my favourite mad hiker (Homemade Wanderlust), Seth Meyer and John Oliver on YouTube.
          I tend to save my kindle for when I’m in my hammock, between hikes.
          Roll on the Seychelles over Easter.
          Now that I have a waterproof kindle.
          Try reading the Jo Nesbo series from the start Lady London.

        • Anna says:

          16 Feb16 February 05:14

          LL (I never know where these answers are going to appear!) – I do brisk uphill climbs on the treadmill so I’m still getting a decent workout but am stable enough to read my iPad and it doesn’t put the same strain as running on my middle-aged knees!

        • BJ says:

          16 Feb16 February 08:39

          @LadyLondon, @Cat, @Anna. To be honest Karin Slaughter books are disturbing and give me the creeps, especially the first two Blindsighted and Kisscut. She took it down a notch after those but not all that much. However, as far as thrillers go they are gripping and compulsive reading but I’m not really sure why I like them because if they were movies they definitely wouldn’t be my taste at all.

        • Polly says:

          17 Feb17 February 00:59

          Throw in Tess Geritson ( a real ER Physician) and Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch) both great series. Kathy Reichs, real physician and anthropologist. Racing through those atm. Just finished Reacher’s latest. Blue Moon, too many bodies for my liking. Love Harry Hole, yes, start nesbo from the beginning. The character development is stunning.

          Cat, plenty of choice to line up for the Seychelles. And LL on your travels.

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