DISCOUNT COUPONS & DISCOUNT CREDIT CARDS

Before the holidays is a good time to buy discount coupons. The discounts given at this time of the year are usually a few percentages higher than during the rest of the year.  These discounts are now also available in credit card format. For a given amount one can purchase a credit card in a similar way to the purchase of the coupons. The big advantage is that you now carry around with you just a small card, and only the actual purchase sum is deducted.  On the receipt for your purchase is also printed the balance still available on the card.  

In some stores, when using the coupons, if you do not have the exact sum in coupons for the purchase, you receive a credit note for the change, which is not always convenient if you do not shop in this place on a regular basis.  

AN ESRA PRESENT FOR PESACH

A couple of suggestions that I have for a present for the forthcoming holidays and for a simple thank you present.

I recently arranged a one-year subscription to the ESRA MAGAZINE for a friend in England: This cost me NIS140. To arrange it, to almost anywhere abroad, call ESRA  tel: 09 950 8371 or fax: 09 954 3781, email: herzliyaoffice@esra.org.il  .

I wanted to say a thank you to a doctor for all her patience (no operation, no special treatment) and I noticed on the wall of her office a variety of hamsas – so the obvious choice for me was a framed Ethiopian embroidered hamsa. There are a lot of new interesting Ethiopian goods available including tote bags, colored hand towels, purses, cushion covers - all hand embroidered. Contact ESRA or the local branches.

BRITISH SOCIAL SERVICE PENSION

Good news from the British Pension Service. If you are receiving a weekly, 4-weekly or 3-monthly pension or whatever from the above, then I have some interesting news for you. When you get to the grand age of 80 you will receive an increase in this pension to the great sum of 25 pence per week. Yes, 4 weeks will add up to one pound sterling!

ELECTRICITY COMPANY

A friend of mine had an electricity breakdown in her flat on a Saturday. It was caused by a problem with the main fuses of the electricity company. The company will come to replace the burnt fuse in the outside electricity box whenever you telephone them. It costs NIS 50, the payment of which is included in your next electricity bill. They do this at any time of the day or night and on weekends for the same price.

THE ESRA SHOPS

When was the last time you visited one of the ESRA Nearly New shops in Raanana and Kfar Saba? An acquaintance of mine often drops off items at the Raanana shop, and she tells me how good they are there because they come and help her take things from her car. But she says that she has not really been inside. Why not? The ESRA shops appreciate very much everything that is donated to them, especially good quality clothing and household goods. They also have TVs, laptops and wonderful vintage bric-a-brac and jewelry, and interesting silver pieces - for these, ask Giora who keeps them under lock & key.

At the Raanana shop they also have small furniture items. My browsing there has been most interesting. I found a part set of Arcopal dishes, main and first course plates that complemented my everyday set purchased over 20 years ago, replacements for which I have been searching for for a long time: four new large breakfast cups, some wonderful American jeans for my 6 year-old grandson and a jeans jacket that he has not taken off summer or winter. Someone had parted with a brand new gold thread short jacket which looks wonderful with my white trousers. Everyone said, “I thought you did not buy anything on your last trip abroad.” Well, I hadn’t! And on my last visit there I found a white leather handbag to complete the outfit.

So keep on donating to the shops and at the same time go in and look around, especially if you are a bargain-hunter – there are real bargains available there.

ESRA shops: Raanana, t 100 Ahuza St. tel: 09 741 2631; Kfar Saba, 45 Rothschild St. tel: 09 765 4652.