You'd look after your livestock too though, right?

I look after them pretty well I think – a safe pen with lots of space and a far too big house for them. I just am under the impression that they can deal with quite a bit of cold – not sure how much but they look fine and are still laying.

Oh mine's an offset tracker so that'll cost a bit more; worked out well though especially with the low rates of late – just dump as much cash as possible in to reduce the amount owed without worrying that might need it in the future.

I've got the Fiat Doblo.

Your car is ugly. 😉

This is because they exist purely because of the margin they have on credit.

I don't do credit so would they not want me?

Who's it with? My 0.49% with Woolwich was the best I could find a few years ago.

IIRC there will be compulsory contributions soon?

I've just started my pension at the ripe old age of 38…as such I'm putting in 40% plus my company's 2.5%. The costs are low as it's one where I manage it myself. The reason for my late start is I concentrated on my mortgage 1st and also built up a reasonable portfolio of investments in ISAs.

My current mortgage is 0.25% above base rate.

What kind of deal is that – a tracker?

the Honda dealer turned round and told us it was an import (and consequently worth significantly less)

I think that's to protect their interests – dealers want to sell cars so value imports as less even though the imports in these cases are identical to the uk ones – well my Puma is. Selling privately would be a better bet or just keeping the car until it's mostly depreciated which is what I'm doing.

Trade Sales in Slough are incredible really – taken over a huge amount of space. I bought my car there years ago and, as was new, bought it unseen then checked it out when I went to pick it up. They say no negotiation possible and I didn't try.

Hmmm…I don't treat mine as pets – they're livestock!

Credit don't come as a favour so we can buy shiny stuff!

But what rate is fair? If I pay off my card every month then they just get their %age of the purchase price – is that enough for them to want me as a customer? I guess so as I still am one.

felt bad for the banks?

Well, felt I was cheating. Like being a mortgage tart – far prefer just to get a deal that seems fairest for both the lender and borrower which for me meant an offset mortgage paying 0.49% over base rate.

Are there still 0% deals that don't charge a few % of the balance up front?

I did it once just to see if I could get away with it but felt bad…silly really as credit companies don't deserve sympathy.

I glance over his weekly email but can't be bothered looking at his site beyond that.

The simplest thing to do to save some cash is to check your power supplier on one of the comparison sites every now and then. I'm with NPower and they release new price deals every few months it seems, so if you don't move to the recent one you pay more than you should – it ain't right really!

Yeah why do atheists spend so much time having a go at the religious? Surely have better things to do? But perhaps it's just the nature of many to slag of people who are different? So maybe that's what I don't get.

Credit card companies can charge what they like – there's plenty of competition so people will just move to the card that suits them. I always pay my balance off so just look for the best benefits – I get 1% cashback on mine.

Also, as the BoE base rate is way below inflation it'll be going up soon enough.

So am I mean for letting mine deal with the cold on their own?! They always seem happy enough in the day so assume they're not suffering too much…. I have heard that when temperatures get really low some people put Vaseline on their combs to stop them getting frost bite.

I'd very much like an honorary degree; seems to be the least amount of effort for a qualification.

Still, as I said, good wheels.

Looking at the Evans site a pair costs £650 – better be good! Mine are from last year though if they're any different.

Might be worth pulling out of the sale in order to tell them to fek off.

Good wheels, but far heavier than claimed.

Not sure what's claimed but mine weigh 730g/860g

What do people think of Bonty Race X Lite wheels? I have a pair never fitted to a bike that I might be interested in selling.

This seems odd to me as whenever I've sold a house I've agreed a contract period. I've never had more than 1 agent at a time to avoid problems such as you've had – they're a crafty bunch….

It depends on the breed and age. My ISA Browns are each laying 6 days/week at the moment – 1 is an ex-batt I got in Autumn 2008 and still going strong, the other 2 I got at POL in spring 2009.

At some point they'll stop laying and then it's time to decide what their future holds….

Frightening / scary people and christianity seem to go hand-in-hand in United States.

I think it's just that there's a lot of both so a good overlap. Same could be said of belly size, fast food eating or international ignorance…. 😉

I suppose he's suspecting that people will assume it's Mavic….

These look nice:
2010 Superleggera XCR Pro Scandium Wheelset

XCR Scandium QR front: 609g
XCR Scandium rear: 749g

Snowing in Leatherhead, Surrey….

I think an inbred with 120mm would be a fine do-it-all bike but then again best to get whatever is most appropriate for your off-road riding and make do on the road so maybe get a 456 if want a long travel fork and wind it down and lock it out for the road.

Engine oil? I just got some….

I'm sure Peaslake stores are happy – maybe keeps them in business so good for the village folk.

Seems odd – I used to go into Hi-Fi shops in my younger days and had good service from them all. I did get to know one chap who chatted about the sort of people they get in and he can instantly tell who are the time wasters so maybe that's the impression you gave? No excuse for rudeness though.

Oh fek, it's my wedding anniversary – thanks!

I'm interested to hear what people get out of hearing him speak – he ain't cheap.

Didn't Jeremy go on about feeling the need to re-overtake someone who's overtaken you a few shows ago? Must be a loss of image thing thinking he's going at the appropriate speed then someone implying he isn't.

Avoid Landing on Water…

I'm far more interested in how the economy will be dealt with than something like this so I don't care. Maybe Gordon is less of a liar than Tone but that don't mean I'll vote for him.

My mate has a carbon GT full suss and the bike shop guy saw the surface had been broken and let in dirt on the top tube he got the GT rep to examine and they replaced it. My mate later realised that his brake levers had been knocking it when they swung around!

So how did The Southern Yeti get on with Bob?

I nice bonus from my Satnav is that it beeps when I'm over the limit.

We use it a lot at work – mainly like an IM but when at home use it like the phone and just talk through the laptop whilst working – sometimes to collaborate sometimes just for company!