The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 1st September

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Wally1976 says:

1 Sep1 September 08:50

Completely OT but my nearly 13 year old daughter wants a new (not refurbished or second hand) purple iPhone 11. I use an old Android and would never consider spending such an amount on a phone!

Anyway, cheapest I’ve found is £519 with GiffGaff plus you have to buy £10 credit but can get £16.50 c’back. So £512.50.

Just wondering if anyone knows of any offers or discounts around that will bring the price down?

TIA
- Simon says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 08:56
  
  The new iphone 13 is due out this month – I would sit tight till then if possible, as the older 11 and 12 models may come off in price a little more….
  - BJ says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:55
    
    I see airpods heavily discounted at the moment so a newer version of those those seems likely too.
- Reney says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:04
  
  Buy John Lewis gift cards from Morrison in the current multiple stacking opportunity and buy the phone using the gift cards. If she has an old phone see if you can sell it /trade in to make up some of the amount.
  
  Is it worth waiting for Black Friday to see if older models get discounted.
  
  By the way, I have brought refurbished phones for all the family, and they look really new if you the better-graded ones if that is what is worried about.
  - Char Char says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:10
    
    Yep, my refurb was new from mobiles co uk
    - BJ says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 09:58
      
      Was that an iPhone? Did it lock on first network you used?
      - Char Char says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 11:06
        
        Yes iphone. No not locked to a network, I thought they stopped doing the locking thing now
      - Reney says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 11:21
        
        music magpie has refurbish locked and unlocked models. I don’t work for them, but must have brought 4/5 refurbished phones and one ipad from them in the past. And will continue to do so into the future.
      - Lady London says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 12:40
        
        There’s an offer on ebay atm for 15% and music magpie has been on list of merchants for those in the past
      - Reney says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 13:51
        
        @Lady London, according to hotukdeals the ebay offer does include music magpie this time. I got an unbelievably good deal on an refurbish iphone for my sister when ebay last ran that deal.
    - BJ says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 11:47
      
      Thanks @Char, no idea on locking in relationbto iphones but I knew they don’t with android. Just asked as mynpartner will likely need a new iPhone next year.
  - SteveJ says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:54
    
    +1 on JL vouchers. They will price match Currys and Apple if their price end up higher.
    
    Also +1 for waiting a few weeks.
- David says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:08
  
  Want doesn’t get, I remember being told as a child 🙄
  - Wally1976 says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:14
    
    I quite agree and she’ll be paying for it out of birthday money, Christmas money and probably some pocket money too. She already pays her £8 a month phone contract out of her pocket money.
- Char Char says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:08
  
  I wouldn’t bother with the 11 now, especially not a new full priced one, wait for 3 weeks and see if apple release a new phone (nothing guaranteed of course)
  - BJ says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:03
    
    As surely as night follows days they will make some minor changes and and await all the village idiots getting their money out.
    - Lady London says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:22
      
      @BJ correction: the richer village idiots
      - Anna says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 10:54
        
        Nope … village idiots who have no money then tie themselves into contracts they can’t afford! Or the slightly cleverer ones get the the less clever of bed to take out contracts in their name then stop making payments. I regularly had to deal with the fall out of these shenanigans as they often ended in threats and violence 🤦🏻‍♀️
      - BJ says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 11:20
        
        +those on the never never
    - WaynedP says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:22
      
      🤣
      
      Enjoyed that, but probably only because it made me feel better about paying my OH peanuts for her iPhone/iPad hand-me-downs when she upgrades.
      
      Never owned brand new, never felt deprived, but probably fit the village idiot stereotype in some other aspect of life 🤪
    - Guernsey Globetrotter says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 11:04
      
      As a longtime Apple shareholder, I say down with this sort of comment !
- Wally1976 says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:18
  
  Thanks for the replies, sounds like it’s worth hanging fire a few weeks.
  
  She’s against refurbished due to having had a second hand iPhone 7 (from her cousin) where the battery wasn’t great and quickly deteriorated until it needed constantly plugging into a powerbank. I’ve tried explaining to her that it’s still cheaper to buy second hand or refurbished and replace the battery when necessary….
  - Mike says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:37
    
    Wally – it would be worth explaining to her the difference between “ second hand” and “refurbished”.
    - Reney says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 11:13
      
      agree, a second hand phone from a cousin is different to a refurbish point from a specialist retailer who has checked it and maybe even replaced the battery. I normally use music magpie.
- IanM says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:03
  
  Iphone 11 doesn’t even get 5G. Forget apple and buy a new android Moto G5G or G50, a third of the price. Teach her the value of money.
  - BJ says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:05
    
    What’s iPhone market share anyway? Hasn’t it been going down for years?
    - Rob says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:12
      
      50%
      
      Probably 80% by value
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 12:32
        
        What are you talking? New hand set sales or total iOS users?
        
        New smartphone sales it’s about 20%
      - The Savage Squirrel says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 13:48
        
        50% in USA. Goes down more or less in parallel with a country’s wealth statistics to 1% in poorest locations.
        Rob is right re turnover though; I remember someone in the mobile industry telling me that the average iPhone customer is about x7 more “valuable” than Android in terms of spending power/inclination.
      - Lady London says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 14:48
        
        This is why sites often detect what device you’re using. If an iPhone quite likely prices shown to you might be higher than prices shown to someone they haven’t identified as an iPhone user.
        
        This kind of discrimination is not currently illegal.
      - Lady London says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 14:51
        
        TBH I think i’d be denying my heritage and who I am if I pulled out an iPhone. It would be personally socially embarrassing with my techie background.
        
        However I’ll take a bet that maybe 70-80% of Rob’s readers have an iPhone? Rob will know.
      - Rob says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 15:22
        
        65% of HfP readership on a phone last month was done with an iPhone.
        
        0.1% was done on a BlackBerry!
  - Rob says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:14
    
    Think back to when you were 13 and your parents bought you some own-brand crap from C&A instead of the Levi’s you wanted because they were trying to teach you ‘the value of money’ …. I’m sure you appreciated the lesson 🙂
    - Yorkieflyer says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:31
      
      Or you had to get a job or save up present/pocket money
      - Sandra says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 11:11
        
        Usually also had to wait until Christmas/Birthday for most things unless they were essentials like clothes (and that’s if you were the eldest and there were no hand me downs from anyone) or new school shoes and, even then, the old pair had to be falling apart/2 sizes too small 🙂 . I loved C & A though and did buy a few things a couple of years ago when I came across one in Berlin!
    - BJ says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 11:40
      
      I didn’t need lessons, I liked money too much and always made my own to feed my American travel habit. Why I’m always awake and on here around 5, been getting up at that time since I had my paper round at 10, followed up with other early jobs in shops in my teens and warehouse whilst I was at uni. Finished up uni with enough cash in bank for deposit on my first house too. Always wondered what I might have done with the same attitude at same age in the dot com or social media eras … fabulous opportunity missed, born at wrong time and in probably the wrong place 🙂
      - Anuj says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 14:40
        
        I have had the same attitude, I think you’re forgetting how much harder it is to get on the housing ladder now? No way would you be able to save up enough for a deposit on a first house in any middle sized city that’s for sure. Good luck even getting a job that isn’t zero hours/part time or pays a pittance.
      - Lady London says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 15:09
        
        Anuj what age has most wealth & who is better off in UK since Covid is highly interesting. MSE archived recent poll reports https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/poll/2021/
      - BJ says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 16:44
        
        My deposit back in 89 would be worth just under £15 k today based on inflation.
  - Mike says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:29
    
    Is 5G really necessary!
    - kitten says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:35
      
      No 5G benefits the networks more than most customers however pretty rapidly any phone that doesn’t have 5G is going to lose a lot of value when you want to sell it to upgrade
    - BuildBackBetter says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 12:06
      
      5G is unnecessary unless you are streaming live videos or playing multiplayer games live.
      More likely to lose battery quickly if you keep 5G on.
      - Andrew says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 12:33
        
        5G is great. Everything just works faster and more reliably.
        
        Is battery life a major issue with IPhones when using 5G? My Motorola doesn’t seem to have an issue, the 5000mAh battery goes for 2 full days without charging.
- Yorkieflyer says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:28
  
  Just say No?
  - KP says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:58
    
    Everyday on HFP I learn something nee. Today it is points and parenting…!
- Kevin C says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 13:37
  
  Alternatively, John Lewis have the iphone 12 mini in purple for £579 and that has 5g and the clever magnets.
  - Memesweeper says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 14:08
    
    That’s a bargain!
- swifty says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 18:33
  
  John Lewis will give a 2 year warranty. Think apple.is 1 yr?
John Caribbean says:

1 Sep1 September 08:53

I’m traveling to Croatia. It looks like a negative lateral flow test is sufficient to enter. Am I right to assume that any UK listed provider meets the EU accuracy/specificity requirements of these tests?
- Joe says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 17:50
  
  They don’t really bother checking. We used Collinson at the airport. Was fine at both ends.
Oh! Matron! says:

1 Sep1 September 09:18

Santander Select: 10% back at IHG
- stevenhp1987 says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:39
  
  Never get any useful offers on mine… Do you use your Debit Card for anything to trigger offers appearing?
  - Andrew says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:00
    
    Some MCCs seem to be more fruitful than others. From experimenting, I’ve found that our staff canteen “5811 – caterers” is a particular sweet spot for generating offers.
    - stevenhp1987 says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:08
      
      ah… I never use a Debit Card for anything, unless it’s Bendy!
Jan H says:

1 Sep1 September 09:24

Have just had one leg of a four leg flight cancelled. (NCL-VYR then SFO -NCL).
We had 4 CW seats booked with avios and 2 x 2-4-1 vouchers.
I understand that I can ring BA and ask to rebook but would like HFP brains to clarify a couple of points.
1. Does the rebook have to be the same itinerary?
2. Does the return journey have to be no later than the original outward flight?
Added complication……….there will be a new baby (unexpected!)
Any help on this would be much appreciated before I begin the mammoth task of ringing!
Thanks.
- Nick says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:49
  
  1. Not exactly, but for a free rebooking it has to be the same ‘journey’. So you’d get away with a change of gateway (e.g. SJC rather than SFO) but can’t suddenly decide to go to Tokyo instead. You wont need redemption inventory for this. Alternatively you can of course take a full refund and rebook from scratch wherever you like.
  2. No
  3. Make it easier for yourself… rebook in (1) above, then at a later date call back to add the infant.
  - Barnaby100 says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:53
    
    Are you sure? I couldn’t change Newcastle for Manchester? That made it a voluntary change when the SFO was cancelled. I also couldn’t add Newcastle when rebooking a cancelled LHR- Singapore
    - ChrisC says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:00
      
      Yes 300 mile rule kicks in so that would be possible.
    - BJ says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:15
      
      If cancelled or rescheduled +/-4h you should have been able to change NCL for MAN. I changed INV for EDI a week or two ago with no problem.
  - ChrisC says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 09:56
    
    2. New home bound flight would have to be within a year of the new outbound date which has to be within a year of the original outbound.
  - BJ says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:17
    
    2. seems to have caused many problems. Hopefully BA will revise soon.
- Barnaby100 says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:51
  
  Yes it does have to be the same. To request a change makes it a voluntary change and can only be booked within Avios seat availability
- Lady London says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:00
  
  If you keep the same itinerary eu261 lets you choose later dates that suit you, say, ssme tie next year, as BA cancelled a flight and BA is not allowed to onsist on there being aviod seats available any seat available (such as being offered for sale) you have a right to. Never accept being told otherwise by BA.
  
  You also don’t have to decide anything by
  - Lady London says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:07
    
    …by the date of your flight. Just if first flight is not the one cancelled it’s afministratively clearer if you just call and say you wont be on it, following their cancellation ypu will need to replan and will contact them again when you have done so. You dont specifically state when and it can actually be months later. When you come to rebook ideally make your new date within 1 year of original outward to avoid friction but strictly speaking there is no time limit (but have reasonable reasons).
    
    You can also refund but then you aee stuck with expiry date of 241’s as now.
    
    You can take an FTV which will preserve 241’s fot booking and use up to anytime before end September 2023. But you then pay whatever is full cash / avios price at time of rebooking.
    - Lady London says:
      
      1 Sep1 September 10:20
      
      To clarify the ability to shift airports up to 300 miles is a concession by BA ie their own rule. If it suits you use it but by taking it you are voluntarily giving up statutory rights which might be more useful for you as you’re voluntarily entering into new contract terms.
      
      So for instance if you use this concession from BA then you lose any involuntary downgrade compensation if that would have appliee and BA wouldn’t have to give you a far-ahead rebooking date if they didn’t want to (but right now I think they will due market
      conditions).
      
      Provided you keep the same routing then you have all the rights in EU261 as these are statutory so override anything BA doesn’t feel like doing.
      
      The frictionless way is to try to work with BA and ask them for what you need and their recent own rule change (memo to staff 8th July) to willingly allow rebooks to within 1 year of original outward flight is very helpful as it saves you the trouble of enforcing a later date at your convenience in court (MCOL) and apparently saved them the trouble of large numbers of court claims.
      - Janet H says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 11:37
        
        Thanks everyone……..BIG help as per usual.
peter says:

1 Sep1 September 09:29

What can I get after Nectar Amex to get sign up bonus? (haven’t had any other Amexes in the last 2 years)
- Optimus Prime says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:51
  
  Amex Plat and BAPP
- SteveJ says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:52
  
  BAPP or Platinum Rewards Card
- Rob says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:18
  
  Platinum or BAPP (or indeed both)
Grant says:

1 Sep1 September 09:50

Tried my luck with a retention offer on player 2’s BAPP today.. I would be happy to cancel as have now earnt the voucher but also have the spend £5k get 10k avois offer sitting on it.

Was offered 10k avios for £3k spend within 3 months which I’ve taken. Hopefully this will stack with the other offer to net 20k avios for £5k spend.
- BJ says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:21
  
  Thanks, useful DP.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 12:34
  
  Equally i got offered nothing today but I hadn’t spent £10k and I was happy with the 10k Rimowa offer I have safely banked in Exec club and items now returned ..
Joints&Piles says:

1 Sep1 September 09:50

Creation IHG 0%FX offer: I haven’t received any email or pop-up and I’m travelling for most of September so I called to ask. Is the offer for all card holders or is it targeted?

The reply was “I see no offers on your card. We don’t do general offers, only targeted.”

I could tell he knew nothing about the 0%FX offer and suspect his reply wasn’t based on definitive knowledge but more about getting to the next caller.

Anyone have info on whether the offer is targeted or applies to all? Ta
- stevenhp1987 says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 09:59
  
  Login to the Web UI.
  
  I get a banner on logging in for it.
  
  If you don’t then maybe you’re not part of the offer?
- APPL says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:08
  
  I’m not sure if the the comment with url will post, but the link to offer from the pop up is:
  https://www.creation.co.uk/no_fx_fee
  Doesn’t seem like a targeted offer to me
  - Joints&Piles says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 10:25
    
    Brilliant, thank you
- Yorkieflyer says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 10:34
  
  I realised I had no marketing emails ticked
- Travel Strong says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 12:15
  
  Also had no email marketing ticked, but the link above gives me confidence to try a small curved ERNIE in USD
  - Yorkie Aid says:
    
    1 Sep1 September 16:40
    
    You might want to read bottom of page 2 comments first although another test might be useful
YFP says:

1 Sep1 September 10:08

Does anyone know if/when BA will reinstate flights to Bangkok for summer 2022? I’ve finally got points + BAPP companion voucher soon to come, but no flights! 🙁
- Sam G says:
  
  1 Sep1 September 11:09
  
  Unlikely – I’m pretty sure the route was going seasonal even pre-covid – far more profit sending the 787 over the Atlantic practically twice in the same time frame instead. Singapore is an option, easy enough to hop up to Bangkok or directly to Phuket/Koh Samui/Krabi assuming borders are open by then