The advice thread for random problems #7

[ReginaPhalange3]

I've never tried the adults but the kids ones are terrible they go lumpy and horrible very quickly

Dunelm are great for pillows.

 

[Padparadascha]

Apparently there’s a big market for worn shoes, socks and knickers. You have to be creative with your advert though, because eBay and Vinted don’t allow obvious sales to perverts. A friend from uni topped up her student loan by selling Primark knickers smeared with Vaseline on the gusset

Now thats genius. That way her DNA wont be on them.

 

[Bread]

I had a water leak (leaky loo) and got an email from the water company to say my bill is high check for a leak. The leak was fixed start of December. I just got my water bill in the post and it's gone up again (£47 I live alone). It says the billing period is July-december so I assume I'll just have to wait 6months to see the improvement of fixing the leak?

If you had a leak and can prove you got it fixed you should be owed a rebate from the water company.

 

[GoldSilver]

Thank you all
I’m 36 now so it’s time for me to move on but I do feel quite sad about it and it all feels a bit scary and huge! I’m sure the excitement will kick in, I’ve just never moved away from home once not even for uni so it’s a big deal

It is so hard to buy a house these days so you should be extremely proud. Congratulations, wish you all the best

 

[Magwitch]

To be honest, if you can hear the person they are speaking to on the phone, the sound insulation must be terrible and there is nothing you can really do about that other than try to mitigate it with noise cancelling headphones etc.

 

[Carapop]

Hello everyone. My fridge freezer has broken down. It's ancient and honestly doesn't owe me a penny. So, I need to replace it.
The trouble is, my kitchen is upstairs.It's a converted cottage and my bedroom is downstairs. Living room and kitchenette upstairs.
I will need to order online because I've had back problems and struggle with pain and mobility.
Does anyone know of a firm - like John Lewis for example who will carry it upstairs for me and remove / dispose of the old one ?
I'm really stressing about it. Anxiety is a bitch.
Thank you

Hi there! Sorry for your troubles, I get so anxious about all these things too. Most of the appliance providers will deliver to the kitchen and remove the old appliance. They might just charge at extra few quid with it. Harvey Norman did it for me!

 

[Serene Serena]

Thank you so much, I knew it was suspect but your friend has really put my mind at rest so please do thank her

I have done, and I hope your friend is okay and won't send this awful man any more money.

 

[Darvos]

I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?

Make stock.

 

[Captainmouse]

He is too polite for his own good! I've just ordered lion poo off amazon how bloody random but for 15 quid ill give it a go! The place is drenched in vinegar so if the little curly fucker does it after I've ve tried these methods ill absolutely give her a knock x

let us know how you get on. I know it works for cats.

Olbas oil is cheap, less than a fiver and widely available, just save your used teabags

 

[Rockin' Robin]

No problem, rice weevils aren't toxic or dangerous. I'd be more concerned about why you have 12 year old packets of rice in your cupboard.

It's been a while since we're had a clear out!

 

[Snippysnips]

What’s the best thing to do with very worn, stained baby/ toddler clothes? They are in too bad condition to sell or give to a charity shop. Should I throw them away (which makes me feel bad but I don’t think I have any choice)?

I've seen people take parts of clothes an turn them into little memory bears, they are quite cute an a lovely way to keep a hold of something

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I’m quite dark skinned considering what we knew of my heritage so always thought there could be something interesting there. Nope, I am as white British, apparently northern, as it gets The most interesting it gets is some Italian and Norwegian 8 or so generations ago, it was rather disappointing tbh.

We did know my parent had a half sister they’d never met overseas and they’ve come up along with their child and grandchild. No contact has been made but it’s interesting to have found them on Facebook and see faces that share family resemblances. Apart from that it’s fun to see how genetics affects a bunch of silly things like how likely you are to have had hair at birth or if it bleaches in the sun.
I personally wouldn’t want the serious health information though - how likely you are to get cancer or whatever it tells you - not from a service like these.

Definitely don’t pay for the “health” information. That is a load of rubbish. Basically just a money making scheme

 

[T-time]

I feel like I've done the wrong thing, but not sure why. I borrowed a small garden tool from an acquaintance who said to keep the item as they would be able to get another. Well, silly me, returned the item, saying thanks very much for the loan but didn't want them to be left without, so I'm returning it. This happened within the space of a few hours. This was met with a rude, kind of haughty response. I don't know what I did wrong. I thought I was being nice by not putting the other person out.
Would anyone be offended if someone gave you back something that you'd told them to keep?

A guy once broke up with me because I gave back his shirt after I worn it. He thought that I thought that I was too good to wear his crappy shirt. That wasn't true at all. I just thought he wanted his shirt back

Maybe they were all up in their doogooder high and there you are, returning the item. Or they actually want an excuse to buy an upgrade and that fell trough. Or they thought you didn't use it at all. It could have been anything but I don't think it has something to do with you're

 

[BoogleC]

I'd love a robot lawnmower. I hate cutting the grass

 

[Ray1403]

Anyone done a mock interview on ChatGPT and did it help you? I’ve submitted the person spec and asked for a mock interview. First interview in 7/8 years tomorrow and I am NERVOUS

i have an interview tomorrow too. good luck!

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I am after a sim only contract, but only 30 day minimum term, as I need to update my phone at some point too.

There is a long story as to why I cant do both now. Anyway, which company would people recommend?

I second Lebara. Very good short term contracts

 

[didisaythatoutloudoops]

Advice on dealing with aggressive/rude colleagues...

So I posted in the previous thread about a colleague quite aggressively coming up to me in the break room, in front of CEO and deputy CEO, and continually asking me to explain 'why I'd say I'm happy to do something when I'm not'. For context, we're a newly merged team, figuring out roles/responsibilities, she tried to dump a task on me she didn't like and got told by our boss not to do that - thus she was angry at me. I was incredibly shocked and hurt she'd try and maim my reputation in the workplace like that, in front of senior management.

I spoke to my boss about what happened and she said she'd speak to her, as she didn't want to reward that behaviour. Well, she was promoted the week after, to the shock of the team. It was incredibly awkward for all. Everyone sat in silence, shocked beyond words. Half of the team felt their own efforts weren't being rewarded and the other half, who have also had run ins with her, were just pissed.

Since then (we are now at the same seniority level), she speaks to me as if I am her intern. Push back on demands (she asked me to issue a notification to our team, I said we had done one two days ago - no need) is met with indirect accusations I am not doing my job. When I was courteous and did her request, my boss snapped at me for sending too many notifications. So I'm stuck in the middle.

My strategy so far has been to only engage with this colleague for work-related talk. We used to chat and get on well, so this is a big difference. While I was out of the office last week for a conference, she edited a Teams message (so no notification) stating she'd like to 'clear the air with an open and honest conversation'.

My issue is this: I don't see this as an honesty problem. I haven't ever been dishonest, but right from the start, she seems keen to accuse me of lying, or hiding how I feel, etc. My gut says not to enter into this conversation. It also doesn't help that my boss now thinks the sun shines out of her bum. So should I clear the air? Or am I setting myself up for more issues?

Thank you!!

 

[becca7721]

I thought you were allowed to have so many thousands and still get benefit.

View attachment 3847633View attachment 3847634

In theory yes.

But it’s the DWP.

They aren’t allowed to refuse benefit to someone with a terminal illness, they do (when my friend had breast cancer she was told she needed a date by which she would die to qualify as tablet chemo wasn’t real chemo so she could work), she lived beyond the date, so all her money stopped as she wasn’t classed as terminal anymore but cured, she died homeless Christmas Eve 2016. In June 2017 after she died they accepted her appeal.

I was doing permitted work whilst claiming JSA - I was earning around £50 a week (benefit then was about £60 JSA) and they kept ringing me at work to attend interviews - I was lone working managerial in a hospital a vital role and couldn’t leave, so they took £9.50 (so I had 50p a week to maintain contributions for pension). Not allowed anything else like housing or council tax. I tried to close my claim they wouldn’t let me. I lost my job and then they ended my claim because I lost my job.

Im well aware fraud exists but despite never having committed fraud, paid a fortune in medical evidence and found innocent when accused it STILL stays on file. My qualifications are recorded from when I claimed JSA, every time I’ve been there I’ve been accused of fraud because my qualifications mean it’s impossible I cannot work and can claim. Every time. Until Covid I was reapplying for ESA support group every three months I had multiple claims open, appeals going on .. Never mind what Ive been through on UC.

Finally, they let volunteers from a charity go there and access my account who pretended to be me as they had kept my non photo ID.

They screw up something that can be 3 months zero income at least, then another to get paid (as I was last year), then you get “it’s fine you’ll get backpay“ but that’s no use when you need food etc, also, they can deduct if your backpay is too large and be expected to live on it (also, not allowed). when I got it I owed thousands on credit cards, bills, landlord etc and the DWP allowed people I owed to take 20% *each* from what they allowed me, including housing benefit.

 

[cowtastrophe]

It helps if you warm the wrap for a few seconds in the microwave before wrapping. I need to practice it as well as I love wraps.

 

[Monkeymagic85]

If you don't get anywhere the website resolver is really good.

I’ve used them before for a different issue, good shout, cheers