***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 15 *****
More lovely bargains !
Post links in here of any offers/bargains that you come across. Need not be motoring but motoring related is of course welcome.
Previous volumes are below
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 10
Volume 11
Volume 12
Volume 13
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.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 6 Feb 15 at 16:24
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Mentioned on another forum I use. Not sure how long the offer is lasting:-
www.firstreal.co.uk
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Ah that old one. A free handle, and a lifetime of expensive blades...
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I'm hoping it's a free handle plus one* free blade...
* or 5 depending on definition of 'blade'
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>> I'm hoping it's a free handle plus one* free blade...
Nothing that I can see in the T's & C's stopping you ordering more than one ;)
No mention of only one per household, etc.
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>> Ah that old one. A free handle, and a lifetime of expensive blades...
>>
Got it.
The Trigger's broom thing. That old scam.
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Got it...The Trigger's broom thing. That old scam.
Not sure you have. Trigger's printer, maybe.
}:---)
Incidentally, 'Trigger's broom' was an answer in a set of questions on philosophy in a University Challenge the other week.
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Got mine a little while ago. The forum I first saw this offer mentioned on, some people are still receiving them now. Did anyone else send for one?
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Ah!! Mine arrived about a week ago, I was trying to remember what had made me request it!! I did search here but didn't find it...
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Yes.
Mine arrived last week. Despite my advancing years, I remembered..err...
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Yep, arrived Friday or Saturday I think. I'd completely forgotten about it.
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September to now? ruddy hell that beard must make you look like Robinson Crusoe.
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Mine arrived last week, i was a bit puzzled as i didn't remember sending for it, in fact it was only reading this post tonight that it came flooding back !
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>>Just as long as you don't use them to cook anything you're planning to eat. Chemical binder and paraffin. Yum.
I'm not worried about that, the carcinogens from the fats dripping on the charcoal will probably finish me off first ;>)
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>>I'm not worried about that, the carcinogens from the fats dripping on the charcoal will probably finish me off first ;>)
A sacrifice worth making... provided the food doesn't taste of chemical binder and paraffin...
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Currently offering four packs at 3 for £10 so £3.33 each. Rarely less than a fiver normally.
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Had to look that one up. Learn a lot here.
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So did I. To save anyone else the bother, it's Polish beer.
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Budvar is on the same offer. That's the Czech 'beer of kings' and not the horrible American rip-off 'king of beers'.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 24 Sep 14 at 09:08
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The American beer drain cleaner apart from being extremely litigious is not even beer by the standards of most of the rest of the world as rice is used in the 'recipe'.
Proper Budweiser brewed in Czechoslovakia I think even adhears to the Reinheitsgebot, just malted barley, hops yeast and water.
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There was discussion much further up this thread about the gas-powered weed burner that Lidl sells from time to time. I said then that I thought it was an outstanding bargain and had had one for years.
Well, mine died the other day after 12 years faithful service - the cylinder seal broke up and I couldn't find another to fit. There was nothing else wrong with it. Today our local Lidl had them again and I bought one. It's even better than the previous one because it has a built-in igniter, so I don't have to carry a lighter around. It works as well as ever and only cost 20 euros - 15 quid - with a gas cylinder. They are also doing cylinders separately for €3.99 - that's about half what Camping Gaz and others charge.
I guess you could call this a repeat endorsement.
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I've been trying a hot air gun, seems to be quite effective.
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>> I've been trying a hot air gun, seems to be quite effective.
Burning or heating weeds to a crisp is very satisfying, but its not very effective.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 25 Sep 14 at 17:39
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We have the Aldi version, made in UK by Parasene.
Only problem is that in prolonged use, unless air temp is well over 20C it consumes gas faster than the cylinder can evaporate the Butane supply.
May not be permanent but neither is digging the b***** weeds out.
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Would be quite useful on ants nests perhaps?
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>> Would be quite useful on ants nests perhaps?
Ants "pop" in a satisfying manner when crisped up.
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Via hukd, £26 for a years breakdown (covering car, not driver) with a free MOT to be redeemed within 13 months at national.
www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/uk-breakdown/view-options.do
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Sadly the offer has just expired after a month I think. 12No. 500ml cans of Bombadier for a tenner. I have acquired, ahem.................several.
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>> Via hukd, £26 for a years breakdown (covering car, not driver) with a free MOT
>> to be redeemed within 13 months at national.
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>> www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/uk-breakdown/view-options.do
>>
>>
>>
And go via topcashback for £14.14 back for purchases of up to £50 so you could get a years breakdown cover for £12, although I always avoid the cheap / discounted MOT offers
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For us townies
Essential Waitrose weather blemished apples.
2Kg+ - seven Gala apples from Kent for £2
Difficult to see any blemishes and I for one am veryhappy to buy such apples rather then they are dumped.
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If you like "Pink Lady" apples but don't like the premium price look out for "Cripps Pink" which are now available in a number of supermarkets.
They are actually the same variety. "Pink Lady" is just a trademark and the owners only allow it to be used on apples of the highest grade. The smaller ones sold under the "Cripps Pink" variety name taste just the same though and can be half the price.
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£5 off a £40 Aldi shop in today's Daily Mirror..
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I don't think I've ever spent that amount in an ALDI before. Not even on their "weekly specials" non food items. I'd sooner do my weekly shop at the local Tesco who have a bigger range of products and are no dearer in price for most of the stuff that I buy that ALDI would have. Also, Tesco are giving a £5 off voucher this week towards your next £40 shop.
www.tesco.com/groceries/zones/default.aspx?name=offer&icid=Anon_1c_5off40
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In this Thursday's Daily Mirror, £5 off £40 spend at Aldi..
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leather palms and Thinsulate lining £3.99
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I haven't a clue whether this comes under 'bargains'. I have a small bench top gas heater in the workshop but I could do with something like this to warm the place up a bit more.
www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=17822
My hands are chronically cold this time of year...due to the beta-blockers ? Gloves don't help.
I can't do any 'small' work unless me maulers are warm.
Anyone any experience of this type of kit ?
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I would think that would be fine. I use an old domestic fan heater when I'm working at my bench in the garage. Fan heaters have the advantage that they warm up the air quickly. All electric heaters are as efficient as one another at turning electricity into heat so the cheapest is the way to go.
As far as the cold hands are concerned have you tried hand warmers to put inside your gloves. This type of thing.
www.halfords.com/car-seats-travel-equipment/car-travel-accessories/travel-equipment/hot-hands-hand-warmers-twin-pack
You an gets similar at any sports type shop
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I have one of these...tinyurl.com/n3vaapk
Runs on lighter fluid.. keep in a pocket when not needed.. Refillable cost buttons to warmm And safe.
(Beware cheap imitations as no spares)
Last edited by: madf on Fri 7 Nov 14 at 14:09
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Herself gets cold hands. At one point we got her a hand warmer at the japanese shop at Notting Hill Gate. It was a symmetrical flat metal container lined with fireproof high temperature glass fibre with a recess for the carbon rods it ran on, sort of compressed charcoal stuff painted silver on the outside: you lit one end, blew the flame out, stuck the rod in the box and closed it, and put the box in its heavy velvet drawstring bag. Then you could put it in your pocket or whatever - an old-fashioned lady's muff is a useful cold-weather garment, seems to me.
The hand warmer didn't last all that long. It stayed warm for an hour or more, but of course could become almost uncomfortably hot at times; it was quite variable. I doubt if it would pass a strict H&S check these days, carbon and charcoal fumes can kill actually in sufficient quantity, and one did get an occasional whiff of that bad CO, or is it C2O2? But the Japanese are a law unto themselves, the thing had a lot of charm and I like that combination of high-tech modern materials and very low-tech ancient operating principle. To put it another way, modern materials make it possible to tame and miniaturize fire.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 7 Nov 14 at 15:40
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If you have access to a microwave wheat bags are the answer.
I never go to be without two small ones, one in the shape of a pink pig and the other is a green frog but both fit in my hands beautifully.
Long ones drape over knees and hips on bad days as well.
Get you head round that BBD:)
Pat
Last edited by: Pat on Fri 7 Nov 14 at 15:42
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All good stuff but handwarmers, green frogs and wheat bags are no good if you're working and moving about the workshop. Gloves are ok for some work but not for more delicate bench work like soldering or electrical. I wear nitrile gloves for mucky work but they have no warming value.
Like CGN, I do have a blow heater to use on the bench. If I'm sat doing something then I'll put the camping gas heater on at my feet and let the heat rise. I really want something to heat the whole room quickly and then maintain some warmth on a lower setting. So, it's off to Lidl in the morning. 40 notes isn't a fortune.
I'm not sure Lud's idea of putting my hands in a woman's muff would be acceptable behaviour !
Perhaps BBD could comment !
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You need a wee wood burning stove in there!!
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>> You need a wee wood burning stove in there!!
What, a woman's muff?
You must know more adaptable women than me.
Pat?
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I've just bought a few bits and bobs at ALDI, all food/soft drink items. The total bill was £15.74.
As a pointless time filing exercise I thought I would look up and compare the cost of the basket, using MySupermarket.com and choosing ASDA as the supposedly cheapest of the big four.
Being as accurate as possible in matching own-label , where possible and the nearest branded item when not, I found I would have spent £20.16 at ASDA.
There were some very close matches - bananas were the same and fresh strawberries only 1p less.
The big savings were on milk - 4 pints for 89p at ALDI against £1 at ASDA. Lemonade might be a bit contentious but the nearest comparison based on my own experience of actual quality was R Whites. £1 at ASDA, while ALDI'S own premium lemonade was only 39p.
ALDI's Active fruit yoghurts are IMO better than the branded Activia and are only 0.99p for 4 X 125 gm pots against the best ASDA price of £3 for 2 x 4 packs (or £1.99 for one!).
ALDI's 12% fat British mince was £5.18 a kilo: ASDA's is £5.45 a kilo.
Not a scientific test ,I know, but overall I'm happy to be sneered at for shopping at ALDI (peasant's shop to many of you) while there are good savings to be made with no drop in quality - certainly for the items we regularly buy after knowing our way round the place.
Last edited by: Roger. on Thu 13 Nov 14 at 17:11
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I shop in Aldi but I wear a disguise.
Waitrose bag over my head.
;-)
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Aldi's yoghurts are excellent Agree 100% with Roger..
Ditto their cheese, weinerschnitzel, and cream And their free range eggs are superb.
Don't like their clementines
Grapefruit 39p vs Asda 50p. Excellent and juicy.
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I occasionally shop at both Lidl and Aldi, the only reason I don't use them all of the time is that you can't get everything in them and one food shop a week is all I want to do. However I have never bought anything from either of them that I was unhappy with the quality of, and I am fussy !
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I like to try to beat the cashier in Aldi by getting everything back in my trolley before they hit the total button. For no reason at all of course other than amusement.
I've not been a habitual supermarket shopper but since my wife's indisposition I've made a bit of a study of it.
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>> I've not been a habitual supermarket shopper but since my wife's indisposition I've made a
>> bit of a study of it.
>>
At least when you do the shopping you get to eat what you want !
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Indeed !
I had pickled herrings for lunch today by way of such an example !
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ah its easy to put it all back in the trolley - much harder to put them into bags before the total button is hit!
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I know I go on a bit about ALDI, but yesterday we tried a "Specially Selected" Salmon Wellington, with a cheese & dill sauce, from their freezer section.
We were actually surprised was the quantity offered (700gm) - really a little too much for two people. The puff pastry was light & crispy and the sauce good. What really impressed was the generous chunk of salmon, which was over 1/2" thick, nestling in the middle.
I double checked the price on My supermarket.com as I thought it might have been mis-priced, but yes - it was only £3.99.
Bargain and its replacement is now in our freezer!
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Coupon in today's Daily Mirror. £10 off £50 shop.
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Has been well reviewed, good quality and sensibly priced.
www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-4-december/
Last edited by: wokingham on Mon 1 Dec 14 at 17:39
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Are you referring to the Christmas Cactus or the skiing gear :-)
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As in the title - the skiing clothing.
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I realised that - just joking. They often have ski clothing in around this time.
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A good deal on Amazon - and eligible for Prime delivery - a 1 year pack of 12 Brita Maxtra filters for £29.99.
Sainsbury's have these in store at a discounted/offer price of £40: we nearly bought at that price yesterday, so for us, a decent saving.
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Only "T" speed rated, insurance implications?
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Fair point, :-) I wasn't meaning to link to that specific size, plenty of more normal V/H rated tyres available:-
www.nordiccartyres.com/nokian-winter-tyres/winter-car-tyres.html
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>> Won't stay at £110 for long I guess as that's an absolute steal.
>>
You are right £120 is the current price but is it still now an absolute steal ? :-).
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Not sure if this has come up here but if you want to track any prices on Amazon this is a useful tool, you can set your target price and it will mail you once that price is reached. it also shows historical pricing and you can see just how volatile some items are.
uk.camelcamelcamel.com/
btw if you need a 5Tb drive £120 is still very cheap...
Last edited by: smokie on Mon 22 Dec 14 at 15:05
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Still some left at Aldi - 6 bottle cases for £5.99. (Sainsbury's today - £2 per bottle or 3 for £5!)
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www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thur-22-jan/product-detail/ps/p/double-wall-socket-with-usb/
Bought one of these today as one of the wall sockets has been broken when the chair got battered against it.
Like the idea of having the USB in it especially as this particular socket is usually only used for charging.
Just a note of caution though - it says the USB are 2.1amp - turns out this is the total output of the two sockets - so if one item is drawing say 1.5, the other will only draw 0.6 !
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Was looking at this, - how deep does the box need to be? d
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dunno - its just the faceplate you get?
Haven't fitted it yet but doesn't look any different depth to the normal ones I think?
Will switch it over tomorrow if I get round to it and let you know
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>> dunno - its just the faceplate you get?
yes, and the boxes they fit in to (the hole in the wall) come in two depths
>> Haven't fitted it yet but doesn't look any different depth to the normal ones I
>> think?
>> Will switch it over tomorrow if I get round to it and let you know
ta
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Just measured the unit - its almost exactly one inch from front plate to the most protruding bit of the back if that helps?
Probably about 20mm from the inside of the faceplate
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They're the same price (£12.99 + free delivery) on ebuyer
www.ebuyer.com/661756-wall-socket-with-built-in-2-x-usb-charging-ports-ut-86usb
Just make sure wherever you buy it from, that is has the relevant BS numbers on and they're not cheap Chinese imports.
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Whilst they seem a good idea I wonder why none of the big brand names like MK make a similar product?
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The thing that concerns me is that presumably the usb sockets are always powered up. That would mean that the electronics that do the converting from 240v AC to 5v DC behind the socket are also always powered up as I cannot see any means of isolation. i.e. there are no on/off switches like there are for the 240v outlets.
Is it a fire hazard in the making? Regardless of the BS numbers, are these things approved by house insurance companies?
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Exactly the same as the wall wart left plugged in the whole time. I thought these days they were clever enough to turn on only when they had something plugged in?
(Bought something from a Chinese website the other day. US socket on the charger, so they 'kindly' put in a US-UK converter that is so far away from any BS that it's almost terrifying. Can't fit the US socket in it either!)
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preview.tinyurl.com/pne4omm
MK make one similar-ish. This draws zero current when not plugged in.
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>> preview.tinyurl.com/pne4omm
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>> MK make one similar-ish. This draws zero current when not plugged in.
thats for commercial use being modular using standard communication network boxes not normally installed in domestic premises
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ok been away for a weekend in Oban and having read these comments I don't think I will bother fitting it especially as the packaging says that it may heat up and that this is quite normal.
One question, is it any more dangerous / use any more electricity than the various phone and tablet chargers that are left plugged in and switched on in my house even when nothing is connected?
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There are plenty of unswitched 13 a wall sockets available so can't see how a 12 v socket is any more of a fire hazard.
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>> There are plenty of unswitched 13 a wall sockets available so can't see how a
>> 12 v socket is any more of a fire hazard.
The 13 amp sockets don't have a transformer powering them though do they. (well, ok they do, but that's at the substation and not in your home).
usb voltage is 5 v, not 12v btw. Phone chargers and other mains adapters get warm at the best of times. Putting them into a confined space of a wall would make them even warmer.
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>> >> There are plenty of unswitched 13 a wall sockets available
>> >> so can't see how a 12 v socket is any more of a fire hazard.
>>
>> The 13 amp sockets don't have a transformer powering them though do they. (well, ok
>> they do, but that's at the substation and not in your home).
>>
Bathroom shaver socket ??
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>> >> The 13 amp sockets don't have a transformer powering them though do they. (well,
>> ok
>> >> they do, but that's at the substation and not in your home).
>> >>
>> Bathroom shaver socket ??
Is not a 13 amp socket........
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>>Is not a 13 amp socket.....
...but is also not a straight connection to the ring main. But is not the transformer powered all the time ?
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>> >>Is not a 13 amp socket.....
>> ...but is also not a straight connection to the ring main. But is not the
>> transformer powered all the time ?
yes but its isolating and or stepping down but not rectifying or regulating. And its still not a 13 amp socket, which was the original point.
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>> There are plenty of unswitched 13 a wall sockets available so can't see how a
>> 12 v socket is any more of a fire hazard.
Unswitched 13 amp sockets do not have permanently powered electronics inside consuming power and creating heat. Also contravenes upcoming EU guidelines.
there are several issues with these things that has prevented their more widespread manufacture.
These days you need to provide over 2 amps of 5v to charge the larger pads, hence the oft frequently quoted 2.1 amps. (as bobby said thats in total so if you think you are plugging in a phone and a pad and charging both forget it.) To provide 2.1 amps you need to fit reasonably large transformer and regulator - difficult given the width that uk plugs need to take up in the back of the face plate - and they generate a bit of heat so need to lose it. Not easy in a box in the wall and the size means many wont fit in a slim box. Also the design of many also means you can't use both 13 amp plugs and the usb sockets - no room on the face plate.
The only one I know made and supplied by a UK distributer is a double face plate with one 13 amp socket and two USBs in the other side.
Its an idea that sounds great but on closer inspection is flawed in design, manufacture and use, meets few specs, and at the end of the day is not required. For 12 quid I can get a good USB charger that will charge 2 pads, can be turned off to save power and moved around the house.
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Perhaps it could be used to power the DVD Rewinder.
www.dvdrewinder.com/
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>> But there is hope . from MK (MK Electric Celebrates 100 Million Sockets)
>> They seem to be producing twin outlet units without 13A socketd
Features 2 charging sockets each delivering 1A charging current at 5Vdc (total 2A max). Allows charging of portable devices via USB 2.0 type A plug.
1A is insufficient for a large screen pad.
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I see that Screwfix's Titan electric pole-saw pruner is currently down to £44.99; ISTR mine cost £59.99 (from £89.99) about 18 months ago, and I considered that a great bargain. I was amazed at the ease with which it would take down small branches up to about 8ft from the ground.
I thoroughly recommend this product - as do the list of buyers who've given it a positive review. I can only think that the lone person who said it wouldn't cut through butter, had fitted the chain the wrong way round.
www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb426gdo-20cm-750w-electric-pole-saw-pruner-230v/99641
I note that the Titan chainsaw, also down to £44.99, gains similarly positive reviews.
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Thanks for the heads up Haywain. I have just ordered one including delivery tomorrow for £50...
Can,t go wrong really at that price .......
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"I have just ordered one"
Don't forget that you need chain oil to go with it, and I recommend using a bench or table when assembling the cutter bar and chain. It helps if you've set-up a chainsaw before, but, just take your time.
I'd be interested to know how you get on with it! Please report back, even if it's a few months before you get round to using it in anger.
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Chain saw oil is in hand and the item will be properly assembled after a good coating of reading the instructions. I have no wish to end up in hospital ......unlike the 69 year old neighbour in Horsham who was flown in to St Georges on 24 hours in A& E last night after falling out of a tree....
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...before you get round to using [your chainsaw] in anger.
Stock phrase, I know, but all the same...!
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I very nearly bought one of these, but then noticed the head seems to be fixed - not useful for making horizontal cuts.
Anybody got one and if so does the head rotate?
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Buy your gnome soon ?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31160517
Poundland seeks to buy 99p Stores
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>> Buy your gnome soon ?
>>
>> www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31160517
>> Poundland seeks to buy 99p Stores
its inflation by the back door. The combined chain will be the £1.99 store.
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£55million quid for the lot !
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Free Gillette Fusion Razor - VxFan