Hard Bargain

Right.


The dreaded time has come, to my end of 2 years mobile contract with O2 and the hassle of deciding on what new phone to get. I am no gadget freak, as long as it gets dialling and I can hear the other person and vice versa I am happy.


i-Phone never appealed to me for some reason, probably because it looks too complicated for my taste. I mean, I have computers where I don't have to squint my eyes to play games etc, so why bother right?? And I am superorganize woman that I don't need a little machine thing to tell me when my next pantyliner shopping is up.


Anyways, went with N to have a browse of new phones (good lord things do move fast after 2 years!!). I am hooked on Palm-Pre (of course as primitive as I am I do still want to own a smartphone heehee...) But honestly it was N that was more hooked on it than me, and being a loving wife and crap, I said I liked it too. HTC HD2 looks fab but not yet readily available and I am not prepared to pay more than what I am already as a monthly contract. I mean seriously...£5 more each month added up to £120 in 2 years!!! And that's like......over 120 packets of Carefree pantyliners (with Aloe Vera added in may I add ahem) worth of supply! And if I use a pack a month that will last me *calculates with fingers and toes*.... 10 years man! whoa.

Anyways, it's hard to strike a bargain out there. No one really interested to offer anything apart from the standard package. But we bumped into this young guy in Phones4u, and he offered a month free line rental, and £50 cashback trade-in phone. Not bad at all, although I am bit heavy-hearted to part with my good ole samsung mobile.

Having rung O2 and asking if they could offer me any better or match it at least, which they flat refused, I decided best to go for the above. But then, it popped on O2 website just before I left that they will give the touchstone docking station as a free gift worth £43.98. So then on the phone again to O2 to clarify, and 2 of their staff were not even aware such free gift exist...I mean seriously...useless!. Anyways, they agreed to the gift thing.

So I rung back Phones4u, letting him know about o2 deal, saying that if he can't do better I won't bother driving down to town. He offered me £80 cashback straight today if I trade in any junky old phone as long as it switches on. I didn't budge so it went to £90. I could push further but having surveying the best deals online this sounds pretty good already so I agreed.

Got there, and believe it or not this poor kid made a mistake by offering to throw in free insurance worth £5 a month!! I was like seriously you cannot be right (bankrupt la pulakkk diaorang ni kang). But who am I to decline right? So he went ahead and called the service provider to upgrade, and realised he made a mistake and should not be offering the tariff on smartphones like the Palm-Pre. So imagine the carnage when he tried to backtrack....OmG it was hilarious! I obviously played the very very unhappy customer (note I was not rude OK), manager came as I think he heard our conversation. The manager seemed shocked as well that the guy had offered me the £90 cashback. Cut story short I asked for flat £100 cashback (only extra £10 to reimburse for my emotional damage)... and he agreed!!! Mwuaahahaha!

So I am a very happy bunny. Not only that, I didn't have to trade in my beloved Samsung as I found one of N's old Siemens phone instead.

The poor kid will probably lose £10 off his salary this month but what the heck, it's Christmas right? Consider it a treat for me :D

Oink achoo

Just started a blog and so the lazy to update already. But then, we both were down with the damn pig flu.

I was told (infact was telling my patients) that 'most cases are mild', but mild my ass! I was wiped out for a week! The first 3 days was awful. But N been absolute angel. Tepid sponging, cooking, cleaning etc, bless... But then he came down with it as well on my day 3.

Anyways, we're all well now and back to work. Oh, did I tell you that we met up with my bro in London. It was really nice to see him, and he met N for the first time too! If it wasn't for my damn flu we would have had a swell time in Bicester shopping. But anyways, it was nice to meet up. Stayed at Cem's place too, and infect her with the virus after heehee..

I'm off to Brum this weekend instead, new car rattling already so Mazda promised they will look into it. Plus LOTS to do and shop before going back to Malaysia! Weehay!