The Vent and Rant Thread

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Those are just cents.

I can buy Big Name Brand bottled water here, which costs like €2.95 a litre, because it's zchpeczial™. If you buy bottled water from Store Brand, you'll get it for as low as €0.35.

Even though that's a price difference of almost 10x, it's about less than €3, and I can _see_ those prices when I'm standing in front of the shelves. In my case above, it's a difference up to €84, and I have to search stores throughout Europe. Even if I find the best price/shipping cost/shipping time option (which is often Germany for me), it seems that 'best price' can fluctuate up to €24, in a matter of days.

The product I bought in the UK had been at €65 for a few days, until my GF actually decided to buy it; it was €45 for the weekend when I got it for her. Now it's back to €65 again.

In the end, I (or more accurately, she) paid €38 and €45, in Germany and the UK, for products that would have cost €119 and €89 in the Netherlands. €83 vs. €198... (even when bought in the worst case, without the temporary discounts that happened at exactly the right time, the price difference would still have been 59+65= €124 vs. €198.)

I think such price differences for EXACTLY THE SAME PRODUCT are idiotic. I positively feel ripped off with my €82 "deal" last year, even though I saved €37 over the normal price at that time.

Let's not even talk temporary sales right now. Keep in mind we have Black Friday coming up.
The first 100 people through the door can get X for cheap, then we are sold out until tomorrow when the price will be back to normal.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Those are just cents.

I can buy Big Name Brand bottled water here, which costs like €2.95 a litre, because it's zchpeczial™. If you buy bottled water from Store Brand, you'll get it for as low as €0.35.

Even though that's a price difference of almost 10x, it's about less than €3, and I can _see_ those prices when I'm standing in front of the shelves. In my case above, it's a difference up to €84, and I have to search stores throughout Europe. Even if I find the best price/shipping cost/shipping time option (which is often Germany for me), it seems that 'best price' can fluctuate up to €24, in a matter of days.

The product I bought in the UK had been at €65 for a few days, until my GF actually decided to buy it; it was €45 for the weekend when I got it for her. Now it's back to €65 again.

In the end, I (or more accurately, she) paid €38 and €45, in Germany and the UK, for products that would have cost €119 and €89 in the Netherlands. €83 vs. €198... (even when bought in the worst case, without the temporary discounts that happened at exactly the right time, the price difference would still have been 59+65= €124 vs. €198.)

I think such price differences for EXACTLY THE SAME PRODUCT are idiotic. I positively feel ripped off with my €82 "deal" last year, even though I saved €37 over the normal price at that time.

Oh Katsunami, little something to think about. It's all in the zeros.
Your $37 may be someone else's $3.70 or $370.
For you, comparison shopping at various grocery stores wouldn't be worth your time.
Shopping around online for you is. I do the same thing.


Prices are idiotic.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Oh Katsunami, little something to think about. It's all in the zeros.
Your $37 may be someone else's $3.70 or $370.
For you, comparison shopping at various grocery stores wouldn't be worth your time.
Shopping around online for you is. I do the same thing.

That is true enough. I make use of offers in grocery stores, but because I am dependent on public transport, it's impossible to get them all. Trying to squeeze out the last penny while doing grocery shopping just isn't possible because of that. It would either cost too much money to travel, or too much time.

We have some supermarkets here that are quite expensive (AH/Albert Heijn), mid-tier (Jumbo/Plus), and cheap (Aldi/Lidl). The last two just stock 'standard stuff', so if it's all I need, I go there; if I need something more exotic, I go to Jumbo or Plus, picking the one with the most/biggest offers.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Do me a favor please. Put every cent you get in a jar. Save it for one year.

I did it, when the Euro was introduced. I put every 10 cent or smaller I ever got into a box. When the box was full, 5 years later, it contained around €75.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

That is true enough. I make use of offers in grocery stores, but because I am dependent on public transport, it's impossible to get them all. Trying to squeeze out the last penny while doing grocery shopping just isn't possible because of that. It would either cost too much money to travel, or too much time.

We have some supermarkets here that are quite expensive (AH/Albert Heijn), mid-tier (Jumbo/Plus), and cheap (Aldi/Lidl). The last two just stock 'standard stuff', so if it's all I need, I go there; if I need something more exotic, I go to Jumbo or Plus, picking the one with the most/biggest offers.

We don't have Aldi here. The closest is about 200 miles away.
We don't necessarily have an expensive grocery store per se. It depends on the products.
El Rancho has cheap produce and Mexico products. Cereals and other foods are $$$. Lowes varies but they have the cheapest spices.
The other 3 stores are within a few cents of each other. Except for Market Street which has higher end stuff and even a concierge.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

While I can understand that your husband took you away out of an unhealthy household with regard to your mother and sister (as far as I've been able to surmise from your posts), I think this isn't a healthy relationship either. Has your husband looked into the possibilities to getting help somehow?

'I don't know how you put up with it. I'd be at the "see a doctor, or get out" stage, myself.'

I'd have to agree with Hitch here.

My own relationship is great at the moment (although it's only been going for 9 months). We had one little 'fight', lasting about 10 seconds, when she snapped at me for something trivial after a long day. I told her that I absolutely don't tolerate irrational/idiotic behavior or fighting. If I did something you don't like, just tell me, explain why, and in what way you think it would be better. We haven't had a single argument since.

=====

I've ordered some stuff for my girlfriend that is about 50% cheaper in the UK and Germany than it is in the Netherlands.

Some of it was ordered in the UK, other parts were ordered through Amazon Germany, all on Sunday last week.

The stuff from the UK is already here, and Amazon Germany is still jacking around with shipping it!

- "Your order will be shipped soon."
- "Your order will be shipped on the 14th." (It wasn't shipped.)
- "Shipment is being prepared."
- "Your order will ship today."
- "Your order will be shipped soon." (???)

A different part is still at "Your order will be shipped soon."

Fracking Amazon Germany... come on! You've got 20+ of each in stock. It has been three days. Ship it already! I'm normally not very impatient, but seeing a product shipped from the UK in less than 3 days (Ordered on Sunday, sent on Monday, delivered on Wednesday) while Amazon Germany is still getting around to actually sending their stuff, three days after ordering it, sets my teeth on edge.

Congratulations on the 9 months. Hubby and I dated for about 10 months before we married. So many years ago. We never fought either not till about four years into the marriage. I was so young and agreeable then. lol Now I speak my mind.

The soap episode blew over. We had a good day yesterday. The new Plum novel was released and my niece dropped off doughnuts. She works at Krispy Kreme. She also dropped off McDonald's so we had lunch. I spent the day listening to Hardcore Twenty-four and hubby played his Facebook games. We talked about the holidays and happy stuff.

We've been together 19 years next May so you have to understand you don't just walk away from someone when the going gets tough. I was sick during most of the early years he took care of me with minium complaining. lol Now he's sick and needs help and I'm patient enough to wait out his denial. These problems have only escalated in last three years. Money, stress and health play a big part. It's so easy to snap at each other during those times.

I have no doubt if we had healthcare he would be getting help. I need a blood transfusion the doctor says. I can't afford it. I have a $2500 medical bill for being diagnosed with something the ER knew I had.

It just like when you take your car in for say new brakes and you get a huge bill because they decided your car needed a tune-up, new fuel intake, a/c flushed, oil changed and a new water pump..etc and they did this without asking you. That's how my ER visit was. I went in for a swollen leg to make sure it wasn't a clot or something else. All they did was draw blood and when the test came back negative they did three tests totally unrelated to my leg without asking because my hemoglobin was low which I told them when I was being checked in I was anemic. When the nurse practitioner told me to take iron I asked how much and she said I don't know. I'm clueless there. Yeah Miss Clueless charge me $1350 for that. When I asked about my leg she was like I don't know it might be a muscle or something. No one actually examined my leg even though it was twice the size of the other one. I have never ever seen such incompetence before.

This is what we are dealing with here.


Sent from my XT1528

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Congratulations on the 9 months. Hubby and I dated for about 10 months before we married. So many years ago. We never fought either not till about four years into the marriage. I was so young and agreeable then. lol Now I speak my mind.

The soap episode blew over. We had a good day yesterday. The new Plum novel was released and my niece dropped off doughnuts. She works at Krispy Kreme. She also dropped off McDonald's so we had lunch. I spent the day listening to Hardcore Twenty-four and hubby played his Facebook games. We talked about the holidays and happy stuff.

We've been together 19 years next May so you have to understand you don't just walk away from someone when the going gets tough. I was sick during most of the early years he took care of me with minium complaining. lol Now he's sick and needs help and I'm patient enough to wait out his denial. These problems have only escalated in last three years. Money, stress and health play a big part. It's so easy to snap at each other during those times.

I have no doubt if we had healthcare he would be getting help. I need a blood transfusion the doctor says. I can't afford it. I have a $2500 medical bill for being diagnosed with something the ER knew I had.

It just like when you take your car in for say new brakes and you get a huge bill because they decided your car needed a tune-up, new fuel intake, a/c flushed, oil changed and a new water pump..etc and they did this without asking you. That's how my ER visit was. I went in for a swollen leg to make sure it wasn't a clot or something else. All they did was draw blood and when the test came back negative they did three tests totally unrelated to my leg without asking because my hemoglobin was low which I told them when I was being checked in I was anemic. When the nurse practitioner told me to take iron I asked how much and she said I don't know. I'm clueless there. Yeah Miss Clueless charge me $1350 for that. When I asked about my leg she was like I don't know it might be a muscle or something. No one actually examined my leg even though it was twice the size of the other one. I have never ever seen such incompetence before.

This is what we are dealing with here.


Sent from my XT1528

Is your leg better?
Did you all the dishes washed?

Been married 26 years here. Together 27 sometime next month. We still have little tiffs, usually during that time of month and he's had a bad day at work. It happens.
I am his second wife and he is my third husband. He was widowed, I was divorced.
We both had full lives before we met, so we knew not to expect perfection.
Now little secret: if someone tells you something you don't want to hear, they may be basing their advice on what they have either lived through or wouldn't put up with or both.

As to the money: either you have it or you don't. It only becomes a problem if one partner controls ALL the money or lies about where it is going.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Blossom

We've been together 19 years next May so you have to understand you don't just walk away from someone when the going gets tough. I was sick during most of the early years he took care of me with minium complaining. lol Now he's sick and needs help and I'm patient enough to wait out his denial. These problems have only escalated in last three years. Money, stress and health play a big part. It's so easy to snap at each other during those times.

True enough, but what you are describing is not just 'snapping'; it's controlling behavior to an extent that is not normal. Something has to be done about it, or there might be very severe problems later on. (I'm not a psychologist; it's just how I feel.)

I have no doubt if we had healthcare he would be getting help. I need a blood transfusion the doctor says. I can't afford it. I have a $2500 medical bill for being diagnosed with something the ER knew I had.

<snip>

This is what we are dealing with here.

Sorry to hear that. That's barbaric. In the Netherlands, you pay insurance (obligatory), and most very expensive things are covered. The things you pay yourself is the 'cheap' stuff: glasses, contact lenses, small medicines, etc. We've got something called "Eigen Risico" ("For your own risk"); the government has set a minimum and a maximum. If you raise your maximum, your insurance fee is decreases; if you lower your minimum risk, the fee increases. On the top of my head, the minimum is €350, maximum is somewhere in the €600's.

"Eigen Risico" resets every year.

If you need something small, such as cheap medicines for this or that, you have to pay this yourself until your "Eigen Risico" is used up. After that, insurance covers everything. If you need something big, like a heart transplant, you'll pay the amount of "Eigen Risico" that is still left in your account for that year, and then the insurance covers the rest.

So, if you have an "Eigen Risico" of €350 (and pay the accompanying insurance fee), you'll never pay more than €350 in that year, whatever happens, even if you break your neck and are hospitalized for six months.

(Eh... as far as I know... I'm not up to date with the very very latest rules.)

So yes, I've been paying monthly insurance for 20 years now, and never, ever needed anything close to using up my "Eigen Risico", but _IF_ something should happen that would cost me like €25.0000, it'll be paid for me. (Except for the first €350.)

This is how health insurance should work, IMHO.

The only drawback is that there are some people who are sick for life with some sort of illness who require treatments costing 50K a year.... and they only pay €350 (and insurance) for it. The rest is paid by all the people who are NOT sick...

Because young people pay a lot without getting seriously ill or hospitalized (mostly, anyway), it's often said that you're paying for all the health care you're going to use up when you're 70+...

[Blossom]

It comes and goes. Some days I wake up and my thigh is very swollen. Some days it's not. No answer. It's a mystery. I recently hurt my toes again. So my foot was swollen. Now it's better but I was using a crutch for a few days. Dishes need to be done. I haven't felt motivated since the argument.

I'm on my first and only marriage. It works because we are both introverted. He stays in his room and I in mine. It works best that way.

Sent from my XT1528

[Katsunami]

And Amazon Germany keeps jacking around.

I order three things:
1 and 2: November 12.
3: November 13.

They split my first shipment, sending the first part on November 14. It was supposed to arrive on the 16th, but somewhere this night, the date was changed to the 17th. Now I check the page, and the date has changed again, 'to be delivered Nov 16 - 23: we're sorry your order is late.' Then I check the shipping details, and according to those, the package has been IN MY FRACKING CITY since 10am this morning (the morning of the 15th). WTF? WHY wouldn't it be delivered on the 16th then? I practically live next to the depot. Why hasn't it been delivered on the 15th?

The second part of that was dispatched on the 15th, and is still slated for delivery on the 16th (which, at my place, is like... right now...) though tracking information is notcomplete yet, or the package hasn't even left Germany. No way they're going to deliver this on the 16th.

The third part was ordered on the 13th, and it has just progressed to "Will be sent today." It is still slated for delivery on the 16th... but it is already the 16th while I type this, and the package HASN'T EVEN BEEN SENT YET.

Jesus, Amazon. I've had some bad shipping experiences from Germany, but the only company that bests you is Conrad.de: they start thinking about dispatching a product about 5 days after you order it, and if it's not in stock, they MIGHT actually remember to order it. And after they receive it, they'll take another five days to send it.

WHY does it take 3-4 days to start shipping an in stock product for fracks sake? That UK store got something to me in less than three working days. (Ordered Sunday evening around 23:00, dispatched on Monday, delivered on Wednesday at 10:00 in the morning.)

[badgoodDeb]

Maybe it's worth always ordering from the UK store, and paying the difference?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It comes and goes. Some days I wake up and my thigh is very swollen. Some days it's not. No answer. It's a mystery. I recently hurt my toes again. So my foot was swollen. Now it's better but I was using a crutch for a few days. Dishes need to be done. I haven't felt motivated since the argument.

I'm on my first and only marriage. It works because we are both introverted. He stays in his room and I in mine. It works best that way.

Sent from my XT1528

Sympathies on the leg.

I try not to comment on your relationship because there is a possibility, I would be projecting from my first ex. He was controlling or more precisely tried to be.
That could be a book but he would want a share of the profits.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Maybe it's worth always ordering from the UK store, and paying the difference?

Except for one of the orders at Amazon (the 3rd, kitchen appliance, which I suspect she wants as a Christmas present, as we both have a similar one already), there's nothing I'd order for myself... it's all girl stuff That UK store only sells Big Name Brand Girl Stuff, actually

It's not even that I'm impatient, but mostly, I'm not at home, so I have to ask one of my parents to stay, or to ask the elderly neighbor to keep an eye out for the delivery. Well.. "Could you take care of that package that'll arrive on the 16th? Eh... 17? No, wait.... 16th? Eh... Somewhere between the 16th and the 23rd?" It's impossible to pan to have someone intercept it for me, because I probably won't be able to receive it myself.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Except for one of the orders at Amazon (the 3rd, kitchen appliance, which I suspect she wants as a Christmas present, as we both have a similar one already), there's nothing I'd order for myself... it's all girl stuff That UK store only sells Big Name Brand Girl Stuff, actually

It's not even that I'm impatient, but mostly, I'm not at home, so I have to ask one of my parents to stay, or to ask the elderly neighbor to keep an eye out for the delivery. Well.. "Could you take care of that package that'll arrive on the 16th? Eh... 17? No, wait.... 16th? Eh... Somewhere between the 16th and the 23rd?" It's impossible to pan to have someone intercept it for me, because I probably won't be able to receive it myself.

Is there a thread for the appliance or do I need to start one?

[Katsunami]

You can start a thread about kitchen machines (those things that can mix, chop, blend, crush, and so on) if you want... not that I have to say a lot about it. I'm even less interested in talking about the girl stuff because I have even less to say about that. I just ordered it abroad because it was a lot cheaper there