Sue Hayward’s Blog

Now I’m happy to leave a tip in a restaurant if the food and service is good.  And while I much prefer to add on the tip myself, rather than see the service charge added automatically, I know that’s the way some restaurants work.   And yes they are allowed to add service charge to the bill, just providing it states somewhere on the menu that they’re going to do this!  But if you’re not happy or the service was lousy then you don’t have to pay it.

But what’s more than a bit naughty is when you pay the bill in cash, (including service charge) and you don’t see any sign of the change.  Now we all makes mistakes, but ‘forgetting’ to bring over the change, or worse still making the rather arrogant assumption that a diner is going to leave above and beyond what they’ve already paid in service charge is just very bad.

I mention this as I’ve been out for lunch in London today; great food, company and great service and when the bill came; fair enough 12.5% service charge had been added on.  But once we’d put down the cash it was whisked away and nothing came back.   Now ok we are only talking about a couple of quid here but it’s the principle of the matter.  Just imagine if that restaurant gets 12.5% on every bill and then pockets an additional few quid by ‘forgetting’ to give the change on each bill too…….

Yes and in case you’re wondering we did ask for the change and got it back.

Has this ever happened to you?   And if so did you feel too awkward to ask for the change?  Let me know the worst culprits for this……..

I’ve just been chatting on BBC Radio Cumbria about things you won’t spend your hard earned cash on.    Grated cheese, pre-packaged ice cubes and extended warranties were among the list of things mentioned.  Two of mine are shop bought ready meal jacket spuds…(cost pennies and takes two minutes to pop in the oven) and cardboard boxes - can’t stand paying for something that’s going to sit in my loft so I pop down to my local corner shop where they gave me some free boxes last time round!

Anyhow we got on to the subject of cinemas and I said how I hate paying for those overpriced snacks and always take my own…..which brings us to the subject of can you really do this?   While I always advocate, (and do it), I have heard a few stories of people claiming their bags were searched or they were refused entry if bringing their own food.  Now while I’d be the first to say turning up with a picnic hamper or plastic boxes of home made sandwiches isn’t going to do you any favours I think if you don’t make a song and dance about it you’ll be ok.  Mind you I did once sit behind a couple who produced plastic boxes stuffed with among other things; crunchy coleslaw, which they munched through rather noisily once they sat down!

So what’s your experience?  Have you ever been stopped from taking your own food to the cinema?  Or on the flip side have you sat behind someone who’s munched their way through an entire (home made) three course meal during the film?   Do get in touch and let me know……

I popped into a Post Office yesterday to renew my daughter’s passport.   I know the ‘check and send’ service costs a bit extra but I always use it as it speeds things up and this way if you’ve forgotten to fill in something or ticked the wrong box you get an instant heads up which saves delays…

All went well and the application got the thumbs up and is now on its way through the Passport system…….but within two seconds of signing it off the initially friendly chap behind the counter turned into serial salesman!   From initiating a bit of friendly banter as to whether we were off on holiday anytime soon to wanting to flog travel insurance, Euros and then finally the Post Office credit card…..this chap wasn’t interested in taking no for an answer!

Being a money journalist I tend to have all those things sorted and have been known to enjoy telling them where the best deals are to be had especially if it’s not with the Post Office.   Take its Post Office credit card which won’t charge more for purchases abroad but you will be charged if you take money out from cash machines abroad whereas the Santander Zero card won’t charge you for either. 

First up serial salesman wanted to flog the Post Office travel insurance……but I’ve already got an annual family policy and told him so.

Next up was the suggestion of buying Euros from him, so I pointed out that not only have I got some left over from my last trip but taken advantage of the recent good rates to buy a few more so no go on this one….

Not to be deterred he then tried flogging the Post Office credit card…..but apart from saying it ‘was a good rate’ couldn’t really tell me anything else when pushed……    Ok I’ll be honest I do treat this kind of banter as a bit of a game sometimes so I couldn’t resist asking him about ‘loading fees’ (when the banks tweak the exchange rate so you pay around 3% more on purchases abroad), and while I knew the Post Office card doesn’t impose I watched as he went on about how ‘good’ the Post Office rates were and then finally asked me what ‘loading’ meant…..   

Hey I’ve no problem with companies wanting to flog their products and when I’ve asked them before I know from what counter staff tell me, that they are under pressure to push financial products to customers.   BUT what annoys me is when clearly don’t know enough about the products they’re being asked to push and giving customers a pretty hard sell……

Anyone else faced the hard sell at the Post Office? Pop me a mail and let me know…… 

Hello there and welcome to my brand new look blog.

As well as Tweeting and updating my Facebook page I’ll be sharing and airing my opinions, views and thoughts on everything from Money News, Consumer Issues and Moneysaving Deals to Shoddy Service and commenting on the day’s news stories…….

And please do get in touch if you’ve got a story you’d like me to investigate……

Cheerio for now…..