TV purchase

Well I have been a consumer consultant these days. People and mutual friends are calling me to ask advice on what to purchase or where to go for holiday..while getting a bargain.....(I think I am sounding pompous but then its all right....sometimes you have the right...)

Well so the request came to find a TV for them and I will list down what I did and how I found the better deal.

So there are family friends, Mr. Mahindra's who were looking for a flat TV for their newly furbished bungalow and had the requirements of a flat (ostentatious) TV. These are the steps I did for the search.

I searched the sites Kelkoo, pricerunner and moneysupermarket for TV deals and brands available in their postcode.

Then I narrowed down to the brands that have good reviews and compared their specs. Its important to read the buying guide for digital TV shopping and specifically look for HD TV or HD ready specifications, response time in MS. and contrast ratio. Other things to look into is the HDMI and USB ports. 

After narrowing down into a list of five best available TV (my personal preferences included LCD TV of brands LG and Samsung. Philips I found was too expensive and so was SONY. Also I did not include brands like Sharp or Panasonic..just as such as their reviews were not convincing and I find LG and Samsung more innovative and leaders rather than others...purely personal preference here...)

After compiling the list, I went ahead and sent it to the MAhindra's asking them to view the TV physically and see what they like. Its important to have a good look and feel of the TV and see it in person and somehow see if you can relate to it. I usually get groggy if I watch Plasma screen for longer period of time and therefore one should know what suits him/her.

After they zero down to one or two brands according to the screen size they want, I will look into the deals the companies have in present. One of the best way to search for deals specially in electronics is that take the product for which there is already a new product launched by the same company. For example just recently LG has launched 7700 (47 inches) in the market and therefore in all probabilities the other LG models just a little less specifications than 7700 will be offered to the public in less prices in a week or so...so KEEP your eyes pealed..and there you go....

To check the deal simple type the model you want in the google browser with the search query as deals or current prices or best prices...and open as many links as possible at least for first five pages. There are many online retailers who give the products in much cheaper prices than high street retailers. 

If you decide to purchase from a high street retailer then it is a good idea to work out a deal with the retailer. In all cases the high street shops' manager have at least 2 - 5 percent discount at their discretion. Remember that and haggle a little bit. Also work out if you require a home theatre system with it and a free view box and most important a STAND for the TV. One of the ways can be purchase the TV without a STAND and then hit IKEA or Homebase and get one. Another one can be take the package from a single store of all the things and then ask for a price reduction from the retailer. In all cases if you are persistent and keen on buying, you might be able to get a discount of around 10 percent or more.

Always ask for NHS discount  or key worker discount if applicable..There is no harm in asking.

Scour the voucher codes site before going for the purchase. There are voucher codes which entitle some discount just by showing the code at the till.

If purchasing online then go through the CASHBACK sites...There are a lot of them and are worth the purchase. Go through the CASHBACK Site, USE VOUCHER CODE, and then hopefully you will save some valuable pounds with which you can enjoy some movies on your new TV and home theatre system.

Restaurants and ME....

I love dining out...who doesn't....I don't have to cook, someone cooks for me and serve me on a good looking plate with intrinsically designed look and feel and yes..the food is a heaven...So in a nutshell I love dining out. Now when I was in bangalore, then eating out used to be everyday activity but when I came here, it has become more of an escape strategy for everyday chores. I love cooking btw...so prepare lots of things at home.

But then dining out is an experience. Food teaches you a lot, about the culture of the place from where it is originally, the place where it is served, whether it is at a diner or a posh restaurant or a bistro and the people serving it for you, taking care of your table and your likings.

So me and mayank often go out for dinners (mainly) but sometimes for lunches and breakfasts even!! and one of our Golden rule is DO NOT PAY IN FULL in ANY RESTAURANT. Thats it. Do not ever pay in full in a restaurant, there are always way and methods over here with which you can easily get some discount off. Some of the pointers to keep in mind just before going out..

• Most restaurants give a 10% or 15% off for NHS (National Health Services) employees. So all the employees, please carry your NHS cards and during the billing time, please ask if the restaurant give the NHS discount. Nandos, The living room, Frankie and Benny, AAgrah, Chiquitos and many others do give the NHS discount.
• Vouchers and Vouchers: Well if you are going on a road trip then it is always a good idea to check the motorway services vouchers. Little Chef, Motorway MnS, McDonalds , Burger King , KFC sometimes carry promotional vouchers on their sites. You just have to go to their website, register (sometimes), print the voucher and get the discount at the till.
• 2 for 1 voucher: This concept was new to me when I arrived in UK. But then later learned the good part of it. Well, there are lot of food chains that come up with this 2 for 1 scheme, where you will have the benefit of paying for the costliest item and the cheaper one gets free. Check Wagamama, GBK, Zizzi, Cafe Rouge, Slug and Lettuce, Pizza Express , La Strada and so on... 
• Restaurants Deals: Dining in: Well I came to know about it last week when I went to Slug and LEttuce for a quick meal. They have a new offer on the menu that if the customer order two main course dish and two desserts then the cheapest dessert comes free. Check offers like this which are usually hidden in the menu.
• Check the last minute offers from online restaurant booking sites like Toptable, Last minute or 5 PM UK  or SugarVine for offers and deals on the restaurants.
• BITE Card: Discount card for Rail travellers. Valid on most of the services offerred at UK stations. Offer a straight 20 % discount on the food purchases from the retailes across UK rail stations.
• Then there are other cards like Taste London Card, Hi life Card which offer discounts but then have their yearly subscription charges.

Beauty Products Offers

I am not much of a beauty expert and not at all a makeup person. Today while doing window shopping with Hania, I came across some good offers on good products and also found good samples for Free. Here are the offers:

Clarins Offers: Clarins Travel Treats Gift: Over GBP 31 shopping: Boots

http://uk.clarins.com/

Your complimentary Beauty Gift contains 

• Extra-Firming Day Cream 15ml
• Extra Firming Night Cream 15ml
• Extra-Firming Body Care 30ml
• Wonder Length Mascara 1.5ml
• Green Mini Travel Bag with matching luggage tag

LANCOME Offers: Exclusive Lancome Gift: 2 or more Lancome products Shopping: Boots

www.lancome.co.uk

      

Gift Contains

• Juicy Tubes in Framboise (a poppy pink colour with glitter effect) 7ml
• Virtuose Black Carat Mascara 2ml - for divine long lasting curves
• Color Design Eyeshadow Compact 2.6g - Sensational compact containing an amazing 7 colours with a large sized mirror. The colours are - beige neutral, bronze, turquoise blue, deep brown, forest green, pearly pink and white
• Magnifique Eau de Parfum 5ml
• Hydra Zen Neurocalm Soothing Moisturising Cream 15ml
• Gel Eclat Clarifying Cleanser 30ml

In Store Offers:

I visited Browns, Fenwick, Boots and Debenhams only to find that they have seperate offers going on with the Lancome products. For example with the purchase of 2 or more Lancome products from Browns may fetch you a set of products which will be different from Boots or Fenwick or Debenhams. So check which accessories you want and then take your best pick.

Lancome is also giving free 7 days trial for their skin finishing foundation, worth giving a try and bringing the samples back home. I got one from Fenwick and will go and pick one more from Browns too.

These stores sometime run some promotional programs on weekends where they give a free facial massage or cleansing for half an hour with a glass of WINE. So do check with the representatives if there is something like this going on. Enjoy the wine and let me know too....;-)

For the start

This blog is inspired by my current status of Unemployment, my interest in saving my Husband's money, the thrill in saving a few pounds and be happy about it, getting the money work a little longer, to experience and then ponder over the height of Consumerism in UK, some insights and encouragement from Friends and above all the passion to write about what I am upto and what I am doing and How I am doing it.

This blog has its foundation and ideation laid down on one bright wednesday evening in a coffee shop, Nero in York, UK. Sitting with friends and drinking coffee and discussing the recession and the rip off by companies and the ways to get around it were the teething grounds to come up with a way to document and hence this blog.

Hope you enjoy reading it,  Hope you enjoy applying/using some principles and tricks in your daily life and If you do, then please share it with me. I will be MIGHTY impressed....;-)