The HfP chat thread – Friday 11th December

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Fred says:

11 Dec11 December 19:42

Amex Shop Small

Has anyone noticed a much reduced amount of listings? Oddly a large number of my ‘usual’ establishments are no longer listed – so I am left wondering if the map is erroneous or whether Amex have massively culled opportunities?

I can’t believe all the ‘missing’ establishments suddenly no longer accept Amex.
- Kai says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 20:27
  
  Uncheck the Shop Small filter and you may find them. Appears that many merchants are not included in the offer this time.
- Gary says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 22:36
  
  I agree that a lot of the local establishments that had been on the list in previous Small Shops are now missing from the list, however having multiple cards I have tried these establishments with one of the cards and they are actually all taking part in the small shop and have had the email from Amex confirming that I would be getting the credit. So my interpretation is that the Amex map is incorrect and I am continuing to use the shops I have successfully managed to get the £5 back in previous promotions.
  - Gin and Tonic Please says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 23:23
    
    +1. Had a couple of favourite haunts trigger that weren’t shown on the map. Think it’s even worse than usual this time – though that could be a deliberate move from Amex to limit claims for missing credits, given they’ve done this once already this year.
Mrs H says:

11 Dec11 December 19:48

Looking forward to tour of American south in the autumn thanks to Virgin .flying club sale. Intend to spend the first night in Atlanta seeing the sights . Have an IHG CC free night which needs booking by the end of the month. Does anyone have any insight into Indigo or intercontinental?
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 20:44
  
  IC good from memory, decent room, small and very crowded lounge
Sandra says:

11 Dec11 December 20:17

Not sure if mentioned previously but just checked this years IHG free night via Creation annual spend. It is showing as awarded 23 Oct 2020 and valid until 22 May 2022, so a 6 month extension on previous years I think?
Aston100 says:

11 Dec11 December 20:29

I topped up my Amazon account with £100.
Hopefully the £10 curvecash will be available on or after the 17th of December. I’m intending to use that to further topup that Amazon account.
Small Shop says:

11 Dec11 December 20:41

Just visited a local corner shop, new to Shop Small. Didn’t have much I wanted so settled on 2 bottles of wine. £5.49 each so £2.99 after the discount. I’ve had many perfectly adequate wines at £5.49 a bottle. (I know some of you may put that in the same category as tramps drinking super strength cider in the park, but really, many supermarket wines at £5 or £6 are quite OK.)

Got home and noticed on the back of the label in tiny print, “Wine based drink”.

It’s watered down wine. It tastes as bad as you’d expect. It’s not worth 99p never mind £2.99. Sold alongside all the other wine, masquerading as wine. Total con.

As with the broken BA plates I believe I can blame Rhys.
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 20:45
  
  I’m assuming you’re not an accountant because that’s 98p is that…
  - Small Shop says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 21:26
    
    I’m assuming you’ve been drinking “wine based drink” because £5 back off £10.98 leaves £5.98 which is £2.99 per bottle and if an accountant can turn that into 98p then please let me have their contact info!
    - Josh says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 23:20
      
      What was the Alc %? Sounds hideous 🤮
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 23:24
  
  Did you buy yourself some buckfast or something?
- Phil W says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 23:39
  
  Believe you are completely correct to blame Rhys!
Jamie says:

11 Dec11 December 20:52

Has anyone used bendy for 31st Jan returns payment lately and been charged for a debit card at 0.1%? Payment went through but this didn’t happen in June.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 21:12
  
  Because you have a commercial card and there is now a small surcharge via hmrc for using commercial/business cards.
  - Small Shop says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 21:54
    
    I thought it was 1.5% for using Curve at HMRC?
    
    Oh. Debit card. What benefit is there for using Curve backed with a debit card when you could just use the debit card directly?
    
    Oops sorry, I meant “bendy beardy albatross the moose flies by night.”
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 22:37
      
      Its curve who charge 1.5% for using their service on HMRC. The 0.1% is a charge by HMRC for using a commercial debit card.
      
      Curve is a debit card (you can get personal or commercial ones) … OP’s probably using a credit card …
GR says:

11 Dec11 December 21:22

Any recommendations for hotels in Ras al Khaimah? Will be going in January.
- Rob says:
  
  12 Dec12 December 08:38
  
  We have reviewed the Waldorf and the two Ritz Carlton resorts. Waldorf is so cheap (vs Dubai and by global standards) that you’d be silly to stay anyway less posh. The Ritz Carlton resorts are boutiques.
YL says:

11 Dec11 December 21:43

Can anyone confirm if the Amex Plat £400 Marriott offer is accumulative?
Thank you.
- H says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 22:05
  
  Yes. I used it at two different hotels on different dates and it triggered.
  - YL says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 23:07
    
    Thanks for the info.