OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Sep 13th 2011, 11:06 pm
#9346
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: US
Posts: 4,224
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
I ride the bus to work every morning. The bus stop is very close to my house, but I must admit that sometimes it's a pain, especially when it's throwing it down. Also, my stop is not a timed stop so I have to be there 'early' because you never know exactly when the bus will arrive. Some mornings it's early, some mornings it's late - and on 3 occasions over the past 4 months it never came at all! 
Still ....a 10-minute ride and £1.80 (single) to work every day. Ya just can't beat it.
Still ....a 10-minute ride and £1.80 (single) to work every day. Ya just can't beat it.
They are overcharging you because you are an American
Kidding.
Sep 13th 2011, 11:10 pm
#9347
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: US
Posts: 4,224
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
[QUOTE=DDL;9619255]
Thats cheaper than in America especially since your around London.
Got my little renault clio, insurance was quite high I guess 500 quid a year fully comp., would be interested to see what others had to pay when they first got back.
2007 Renault Megane, 2 drivers
Fully comp last year when we moved back was £500 with DirectLine.
We've just changed to LV (Liverpool Victoria): £330.
2007 Renault Megane, 2 drivers
Fully comp last year when we moved back was £500 with DirectLine.
We've just changed to LV (Liverpool Victoria): £330.
Sep 13th 2011, 11:24 pm
#9348
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Certain return tickets are less (the further you go, the less it is) but because I'm so close (though not quite close enough to walk to work), a return ticket is actually more costly.
Sep 13th 2011, 11:38 pm
#9349
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
As you all know, many supermarkets charge £1 for the use of a shopping trolley. You get your £1 back when you return it, but it still means you always have to make sure you've got a pound coin on you. (Tip: We save up our pound coins in empty, round denture tablet tubes - they are perfect for that!)
McVities has come up with a cool idea: it's a keyring with a round 'coin' on the end -although it's not a real coin, but it's the same size as a pound coin and it works in the trolleys. (Obviously, you would probably just clip this onto your existing keyring and remove as needed because you wouldn't want your keys dangling from your trolley.)
With one of these, you'll never have to worry about being caught off-guard at the grocery store without a pound coin for the trolley.
I think it's a very clever idea.
To get one, just register online and join McVitie's VIP club. Every time you purchase a McVitie's product, there is a code on it and you enter the code online and you accumulate points. The keyring is 15 points and it only took me 1 or 2 biscuit purchases in order to qualify. When it arrives, I'll let y'all know how it works. :-)
https://uk.mcvitiesvipclub.co.uk/display_offer/9001022
McVities has come up with a cool idea: it's a keyring with a round 'coin' on the end -although it's not a real coin, but it's the same size as a pound coin and it works in the trolleys. (Obviously, you would probably just clip this onto your existing keyring and remove as needed because you wouldn't want your keys dangling from your trolley.)
With one of these, you'll never have to worry about being caught off-guard at the grocery store without a pound coin for the trolley.
I think it's a very clever idea.
To get one, just register online and join McVitie's VIP club. Every time you purchase a McVitie's product, there is a code on it and you enter the code online and you accumulate points. The keyring is 15 points and it only took me 1 or 2 biscuit purchases in order to qualify. When it arrives, I'll let y'all know how it works. :-)
https://uk.mcvitiesvipclub.co.uk/display_offer/9001022
Last edited by DDL; Sep 13th 2011 at 11:42 pm.
Sep 14th 2011, 12:10 am
#9350
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Back home now in my home town in England U.K. after 36 years in U.S. now retired and loving it,
Posts: 3,208
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
I was with State Farm for years and always received an 'Accident Free' discount.
They also had:
They also had:
- Multiple Vehicle Discount
- Multiple Line Discount
- New Vehicle Safety Discount
- Anti-Theft Device Discount
- Defensive Driving Discount
- Good Driving Discount
- Good Student Discount
- Driver Training Discount
- Steer Clear® Safe Driver Discount
- Drive Safe & Save™ Discount
And all this money I was paying out in premiums was from a man who has never even had a parking ticket in 30 years, and never a single claim, can you imaimaginew little I would pay over here in U.K. for the same car, ---- well what Im trying to tell you is that it just would never happen in the U.S. where a driver would be given a 70% no claims discount ---- whatever name or names they decided to call it, have you Denise ever known anyone in the U.S. start off with say for arguments sake a $1,000 per year premium for there car, and then in 3 years of driving that car and having no claims and no violations and then there premiums going down to just $300 per year?
NO of course not, instead in that three years it would have probably gone up 30%
But in England it would have gone down to 300 per year, hence the 70% NCB ----- you see all these so called little discounts on that list you typed above like a couple of dollars here and there for this and that, dont you see thats just a little glossy picture that they all paint for you to see, and you are happy cause you think you are actually getting some good deal, but in actual fact your paying more each year cause they cover the $20 say a year they give you in BS discounts by raising your premiums by $50 or more per year, AND everyone still thinks there getting a good deal,
Dont know what they do in other parts of the U.S. but thats how it is in Vegas ------- just saying!!!!
Other then that well everything is fine on the western front
Sep 14th 2011, 12:21 am
#9351
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Denise I hear what your saying and of course your right, and yes it also would list all that crap on my policy every year I re-newed, and I was a single driver and listed as retired and driving no more then 7,500 miles a year, and yes they said I got a safe driving discount but every time I looked for the freaking discount it was never there, the only thing I did see very clearly though was an increase in my premium (EVERY YEAR) and yes I would shop around to try to get it cheaper then $139 per month but the rest were either the same rate or even more, so its all just Crap!!!!
And all this money I was paying out in premiums was from a man who has never even had a parking ticket in 30 years, and never a single claim, can you imaimaginew little I would pay over here in U.K. for the same car, ---- well what Im trying to tell you is that it just would never happen in the U.S. where a driver would be given a 70% no claims discount ---- whatever name or names they decided to call it, have you Denise ever known anyone in the U.S. start off with say for arguments sake a $1,000 per year premium for there car, and then in 3 years of driving that car and having no claims and no violations and then there premiums going down to just $300 per year?
NO of course not, instead in that three years it would have probably gone up 30%
But in England it would have gone down to 300 per year, hence the 70% NCB ----- you see all these so called little discounts on that list you typed above like a couple of dollars here and there for this and that, dont you see thats just a little glossy picture that they all paint for you to see, and you are happy cause you think you are actually getting some good deal, but in actual fact your paying more each year cause they cover the $20 say a year they give you in BS discounts by raising your premiums by $50 or more per year, AND everyone still thinks there getting a good deal,
Dont know what they do in other parts of the U.S. but thats how it is in Vegas ------- just saying!!!!
Other then that well everything is fine on the western front
And all this money I was paying out in premiums was from a man who has never even had a parking ticket in 30 years, and never a single claim, can you imaimaginew little I would pay over here in U.K. for the same car, ---- well what Im trying to tell you is that it just would never happen in the U.S. where a driver would be given a 70% no claims discount ---- whatever name or names they decided to call it, have you Denise ever known anyone in the U.S. start off with say for arguments sake a $1,000 per year premium for there car, and then in 3 years of driving that car and having no claims and no violations and then there premiums going down to just $300 per year?
NO of course not, instead in that three years it would have probably gone up 30%
But in England it would have gone down to 300 per year, hence the 70% NCB ----- you see all these so called little discounts on that list you typed above like a couple of dollars here and there for this and that, dont you see thats just a little glossy picture that they all paint for you to see, and you are happy cause you think you are actually getting some good deal, but in actual fact your paying more each year cause they cover the $20 say a year they give you in BS discounts by raising your premiums by $50 or more per year, AND everyone still thinks there getting a good deal,
Dont know what they do in other parts of the U.S. but thats how it is in Vegas ------- just saying!!!!
Other then that well everything is fine on the western front
In the US they start you off as if you have had no accidents, but if you have an accident then they raise the rate.
It's the same thing, it's just done the other way around.
Sep 14th 2011, 1:33 am
#9352
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Denise I hear what your saying and of course your right, and yes it also would list all that crap on my policy every year I re-newed, and I was a single driver and listed as retired and driving no more then 7,500 miles a year, and yes they said I got a safe driving discount but every time I looked for the freaking discount it was never there, the only thing I did see very clearly though was an increase in my premium (EVERY YEAR) and yes I would shop around to try to get it cheaper then $139 per month but the rest were either the same rate or even more, so its all just Crap!!!!
Sep 14th 2011, 2:39 am
#9353
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
I've just renewed our car insurance here in New Jersey (approx 18 miles west of Manhatten).
We have an 8 year old Volvo XC90 and our son (almost 23 years old) has a 5 year old Subaru Outback. No accidents or claims, clean driving licences etc.
With discounts with the insurance company 'Geico' as we insure our house via Geico too, the cost is $1400.
For six months....
PS: a few years ago when our son passed his driving test - if you can call it a test, he didn't even go on a public road and it was all over in 10 minutes - I told the insurance company that I didn't want him to be insured on the Volvo, just the Outback as I thought it would bring the premiums down. They told me it doesn't work like that in the USA...they assume that anyone resident in the home of legal driving age is 'just going to take the car' and it's compulsory (certainly in New Jersey) to insure all drivers at that address for all vehicles...
PPS: I also wonder if the premiums are so high in the US because medical costs are so much higher than anywhere else? I know that in the UK the NHS can charge for motor vehicle accidents but I wonder if they actually do charge insurance companies in practice? In any case it would still be inexpensive compared to hospital/medical costs for injuries caused by car accidents in the USA.
We have an 8 year old Volvo XC90 and our son (almost 23 years old) has a 5 year old Subaru Outback. No accidents or claims, clean driving licences etc.
With discounts with the insurance company 'Geico' as we insure our house via Geico too, the cost is $1400.
For six months....
PS: a few years ago when our son passed his driving test - if you can call it a test, he didn't even go on a public road and it was all over in 10 minutes - I told the insurance company that I didn't want him to be insured on the Volvo, just the Outback as I thought it would bring the premiums down. They told me it doesn't work like that in the USA...they assume that anyone resident in the home of legal driving age is 'just going to take the car' and it's compulsory (certainly in New Jersey) to insure all drivers at that address for all vehicles...
PPS: I also wonder if the premiums are so high in the US because medical costs are so much higher than anywhere else? I know that in the UK the NHS can charge for motor vehicle accidents but I wonder if they actually do charge insurance companies in practice? In any case it would still be inexpensive compared to hospital/medical costs for injuries caused by car accidents in the USA.
Sep 14th 2011, 2:51 am
#9354
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Has anyone noticed the difference between magazines in the US and UK?
I love home decorating magazines and bought a few at Manchester airport for the flight back. What a pleasant surprise! First, they put the table of contents right up front instead of making you wade through pages of ads to find it.
Then there is just so much more content to read. Instead of mostly ads with a few articles tossed in, these magazines are packed with information and interesting stories. I wish I could subscribe and have them sent over here.
I love home decorating magazines and bought a few at Manchester airport for the flight back. What a pleasant surprise! First, they put the table of contents right up front instead of making you wade through pages of ads to find it.
Then there is just so much more content to read. Instead of mostly ads with a few articles tossed in, these magazines are packed with information and interesting stories. I wish I could subscribe and have them sent over here.
I flew back on 31st August and I'm deliberately slowly going through the UK editions of "Good Housekeeping" (so different and so much better than the American counterpart) and "Marie Claire"...plus "Hello" magazine which I picked up from the Virgin Atlantic lounge
Also a big difference is the magazines are slightly larger in size in the UK....and many of the UK monthly magazines have free samples attached to the cover, typically something like hand cream, nail varnish, moisturizer, a shopping bag or CD. The American versions *never* have giveaways...
I have definitely seen and purchased British magazines at the larger Hudson news stores in Penn Station, NYC eg. "House Beautiful" "Country Living" and from time to time the UK "Good Housekeeping" and "Hello" (especially the one near the main exit opposite the Pennsylvania Hotel on 7th Ave. I daresay they can be found at Grand Central Station too...and cost little more than they do in the UK - but sadly with no freebies.
Last edited by Englishmum; Sep 14th 2011 at 3:00 am.
Sep 14th 2011, 3:00 am
#9355
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
A very *belated* 'congratulations' to DDL for passing her driving test! It is so difficult in comparison to taking a driving test in the USA.
This thread moves so quickly it takes ages to catch up and it's easy to skip some posts here and there
I really must catch up and meet DDL in person as my daughter (and her baby) live nearby and when I visit we regularly take walks to Twickenham town centre and along the banks of the Thames to Marble Hill park, or visit Sion Park and the riverside pubs for a meal
I'm thinking of perhaps eventually selling our small house in the Epping Forest area of Essex and maybe buying a little flat in the West London/Middx area.
This thread moves so quickly it takes ages to catch up and it's easy to skip some posts here and there
I really must catch up and meet DDL in person as my daughter (and her baby) live nearby and when I visit we regularly take walks to Twickenham town centre and along the banks of the Thames to Marble Hill park, or visit Sion Park and the riverside pubs for a meal
I'm thinking of perhaps eventually selling our small house in the Epping Forest area of Essex and maybe buying a little flat in the West London/Middx area.
Sep 14th 2011, 4:37 am
#9356
Home Sweet Home
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Surrey, England
Posts: 5,128
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
As you all know, many supermarkets charge £1 for the use of a shopping trolley. You get your £1 back when you return it, but it still means you always have to make sure you've got a pound coin on you. (Tip: We save up our pound coins in empty, round denture tablet tubes - they are perfect for that!)
McVities has come up with a cool idea: it's a keyring with a round 'coin' on the end -although it's not a real coin, but it's the same size as a pound coin and it works in the trolleys. (Obviously, you would probably just clip this onto your existing keyring and remove as needed because you wouldn't want your keys dangling from your trolley.)
With one of these, you'll never have to worry about being caught off-guard at the grocery store without a pound coin for the trolley.
I think it's a very clever idea.
To get one, just register online and join McVitie's VIP club. Every time you purchase a McVitie's product, there is a code on it and you enter the code online and you accumulate points. The keyring is 15 points and it only took me 1 or 2 biscuit purchases in order to qualify. When it arrives, I'll let y'all know how it works. :-)
https://uk.mcvitiesvipclub.co.uk/display_offer/9001022
McVities has come up with a cool idea: it's a keyring with a round 'coin' on the end -although it's not a real coin, but it's the same size as a pound coin and it works in the trolleys. (Obviously, you would probably just clip this onto your existing keyring and remove as needed because you wouldn't want your keys dangling from your trolley.)
With one of these, you'll never have to worry about being caught off-guard at the grocery store without a pound coin for the trolley.
I think it's a very clever idea.
To get one, just register online and join McVitie's VIP club. Every time you purchase a McVitie's product, there is a code on it and you enter the code online and you accumulate points. The keyring is 15 points and it only took me 1 or 2 biscuit purchases in order to qualify. When it arrives, I'll let y'all know how it works. :-)
https://uk.mcvitiesvipclub.co.uk/display_offer/9001022
you can buy one in the pound shops, just unclip it off the keyring and voila!!
Sep 14th 2011, 7:56 am
#9357
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Phibun Mangsahan Ubon Province Thailand.
Posts: 1,073
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
First off I am with you.
Now, remember being out in the cold dark winters night with the rain coming down and the cold wind blowing and you are at the bus stop and waiting for the bus? Got the picture?
I use to have a routine of going to work in the office and being there at 9:30am and then off work at 5:30pm and then run for the bus and I stayed home for the rest of the evening so it was no big deal of the inconvenience of not having a car. Oh and it was so nice to be home by the roaring coal fire and listening to Mantovani and orchestra on the records. See what I gave up to come to the promised land.
( hang on I've got to get my Kleenex out)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tDmmwMnUYU
Cheers
Now, remember being out in the cold dark winters night with the rain coming down and the cold wind blowing and you are at the bus stop and waiting for the bus? Got the picture?
I use to have a routine of going to work in the office and being there at 9:30am and then off work at 5:30pm and then run for the bus and I stayed home for the rest of the evening so it was no big deal of the inconvenience of not having a car. Oh and it was so nice to be home by the roaring coal fire and listening to Mantovani and orchestra on the records. See what I gave up to come to the promised land.
( hang on I've got to get my Kleenex out)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tDmmwMnUYU
Cheers
Sep 14th 2011, 8:14 am
#9358
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: US
Posts: 4,224
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Hey Don they have been revived in the last couple of years.
Sep 14th 2011, 11:00 am
#9359
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Phibun Mangsahan Ubon Province Thailand.
Posts: 1,073
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Sep 14th 2011, 8:34 pm
#9360
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Denise I hear what your saying and of course your right, and yes it also would list all that crap on my policy every year I re-newed, and I was a single driver and listed as retired and driving no more then 7,500 miles a year, and yes they said I got a safe driving discount but every time I looked for the freaking discount it was never there, the only thing I did see very clearly though was an increase in my premium (EVERY YEAR) and yes I would shop around to try to get it cheaper then $139 per month but the rest were either the same rate or even more, so its all just Crap!!!!
And all this money I was paying out in premiums was from a man who has never even had a parking ticket in 30 years, and never a single claim, can you imaimaginew little I would pay over here in U.K. for the same car, ---- well what Im trying to tell you is that it just would never happen in the U.S. where a driver would be given a 70% no claims discount ---- whatever name or names they decided to call it, have you Denise ever known anyone in the U.S. start off with say for arguments sake a $1,000 per year premium for there car, and then in 3 years of driving that car and having no claims and no violations and then there premiums going down to just $300 per year?
NO of course not, instead in that three years it would have probably gone up 30%
But in England it would have gone down to 300 per year, hence the 70% NCB ----- you see all these so called little discounts on that list you typed above like a couple of dollars here and there for this and that, dont you see thats just a little glossy picture that they all paint for you to see, and you are happy cause you think you are actually getting some good deal, but in actual fact your paying more each year cause they cover the $20 say a year they give you in BS discounts by raising your premiums by $50 or more per year, AND everyone still thinks there getting a good deal,
Dont know what they do in other parts of the U.S. but thats how it is in Vegas ------- just saying!!!!
Other then that well everything is fine on the western front
And all this money I was paying out in premiums was from a man who has never even had a parking ticket in 30 years, and never a single claim, can you imaimaginew little I would pay over here in U.K. for the same car, ---- well what Im trying to tell you is that it just would never happen in the U.S. where a driver would be given a 70% no claims discount ---- whatever name or names they decided to call it, have you Denise ever known anyone in the U.S. start off with say for arguments sake a $1,000 per year premium for there car, and then in 3 years of driving that car and having no claims and no violations and then there premiums going down to just $300 per year?
NO of course not, instead in that three years it would have probably gone up 30%
But in England it would have gone down to 300 per year, hence the 70% NCB ----- you see all these so called little discounts on that list you typed above like a couple of dollars here and there for this and that, dont you see thats just a little glossy picture that they all paint for you to see, and you are happy cause you think you are actually getting some good deal, but in actual fact your paying more each year cause they cover the $20 say a year they give you in BS discounts by raising your premiums by $50 or more per year, AND everyone still thinks there getting a good deal,
Dont know what they do in other parts of the U.S. but thats how it is in Vegas ------- just saying!!!!
Other then that well everything is fine on the western front
I hear you Rodders, just saying that I had a brand new Saturn Vue SUV and hubby had an older Jag XJ and, truly, our insurance premiums were very, very reasonable in the States via State Farm. Our premiums only ever fluctuated a few dollars (literally) at a time (sometimes up, sometimes down) per every 6 month premium period. Maybe we were just lucky.