# Rip off Europe oui!



## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

As I am now into the 6th week of a three month trip taking in France, Spain, Portugal am I alone in finding that now the Pound-Euro has found its natural level that good old blighty is not looking too bad with regard to costs.
Going out for a meal in any of the stops I have made has been a traumatic experience and has been curtailed. The supermarket prices in general are more expensive and campsites even at the Acsi discount do not compare with some of the lovely sites around britain.
Now if only we could have the weather.!!!


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

yes but whats the price of diesel now

Dave P


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

tombo5609 said:


> As I am now into the 6th week of a three month trip taking in France, Spain, Portugal am I alone in finding that now the Pound-Euro has found its natural level that good old blighty is not looking too bad with regard to costs.
> Going out for a meal in any of the stops I have made has been a traumatic experience and has been curtailed. The supermarket prices in general are more expensive and campsites even at the Acsi discount do not compare with some of the lovely sites around britain.
> Now if only we could have the weather.!!!


Sorry but I think your title's wrong.
Europe isn't a rip-off, you said it yourself, the Pound-Euro has found its natural level.

Even if the pound was equal to a Euro I would still opt for travelling to Europe and France in particular.
France itself is so diverse east to west, south to north that one can always find something new. I say that after travelling there for 30 years.
The Uk just doesn't hold the same attraction for me.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

I think it is unfair to blame Europe or the Europeans for the plummeting pound. Just because the euro has stood up better - we had the chance to join it years ago and our politicians refused! Not Europe's fault though!

We were looking to buy in France after selling our home in Devon. We found a house in France we wanted to buy in October and since then the pound is worth less and less each day. The effective cost of the house has gone up by about £48k since we chose it, but we can't blame the French.

We too love the diversity of the country of France, but as tombo says, there are plenty of lovely parts of Britain too. Oh, and by the way, the weather in France has been none too pleasant this winter either!


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

The fall of the Pound against the Euro is not a rip-off. It's a reflection of what other countries think of Brown and Darling's inept handling of the UK economy and saddling us all with incredible levels of government debt. 

Something had to give. What's unfair is that those of us who were sensible savers are now getting the furry end of the lollipop.  

If only the UK had joined the Eurozone while the going was still good.


SD


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Note to self -
Rip off threads seldom contain evidence of a rip off!


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

tombo5609 said:


> As I am now into the 6th week of a three month trip taking in France, Spain, Portugal am I alone in finding that now the Pound-Euro has found its natural level that good old blighty is not looking too bad with regard to costs.
> Going out for a meal in any of the stops I have made has been a traumatic experience and has been curtailed. The supermarket prices in general are more expensive and campsites even at the Acsi discount do not compare with some of the lovely sites around britain.
> Now if only we could have the weather.!!!


Hi to answer your question in a sensible way without nit picking :wink:

I love being abroad and I love seeing other countries and cultures etc but I think I know exactly what you are trying to say. We found it very expensive on our last trip (so much difference to this time last year).

I didn't even think the duty free at Calais was cheap.

Although yes we love the trips abroad if the UK had the weather I do think that until things change again a lot of folk will plump for the UK, our local Butlins is up 10% on bookings this year in the school holidays.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

aultymer said:


> Note to self -
> Rip off threads seldom contain evidence of a rip off!


Notes to self might involve the men in white coats arriving :wink:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

The trouble is we always expect everywhere else to be less expensive than here

Dave P


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> Notes to self might involve the men in white coats arriving


They have already been and taken me away!

Someone told them I still think that the UK is a good place to live and Europe is a good place to visit.
They also accused me of sedition since I have been calling for the adoption of a European currency since before it was officially proposed. (I got fed up being RIPPED OFF by money changing institutions 40 years ago. Now that was, and still is a real Rip Off!).


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Briarose said:


> tombo5609 said:
> 
> 
> > As I am now into the 6th week of a three month trip taking in France, Spain, Portugal am I alone in finding that now the Pound-Euro has found its natural level that good old blighty is not looking too bad with regard to costs.
> ...


Unless you are coming from outside the EU there is no such thing as "Duty Free".


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## tombo5609 (Dec 29, 2007)

I dont know if anyone remembers but we did try to join the Euro under Thatcher and Norman lLamont. The pound Euro was then £1.6 to the Euro. We were sent scurrying out of it with our tail between our legs when the resultant run on the £ nearly bankrupt the country.
As the the two currencys near parity a seamless entry is possible and will probably happen in the next 5yrs no matter what party is in power, it is the natural order of things.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> As the the two currencys near parity


Since the beginning of the year the currencies in fact have been moving away from parity


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Telbell said:


> ..Since the beginning of the year the currencies in fact have been moving away from parity


Don't keep reminding me.

When the pound was falling rapidly at the end of December we rushed to get the rent for our mobile home in France paid quickly and breathed a sigh of relief when we managed it at 1.0555 euro to the pound.
I don't think it's been that low since and today it's 1.1297 to the pound.

Doh.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Sorry Gillian :wink: 

Big gamble every which way ain't it? :roll: 

Wondering when to load my Caxton Card ready for June trip....loaded some at 1.09....still creeping up


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

A few oservations on these posts.
Spain may no longer be the cheap holiday it once was but it is still not expensive 3 Course lunch Menu del Dia 8 to 10 euros a beer or coffee 1.50 supermarket prices about the same some more some less,diesel 82c litre.
You have to live here to see the real savings 2600 sq ft Villa 5 beds 4 bath 2 kitchens 2 lounges garage large garden and pool rates,water,sewage, 230 euros a year car tax 3 litre 4x4 80 euros 2.3 litre motorhome 60 euros so overall I think it is cheaper to live in Spain than UK.
But more than all that and even if it was more QUALITY OF LIFE
The pound euro .88 to a pound and wait till the ECB change their rate pound will pick up more as to joining the EURO many believe it wont be here to celebrate it's second 10 years.


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

Came to the conclusion ages ago, that trying to second guess the money market is not for me, I now just take it as it comes with Nationwide cards.

Charlie


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## chalky9 (Oct 27, 2006)

tombo5609 said:


> Going out for a meal in any of the stops I have made has been a traumatic experience and has been curtailed. The supermarket prices in general are more expensive and campsites even at the Acsi discount do not compare with some of the lovely sites around britain.


I really don't think you're being fair, even with the £/€ at its current level. In much of France you can eat well in a decent restaurant for around €20 per head (plus drinks). In the UK you can spend that on an average meal in a pub! In Spain you get some great value "Menu del Dia's" for around €10 per head, sometimes including beer or wine, if you eat at lunchtime.

We still find supermarket prices in Spain to be less, on average, than in the UK. And as for campsites, how many decent campsites in the UK charge less than €15 per night for 2 people, including electricity? Last year we visited Portugal and the Orbitur chain were charging around €11 per night all in!


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