In a panic!! My husband says that if the dollar declines further, NO LOnDON!!! The pound is worth a whopping 1.95 I cant get over it!!!
Dec 3rd, 2004, 03:21 PM
#22
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I went to London last summer. I shut my eyes and pretended that the £ sign was a $.
$7.00 for a pizza is not bad at all.
($14.00 is a bit much.)
As my wife said, you can't take it with you. But as Jack Benny said, "I hadn't planned on going."
I don't know. We played a little game once before we went to London the first time when it took $2.05 to buy £1.00.
For expenditures like cigarettes, which we do not use, movies to which we did not go, soft drinks not consumed, and other avoidances we put money in a pot.
After 4 months we had quite a bit.
We did, however, go in the Christmas period when prices at hotels were cheaper. The weather was not so great, but we spent most of the time indoors, even at Kew Gardens! Plays, museums, cathedrals (including Westminster Abbey), and concerts kept indoors.
But get used to a weak dollar. It will stay that way until our balance of international payments nears zero and we reduce the national debt. Don't hold your breath because foreign investents elsewhere are more attractive and other nations are not jumping at the chance to fund our mounting debt.
Last I heard, it was 7.5 trillion green ones and climbing.
$7.00 for a pizza is not bad at all.
($14.00 is a bit much.)
As my wife said, you can't take it with you. But as Jack Benny said, "I hadn't planned on going."
I don't know. We played a little game once before we went to London the first time when it took $2.05 to buy £1.00.
For expenditures like cigarettes, which we do not use, movies to which we did not go, soft drinks not consumed, and other avoidances we put money in a pot.
After 4 months we had quite a bit.
We did, however, go in the Christmas period when prices at hotels were cheaper. The weather was not so great, but we spent most of the time indoors, even at Kew Gardens! Plays, museums, cathedrals (including Westminster Abbey), and concerts kept indoors.
But get used to a weak dollar. It will stay that way until our balance of international payments nears zero and we reduce the national debt. Don't hold your breath because foreign investents elsewhere are more attractive and other nations are not jumping at the chance to fund our mounting debt.
Last I heard, it was 7.5 trillion green ones and climbing.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 03:42 PM
#25
London is one of THE most expensive places. How about Paris instead (for example)? Even my friends who live in Switzerland (notoriously expensive place) complain about hotel prices, etc. when they visit London.
This kind of obsessing (from both you and your husband's point of view) does not bode well for a happy trip IMHO.
This kind of obsessing (from both you and your husband's point of view) does not bode well for a happy trip IMHO.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 03:44 PM
#26
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I'm with taggie. Tell the old man the pound is worth a whopping 2.49 Australian dollars. I don't know how many Australian tourists there are in London at any given time, but as it's reported that 240,000 are living and working there, probably a lot.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 03:50 PM
#27
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The relative strength of the Canadian, American, and Australian dollars do not relate directly to praline's situation. Someone could be a very wealthy Australian even if the AUS$ is worth less, or a struggling American whatever the USD is worth, and luckily we cannot tell by this message board who is who. So whatever the Euro or dollar is worth, I have sympathy for someone who feels her plans have been thwarted.
Patrick, why insult praline's husband? He might just feel this trip is not financially prudent, and there's a good chance he is right. It doesn't mean he's a terrible provider or too cheap, particularly since both spouses are responsible for family finances in any event.
Patrick, why insult praline's husband? He might just feel this trip is not financially prudent, and there's a good chance he is right. It doesn't mean he's a terrible provider or too cheap, particularly since both spouses are responsible for family finances in any event.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 04:00 PM
#29
Will travel, I was about to post the same thing. Thank you. Praline, London is so much more expensive than Paris and Paris has so much to offer that's free. If you still want London, Wait for a low plane fare and cut it to a long weekend. Good Luck.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 04:56 PM
#32
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I don't get this. So don't go to London. Why go to one of the most expensive possible destinations at a time when your husband, who earns most of the money that pays for your family's vacations, has serious concerns about spending. There are so many choices of other European destinations that are culturally more foreign than London and therefore might provide a more unique and exciting vacation and learning experience, while costing much much less. Then, too, you can always refrain from traveling at all for a few years, as I did for several years during a period when I had concerns about finances. Doing without didn't kill me, and my sense of adventure, curiosity, and imagination survived unharmed, ready to enjoy travel when I was better able to afford it.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 05:08 PM
#35
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I could be completely wrong of course but from what I read is that praline does not feel in an equal partnership with her husband. It seems she works parttime, plus I would imagine takes care of the house, children etc. But husband makes the majority of the money so it seems his thinking "rules". Again I could be wrong but that is what my thinking is.
Which makes me wonder whether Praline is knowledgable about their familys finances or not.
No one can help with this situation Praline. If your husband is putting "limits" on the money exchange and you have no say in the matter so to speak there is nothing we can say, unfortuntaly to help you.
If you and your husband can sit down and talk and assuming the two of you (and I do stress the two of you, not just you) want a vacation as other posters have suggested there are other countries you can go to.
If it is a case that the budget is tight, that taking a trip is not possible at this time than you will need to put your dreams on hold and wait until it is possible.
The very best to you and your situation.
Which makes me wonder whether Praline is knowledgable about their familys finances or not.
No one can help with this situation Praline. If your husband is putting "limits" on the money exchange and you have no say in the matter so to speak there is nothing we can say, unfortuntaly to help you.
If you and your husband can sit down and talk and assuming the two of you (and I do stress the two of you, not just you) want a vacation as other posters have suggested there are other countries you can go to.
If it is a case that the budget is tight, that taking a trip is not possible at this time than you will need to put your dreams on hold and wait until it is possible.
The very best to you and your situation.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 05:12 PM
#36
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I disagree that Paris is much less expensive than London.
On our November trip, we paid $798 for the hotel in Paris for 7 nights and $756 in London - comparable 3 star hotels. A full breakfast included in London, continental in Paris.
The dinners we ate in London averaged $80 and in Paris $74. In both cities they were 3 course set price and included a full bottle of wine. We don't spend this every night, Marks and Sparks usually provides at least one takeout meal when we are just too tired to do any more. The crepe restaurants in Montparnasse serve the same function (and I love a crepe with duck and plum sauce).
Most museums in London are free, in Paris most have a fee. The Louvre is about $9 pp, d'Orsay $8. In London the British Museum is free as are the National Gallery, Tate, V&A, etc.
Not including airfare, we spent about $300 per day. In March, 2003 we spent about $270 per day for 8 nights driving from Glasgow to London and 6 nights in London. The pound was $1.60 versus $1.85.
On our November trip, we paid $798 for the hotel in Paris for 7 nights and $756 in London - comparable 3 star hotels. A full breakfast included in London, continental in Paris.
The dinners we ate in London averaged $80 and in Paris $74. In both cities they were 3 course set price and included a full bottle of wine. We don't spend this every night, Marks and Sparks usually provides at least one takeout meal when we are just too tired to do any more. The crepe restaurants in Montparnasse serve the same function (and I love a crepe with duck and plum sauce).
Most museums in London are free, in Paris most have a fee. The Louvre is about $9 pp, d'Orsay $8. In London the British Museum is free as are the National Gallery, Tate, V&A, etc.
Not including airfare, we spent about $300 per day. In March, 2003 we spent about $270 per day for 8 nights driving from Glasgow to London and 6 nights in London. The pound was $1.60 versus $1.85.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 05:31 PM
#37
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If you can't afford to go then either go someplace cheaper or since you really want to go save more money until you have enough to go. Like Janis, I have made several trips to Europe with the dollar all over the place. As mentioned in my previous post every trip has been great.
I'm a blue collar worker and I have just finished my 4th trip to Europe in the last 12 months (including 3 trips to London, side trips to Berlin,Rome and Holland and one trip to Iceland). You can stay at a B&B where breakfast is included. I eat a big breakfast, skip lunch and have a big dinner. I only buy 1 meal a day in Europe. As mentioned, most of dinners were 6 GBP or less. The musuems are free. The TKTS booth in Leicester Square will save you some money. Free noontime concerts, free movies, etc,etc.
I've never let the exchange rate dictate my travels and I never will. London is less expensive for me than it was 2 years ago. Praline, you can go to London and have a great time even with the unfavorable exchange rate.
I'm a blue collar worker and I have just finished my 4th trip to Europe in the last 12 months (including 3 trips to London, side trips to Berlin,Rome and Holland and one trip to Iceland). You can stay at a B&B where breakfast is included. I eat a big breakfast, skip lunch and have a big dinner. I only buy 1 meal a day in Europe. As mentioned, most of dinners were 6 GBP or less. The musuems are free. The TKTS booth in Leicester Square will save you some money. Free noontime concerts, free movies, etc,etc.
I've never let the exchange rate dictate my travels and I never will. London is less expensive for me than it was 2 years ago. Praline, you can go to London and have a great time even with the unfavorable exchange rate.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 05:33 PM
#38
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Praline -
Is he your husband - or are you a child and he your father?
If I had a husband that told me the money was his because he worked full time - and I part time - I would soon have a full-time job - and he would have an attorney explaining to him exactly how much of the money is "his"!
Can;t you simply run the numbers to see what you have to spend vs what the trip will cost? It can;t take more than about 10 minutes or so - and then you'll have a realistic answer - and you'll know if you have to suck it up - or he will!
Is he your husband - or are you a child and he your father?
If I had a husband that told me the money was his because he worked full time - and I part time - I would soon have a full-time job - and he would have an attorney explaining to him exactly how much of the money is "his"!
Can;t you simply run the numbers to see what you have to spend vs what the trip will cost? It can;t take more than about 10 minutes or so - and then you'll have a realistic answer - and you'll know if you have to suck it up - or he will!
Dec 3rd, 2004, 05:38 PM
#40
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If he REALLY wanted to go, the weak dollar would not be an obstacle. Its all a matter of priorities. To afford travel, I'm more than happy to put off buying a new car, furniture and clothes. I'll simply sleep cheaper and eat less expensively (but still healthy). I'll go off-season when fares are less than half the cost of summer tickets.
