Look on the bright side...you ARE paying for everything you buy in USD because that's how you earn your money. It just becomes a matter of how it's exchanged through your bank -- either at the point of purchase, or at the ATM.

In Turkey -- there were several off-the-beaten-track places that asked if we wanted to pay in Turkish Lira, the Euro or USD -- and I wised up pretty quickly that the reason they want our Almighty Dollars and/or Almight Euros is that they are worth more, and don't devaluate quickly, and the exchange rate was double if I used the Euro/USD (not in my favor). I had the same experience while I lived in Brazil, where they frequently take USD, especially when booking tours.

dottiman -- when I read your question, I thought "my, that must be about the stupidest question I've read on this board in a while -- of COURSE we have to use British Pounds in Britain..." BUT upon reading more I saw your explanation.

I guess it's a good reason to get off that cruise ship and experience the real world -- where you have to go deeply enough into a country where currency conversion is necessary, and you actually get to see how the locals actually live life, right down to their Pounds, Kroners and Forints.

Jules

oh, lord...some people are so sheltered, it is embarrassing...

What denomination is a Benjamin Franklin?

I've travelled lots in the US and I don't know even that....

And why is the US money always green?

Here in Canada, we have standardized yet quite pretty colours, so we can tell apart the different denominations, whose details our fanatical Royal Mint is always changing:

Blue means five, ten is purple, twenty is green etc.

Sometimes we have HM (Her Majesty), sometimes not; then we have robins, or kids playing hockey, or NW Coast Indian sculptures.

Nowadays they are all awful and HM, poor dear, looks worse than Camilla after a 2-week bender.

But no Canadian ever EVER made the mistake of walking into a 3 *** Michelin restaurant and saying:

You accept this currency here, dontcha, eh?

I did find that the almost-identical banknotes in the US kept me on my toes - like Canada, Australia's are differently coloured (and sized). But worse than this was the letdown experienced when my comfortingly fat wallet was found to be stuffed full of nothing but $1 bills. As our smallest note is $5, and our coins run up to $2, at home I'm more likely to experience the opposite, finding that the loose change in my fob pocket may add up to as much as $15.

A small advantage of high-denomination coins is that you don't have to equip vending machines with paper money readers.

I had the same thing happen with the one pound coin in London. At home I usually give bills when purchasing and then save the change. My coin purse was getting so heavy when I was in London and when I really checked it out I had about 20 pounds in my coin purse..Yikes!!!!! I spent it of course, but it was funny, I just didn't realize being so used to the one dollar bill here at home.

Wow, I came to this site to plan a much anticipated 1st visit to England. I have looked forward to visiting the country for years, because I take pride in my English heritage. This thread has definitely lessened my enthusiasm for the moment. :-( I live in Florida, where tourist abound. It would never occur to me to be offended if someone asked if it would be okay to use their countries currency. I would explain that they would probably need to convert their currency into US dollars & try to point them in the right direction to accomplish that. I wouldn't become defensive & condescending. The comment about things being reserved for American tourists is unfortunate. When we American tourist encounter someone from the UK in one of our theme parks or other local venues, the 1st thing that comes to mind is "What a great accent they have. Wish we never would have lost it", or something similar. I hope to encounter the same hospitality when visiting England.

So now the story clears a bit. Dotti has not actually travelled in Europe at all. She took a cruise that had a few 7 hour shore excursions to prearranged "special places" where the cruise line gets a cut.

tarheelmjfan: Oh, come on! I am willing to bet you have never run into a Brit in Florida who asked if he could use £ at the local KrispyKreme . . . .

You're right I haven't, but we all can be guilty of asking questions without a lot of thought at times. I definitely wouldn't react so negatively. So, the question was one that should be obvious to most people. The fact that it wasn't obvious to the OP didn't deserve the harsh reaction & negative comments to American tourist in general. I'm hoping the majority of British & French citizens don't see things in the same light that has been projected here by many. Since we have good friends in England that we are going to visit, I know that everyone doesn't feel this way. I'm sad to see that some obviously do.

On a side note, I did have someone recently ask me, if they needed Canadian money in Alaska. I admit to getting a private chuckle out of it after the fact, but I didn't go into attack mode. I simply explained that US dollars were the currency of choice in Alaska. It's not necessary to be hurtful when someone comes to these boards looking for advice. They want to learn. That's why we're all here.

Okay, I can see I have not been reading at Fodors often enough lately. What does OP mean?

OP = original post or original poster

dottiman, don't let places talk you into spending in US dollars. You end up spending more. Take your credit card and better yet, take pounds out at ATMs. Works fine.

tarheelmjfan, No, I wouldn't expect that you'd be likely to get this sort of response in the UK, to a question borne of inexperience. Maybe. It's always possible, I suppose. Personally, I've managed to ask some pretty dumb questions about SE Asia lately, I'm sure.

As far as a cultural thing, I think what you're seeing is really more about internet culture, especially as it relates to this board. You'll note that not everyone took the aggressive approach (but for the poster's own good of course, nudge nudge). In fact, the names I recognize as British were the some of the least derisive. Some folks just really enjoy the hunt. Culling the weakest from the herd and all that. I doubt these reactions are ever about saving international relations between nations, or even about saving the OP.

I think for some, it's just fun poking people with sticks and there's the enjoyment of the sensation of setting people straight, from a safe distance. Happens pretty often 'round here - I wouldn't worry about it.

Have a good trip.

Absolutely. Just as straightforward as using GB Pounds in the US...just try it in Kansas City! Help me.

Tarheel: Stick around. There are a lot of nice people who really want to help around here. There are a few freaks, but there are a lot of nice people.

Arbitrage is the formal business of exchanging one currency for another. European street merchants excel in this practice. Yes, you can use USA currency in England! Do check the daily rates. A pound may cost $1.30 or more. Selling pounds may net $1.15 or less. Daily rates are posted in currency exchange places. Savvy merchants will often offer lower prices in order to acquire dollars.

tarheelmjfan -

I don;t think the responses were so pointed becasue of the silliness of the query. If the OP had said I've never been to europe - how do I do this - it would be one thing.

But to claim that they've traveled all over europe on dollars - obviously untrue - made a lot of folks think the OP was either a troll trying to cause trouble - or simply out to lunch.

This is not the kind of question you should be getting from someone who has been to europe even once (or even nonce if they have ever read a guide book).

I'm sorry - but after a certain point naivete becomes stupidity. (Not that I've never been guilty of it - I have - and feel embarassed when I am - not try to defend it with unlikely half-explanations.)

if we're going to discuss rudeness or insensitivity, I think the original question asking if US dollars cuold be used in Britain smacked of insensitivity, or at least, naivete. But, imo the OP made things much worse in the first response when he/she said "I have traveled to France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Holland and the only place, I ever had to exchange currency was in Holland." There was an declared travel expertise there, that turned out to be quite an exaggeration.

Best to bring some ££s from the USA and then use ATMs thereafter. I bank with the Nationwide and they charge nil commission and an excellent rate is alwys obtained abroad far better than across the counter ... so hopefully just as good for US visitors. Very few shops have the facility to accept other currencies and that includes the Euro which is operating in most of the EU including the Rep of Ireland.

We still don't know if Dottimann is on a cruise or tour or what for the upcoming trip, do we?

In thinking about this post, my best suggestion is for him/her to order BGP (pounds) at home from your own bank and take them along.

This would not be my normal advice, but it's very simple and better than spending in US dollars directly abroad, and probably equal or better value then spending US dollars in tourist shops.

there is nothing rude or "insensitive" about trying to use $ in london. you will most likely be attended to in a shop by an asian or eastern european who will not be offended by your attempt to use currency that is not emblazened with the queen's head. trying to use $ will in no way threaten the "fragile" culture of our great city.

Rude and insensitive behaviour will be witnessed when you try to use $ in london but it will be on the part of the shop-keeper/barman/waiter,etc, not dottimann.

the reasons to use £ in london are more practical rather than a question of rudeness or insensitivity.