Metropol

thegeek wrote: Sat 08 Jun, 2024 17.43 Sounds like a similar situation to London, where single fares have had various freezes over the years for political reasons, but Travelcard prices (and the equivalent PAYG caps) have been going up (because a large part of them is based on rail fares), so it's far less likely you can save money with a season ticket.

I'm fortunate that my modes are all TfL, so using PAYG hasn't risen at all this year. I never reach the caps anyway.

Just another little shrinkflation report. I noticed Tesco have got the chocolate sweets tubs out for Father's Day. Quite clever really as I think this is the first time I've bought a tub of Quality Street outside Christmas.

Anyway, they've changed them so the purple one (that was moulded to look like a Brazil nut) and orange crunch (that used to be an octagonal affair) are now all circular sweets using the same mould as the caramel swirl (and smaller in my view).

Anyway, there were still a decent price as a tub when on offer but I wouldn't buy these now otherwise, and the smaller boxes are poor value.

[Edit: turns out they changed them in November last year and I just didn't notice...]

I have cancelled my YouTube Premium subscription. The price hasn't changed, but I could not justify Paying £12.99 per month for removing adverts from videos, and to stream music.

Blewatter wrote: Wed 04 Jun, 2025 17.58 I have cancelled my YouTube Premium subscription. The price hasn't changed, but I could not justify Paying £12.99 per month for removing adverts from videos, and to stream music.

I've thought about it, but I use YouTube more than Netflix.

Have you seen they've quietly launched YouTube Premium Lite in the UK (actually specifically GB for some reason) for £7.99, the main difference being you don't get the music streaming or ad free music videos, or downloads and background playing.

Of course, those who want the ad free experience for less might want to consider moving to Albania, where YouTube doesn’t serve any adverts at all…

I'm probably an outlier but, out of the paid streaming services, I only use Prime Video for Clarkson's Farm as part of my Prime subscription, I have a Disney+ sub I rarely use, and I don't use Netflix. However I use YouTube all the time. YouTube Premium is a no-brainer for me.

gottago wrote: Thu 05 Jun, 2025 21.56 Have you seen they've quietly launched YouTube Premium Lite in the UK (actually specifically GB for some reason) for £7.99, the main difference being you don't get the music streaming or ad free music videos, or downloads and background playing.

This is interesting. I don't really use the music streaming app, but I think I'd be annoyed watching music videos with ads.

I'm 'not yet eligible' for Premium Lite, it says here, as they're rolling it out gradually.

I'm not currently subscribing to any music service, because I'm being a cheapskate and waiting for another 3 months of Spotify for £9.99 deals to come along - though I think the adverts will get the better of me sooner rather than later. (I mean I really ought to subscribe to one that pays creators fairly, which probably means not Spotify...)

Newspapers.

I value the background playing option on Premium, so that's a non-starter for me.

Martin Phillp wrote: Sun 08 Jun, 2025 03.45 I value the background playing option on Premium, so that's a non-starter for me.

Does Android still get that for free?

Skype have been relieving me of £4/month for *something* since 2007 which I never had the heart to cancel - that's finally stopped now the service has died. Although I still get 60 minutes every month as part of 365 to use via the shitty skype legacy web dialpad.