Neil Gits Value For Money

” Times Are Tight ” as Jimmy Young sang on his 1983 soulful dance anthem and we are all trying to make a little money go a long way, whether it’s by cutting back our spending (if possible !) or buying cheaper untried versions of food and products than we would normally consume. I checked back over my previous blogs as I recalled writing about “Shaving-gate” back in September 2023 when I shared my despair at Boots discontinuing their shavesticks after I’d been using them for nearly 40 years, forcing me to invest £17 in a box of 12 for sale online made in Poland, intended for Turkish barbers.

I wrote back then : ” I can’t wait to try the Arko Shave Stick and when I do I will report back on here with my thoughts …. ” – so here we are over two years later since I opened my first ‘Arko Shavestick’ and guess what ? I’ve just opened my THIRD one of the dozen I bought ! Yes, each one has lasted over 12 months of shaving every other day, as I do, so at this rate the remaining 9 in the box will last me till I am 72 years old !!! Not only that but the previously favoured and now totally unavailable Boots ones were retailing at around £2.50 whereas these Polish ones work out at £1.40 each AND last THREE times as long ! It’s irrelevant now, but it does make you wonder why Boots couldn’t have made their shavesticks to last much longer … oh hang on, I think we all know why !

“Times Are Tight” – those three words that I began this blog with don’t just apply to us mere mortals at the sharp end of life, trying hard to keep our bills paid and our fridges stocked, the big companies are feeling the pinch too. In their world , the Big Shots ‘upstairs’ feel it is their priority to maintain their profits and pay for their obscene salaries (plus bonuses!) by sacrifcing the quality of their goods, skimping on packaging, reducing the weight / quantity of each unit and, of course implementing outrageous price increases, blaming it all on that much banded-about phrase the “Cost Of Living Crisis”. In their eyes ‘survival’ means maintaining a lifestyle that the majority of their customers are never likely to experience, for the rest of us ‘survival’ means staying alive ! Each time I go food shopping and see the cost of one of my regular purchases go up yet again, I can hardly stop myself saying out loud ” Are they having a laugh ?! ” The truth is it just is NOT funny at all …

Luckily “The Old Gits Soul Show” is on air every Monday not only to bring you two hours of memories of the good old days when music was wonderful and life wasn’t quite as bad as it is now, putting a smile on your face in the process as we switch off from the real world together and enjoy a brief oasis of escapism …

The Tunes – Monday 8th December 2025

Players Association – The Get Down Mellow Sound
Gap Band – Burn Rubber On Me
Honore – Ain’t No Substitute
Carl Douglas – Run Back
Maxine Nightingale – Love Hit Me
Paul Johnson – Fear Of Falling
Stephanie Mills – Never Gonna Give You Up
Binky Womack – Always Forever Endlessly In Love
Royalle Delite – I’ll Be A Freak For You
Jackson Five – I Want You Back
Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots
Ronnie Dyson – Cup (Runneth Over)
Four Tops – What Is A Man
Jaki Graham – Heaven Knows
Brenda Russell – In The Thick Of It
Donna Allen – Joy & Pain
New Jersey Connection – Wanna be With You
Bryan Andrew Wilson – I Kept On
Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Commodores – Girl I Think The World About You
Ray Parker Jr & Raydio – It’s Time To Party Now
Evelyn King – I’m In Love
Janet Kay – Eternally Grateful

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !