Holiday Restaurant rip-off??

NekoZombie

elantan wrote: »

neko i'm sorry that happened to you and i dont douubt it happens alot ...we went to cyprus this year and overspent by £1000 it was just much more expensive than we were led on to believe (and son was desperate to do agia napa) i totally sympathise with you but you can look on the positives a lesson learned and many warned of the same thanks to you (shame you had to go through it though)

Thanks Elantan

I'm a bit sorry, but if I'm honest, I had such a great time I shan't mind eating pasta three times a day for the next fortnight. :rotfl:

On a related note, does anyone have an idea if you should choose to pay in Euros or in £s when using your card abroad. When I used my electron card (had to as I ran out of money) it asked me which currency I wanted to be billed in. I'm not actually sure what the right answer is....

Shineyhappy

If we are discussing travel tips, be more careful when discussing price when the other country in question also uses pounds. I went to Egypt and the boat rides on the Nile were about 5 English pounds (after haggling) but they try and charge you 500 Egyptian pounds (50 English) and one couple I met out there paid 500 English pounds for an hours boating!!!!

elantan

i didnt know you got the choice ...hey pasta can be good and i'm sure worth it sounds like you had fun (wish i had in cyprus)

elisebutt65

It's not just Barca that crime's a problem in. We wasted 3 hours in a police station in Madrid after a toerag got my BF's wallet out his manbag that was across his chest and zipped with a fastener over the top!!!:mad:

However - one way to instantly save money, is to learn the language!!! You'll be surprised how much this helps. We were able to negotiate prices for things and weren't instantly taken for 'gullible tourists'. My first time in Spain after passing my Spanish exams and it was so much more enjoyable:D

climbgirl

NekoZombie wrote: »

On a related note, does anyone have an idea if you should choose to pay in Euros or in £s when using your card abroad. When I used my electron card (had to as I ran out of money) it asked me which currency I wanted to be billed in. I'm not actually sure what the right answer is....

I tend to choose the local currency with this option - only because I don't know what the exchange rate is that they'll use. To be honest though, the rate charged by whatever provider the shop/restaurant uses (Visa, Mastercard, Electron etc) will still be a rip-off! But whether you let that provider convert it (by choosing pounds), or your own card provider convert (by choosing euros), it probably isn't going to be a great rate.

climbgirl

Lucy1982 wrote: »

I just use the approach of saying 'no thank you' and walking on. But I lived aboard as a kid and that was what I was taught.

Yes, you have to perfect the art of the blank stare for sure!

I have a travel wallet and a home wallet, so when I travel I only take my switch card and my credit card. So if it does get stolen, I don't have to worry about canceling things like boots cards, frequent flyer cards, library cards, things like that.

Burlesque_Babe

I've been to Barcelona twice - around Las Ramblas is horribly dear because it is the main tourist area.

The first time we went for dinner on Ramblas and it came to something like 90 euros for the two of us. Ouch.

The second time we ate a street or two away - much cheaper. Avoid the tapas bar on the edge of the main square, the prices will make your eyes water for a tiny plate of olives!

Lucy1982_2

Thing is once you have it, the locals generally accept that they aren't going to get anything from you.

It's also good for street kids, this sounds awful, but if you give to one, you will be swamped by 100's of them.

I just try to be polite, but firm.

boyse7en

>To be honest though, the rate charged by whatever provider the shop/restaurant uses (Visa, Mastercard, Electron etc) will still be a rip-off! But whether you let that provider convert it (by choosing pounds), or your own card provider convert (by choosing euros), it probably isn't going to be a great rate

I haven't been abroad for a year or so, but I've always used my Mastercard to pay for things and got a better exchange rate than from Thomas Cook's/Post Office.

climbgirl

boyse7en wrote: »

>
I haven't been abroad for a year or so, but I've always used my Mastercard to pay for things and got a better exchange rate than from Thomas Cook's/Post Office.

In my experience the Post Office and Thomas Cook never have the best rates anyway, I tend to use https://www.travelex.com and pick up at the airport. Their actual airport counters have bad rates (captive market!) but their online rates are usually pretty competitive. 9 times out of 10 anyway.

The visa/mastercard conversation rates aren't bad but they can usually be beaten. Unless you're spending hundreds though, it doesn't make much difference. I use them a bit too so I don't have to carry loads of cash with me. I might be able to get a better cash rate but the card's a bit safer