"Investments" BAOR. Can anyone jog my memory?

[Issi]

I accidentally threw half of my SSM’s schrank into the municipal tip.

I was dicked to help him move MQ’s, and when i turned up , his wife stated-
“That pile for the tip, that pile for the new place”

Either she got confused or I did , as some of their furniture including said schrank didn’t get to their new place.

He couldn’t say much, as he was using free labour and a borrowed 4 tonner to save a few quid.

 

[exbluejob]

I think the place was called Dodenhof, and the tax you could claim back was Mehr Wert Steuer - in effect VAT.

Generally you needed an Abwicklungschein to purchase ohne MWST. Had a great system at Gutersloh, could buy your shopping (and beer) without MWST from a couple of the local supermarkets.

 

[RangdoOfArg]

I recall visiting a large store near Verden which contained appalling furniture. I went with ex-wife and children because I had been told that we could buy stuff tax-free - well, you could, but the process seemed complex to me and we didn't really fancy any of the goods on offer. I think the place was called Dodenhof, and the tax you could claim back was Mehr Wert Steuer - in effect VAT.

I can certainly remember people buying the paintings already discussed on the thread; we didn't really like them, despite the hype about being investments.

A (very large) bullet dodged there.

 

[RangdoOfArg]

I accidentally threw half of my SSM’s schrank into the municipal tip.

I was dicked to help him move MQ’s, and when i turned up , his wife stated-
“That pile for the tip, that pile for the new place”

Either she got confused or I did , as some of their furniture including said schrank didn’t get to their new place.

He couldn’t say much, as he was using free labour and a borrowed 4 tonner to save a few quid.

No real liking for the SSM, then?

 

[par avion]

I accidentally threw half of my SSM’s schrank into the municipal tip.

I was dicked to help him move MQ’s, and when i turned up , his wife stated-
“That pile for the tip, that pile for the new place”

Either she got confused or I did , as some of their furniture including said schrank didn’t get to their new place.

He couldn’t say much, as he was using free labour and a borrowed 4 tonner to save a few quid.

Did you get all the bif jobs afterwards though, or had he moved out of reach?

 

[Issi]

Did you get all the bif jobs afterwards though, or had he moved out of reach?

Luckily enough I was posted to Cyprus for six months, and so escaped his wrath.

 

[Filthy_contract]

The old style ones were dark wood with carvings and fairly oppressive. You could get more modern ones, one of mine was similarish. The quarters I had lended themselves to them, large with high ceiling. The other pieces of furniture they loved were tables with tiled tops


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Christ! What an affrontery to decency and good taste.

The 1970s are calling...

 

[Wightsparker]

Generally you needed an Abwicklungschein to purchase ohne MWST. Had a great system at Gutersloh, could buy your shopping (and beer) without MWST from a couple of the local supermarkets.

I was quite happy with the arrangements as they applied to me. Duty free alcohol in the NAAFI, coupons for petrol ( and there were suitable petrol stations locally - BP and FANAL ?) - and if you were a smoker you could get the appropriate death sticks at a low price. There were temptations - buy a box of King Edward cigars for a very low price and take them back to the UK to pass on to your local pub as single items for a significant profit. Except that the then Customs and Excise were well aware and could turn up at any time to check the status of said items. Definitely not worth the effort!

But your post makes me think; had I got the right documentation. I might now be the owner of a schrank or two. Oh, bugger!

 

[JuniorBod]

I think that some of the more enlightened households were fond of glass topped coffee tables...

Apparently it was a bugger getting decent piccies through those tile top jobbies...

So I've heard....

JB

 

[JuniorBod]

BP and FANAL?

FINA, as I seem to recall, though it was many years ago...

JB

 

[Wightsparker]

FINA, as I seem to recall, though it was many years ago...

JB

It was indeed many years ago - but I'm pretty certain I recall FANAL.

 

[JuniorBod]

It was indeed many years ago - but I'm pretty certain I recall FANAL.

You may well be right, tis but a distant haze...

JB

 

[DB216LOKDVR]

Stamps was another con in the 70's & 80's.

Some allegedly 'Professional' was buying up & coming valuable stamps and holding them in reserve in the UK and selling the stamps to investors, (monthly Direct Debits), normally Officer's, well at least one Officer who I knew.

Needless to say it was a con, as the said Officer found out when his daughter married me and he decided to cash in his investment to pay for the wedding.

Then there was the Car Sales place in JHQ near to the Sparky Bank that took large deposits/full payment for tax free Japanese new cars.

Closed up shop and disappeared with the cash.

Fortunately the Japanese car company stepped in when informed of the situation and supplied the cars.

Door to Door Endowment Insurance Policies was another dodgy mis-selling exercise (and not necessary door to door as your favourite Garrison Shop had 'Sales Reps' waiting for the gullible).

I must admit I took out a policy in German with one of the better companies!!!!! and when the Endowment bubble burst in the 80's I managed to achieve the 'potential investment' but it did mean going via the Ombudsman who supported my claim.

Encyclopedias being sold door to door in an aggressive manner to Junior Ranks (well they were in Monchengladbach by the wifey of a Rodney, who would not take no for an answer).

Her favorite trick being to collar the wife of a Junior Rank and do the hard sell with the intention of signing off the deal with the Junior Rank in the evening when he returns home from work.

She did not understand NO.

I often wonder is she still banging the hell out of my quarter front door when she was evicted from my living room at the speed of a thousand gazelles at 1715 hours on a Friday evening after I had a sh1t week on Garrison Training at Arsbeck and I found I had just been placed on duty on the Saturday.

Her threats of having me charged came to nowt and my kids did not grow up thick as she claimed they would.

 

[bluebell99]

Used it in the 70s to put a shine on my boots. Until it rained.

With Dual your boots didn't go white in the rain, they went pale blue.

 

[Fat_Cav]

I recall being told I had to attend a one-to-one financial brief at the RAC Trg Regt Catterick when I had just finished Phase 2 training. It consisted of some shady local giving me the waffle about investment, etc.

I was still 17 FFS, and he knew his stuff. I signed up for some Life Assurance thingy at £25pcm, which in 1987 was a few quid. I continued to pay it for the next 9 years until I got married and wanted some cash for a deposit on a house (whilst still in)

Considering I had paid in the best part of £2700, I cashed it in and got back £1200. Apparently the first four years or so was commission, the robbing cünts

 

[Filthy_contract]

I recall being told I had to attend a one-to-one financial brief at the RAC Trg Regt Catterick when I had just finished Phase 2 training. It consisted of some shady local giving me the waffle about investment, etc.

I was still 17 FFS, and he knew his stuff. I signed up for some Life Assurance thingy at £25pcm, which in 1987 was a few quid. I continued to pay it for the next 9 years until I got married and wanted some cash for a deposit on a house (whilst still in)

Considering I had paid in the best part of £2700, I cashed it in and got back £1200. Apparently the first four years or so was commission, the robbing cünts

For those leaving, I strongly recommend the 'Financial Aspects of Resettlement Course'. It's not a sales pitch and should be given to everyone as they leave basic training...

 

[Fat_Cav]

For those leaving, I strongly recommend the 'Financial Aspects of Resettlement Course'. It's not a sales pitch and should be given to everyone as they leave basic training...

I think the boat has sailed for that for nearly everyone on this site

 

[PapaGolf]

I think any resettlement training is a Ponzi scheme. MOD “Here’s 500 quid for resettlement training “ Course provider “We’re the only people you can spend your resettlement grant with, and we’re MOD funded”.
Basically the MOD giving you money to spend on the MOD.
Resettlement courses saying you’ll get a qualification at the end of their course, wherein you actually don’t, you just get an attendance certificate.

 

[mnairb]

I recall being told I had to attend a one-to-one financial brief at the RAC Trg Regt Catterick when I had just finished Phase 2 training. It consisted of some shady local giving me the waffle about investment, etc.

I was still 17 FFS, and he knew his stuff. I signed up for some Life Assurance thingy at £25pcm, which in 1987 was a few quid. I continued to pay it for the next 9 years until I got married and wanted some cash for a deposit on a house (whilst still in)

Considering I had paid in the best part of £2700, I cashed it in and got back £1200. Apparently the first four years or so was commission, the robbing cünts

Had a guy come round the block in Londonderry, selling with profits life insurance policies - £10/month. Well, I thought, I'm in the province for the next 12 months (at least) and an insurance payout would help me mum if I got on the wrong end of an AK round (or whatever Mr McGuiness and his mates were using) so I signed up. It eventually dropped to 8 quid when tax relief was scrapped and, as I got progressively better off, I kept it up. When it finally matured (at 60), I got back 3 times what I paid in, so not all guys selling insurance round the block were rogues.

 

[Filthy_contract]

I think any resettlement training is a Ponzi scheme. MOD “Here’s 500 quid for resettlement training “ Course provider “We’re the only people you can spend your resettlement grant with, and we’re MOD funded”.
Basically the MOD giving you money to spend on the MOD.
Resettlement courses saying you’ll get a qualification at the end of their course, wherein you actually don’t, you just get an attendance certificate.

I think that's a little cynical. Many of the CTP courses are free whereas others are contracted out to other providers who are paid when there are students. The money doesn't go back to the MOD. Moreover, if you find a course of training or a civilian placement, it is a simple process to have that approved and to get funding for it.

I attended a three week Business School Post-graduate course, came out with a external and recognised qualification, and spent three weeks staying in a rather nice hotel. Total cost (having used my various grants and ELCs): £400. If I had walked in off the street, including hotel, all meals and travel costs, I would have had little change from £6000.

Very, very few employers, including the public sector, offer any resettlement training. Even if you are made redundant from a City firm, you might be given access to a careers counsellor for a couple of appointments, and have access to an office in the City or Canary Wharf for a month or two - and only if that is negotiated as part of your settlement.

I have NO time for 'veterans' who complain that they could not prepare for civilian employment. Even a recruit - binned after a week or so - is eligible for a career transition workshop (which is very good), housing workshops and access to job boards.