OMIGOD You Idiot

This key is not cut.
It'd be just as effective.

Look at me, Mrs Smart MoneySaver, buying a new plastic keyfob for her car on eBay for £4 instead of getting a Peugeot one for a billion trillion bucks. Swap casing over, put the circuit board tidily in the new fob, test the lock, central locking is working perfectly, pat self on the back and grope own arse. I'm so good at this "saving money" thing.

Jump in car the next day to go meet Mr Removalist... car will not start. Turns over but no go.

The poor RAC man spent ages dismantling all the fuses, spent forever testing everything he could think of, and finally diagnosed it to learn that yes, the immobiliser was the problem. While we were making arrangements to get it towed to a mechanic, I finally asked if the plastic key cover would cause this.

Yes, I'm a moron, a tiny black immobiliser code chip the size of a tic tac was in the bit of broken plastic in the bin, and as soon as he waved the broken bit of plastic near the ignition, Pugsley turned over and purred into life.

#howtosavemoney - figure out that you're a moron BEFORE getting your car towed. Thankfully he was kind enough to declare that we had both learned something, because even though he had been a locksmith before, he hadn't thought to ask me to grab my spare key (which would have started the car just fine). It is very lucky that I'm not now facing a very expensive repair for nothing. #dodgedabullet

Happy Happy Thing - my washer is installed and currently running a short wash to give it a clean. I am SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED about having a washer again for the first time in two-and-a-half years. I plan to Wash All The Things™.