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!

The opposite may well happen actually Mary the UK could become a dumping ground for surpluses (not necessarily good). And at the risk of stating the obvious Ireland is in the EU.

Why are European holidays just for the 'middle classes' Margaret? What a twattish thing to say.

At the rate the pound is going, holidaying abroad will soon become the preserve of the very rich.

It'll be a bit like living in the early 1950s.

Yes they can complain about it if they want. I've been a little surprised while on holiday and had the odd grumble. But in the grand scheme of things I accept that a better market for exports and less speculation in the housing markets are probably more important.

We have a big problem in the UK where we pay prices for things that don't reflect it's value. We massively underpay for things like food which actually involve paying labour and hugely overpay for things like housing which involve not much more than being fairly wealthy anyway.

Anecdotally, I live on a street which used to be mainly affordable housing for first time buyers but they've now mainly been priced out by buy to let. In the last six months they seem to have been really struggling to let housing when they used to get snapped up. They're having to drop the price. I suspect this is because the dropping pound means there are less transient workers living in that sort of housing. Will be interesting to see if my anecdotal observations carry through into official figures.

ISAs and savings paying very poor interest rates for savers, however mortgage borrowing rates are very low. Currency rates go up and down too. Small pay rises if you are employed. So we all have to cut our cloth accordingly. Holidays are a luxury, not a necessity.

I voted for Brexit and am glad I did. Their loss if people stop going on holiday because the Euro is over valued. Wait for big Greece financial disaster coming soon. And maybe Spain now too. France and Germany are the main beneficiaries of this crackpot club. When will other countries realise.

As Increasinglymiddleaged outlined the UK will become a dumping ground as food standards will be considerably weakened as part of trade deals with US and other countries and we can look forward to chlorine-washed chickens

www.naturalblaze.com/2017/08/shocking-chickens-must-washed-chlorine-rotting-flesh.html

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-theresa-may-food-standards-weakened-post-trade-deal-us-chlorine-soaked-chicken-liam-a7857036.html

After all, to quote Jacob Rees-Mogg, Britain will in a position post-Brexit to slash environmental and safety standards 'a very long way'!

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-safety-standards-workers-rights-jacob-rees-mogg-a7459336.html

Food in Britain is extremely cheap compared to other European countries and I agree with Maryz, many Brits just do not realise this.

I lived in an EU country in the noughties and a loaf of bread would cost the equivalent of about £1.50. When the country then joined the EMU, prices almost tripled overnight. A kebab went from the equivalent of £2 to £6.

The advantageous exchange rate between sterling and the euro protected a lot of tourists from these price rises but they crippled the citizens of that country and led to a lot of businesses closing as non tourist demand collapsed for food and drink.

The same happened in Italy when it first joined the EMU. Price rises completely changed the culture of eating out as Italians found they could no longer afford to do so. Again, in Greece, the price of coffee tripled so old timers found their culture of the coffee house was no longer affordable.

Now the exchange rate with sterling is more on parity lines, we are simply seeing all this now affect British tourists for the first time.

Oh abil DFOD. It's quite well known that MN is solidly middle class from their own research.

It's also blatantly obvious from the amount of time they spend banging on about how traumatised they are by Brexit because they might have to eat a potato instead of a 'vibrant salad' in January and that poor little Felix might not be able to go on Erasmus or they might have to increase their cleaners wages.

Care to tell me what exports?

We're still one of the world's top ten exporters.

Actually I haven't been able to afford to go on holiday for about ten years, so please excuse me for not crying in sympathy

Yes it's important to stand in solidarity with our millionaire leaders farage, Davis, gove and Jacob Rees mogg, who have always put concern for the w/c people at the forefront of everything they do.

Too right it's a price worth paying!! Can't wait till the Remoaners head back from the Costas and fill Blackpool and Great Yarmouth again! A little rain never hurt anyone!!!

Agree with Maryz.

DF lives in Ireland, and their prices are eye watering expensive.

One example that sticks out in my mind (as in refused to buy it), - Lenor conditioner, DF doesn't use it, I was over and wanted some for my towels (sap).

Ireland 7.49 euro (so out of 10 euro 2.51 change)
UK about £3 (so of course out of 10 pounds - 7 change).

When the EU and the Euro crashes, it'll be cheap to go to Europe again. It's just the natural ebb and flow. The same happens with the US dollar - I've been holidaying in the states for nearly 30 years and the exchange rate has changed massively, up and down, over those years, nothing to do with Brexit.

Ture, true, Margaret. I think it's great that we're making things unaffordable for all but those who can afford it now. I think the very well-off have a far better understanding of the culture of places they visit than those on lower incomes and are far more deserving of visits abroad.

Yes, and for some reason the poor seem to view their wages not being depressed and affordable housing as more important than a week necking Sangria on the med and pretending it's culture.

How silly of them! They should appreciate Benidorm and not give a shiny shit they have two children in a decrepit studio flat the rest of the year.

It was weak before Brexit?

I don't think exporters are benefactors of a weak pound. They are importing materials for manufacturing so it's a lose on one side and on another situation.
www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-latest-news-uk-exporters-long-term-gains-pound-sterling-windfall-gripple-a7725791.html

It's tourism that is gaining. I will still be going overseas for holidays. Just have to save more and spend less the rest of the year.

France and Germany are the main beneficiaries of this crackpot club.

They really are not. Poland and other Eastern European nations such as Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary etc are.

I am a remainer, collaboration in medical research and innovation drove my decision and I fear the loss and repercussions of that collaborative network.

However, without significant restructuring the EU is at risk of bankruptcy. There is political unity but not fiscal unity, some countries have very immature tax systems and are failing to support themselves without considerable subsidies. It's a model that isn't sustainable.

OP, stop being so ungrateful. Think of our sovereignty and all that extra money for the NHS! It's a small price to pay for Taking Back Control.

My daughter was looking at Erasmus and is not a Felix type
Such a Daily Mail comment
My friend has had to close her business this week because of issues with imports. Suppose that's all fine too???
Food will and is increasing in price as we speak.
I live in an ex council house by the way margaret care to generalise any more?

Maryz is right. The price we pay for our food does not reflect the labour that has been put into it. We need to start paying fairly for the goods we consume.

And it's not really just against the euros. I like to travel so have been to lots of long haul locations. A bad pound does make everything very expensive. A couple of years ago, going to Disneyland is the same price as paultons park. Last year it's significantly more to go to Disneyland. But I'm still paying because it's a much better park. I am just more sad when I see the credit card bills.

I know, first world problem.

I can see why you say that Poppy. But I suspect that France and Germany like to be the big bosses and make the poorer countries dependent while they call all the shots. But I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist.