General Chat

Hi GlitterBaby

Argos have a Beko 6kg load washer for £179.99 for pick up......£216.99 ( inc delivery , installation and recylcle ( assume they take your old one away ? )

To be entitled to a Community care grant or Budget loan from the Job Centre you have to be receiving one of the following

Income Support

Income-based JSA Job Seekers Allowance

Pension Credits (either type)

Income-based ESA Employment Support Allowance (the new IB)

Incapacity Benefit does not qualify –

I'll PM you details of a helpful website regarding Grants and Loans from the Job Centre,
I used to work for the Job Centre,specifically dealing with claims for Grants and Loans,.... the Government site is not reader friendly .. but this other site is,and looks at it from the person's claiming point of view and it is accurate.

Good luck if you have or intend to make a claim , and good luck again on finding a suitable one.

Sandie.

Thanks Rottie

Picked up the form on Wednesday. Was lucky that my appointment was with one of the more helpful Job Centre staff.

No idea how long it will take to process my aplication.

Mum is still offering the money but she is an old age pensioner so not happy to accept her offer.

Good offer on Currys at the moment on a Hotpoint

glitterbaby

u should be able to get a loan of some sort from the jobcentre [which wud have to b paid back, thet deduct it from ur dole money wen due] , also if memory serves me right their isa thing called community loan /payment this i no u dont need to payback both are available from jobcentre ask at front desk they shud be able to point in the right direction. you are so right is horrible at these places , my oh got told he better of getting retirement credit cos he to old at 61 for a job.
hope you get something

What a good idea. As long as the second hand ones were bought cheaply, it's worth a thought.
New is not always best: bought a Hotpoint Aqualtis washer dryer 4 years ago; it leaked all over the floor after a fortnight. Engineer came, disabled it - hadn't got a necessary part. After 4 weeks of frustration and many phone calls, was told engineer was on holiday, and I was down for next visit in 6 weeks! Thank goodness my daughter had a spare machine to lend me.
Engineer finally came back with new part. After 2 weeks the machine leaked all over the floor.......etc.

I worked with a chap years ago who never bought a new washing machine.

He always bought 2nd hand and kept a spare in his garage.

He said most often than not the ones he bought, were just being given away or sold when a new kitchen was being fitted and he only bought those that were around a year old.

He & his wife had 4 children so quite a bit of washing through the week, he worked out that a 2nd hand one would last about a year and then he would bring out the spare and buy a new spare.

You know how sometimes you think about the most odd things in the middle of the night? Well, have you checked if there is a grant available, although were you could ask is possibly a bit of a mystery. Could SS help? If you had children under 16 living at home, they'd probably be all over you like a rash, but not so hot for the single person or those with no dependents.

They might be able to put you in touch with charites, or suggest a good second hand source. There's no harm asking on freecycle; someone may even be willing to transport it for you!

Something else you could perhaps check out is if you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to. Below is an on-line calculator.

http://www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/default.aspx

If you are considering waiting until the January Sales, is there a neighbour or friend who could put your washing through theirs?

Here's hoping that you can work something out!

Had thought about waiting until the sales.

Can I put up with doing hand washes until then ?

Two visits a week to the launderette will have to be ruled out on the cost.

Off for my fortnighly visit to the Job Centre. I hate that place.

*$parkling $andie* ------ You are quite correct, Bosch have a good reputation. I purchased mine at a well known store in Newcastle during the January sales in 2003. It was reduced from £325 to £225 which I didn't consider expensive at the time. If GB waits until January she may get a bargain like I did instead of buying cheaper makes of machines which may not last as long. My previous washing machine was a Hotpoint which lasted 3 years.

Perhaps I had better explain.

I am currently unemployed so do not have the money to buy an expensive machine. Mum has very kindly offered to give me £200 to buy a washing machine. She is 82 years young and I really do not like having to accept her offer but got no alternative.

Difficult to work out which machine is the better option when you take into account the delivery charges and whether the company offers an installation charge.

The problem is that the machine has water in it and not sure if anyone offering the installation service will be happy to remove the old machine in that condition. That type of thing is not mentioned when you look at what the installation charge is for.

Also have got to call out David. the plumber, to take a look at my boiler so will probably ask him if he can remove the old machine and fit the new one. Think he will be cheaper that paying a well know store for doing it.

Unfortunately my decision is based on cost. If the circumstances were different then I would purchase a better washing machine.

Could post a request on Freecycle but without transport I am stuck. Do not like to ask favours of people.

Thanks everyone who has taken the time to reply.

Maureen

Geordie Pride ~~

Bosch have a good reputation and a hefty price to go with it too.
I'm only on my 4th washer in 38 yrs, the first I bought used, from my sis when she emigrated , one we gave to my MIL which went on for a good few yrs afterwards.
Current one only purchased cos I wanted a washer / drier.
( I know some peeps may say they've had a washer for a lot longer ! )

But as Glitter Baby is looking for something suitable for her circumstances ,a possible smaller and cheaper machine would be more appropriate for her.

Hope can get one sorted soon G B :))

GlitterBaby - Push the boat out and buy a Bosch washing machine. I've had mine for 9 years and it still runs like a sewing machine. It was recommended to me by a washing machine engineer who worked for a well known company (not Bosch) and it has turned out to be one of the best purchases I have ever made. It is cold fill and you can do a wash on reduced time which I do all the time.
GeordiePride.

Make sure Tesco can deliver a machine. In 2003/4 my machine broke down. Looked at Tesco and phoned for a machine, after they altered the delivery dates several times I phoned and complained, said I was without a machine. The lady then admitted that they had a problem getting machines and it could be several weeks before I would get one.

I couldn't believe they knew and were just giving me dates. It was about 10 am so I got in my car, went to the next village and into the local electical shop. Was washing before lunch. I told them which machine I wanted, and then had to race them back home. They put it in and took out old one and put it behind the garage for no extra charge. Council took it away next week.

It cost ten pound more than well known chains but no delivery or connection charges. The quotes for this ranged from twenty five to thirty pounds for delivery and twenty to thirty pounds for connection fee (all connections in place so all they had to do was screw them on).

Add all the extra costs first. I had already done this when I contacted Tesco. Their price was the best at the time but they had the delivery problem. It may have only been a problem for a short time but please make sure they have it in stock.

Been told cold only fill due to the cold to the 30c cycles. Hot water inlet means water too hot for these cycles. Don't quote me, got that from a salesman.

In my case local was best.

:-)

I googled Reviews on tesco washing machines, there are several on here:



http://www.reevoo.com/p/tesco-wmv610

I've had a BEKO washing machine for about 5 years. Never had a problem with it.

The problem at present with buying from Comet is whether or not they can actually deliver anything you buy from them.

Personally I would steer clear of them

Also I would never consider a BEKO appliance far too many horror stories in the last few years.

Have a look at Comet as they are closing down might get a cheap machine.

The one in the shopping centre not far from you next door to Aldi.

Edit.If you pay by cash you could always haggle for a lowere price..done this myself..

We had a Beko Fridge / freezer many yrs ago and had no trouble with it only sold it when we had new kitchen fitted.
I can't vouch for the make now, but it's the same with most things you can get a 'rogue ' one and if you do you'll say I'll never have that make again !

We only changed the last washing machine cos the separate little tumble drier I had broke ( well it didn't break down,one of the children must have left the door open and hubby bumped it and broke the hinge ) I couldn't do without a drier so we gave our Indesit washer to my MIL and bought the Hoover we have now.
The Indesit was a marvellous washer ,MIL had it until she died and we sold it then it was still working perfectly,( hubby had changed the brushes on it once or twice , that's normal maintenance.)

we have a hotpoint aqualtis,and usually use 40 deg.........1 hr 10 minutes....
pretty sure that hot n cold fill.........shortest wash 30 deg.....30 minutes

does your area have a white goods recycling centre?
ours does and they re sell reconditioned machines for a fraction of the new cost, mind you only 3 months guarantee??(sp.)


edit regarding warranty..............(comet, etc)

no matter who you buy NEW from, there is always the Manufacturers warranty

I'm sorry I don't know anything about Tesco's own brand w.machines,or know any one who's bought one :(

I have a Hoover Nextra Washer drier ( a drier is a must cos we have so much wet weather and I wash almost every day with 4 adults in the house ).

We bought it locally at an Independant store on a Sat in June 2005, they delivered it on the Monday.! ( I always keep instructions booklets , receipt and guarantee together for any electrical goods) !!
Cost £365, receipt shows Hoover 1300 rpm. 7.5 kg load.

I was very surprised when 180 min cycle was mentioned for a cold fill washer.
The 2 I generally use on mine are at 40 degrees ,one is a 29 min wash the other 43 mins. I sometimes drop the temp down to 30 thus saving on leccy.
There is a 60 min and 90 min programme for cottons used for towels mainly , tho I don't think I've ever used the 90 min one !

The 29 min one is great at any time ,but during the summer I can get 3 or sometimes 3 loads washed and dried outdoors all in a day.

My previous washer was also a cold fill and I'm almost sure, the usual wash programme I usually used was about 45 mins too.

I certainly wouldn't buy a washer with 180 min cycle for normal washing !!!
I definitely have a look around and ask questions as to the time of the cycles.

I'm sure you can get a smaller load washer for under £200, with Indesit , Hoover Beko or Creda.
Good luck :)...I couldn't manage without mine for more than a few days !

Thanks Kath

Did find a small Beko one but no experience of their products.