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UK Money Blogger Profile: The Complaining Cow

Posted Lee Balders
UK money blogger The Complaining Cow

All about… The Complaining Cow

Lots of money bloggers know a thing or two about consumer rights, but when it comes to complaining, Helen Dewdney has written the book. In fact, she’s written the bestseller! Helen helps the public to put forward their complaints effectively and get the results they need. We were pleased to find out more about The Complaining Cow.

Tell us about your blog.

The site provides tips, stories, information, consumer law and advice on consumer rights generally, and on topical issues.
Oh, and is a place where you can get a signed copy of the bestselling book “How to Complain: The Essential Consumer Guide to Getting Refunds, Redress and Results!” 😉

Why do you write about money?

There is such a gap in the market for providing people with information just about their consumer rights. Very few sites cover just this area, so things can get very confusing and I hope to empower people to assert their legal rights and not be fobbed off!

 

How did you start blogging?

I started as a hobby. I’ve been getting refunds, redress and results for over 35 years through complaining effectively.

I often shared the experiences I had when complaining for friends, family or myself on Facebook. Someone somewhere said start a blog I think! So I asked for names, put the suggestions out to vote and The Complaining Cow was born!

I began just writing about experiences and very quickly I was getting asked for advice so expanded the blog to cover most sectors.

 

What’s your most popular post and why?

Sadly it’s a guest post. It’s not sad that I didn’t write it; it is sad that a post entitled “holding the DWP to account and how to complain when your benefits go wrong” should be so popular, engaged with and clearly so needed.

The comments show just what is happening to the vulnerable in our society and it is heartbreaking to see how they are being treated.

 

What’s your favourite post you’ve written, and why?

I love “The Complaining Cow’s history with Tesco” because it sums up all the stories regarding Tesco and me over the years.

It is a post with a link to the first post about a complaint followed by opinions on the then CEO, to taking them to court and winning, to getting invited to meet the new Group CEO and then invited to lunch selling him a 100 of my books on the way for his executive team and board, to being the first to interview the Group and UK CEOs. Other stories in between and since continue, and none of it would have happened without the blog – it just all makes me laugh really!

 

What’s your number one money tip?

Know your consumer rights and if you don’t know them, find out and assert them so you aren’t fobbed off and left out of pocket!

 

What’s your top blogging tip?

Enjoy it. If you don’t, stop.

 

Why are you part of UK Money Bloggers?

Because it is the best task avoidance tool ever! I need to learn to turn off the FB group.
Seriously though, I have found the discussions really helpful and everyone has such different experiences there’s always someone who can advise. Gradually some more of the techy stuff might sink in. Who knows? Hope so, but certainly gained a lot in the last few months. But it wouldn’t be the great task avoider it is if it wasn’t such a good group of which to be part.

 

Who are your three favourite UK Money Bloggers?

Oh that’s like asking who your favourite child is and I have one! Child that is, not favourite.
Definitely Sara Williams from Debt Camel. Luckily I don’t need debt advice personally but the information she provides is superb and is written in such an easy to read format. I only have guest bloggers on occasion and Sara has been on twice so that shows you something!
After that it’s hard, I have quite a few. I enjoy a good rant, (obviously) so I liked having Emma from The Money Whisperer on to do a guest post on the mess that was/is childcare funding. We/I ranted on and she did a great post on exactly what people needed to do.
I like Emma Drew‘s fondness of Poundland although it is not fair, as ours burnt down a couple of months ago and nothing seems to be being done about putting it back! The holiday tips are good, her tip about playing Disney off against Virgin is one of my favourite money tips ever!

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