Not a year for Europe

[tresrikay]

With the Euro rate against the pound @ 1.22, last summer I got 1.44, they reckon it could drop even more. So everything will be approx 20% dearer in Europe this Summer and coupled with the fuel increase. Will this change anyones minds about going over the cut. I was not planning to go this year anyway but today I was doing some sums and I think I would probably holiday here this year anyway, unless I had already booked a ferry, then I would probably miss a lot of the eating out and take plenty of food from home. Ireland, expensive anyway, will be a killer.

 

[David & Ann]

With the Euro rate against the pound @ 1.22, last summer I got 1.44, they reckon it could drop even more. So everything will be approx 20% dearer in Europe this Summer and coupled with the fuel increase. Will this change anyones minds about going over the cut. I was not planning to go this year anyway but today I was doing some sums and I think I would probably holiday here this year anyway, unless I had already booked a ferry, then I would probably miss a lot of the eating out and take plenty of food from home. Ireland, expensive anyway, will be a killer.

I don't worry about the Euro exchange as I get my German Pension in Euro's anyway. I did phone my Bank this morning. The rate quoted me was £ = €1.31. It is a lot better than €1.22 offered here. So the only advice I can give is change only what you have to to cover you until you get to Europe, surely you will have a better deal abroad.

 

[Rover]

This year we had already decided to explore more of the UK this year, so much to still discover and old discovery's to be revisited, given a bit of good weather looking forward to making a start, after Easter.

 

[terry1956]

In answer

Hi, will we will be going over end of April, we need to as we have a house in France and the hymer will need its immersion test, and the car a service this summer. I would not be to put off by the low euro, the costs are lower in europe then here in the UK.

to David and Ann. How do you find Germany, we did look at buying a house in Germany last year, I love Germany its not falling down like most of France, but my other half likes France, and I think I am just to old to pick up German. Great pity as we saw some great houses with good fishing nearby and some very good beer.
terry

 

[David & Ann]

Hi, will we will be going over end of April, we need to as we have a house in France and the hymer will need its immersion test, and the car a service this summer. I would not be to put off by the low euro, the costs are lower in europe then here in the UK.

to David and Ann. How do you find Germany, we did look at buying a house in Germany last year, I love Germany its not falling down like most of France, but my other half likes France, and I think I am just to old to pick up German. Great pity as we saw some great houses with good fishing nearby and some very good beer.
terry

Hi Terry, I am British born but immigrated in 1971 and returned in 2005. Only returned because my 2nd wife is Cornish. That said, it is a great country, though slowly turning for the worst since the expansion of the EU. To date, it is still a good place to settle though for how long, God only knows. Re: houses, good solid quality brick homes with full cellars and 30 to 40 percent cheaper than England. Since East Germany has amalgamated with the West, that is where you want to buy and live at the moment, much cheaper than the West.
Even to this day the West workers are deducted one percent of their wages for the rebuilding of the Infrastructure of the old East. I have mentioned on earlier posts, go to the old East Germany and enjoy that country for it beauty and surroundings. One more thing the British are well respected, especially if you give them respect.

 

[Belgian]

equalize

With the Euro rate against the pound @ 1.22, last summer I got 1.44, they reckon it could drop even more. So everything will be approx 20% dearer in Europe this Summer and coupled with the fuel increase. Will this change anyones minds about going over the cut. I was not planning to go this year anyway but today I was doing some sums and I think I would probably holiday here this year anyway, unless I had already booked a ferry, then I would probably miss a lot of the eating out and take plenty of food from home. Ireland, expensive anyway, will be a killer.

Hi Rick
You could also see it the other way. For us, continentals, UK was always 10-15% more expensive, the continent for you was cheaper. Now that the £ is low you will pay almost the same as it cost you in the UK. If you can survive UK-prices you can also survive prices on this side of ditch i reccon

 

[tresrikay]

Hi Rick
You could also see it the other way. For us, continentals, UK was always 10-15% more expensive, the continent for you was cheaper. Now that the £ is low you will pay almost the same as it cost you in the UK. If you can survive UK-prices you can also survive prices on this side of ditch i reccon

So Belgian, its a nice U.K holiday for you this year then. Just head straight up to Scotland, worth its weight in gold. I love it and would love to live there.

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Don't worry, soon we will have Euro to Sterling parity... and what will be the next move?
Answers on a postcard to the usual address

 

[lenny]

Don't worry, soon we will have Euro to Sterling parity... and what will be the next move?
Answers on a postcard to the usual address

Dead right,Balloo, and Remember the rip off at the tills when decimal currency was introduced, are we about to see history repeat itself?

 

[terry1956]

In answer

Hi all, to David and Ann, i WOULD move to Germany from France for two reasons, the first in Germany there is some night life, they don,t all set in side knocking back the wine behind shutters after 7.30. also I like the way the Germans do things.
As to the cost of living, well its not about the exchange rate is it. In the UK i would need to pay road tax on 2 cars 1 motor home and 1 motorbike and a quad. In France I pay no road tax, also the insurance is a lot lot lower and the mot is for two years not one and is state controlled and not a garage trying to find work as in the UK. the cost of tax for the house in France is lower and I have a say on what the local tax is spend on each year. If i go to the local farmer i can get lamb for 3 euros for 2kg, chickens for 5 euros each and eggs for .60 a doz. all great and not the overpriced items we have in the UK. If I take my boat out I can do so for free, the nearest slipway I can use in the UK wants £27.50 to use the slip and an extra £5 to park if there is space.
So France as a lot going for it, But the UK is my home and always will be, if we move from exmouth which we are planning to do, it will be to Scotland that we will go for sure, But we will never give up France as long as we can travel and enjoy both the house our French friends and the ease of travel with the motorhome.
But I do love german beer.
terry

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Dead right,Balloo, and Remember the rip off at the tills when decimal currency was introduced, are we about to see history repeat itself?

I know that relatives in Eire said that prices went through the roof when they went over to the Euro. Everything became far more expensive in Spain as well

 

[terry1956]

In answer

Hi, I don,t think that the UK will go euro for years yet, we have too many trading paths with the USA, and the city make lots of money from the euro pound exchange rate. If we did now ever take on the euro it would as someone said be the biggest rip off as was 1971 when my sweets went up more then 100% yet in name cost the same. When Italy when euro the people got so ripped off that the church had to step in to call for a revalue of the euro. Can,t see the church doing anything here can anyone of you or in fact HMG looking after us
terry

 

[AndyC]

However .... the pound is now doing badly against the euro, so if we were in the euro, things would likely not be as expensive as they are now.

Still, I can't see any government getting rid of the pound - not any time soon at least.

I'll just keep my fingers crossed for the pound to recover before we go away next winter.

AndyC

 

[David & Ann]

Hi all, to David and Ann, i WOULD move to Germany from France for two reasons, the first in Germany there is some night life, they don,t all set in side knocking back the wine behind shutters after 7.30. also I like the way the Germans do things.
As to the cost of living, well its not about the exchange rate is it. In the UK i would need to pay road tax on 2 cars 1 motor home and 1 motorbike and a quad. In France I pay no road tax, also the insurance is a lot lot lower and the mot is for two years not one and is state controlled and not a garage trying to find work as in the UK. the cost of tax for the house in France is lower and I have a say on what the local tax is spend on each year. If i go to the local farmer i can get lamb for 3 euros for 2kg, chickens for 5 euros each and eggs for .60 a doz. all great and not the overpriced items we have in the UK. If I take my boat out I can do so for free, the nearest slipway I can use in the UK wants £27.50 to use the slip and an extra £5 to park if there is space.
So France as a lot going for it, But the UK is my home and always will be, if we move from exmouth which we are planning to do, it will be to Scotland that we will go for sure, But we will never give up France as long as we can travel and enjoy both the house our French friends and the ease of travel with the motorhome.
But I do love german beer.
terry

Whatever your dreams are, I wish you all the best. As time goes by, I still feel a trip to the old Eastern block would be an enjoyable experience for you and family. That would be your golden opportunity to down good German beer by the barrel. All the best.

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Don't worry - It doesn't matter where you are in the World there will always be some one who wants to get into your wallet

 

[terry1956]

david and ann

Hi, this year is a busy year, pulling out of exmouth end of april or 1st week in may. spend time at the house in france taking time out for a few small trips to try some fly fishing, we have people coming over so it all depends on their Holiday times. Then after the hymer as at its immersion test and a service its off into germany and down into italy then into greece for the winter, back in the UK christmas eve to see the old people. and then after the Holiday back to exmouth.
We have lots of trips to do, and at 51 we can pack a lot in before it all gets to expensive or too many silly laws come into force, then who knows, Things are all going wrong so fast in this country one just does not know what to do in the long term, But if I stuck in the UK a motorhome would be the last thing I would want on the driveway.
terry

 

[terry1956]

In answer

hI g.
you know what I mean,If you just use a motorhome here in the UK and you take into account the cost of a motorhome and the average age of their owners and the cost of tax and insurance within the UK then owning a motorhome here is just madness. One may as well send the time in a good hotel with all the toys and just keep a car.hotels are crying out for people and always drop their prices on the net, so why people send all the money and expense on a motorhome to sit around a field here in the UK and pay the prices they do DON,T no. love the idea of using planks.
terry

 

[lenny]

hI g.
you know what I mean,If you just use a motorhome here in the UK and you take into account the cost of a motorhome and the average age of their owners and the cost of tax and insurance within the UK then owning a motorhome here is just madness. One may as well send the time in a good hotel with all the toys and just keep a car.hotels are crying out for people and always drop their prices on the net, so why people send all the money and expense on a motorhome to sit around a field here in the UK and pay the prices they do DON,T no. love the idea of using planks.
terry

Hi, Terry, Agree with you on the escalating prices of campsites but if you can show me a link where hotels will put me and my family of four ,and the dog up for £20 a night in beautiful surroundings either in the UK or abroad, then I'll consider selling the van

 

[terry1956]

In answer

Hi Lenny, 4 kids and a dog, well thats outside the normal scale of motorhome users in the UK in fact the only people I have ever seen with so many kids have been travelers.
But if like the vest number of motorhome users, there are just two people, then using a motorhome in the UK does not add up.
In your case lenny, maybe a hostal would fit the bill.
terry

 

[tresrikay]

Hi Lenny, 4 kids and a dog, well thats outside the normal scale of motorhome users in the UK in fact the only people I have ever seen with so many kids have been travelers.
But if like the vest number of motorhome users, there are just two people, then using a motorhome in the UK does not add up.
In your case lenny, maybe a hostal would fit the bill.
terry

We stayed in a converted Dairy in Derbyshire February, just for a change. It was very nice, wood burner, mezanine bedroom, Sky T.V. (pointless, whats that about) but views a plenty but at £235 for 4 nights, we couldn't afford that as much as we go away. This weekend 4 nights Bakewell C.C.&C site £44 for three of us.