General Cycling Discussion - an american question for those from U.K.

i have been picking up cycling mag's from Barnes & Noble Bookstore here in USA>
i see many ad's for cycling stuff//// just wondering....how many $$$ = a british pound (or whatever the unit of dollar is in U/K)

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
i have been picking up cycling mag's from Barnes & Noble Bookstore here in USA>
i see many ad's for cycling stuff//// just wondering....how many $$$ = a british pound (or whatever the unit of dollar is in U/K)

According to the currency converter on YAHOO, the current exchange rate is

$1= .682755 British pounds; or inversely,

1 Brit pound= 1.46465 US Dollars.

The latter way is the way the exchange rate is usually stated. The exact rate you get depends on the bank, the size of the transaction, and whethere you use cash or an ATM card, etc.

roughstuff

A good first guestimate is usually approx. $1.5 to £1. It kind of works, and is much easier to convert in your head!

Obviously if you want to know more precisely use a currency calc.

The thing that really scuppers me in the States is sales tax. Because the 17.5% in the UK is added on before buying, I'm not used to having to add the 6% (or whatever) in the States!

Ellie

Unfortunately with a lot of bike bits retailers price pretty much in pounds what you pay in dollars i.e. £1 = $1.... :(

Richard

that is agood conversion One Pound to One US dollar, but out here, if you buy bike merchandize they multiple it by almost 100% plus the 15% the government take from you, we are the most tax people in North America

Originally posted by Ellie
The thing that really scuppers me in the States is sales tax. Because the 17.5% in the UK is added on before buying, I'm not used to having to add the 6% (or whatever) in the States!

Ellie

Heh, heh....you might be interested in knowing that historically, that's because of you guys. :P (Or so I've heard, anyway....)

In the days of the colonies, the British put tax on several items (and, I think, imposed a sales tax.) When the colonies began their rebellions, people refused to pay the taxes any more. Shopkeepers who wanted to stay on the colonists' good side, while not having to stand up to the British, would add the tax into the price, so that people would pay British taxes without realizing they were doing so.

These days, it's illegal to disguise a tax by adding it automatically to an item's price or making it appear as if there are no taxes being payed on a taxed item. (Unless you're the US government and want to tax cigarettes or something.)

I'm not used to having to add the 6% (or whatever) in the States
I've heard that so many times by people who have travelled to
the states. I can't count the number of South Africans who
whinged about this one.
Just wondering is there a way to recover tax when Leaving
the states? I used to claim VAT when I returned from
Europe and RSA.
Marty