Being efficient

[wiseheart]

I had a busy morning. First, I returned to the bank and managed to get done at least two of the three things that needed to be done - let's hope the clerk actually knew what she was doing. There were doubtful moments...

Then I went to the post office to fetch the meeces (= mice) badly_knitted sent me. Poor little things had been taxed beyond their cute ears, but they are such sweeties. Mum commandeered one for herself at once, I had pre-selected mine, the other three will go to three lovely young ladies between the age of 2 and 7 (otherwise known as my friend Elise's granddaughters) and will inhabit these toddler bags:



I think they'll have a good home and a good life. :)

Then I went to the craft shop that lies on my way home and indulged in buying some absolutely stunning, hand-made paper from India. Not that I didn't have blocks of such paper already, but I didn't have these particular patterns. Mum also liked them a lot, and after yesterday's fright I deserved some compensation, I find.

Then I finished my tour with shopping for groceries in the Lidl supermarket next corner (to where we had intended to go with Mum yesterday), and I saw, to my less than present surprise that the prices had already gone up since last week. Not the prices of stuff that had already been expensive, no. The prices of the relatively cheap things people with little money would choose to buy. How very typical! But at least I found some thing that are rarely found: Almdudler and Schwäbische Spätzle, things we both adore and I promptly bought them.

So I spent quite some money in the various shops, which is always good for my mental health. *g*

Comments

[meathiel]

Almdudler is on sale at Lidl here this week as well. ;-)

[bk_forever]

Meeces, spreading the love around!

So sorry they got taxed despite being marked as a gift. This is what my stupid country has done by opting out of the EU =(

Which one did your mum pick?

I hope the others do down well with their recipients!

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Are you sure that things being marked as a gift get taxed because GB is no more a member of the European union or because some people see a profitable source of revenue? Because gift parcels worthy less than 45 Euros coming from outside the EU are definitely custum-free!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

The fun thing is, it only ever appears a couple of times a year. The same with the Spätzle.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

But you also sent me the rainbow gemstones, which would have cost more than the taxes, had I bought them in a craft shop, so I came out the winner! Thank you, by the way!

Mum picked the blue-and-white striped one. She said that one had the cutest face. :))

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Not over here, apparently. They most outrageous part is that the taxing fee (= their work) is actually almost twice the sum as the actual taxes. I used to get huge boxes with a dozen or so books in it from the USA a few years ago, custom-free and everything, but nowadays you have to pay for just about everything. I won't put it beyond Vater Staat to... errr... expend the taxing practice a bit.

Correction: according to meathiel, who is savvy at such things, the 45 Euro-rule only works within the EU. Also, The EU rules changed in July. Before anything under 22 € or the equivalent in your currency was free from tax. Now tax is to be paid from 1€. The lady clerk at the post office also said that everything coming from outside the EU is being taxed.

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Waren, die von außerhalb der EU konmen und als Geschenk deklariert werden, sind sehr wohl bis zum Betrag von 45 Euro bzw. 39 Pfund zoll- und einfuhrumsatzsteuerfrei- sonst hätte ich ja selbst ordentlich zahlen dürfen!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Dann ist es doch Vater Staat. Ich bin nicht überrascht.

[bk_forever]

Silly me forgot to put the gemstones on the customs label. I was filling in so many labels I was getting myself confused with what was in which package. I saw them and thought you might like some though, such a good selection of colours.

So pleased your mum liked her mini meece. It had been a long time since I'd made the baby ones so I had to dig out smaller knitting needles and finer wool. I used to attach safety pins underneath so they could be worn as brooches.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Did you ever take a picture of the kitties?
Yay retail therapy!

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

Prices have been rising here, too. Our energy prices have risen so high, in fact, that the govt. is giving everyone a loan next winter, to help with the cost.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

It is probably a good thing you forgot to put the gemstones on the customs label. Who know what tax they'd have put on the poor tiny package if they knew there was anything of official value. *g* The selection of colours is indeed very good, and I like these tiny ones very much. Even if I have to use a pair of tweezers to place them. ;))

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Do you mean the kitties or the meeces? *g*
No pic of the meeces yet, but these are the kitties:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/85/8e/b1/858eb161f4b7db40f87a07789fadeee9.jpg)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

The whole situation is beyond ridiculous, really. And it's the small people with tight budgets that suffer from it the most, as usual.

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Da muss nur eine Kleinigkeit beim Deklarieren nicht stimmen, und schon langt Vater Staat zu. Ist bei uns genauso- ein nettes Körberlgeld eben!

[bk_forever]

Tweezers are one of the most useful crafting tools there are. Glad you liked the little gems. I saw them and grabbed us a pack each since I was already going to be sending you the meeces.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

:)

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

That's crazy that packages are taxed like that. Prices on everything here are rising too, and I went to get medicine and found out that the state changed our pharmacy plan and now the cost of my medicine has increased 300% :0(