Inconvenient Annoyances

I've been told so many times that I need to have a 3-year residence/credit history before I "qualify" for a phone contract.

Really?!

Especially since the "fee" for terminating your phone contract is generally the remaining balance of the contract, plus a possible extra fee for breaking the contract. So they'll get their money either way.

Three years?! Ugh. That's absurd. I don't feel like I should have to wait another 2 years just for a phone contract. PAYG isn't cutting it for me anymore. Are you still PAYG or have you managed to find somewhere to get a contract?

I was told that once my BF has been with T-Mobile for three months he'll be able to add a second phone to his account, which could essentially be mine. But that defeats the whole purpose of having it in my name so I can pay the bill and earn credit. It's really starting to frustrate me how much I have to depend on my BF merely because I can't be approved for a flat on my own, a phone contract on my own, etc. He doesn't even have a credit history, either, but because he's a UK Citizen, they don't seem too bothered. But me? No... not a foreigner. 

I was able to get on a 30-day rolling contract with Orange, but trying for anything longer didn't work. The 30-day contract is much cheaper than PAYG for me, though, so it'll do for now.

(FWIW, I am a UK citizen, so I don't know if that helped in my favor. I've only been here since February, though.)

Is that a SIM-only plan? I looked around Orange's website and was only able to see rolling contracts for SIM-only. Since I was going on a contract for a specific phone as well (which doesn't seem to be available everywhere yet) I think I might try again when I move next month, or just wait until the BF can add an extra line to his account. I can't express how frustrated this whole experience has made me - to be willing to hand over money and then denied that ability!? Absurd.

Is that a SIM-only plan? I looked around Orange's website and was only able to see rolling contracts for SIM-only. Since I was going on a contract for a specific phone as well (which doesn't seem to be available everywhere yet) I think I might try again when I move next month, or just wait until the BF can add an extra line to his account. I can't express how frustrated this whole experience has made me - to be willing to hand over money and then denied that ability!? Absurd.

Yes, it will be a SIM-only, month-to-month contract. Unfortunately, until you have gained some UK credit, then it's very unlikely you'll be able to purchase a longer phone contract for yourself. Your only options are going to be pay as you go or a SIM-only, although last year when I went to SIM-only with Orange, they still carried out a credit check on me before I could get it. I haven't heard of being able to add an extra line to a mobile phone in the UK before, so I'm not sure if he could even do that (maybe I'm wrong and out of the loop about that though).

When I was living in the US a couple of years ago, I wasn't even allowed to order a pay as you go phone over the internet or on the phone because I didn't have any US credit.  I was without a US cell phone for about a month because I couldn't get to a store to buy one in person (I had to beg my roommate to drive me across town to the phone store in order to purchase one)!

Christmas candy is out in Tesco! 

I thought it might just be Tesco, but SAY IT AIN'T SO M&S.  Unfortunately, they can't as they had a whole wall of Christmas tins filled with biscuits and candy.  SIGH.

On the other hand, I always buy the tins to store my own cookies in and there are some cute ones this year. 

Yes, it will be a SIM-only, month-to-month contract. Unfortunately, until you have gained some UK credit, then it's very unlikely you'll be able to purchase a longer phone contract for yourself. Your only options are going to be pay as you go or a SIM-only, although last year when I went to SIM-only with Orange, they still carried out a credit check on me before I could get it. I haven't heard of being able to add an extra line to a mobile phone in the UK before, so I'm not sure if he could even do that (maybe I'm wrong and out of the loop about that though).

I must have worded that slightly wrong as it's another contract, not another line. What the guy at T-Mobile offered was adding another contract under my BF's name - so a completely different contract to the one he currently has - but as this is his first contract they won't let him do that for another few months.

Looks like that's going to be my option if I might not even be able to get a SIM-only contract, or I'll just have to pay a ridiculous amount for the phone I want. 

How does one gain credit if you can't be approved for anything that builds credit without having previous credit? 

Today's IA is that there was a little farmer's market stall in the mall and when we went there today it was all packed up with a sign saying yesterday was their last day.

    I'm not too surprised actually.  But I always loved to buy veggies/breads from them when I was in town.

I have been holed up at home all weekend as I needed to do 2x24 hour hospital tests and I'm away in Liverpool all weekend. I now have really bad cabin fever!

crazy, wicked braxton-hicks which are shoving my lungs into my throat. how the hell am i only 29 weeks?

I have been holed up at home all weekend as I needed to do 2x24 hour hospital tests and I'm away in Liverpool all weekend. I now have really bad cabin fever!

Hope everything is okay! 


My IA - Been back at work a week and already sick... Jeez, kids! Give me a chance!

horrible horrible headache. And I can't take anything we have

My IA - Been back at work a week and already sick... Jeez, kids! Give me a chance!

This again. Times a million... I did not sleep at all last night due to this awful cold, and I would like to just stay in bed all day. But I refuse to call in sick this early in the term.

Unpacking. 

Particularly when it's into a house that's already full of stuff.  Now I'm stuck with reorganizing BF's cupboards and drawers and cabinets so I can fit in here!    Luckily he doesn't care what I do, so I've got free reign.

I'm sure it will all be sorted just in time for us to move into a bigger place too!

Luckily he doesn't care what I do, so I've got free reign.

Oh well that's the important part- that he's willing to let you move his stuff around so you can fit in 

I hear you on the unpacking part though - having done it 5 times in the last 3 years, it gets old quickly!

Oh well that's the important part- that he's willing to let you move his stuff around so you can fit in 

I hear you on the unpacking part though - having done it 5 times in the last 3 years, it gets old quickly!

Seriously, I don't know what I hate more...packing or unpacking.  I've had a similar schedule of moving to yours.  When will the madness stop?! 

Yeah, his view on it is "As long as you don't make me do it, I don't care what you do."