Topic: Last Person to Speak Wins! 最后发言者获胜

[smokester]

What did you use to pay? Probably got tagged by your CC Billing address.

That's an interesting point but I'm pretty sure my sister sends us stuff from Amazon (shipped from the U.K) and because it never crosses a border it isn't liable to duty. I'd heard that Amazon built a large warehouse in Dublin to help the Irish avoid these costs and is why I tried to utilise this.

Last year I just gave gift vouchers as it was too much of a headache but it was far too impersonal.

[smokester]

Stop being a cheapskate and take them yourself. Go over, buy locally, deliver, come home. No taxes harmed in the making of this Christmas.

They have a farm. Wellies waders required.

Could be fun I s'pose.

[dweez]

But then you'd have to <shiver> interact with real people.

[smokester]

But then you'd have to <shiver> interact with real people.

I think there's more animals than folk around her place. I bet none of them are wearing facemasks either.

Stoopid animals.

[dweez]

Stoopid animals.

See, now I still don't know if you're talking about people or the actual animals.

[smokester]

See, now I still don't know if you're talking about people or the actual animals.

It was the cows without facemasks. Aderdeen angus to boot.

Apparently it's a result of Brexit but looking carefully at my invoice the German company didn't state I'd paid the VAT. In fact, in one email the contents of  the email has the breakdown of the costs clearly showing the 20% VAT, but in the attached PDF (and the invoice accompanying the parcel) it's bundled so the border force wouldn't automatically know I'd paid. I get the feeling that European companies are doing this intentionally - what I mean is: they are doing just enough as they are obliged to in their own country, and letting the U.K sort the mess out over here. I printed that email that reflected the VAT and sent it to the border force. If I get my money back, we'll know that all the company had to do was include this in the invoice to avoid this headache.

Good news is ... the border force gave me back the £46 VAT I had to pay agreeing that it wasn't disclosed on the invoice.

So I was right. No need to do this other than to punish Brexit. I gladly paid the duty which is just the normal process with international trade. E.U member states really need to get over it.

[6pairsofshoes]

Small triumphs.  Glad to hear they coughed up your money finally.  But what a pita that you had to go through this to get it back.

[smokester]

Small triumphs.  Glad to hear they coughed up your money finally.  But what a pita that you had to go through this to get it back.

If I hadn't got the VAT back it would have made the whole principal of ordering from overseas, flawed.

[smokester]

"principle".

I knew that. Only, I knew that in the back of my head and I was writing using the front.

[smokester]

Helpful hint: typing is a little easier using your fingers. Head tends to get more than one letter at a time.

My finger sizes range from Z⁺1 - Z⁺4 so you're kinda speaking for yourself.

[smokester]

That's what comes from hitting them with hammers.

They're playing tonight, you know.

[6pairsofshoes]

People were out driving like they were being chased by demons today.  There's a deadline looming and they have to get everything squared away by then, or Santa will be pissed.

My relatives have come to expect their packages after Christmas.  There's no sense driving yourself mad about this.

[smokester]

People were out driving like they were being chased by demons today.  There's a deadline looming and they have to get everything squared away by then, or Santa will be pissed.

My relatives have come to expect their packages after Christmas.  There's no sense driving yourself mad about this.

Today (Christmas eve) it's relatively quiet. That could change by lunchtime and is why I got the veg at 9am this morning, but it was certainly more civilised than usual. One thing I think COVID has done for people is that it has forced us to become more organised and to plan better. Hopefully, this attitude will hang around after the madness is over.

[8ullfrog]

Mom had to go to CVS for tissues, she said it's absolute madness.

[smokester]

I went to Oxford circus yesterday as my daughter wanted to go clothes shopping in the sales. I was dreading it but is was actually quit e slow. Apparently that's pretty much mirrored across the country, with people ignoring the sales in order to dodge Omicron.