Skip to main content

$$/

currencyproducts.jpg dollar-pound.jpg


We're going to London for the weekend to celebrate our first weeding anniversary. It's not Jamaica (where we were married & planned to go back again this year, but it wasn't in the cards), but I love London, so despite the English winter weather it should be wonderful.
I booked the hotel and theatre tickets last night. The exchange rate is a tricky thing when you move to another country (especially when it doesn't work in your favor), but with time you can learn to work it to your advantage. I still have my US bank account that we mainly use for travelling (as well as a few odds and ends here - I like to use my own money for some things since I don't work). I have learned a thing or two that I'll pass on to other US Expats living in Europe where the exchange rate can really hit you hard (at one restaurant in Paris I paid $8.00 for a coke!)...
I use a lot online services. When ever possible, I use US sites. That way I don't get hit with the exchange rate when using US dollars to pay for the services (or just take advantage of the savings when paying with

Labels:

Comments

Mindy said…
Er, I always find it interesting to read about what it's like to live in another country. This was a really good post. It's not only useful for expats - but for anyone who wants to save money. You're so savvy! ;)
I'm back on the night shift next week...
Min
3:01 PM
Erren said…
Savvy eh? You're a wise ass you know that? =) Thanks all the same...
The gray haired man is no-one you know. Nosey-body =)
5:55 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fight Club for Five Year Olds - Part 2

The other mother and I went into the school to meet with the teacher and the assistant head.  We both let them know how upset we were that we were not informed that our children were sent to the office and how much we were against the children being allowed to play fighting games on the playground.  I told them I wouldn't allow it at home and I'm really unhappy that it's being allowed at school.  They admitted it was a problem and explained that they are planning to introduce a a scheme to teach the children to play in a safe way.  They will be calling it 'Super Hero Training'.  They plan to give out capes & masks out to children who behave well as rewards at playtime.  They will have assemblies where they will teach the children to play fighting games without making contact.  I find this to be absurd.  The problem has gone on to long and I doubt they will be able to teach little children to change their games when they have sixty other childr...
5 comments
Read more

Attitude adjustment...

It's been a while since I blogged regularly. I guess I've been going by the rule - if you don't have anything nice to say - don't say anything at all. I hate 'woe is me' type entries and for the last month or so, I've been really down and haven't had anything good to say. I think it started with the news that Aniela (my fellow expat girlfriend) was moving back to the US and was exacerbated by the incident with Wayne's cousin and the flare up of my condition (along with a general feeling of homesickness & loneliness). I was really depressed for quite a few weeks there and haven't been doing much more than going to the gym and other random things to keep me busy during the day. I haven't even worked on my web classes (in any serious way) in weeks (probably because I can't concentrate when I'm in pain - never mind get very motivated). I'm not so down anymore. Maybe it's the sunshine. Maybe it's the fact that I'...
12 comments
Read more

Thank Goodness!

Let me start by saying all of my tests of come back and I have been given the all clear from the doctors! Phew!  I can't say how stressed I was over the whole thing! I actually got word last week, but I am only just coming out of a 10 day viral haze.  I haven't been so sick in ages!  I didn't move off the couch the whole time.  The stress probably wore me down.  Either that or I picked something up on one of the many doctor/hospital visits I've had lately.  What ever I picked up was nasty!  I had some sort of virus that caused a throat infection with painful ulcers.  I wasn't able to eat much more than jell-o for the best part of a week!  The upside is I lost a good amount of weight and hey, it's not fatal so I can't complain can I? I've been catching up on Christmas preparations (and every day life), but wanted to make sure I gave an update!  Thank you so much for all the well wishes!
2 comments
Read more