Converting the $$$$$

[SMB x2 0]

Other areas are more expensive.

You do not have UK prices, but the you do not have UK Salaries.

According to IMF figures for 2007, the UK and US have an identical GDP per capita, to within a couple of hundred dollars.

[psiprez 3]

All this house talk is depressing the hell out of me. I just found out TODAY that there is NO WAY I can afford to stay in the house I currently own. It's a 70's 4-bdr bi-level in less than prime condition and would sell for $400,000 minimum here in NJ. And if it does sell, I'd see no profit. The real problem is, rent for a two-bedroom apartment here isn't much cheaper! It would be me and my two girls, ages 9 and 11, and soon a new husband in an 800 (if we are lucky) sq. ft. place. Gah. And did I mentnion that my ex-husband screwed up my finances so much that no landlord would dare approve my application??

My only option is to move in my with my parents. But, the town they live in had the equivalent of inner-city schools. The last thing I want is to sent them to school there! Moving out of NJ isn't an option. I depend on my parents for childcare.

So yeah, moving in with the folks at age 40. Great way to start a new marriage. But you do what you have to , I suppose.

[Boiler 46,316]

Other areas are more expensive.

You do not have UK prices, but the you do not have UK Salaries.

According to IMF figures for 2007, the UK and US have an identical GDP per capita, to within a couple of hundred dollars.

US is a big country, the comparison here is with cheap areas, no Californians have chipped in.

[SMB x2 0]

Well, wouldn't all the big city bankers similarly skew the UK figures?

[Darren&Laura 3]

You can also get US $ (and UK £) changed at the Post Office, they don't charge a fee either.

The Post Office don't charge a fee but their exchange rate is naff so they cream excessive profit from you there. I exchanged some money last week and got an exchange from £ to $ of 1.942 from my bank, (First Direct). At the same time the post office was offering 1.885. That's nearly an extra $60 just per £1000 that I received by NOT using the Post Office, (I think the quoted middle rate was 1.952 at the time, but obviously NO-ONE can buy at this rate.)

If you are transferring large amounts, the best place I've found is www.xe.com.... they offer an exchange rate as close to the middle rate that I've found. Just beware of receiver charges at the other end. It takes about a week to get an account set up but if you have proceeds from the sale of your UK property or any other fairly large amount of money to transfer to USD then it's well worth the hassle. I saved literally thousands over what all the high street banks were offering at the time.

All the best,

Darren.

[Taylorlove 0]

My fiance from the USA is coming over for a holiday to the UK in March. Shes saved up about $1000 for spending money. Whats the best option for her to convert that to GBP? Will she have a better deal if she justs withdraw money from the hole in the wall or get it exchanged before she arrives?

Thanks

The rates aren't as good as they were three or so months ago but I think once she's over in March with the $1000, have her change it up at Marks and Spencers. M&S offer fantastic rates over any bank i.e. HSBC Natwest Barclays you name it. Just my two cents

[Gemma12nel 1]

i go back to the uk quiet frequent, in my opinion the ATM is the worse way to go, one they charge you to do it and two it is the worse exchange rate possible!

Go to Marks & spencer over there or the post office they always have the best rates, but be prepared for the money not to go far!

Have a great trip

[sarah&rob 1]

All this house talk is depressing the hell out of me. I just found out TODAY that there is NO WAY I can afford to stay in the house I currently own. It's a 70's 4-bdr bi-level in less than prime condition and would sell for $400,000 minimum here in NJ. And if it does sell, I'd see no profit. The real problem is, rent for a two-bedroom apartment here isn't much cheaper! It would be me and my two girls, ages 9 and 11, and soon a new husband in an 800 (if we are lucky) sq. ft. place. Gah. And did I mentnion that my ex-husband screwed up my finances so much that no landlord would dare approve my application??

My only option is to move in my with my parents. But, the town they live in had the equivalent of inner-city schools. The last thing I want is to sent them to school there! Moving out of NJ isn't an option. I depend on my parents for childcare.

So yeah, moving in with the folks at age 40. Great way to start a new marriage. But you do what you have to , I suppose.

I'm from NJ too and in a bit of the same boat as you. I currently live with my mom and 2 brothers and we all help take care of my dad who's got a degenerative brain disease. We dont have the money to be able to put him in a home cause my mom would lose his SS payments and not be able to pay the mortgage. One of my brothers is moving out in spring with his gf so we'll lose his income too. All in all we're most likely gonna have to sell the house we have lived in for 27 years and move somewhere...but we dont know where. My mom's salary isn't great so it's probably gonna be impossible to get another house in the area we currently live in, but she probably wouldn't be able to get any better of a job than she has now.

It plain SUCKS. Plus I have NO clue where my fiance & I will be living when he gets here. I can't afford my own place on my salary unless we were to move to somewhere around Newark and I really don't want to do that.

As you said, you do what you have to, but blah...it's depressing

I really feel for you in this situation

Edited February 21, 2008 by sarahs

[Boiler 46,316]

Newark, Delaware?

My wife is from thereabouts.

She is one of the few of her family who have travelled much out of state.

So somepeople like it.

[sarah&rob 1]

Newark, Delaware?

My wife is from thereabouts.

She is one of the few of her family who have travelled much out of state.

So somepeople like it.

Newark, NJ lol

i imagine a big difference in the general atmosphere of the 2 places

Delaware is pretty nice from what i could tell from the times I've been there

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

OMG I just now realilsed that i completely misread the original post, and gave advise for exchanging in the wrong direction

well, i guess the best suggestion is try not to spend too much at all, while she's here!

[Cry_Tuff 0]

I use to work at a bank. The best option for converting money...is to Exchange it BEFORE she leaves. Her personal bank should provide that service for free. She would have to go into the bank to order GBP from their international department. Either way, The quid is greater than the buck. She would be loosing out on more money if she waited to convert it there. You can usually guess that for $1000 in US Dollars, she'll get roughly around 500 GBP.

And vice versa...if she has any left over before coming back...and wants to convert. Do so before leaving the UK.

Edited February 23, 2008 by ♥C and P♥