Alder's Tone

The second most important purchase you're ever likely to make is your car.

Unless you buy a 57' narrowboat like I have my eye on - unfortunately that's all that's on one, my wallet is a little light in that respect.

So is the travel system the second most important purchase you'll make for the little one? Or the single most important thing?

From the "must-be-seen-to-be-splashing-cash" brigade, forking out a King's ransom on a pram or buggy, through the "last-year's-colours-so-what" type and on to the re-use and second hand markets, one thing is for sure. Your choice directly impacts on the environment.

How?

Continue reading "Have travel system, will... travel?" »

Posted by Lee at 11 August 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a quick moan... for once.

My energy supplier was the first to put their prices up this year (or month, week, today, whatever time frame suits best, it was almost every other month in 2006). My monthly payments are based on what I use, so why when my usage stays the same, the price per kWh goes up, but my monthly payments stay the same thus creating a debt until the next review? Anyway, I rang them to increase my monthly payments to keep up with their inflated prices. "We'll confirm that in writing" they said.

Yesterday: Letter arrives. Thank you for choosing to pay by direct debit. Yes, I do anyway, it's a condition of the tariff I'm on. No mention of the new payments, only the bank details they've been using for 2 years.
Today: TWO letters arrive. One confirming my new gas payment, the other my new electricity payment.

THREE SEPARATE LETTERS. Three envelopes, three sheets of A4, three trips through the postal system, triple the carbon footprint....

And that, dear energy user, is why they fleece you when you flick the switch - the hypocrites go on about US reducing waste, what about THEM?

Posted by Lee at 04 February 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well if anyone wants their bank details out in the open, please leave them in a comment here. Alternatively, have kids, claim Child Benefit, and let HM R&C lose them for you.

This country is run by Waldorf and Statler!

Posted by Lee at 20 November 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Saw this story on the BBC news site today, and one question rang out:

Too much lead? Surely that should be "any lead".

Switch to diesel, that's my advice.

Posted by Lee at 02 August 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1)

So why isnae safety us? Well, on a visit to Toys R Us today an accident happened. And it was their reaction to it that I couldn't get over. Safety is not allowed, apparently. They are not allowed to buy safe equipment because head office say so. That's the honest truth what I was told when I reported an accident. So here's the letter to head office.

Continue reading "Toys R Us - but safety isnae" »

Posted by Lee at 19 May 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3)

A truly mixed bag of things going on this Bank Holiday Weekend. All ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, monumentous occassions, and complete and utter disasters. And three awards coming out of it, too. One of the awards has been specially commisssioned and makes its debut.

And like an Oscar acceptance speech, this is a long one...

Continue reading "Grand Day Out" »

Posted by Lee at 06 May 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Another blacklisted company, for advertising one price on their website and charging higher, And a company with a second mention on the blog, having not refunded a return that was made in accordance with the Distance Selling Regulations 2000.

Continue reading "Baby suppliers - moans & praise (Part 3)" »

Posted by Lee at 27 February 2007 | Permalink | Comments (4)

I wanted a rant at British Airways staff for going on strike again, but wasn't quite sure how it would fit in with the family oriented nature of this blog. BA have handed the answer on a plate, the strike is rumoured to be during half term holidays, just as families are jetting off for a quick break. This sticks with the norm of hitting holiday periods.

Continue reading "Another holiday season, another BA strike" »

Posted by Lee at 16 January 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's that time of year for the Christmas Specials, so who has won the wallet awards and who just scraps around for the change?

Find out in the Alder's Tone Christmas Winners & Losers Awards. Don't get excited, no long speaches, no tears on stage, no thanking Auntie Betty's dog's trainer's cousin's maid for looking after the tea.

Continue reading "Suppliers - Moans & Praise (Part 3 - Christmas Special)" »

Posted by Lee at 19 December 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2)

We have a child prodigy! It's official! According to Nationwide, at least.

According to them our 15 week old son can handle his finances on his own, can understand the function of the PIN and password scheme, and can actually read.

Continue reading "Child prodigy (according to Nationwide)" »

Posted by Lee at 11 December 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)

We have literally dozens of thankyou cards to send out for all the things that have been bought for Junior. So the launch of Royal Mail's online postage seemed to be a blessing, to save that walk to the Post Office, have the curlish "Andrea"* behind the counter give her usual scowl, and avoid doing battle with the people who insist on paying their £50 phone bill in bags of 2 pence pieces.

How wrong I could be.

Continue reading "Royal Mail's Online Postage" »

Posted by Lee at 22 September 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I apologise in advance, this is becoming a major rant of mine. So why I am posting on the blog? Well, two reasons. Firstly so I have a record of events, and secondly so I have a record of events. I need the backup.

It all started in January 2001. Western VW, Edinburgh, me and The Fat Lady bought a New Beetle. And we had problems from day one. And that is NOT used as a turn of phrase, it was literally from day one.

Continue reading "RANT: VW Western" »

Posted by Lee at 26 July 2006 | Permalink | Comments (9)

This story starts a while ago when I bought a product from a company who we’ll call “Cloud”. I had a service package from Cloud and wanted to upgrade to what we’ll call “Cloud-“. So I placed an order for Cloud- on Cloud’s website and, with a couple of minor hiccups, all was well.

Then 12 months later the fun started.

I got a phone call from Cloud saying the warranty on my Cloud- equipment was coming to an end. Did I want to buy an extended warranty? No thanks.

Continue reading "An old complaint resurrected" »

Posted by Lee at 18 July 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Baby products are big business, so shouldn’t companies who sell baby products be geared up for excellent customer service in order to win repeat business? So far we can’t fault a number of stores, but then there’s others, large and small, that need to learn a thing or two about customer service.

So who are the winners and losers in our world?

As one of the winners is on the back of a loser, I’ll go for the losers first. No doubt there will be many more along the way, hence this is “Part 1”.

Continue reading "Baby suppliers - moans & praise (Part 1)" »

Posted by Lee at 14 July 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, I have a dilemma over Sky. My gripes with them are no secret, having allowed themselves or one of their agents to pass on my details to a third party when it's against their policy to do so. Needless to say I haven't been a Sky customer for some time as a result.

So now they are trying to entice me back.

Continue reading "Skylemma" »

Posted by Lee at 29 June 2006 | Permalink | Comments (4)