Consumer Watch 207
STOP THE WORLD I WANT TO GET OFF
From the musical by Leslie Bricusse
This is exactly how I feel about our current fast-changing world where every other day there is something new to be learned, absorbed and used:
- buying online
- paying online
- ordering online and often only from photos
- needing different codes for different credit cards and here I have a problem as my credit cards are not via my bank
- transferring and receiving money by phone
- getting information
- booking holidays online
- making complaints
- etc. etc.
The concept of actual contact with people seems to be getting lost.
And now we are entering the ZOOM world. No need to move even from your chair. Also no possibility of making actual contact with people. In my opinion, this is a great loss. I wonder if ZOOM is here to stay. In particular regarding ESRA - ZOOM means no need to rent, hire or use and prepare a room for the lecture. No need to worry about how to get the lecturer to and from the premises. Money is still collected from those interested in the subject with very little problems around collecting it.
True, on the other hand, it is far easier for people to watch the lecture from their own armchair without the problem of travelling and in particular in today's Corona atmosphere where we are requested to move about in groups as little as possible. But, as one of the aims of ESRA is to make contact between people, I am wondering if the ZOOM concept will remain or not...
It is not easy to make new friends via the internet or phone. Often another phone call comes in the middle. Friendships usually need a more physical contact.
Now you know why "I want to get off" this world.
MY COMPLIMENT TO BEZEK
I prefer to pay my bills myself over the phone rather than get them debited directly from my bank account.Many senior citizens have problems with the speed of speech here. Bezek has something to teach other companies, and that is that the information online with them is given at a speed which allows one to follow and write down information.Thank you Bezek.
GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES
Going around in circles: I was told that the person I needed would be back in her office within 10 minutes.I waited 20 minutes to be told "sorry" she is abroad, and 10 minutes later, she rang me from the same office!
APPLICATZIA
A word I hate is "Applicatzia". I have had a cell phone for quite a long time and it is quite slow compared to the more modern ones and has insufficient memory space. But I am worried that I will not cope with a better and more up-to-date model.
ODDS & ENDS
- There are a multitude of new materials on the market but sometimes the old ones work very well indeed and often are far cheaper:
- Acetone is multi-tasking. Apart from removing nail varnish, it removes wax, crayons, glues, ink stains, black-soled trainer marks on laminated floors, paint marks on a window, and more.
- If you are still baking your own cakes and you run out of self-rising flour, then add a flat teaspoon of baking powder to each 100gm of plain flour.
- A very old hint of mine that works beautifully in all those corners, whether in food cupboards, sliding windows, or whatever: I keep a stock of old toothbrushes all over the place to get at that dust that collects there.
THE VALUE OF A SHEKEL
What can one buy with a shekel today? When you think about it, it is quite amazing.I am also taking into account the effect of the seasons on various foodstuffs, as well as certain buying conditions in order to get a discount, such as spending NIS 50 or NIS 100.My shekel here can be a little less, i.e. 80 agorot, or slightly more NIS 1.20 - 1.30.
At Rami Levi, under certain conditions: tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions are 90 agorot a kilo.I have not included here buying at the various open markets in season, or at the end of the day, as lately I have not frequented them.
One Optalgin tablet is 80 agorot. Unfortunately, many medicines cost much more than NIS 1 per tablet, including homeopathic prescriptions. One large egg is 99ag.
Phone calls abroad to UK, USA & a few other countries are 22 ag. + VAT a minute if you have Netvision. I know that those who have WhatsApp can phone for free abroad but there are still many people who do not use cellular phones or their friends or relatives abroad are not using WhatsApp.
If you have information on buying with NIS 1 or thereabouts, please send it to me to share on CONSUMER WATCH. It must be from your own experience, and not what you have been told. Please mark the Subject: Value of a Shekel.
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