Monday, 27 January 2014

A Warning Against EE

Now this isn't the type of post I normally write, but it's come to a point when something needs to be said about the terrible company EE. Prepare for a complaint, my readers!

My housemates and I signed up for a broadband contract back in August for our student house. EE looked like a great deal, especially as we got the contract half price as I was an Orange customer. It was easy to sign up to and the internet connection works well. But then everything started to go quickly downhill.

Initially, we want to pay the line rental upfront for the year, which would have saved us over £50, then pay the monthly broadband of just £2.50. This never happened, despite phoning up and reporting the incorrect bill every single month. Last month, I was finally informed that due to a system error, NO upfront line rentals were applied to any contracts which began in August and September - so check your statements if this might have affected you too!

Had EE contacted any of their customers to inform them of this? No, they had simply continued incorrectly charging customers like myself until they noticed (and are in fact, still charging me and probably others incorrectly). Finally, after being told this last month, I was promised a reduced monthly fee, so I would still save what I would have done if I had paid the line rental up front, and promised two months free broadband as a 'goodwill gesture.' Today I checked my bank statements - I have been charged again. It's simply not good enough and I am thoroughly upset and frustrated.

Every time I phone up the customer service desk (which has been every single month without fail so far) I have been met by polite and helpful staff. They bend over backwards to sort my problem, apologise profusely and I hang up feeling like everything has been finally resolved. Then I discover, none of these promises ever actually happen. The correct billing, alongside various 'goodwill gestures' I am offered after each phone call, never actually materialise. The following month, I am billed incorrectly again. I phone up, a member of the customer service team apologises, notes that nothing was applied to my account and promises that this time it is sorted. And guess what? It ISN'T. Each month this process is repeated and I am completely sick of it. I don't know what it will take for any action to actually be taken, and as my complaints directly to the company have had no effect, perhaps this will give EE some encouragement to finally fix the matter. Although I may be putting too much faith in the power of the internet!

I would never recommend EE and if you are tempted by their offers, don't do it. The resulting hassle, alongside the actual price you will be charged per month, will cost you far more than it is worth. It's disgusting that such a big company can get away with taking my money every month without fail. As a student, I know how hard it can be to make ends meet and my strict budget simply doesn't have room to be overcharged every month and not refunded. I simply hope that, as a result of this post, I might finally get a solution from EE and a few more people will now know not to use this company.

Have you also had problems with EE? Let me know in the comments below!

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Overnight Oats with Acai and Goji Berry Tea

Hey there! I've had quite an eventful week this week, starting with a dartboard falling on my head which has given me a lovely bout of concussion and my first ever trip to A&E! As a result, I've been stuck in bed for most of the week feeling rather sorry for myself. However, yesterday I discovered Whittard's Healthy New Year Blogger Carnival Competition and decided that it looked like a great pick me up.


Whittard Teas want bloggers to share their healthy, detoxing or simply wholesome recipe perfect for that January feel-good fix. My poorly head certainly feels like it needs something fresh and energising, so I decided to use some of Whittard's Acai and Goji Berry Tea as the base for my recipe. Breakfast is the one meal that I frequently forget about and I want to focus on improving in 2014, so I decided to create an overnight oats recipe, using tea.

You will need:
2 mug of porridge oats
1/2 mug of hot water
Acai and Goji Berry Caffeine Free Fruit Infusion Tea (c/o Whittard) or similar fruit tea
Handful of fresh or frozen berries 
Any other fruits, spices or nuts you might want to add

























1. Brew your tea for at least an hour in 1/2 mug of water, until cool and strong. I used loose tea, which I store in this lovely pot I got for Christmas, and gives a rich, fruity flavour. 

2. Pour your oats into a bowl (I added about two third's of a mug's worth). Strain your tea if you used a loose blend tea like I did, or squeeze out your teabag and remove from your infusion. Add to the oats mixture and stir.

3. Add any fruits, spices or nuts you have to hand into a bowl and stir. I simply used a handful of frozen berries for a simple and cheap addition of vitamins and flavour.

























4. Leave to steep overnight and in the morning, heat up over the stove or in the microwave for about 2 and a half minutes. Add a little honey or sugar and enjoy!

The beauty of overnight oats is obviously that they are ready and prepared for you in the morning - all you need to do is warm them up! They are also endlessly adaptable - this simply mix can be constantly changed by adding different fruits - such as apple, blueberries or raspberries - spices, including cinnamon and nutmeg, or even a variety of healthy nuts and raisins. How you do like to make yours? I'd love to see some recipes!

Jess
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Sunday, 19 January 2014

ASOS Swap Shop

Although I have already shared an outfit this week using some of my swap shop items, I haven't yet shared the details of the day itself with you all. So today I wanted to post a few photos from Asos HQ and share some of what I learnt:




Typically, most of my photos from the day are of food! We were greeted by breakfast, including these adorable jars of granola and some yummy pastries, and settled in to meet some other bloggers. We were kept on the edge of our seats all day as we waited for the actual swap, and the tension was built as we were allowed to browse what was on offer. I instantly loved the metallic dress below, which I eventually managed to bag, but as we all chose our number one item and planned our game plan (yes, we had tactics), we also didn't want to set our hearts on anything. We were allowed to browse the items at various points over the day, but by the afternoon I simply couldn't look anymore - I didn't want to risk the heartbreak!



However I feel like I've talked enough about the swap shop, as this was only a part of the day. We were also treated to three talks; one from Asos Marketplace, and two from some Asos Marketplace Boutiques, Mod Dolly and House of Jam. The talk from Asos Marketplace explained the site to us. I had never personally realised that anyone can sell on Asos Marketplace, not just Boutiques. You can list up to 100 unwanted clothes for free as a 'Wardrobe' seller and when sold, Asos Marketplace only take 5% commission. 

As well as the huge platform in return for such a small commission (part of which goes towards the Asos Foundation, which supports a variety of charities so you're doing some good too), I was really impressed with the support that Asos Marketplace offers all its sellers. A great example of this is the Asos Seller School, where both Wardrobe sellers and Boutiques can hear more about expanding their sales. As a result, what may simply start as clearing out your wardrobe can turn into a business. This happened to Amy, who blogs over at Dolls Are Reunited and runs Mod Dolly. She began selling a few of her handmade dresses, but her company has really expanded, mainly thanks to her use of bloggers and the support of Asos Marketplace. It was fascinating to hear from such a success story, as well as have a look at some of Amy's beautiful handmade dresses - I'm in love with the Hanna Fitted Tartan Skater Dress.

Finally, we were given a talk by Steve from House of Jam - although the focus was definitely on his adorable pup, Ernie, who everyone wanted to take home with them! You can actually watch a similar version of the talk on Youtube here, so if you want to hear more about selling on Asos as a boutique, why not check it out? It was also interesting to hear how Steve and Jazz are expanding their vintage brand to include their own designs - I love this Sheer Chiffon Pocket Dress, designed by Jazz.

Overall it was a really interesting day and I went away knowing a lot more about Asos Marketplace and how I could get involved. Of course, I'm loving all my Swap Shop finds, but I also had a lovely time meeting some fellow bloggers, eating some yummy food (get ready for some more pics) and learning more about the fashion industry. If you want to get involved, Access All Asos are accepting applications until the end of January and you can apply here

<3
xx


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