Really fucked off with Euro exchange rate

[GrumpyOldBag]

We have been going on holiday self-catering to the same place in Europe for over 10 years.

This year everything feels prohibitively expensive - to the point where it is really inhibiting what we can choose to do.

We are here for 2 weeks and it's really hard as family of 4 (with 2 teenagers) to spend less than £100/euros a day on activities/eating out.

Not in a beach resort type place, so taking a picnic to the beach for the day isn't an option - nearly everything there is to do here costs money. 3 euros for a coffee, 3 for an ice-cream - it all quickly adds up. Even the 'cheap' food in the supermarket is expensive. Practically at parity with £.

Bloody Brexit!

I went to Brive last month and went into town for a quick snack. I popped into a Boulangerie and got a slice of pizza and small quiche for E9.

I could practically kill myself eating £9 worth of food from Greggs, the point is, the continent, France, especially, has always been hideously expensive and there is no such thing as cheap food there.

WTO tariffs for non-food items may be 2%, but they can be eye-watering for foodstuffs.

The pound is the world’s worst-performing currency this month, trailing behind about 150 peers, as the first signs of how Brexit will look emerged in October

SDaddy007 - yes, €3 for a bog standard small coffee with a capsule of long life milk. The type the locals drink. I'd expect to pay that for a Cappuccino or Flat White in a UK coffee chain. They are available here too but even more expensive.

Today I sat in a cafe and had a small ordinary coffee and a 2nd rate apple strudel - bill was €8.90. Even Starbucks is cheaper than that in UK.

We fed a family of 4 for 27 euro in Subway in France a couple of weeks ago. That was just sandwiches and a drink.
Bonkers

I think Turkey is looking good for the cheap.

Albania and Montenegro too.

Europe is expensive depending on where you go. If in France always use cafes/restaurants close to the big market halls on market days. Dirt cheap. The market stall holders and locals use them too. They are never going to pay tourist prices.

Anywhere else go where the locals go. They won't mind at all.

It takes a bit of courage (if you don't speak the lingo) but go for it. It's part of the experience, and as long as you are not sitting there clicking your fingers with a superior attitude you will be fine. They adore children too, which is a lovely bonus. They have time for them you see, away from the main tourist drag.

But I am sure you have already figured this out for yourselves.

random it's the importing country eg us who sets tariffs . So yes in theory we could put a 50% tariff on food but why on earth would we?

It's not an either/or is it? We do need to eat more British, seasonal produce and to try to build up the amount of locally grown stuff we eat (and I say that with a heavy heart as someone who's not that fond of swede). But we will still need to import some food because a self-sufficient Britain is a very long way off.

With people reliant on things like computers, cars etc. that now have supply chains that are immensely complex and global, it is going to be well-nigh impossible to disentangle those. This doesn't mean we can't live more sustainably within a global economy, though - we have a horrendously wasteful attitude to everything at present.

Brexit could cause food disruption 'unprecedented for an advanced economy outside of wartime'

A third of Britain's food currently comes from EU countries and the report says there appears to be no government strategy to deal with any shortfall if this supply is disrupted.

"The UK food system, consumer tastes and prices have been thoroughly Europeanised," the report says. "This will be impossible to cut out or back by March 2019 without enormous consequences. The UK food system faces real challenges on food security."

uk.businessinsider.com/brexit-uk-food-supply-eu-report-sleepwalking-crisis-2017-7

There is nothing to stop people selling UK-grown food.

I'm tempted to suggest that those with a desire to open a shop selling artisinal, home-grown produce should grow/buy a beard and lease a shop in Peckham/Shoreditch and fill their boots.

The problem I have is the idea that they want to starve the rest of the UK into becoming their clients and crash the rest of the economy along the way.

A novel business plan. Wish they'd run it by 'Dragon's Den' before putting a cross in a box.

I really do think that "I wanted to become a hipster and sell knobbly, UK-sourced produce, with low air-miles" is up there with the best #shitreasonstovoteBrexit.

It also highlights for me the problems any Brexit-imposing government is going to have. So many people, voting Brexit for the own micro- or Bespoke unicorn.

There are going to be a lot of poorer, angrier people about as the cards fall down.

I just hope that people remember who was to blame for this, for example, Boris Johnson, and give them what they deserve.

Our first euro zone holiday was in 2004 to fuerterventura and the exchange rate was €1.78 to £1. Heady days 😁

I wonder what exchange rate is acceptable to people - too low and Europe seems expensive. Too high and UK goods seem expensive to export and tourists don't come here.

So yes in theory we could put a 50% tariff on food but why on earth would we?

Mainly because if we crash out on WTO terms, the government has already said the the UK will seek to replicate existing schedules where possible.

orlantina

No idea

I think like anything the orice goes up of whatever

You think 'bloody hell thats pricey'

And then make your decision, do i buy it, do i try a cheaper brand so i not bother

Same with holidays

Love spain , cant afford that AI, i will try self catering and bring skme stuff from home

Cant afford the self catering, try a different resort

Cant afford the cheaper resort go for slightly less time

Etc

What gets my goat is that on this thread and similar is that some people seem to think that anyone who has a holiday (however they may have scrimped and saved or what the circumstances) is obviously a rich elitist type who doesnt care about the British economy, more than likely voted to remain, and has a son called tarquin

What gets my goat is that on this thread and similar is that some people seem to think that anyone who has a holiday (however they may have scrimped and saved or what the circumstances) is obviously a rich elitist type who doesnt care about the British economy, more than likely voted to remain, and has a son called tarquin

I know - some people seem to think that people can't have more than 1 opinion in their head.

They probably met me

So we have cheap food compared to Europe.The OP complaining that holiday food is expensive when the locals have to buy food at those prices all the time.

And another "altruism of the poor" post, ie. people who worry about the impact of rising costs are evil oppressors of the world's poor and need to stop being so oppressive.

I think the issue of global inequality is not going to be solved by making those who struggle in the UK as it is worse off. I suspect there are more powerful drivers of global inequality.

thecat

The posts seem to be at each end

Either

I can't afford a holiday or i always holiday in this country so ive no sympathy for anyone else

Or

Im alright jack...so i ive no sympathy for anyone else

Mixed with a healthy dose of if you disagree you are

Elitist
Dont care about the economy
Dont care about the environment
Dont care about the rest of the wirld
Etc

the locals have to buy food at those prices all the time.

The locals are being paid in euros however, so it's not feeling expensive for them...

The locals are being paid in euros however, so it's not feeling expensive for them

Depends what they are being paid though.

If you don't get paid much in Euros, it's expensive.