Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > USA
Reload this Page >

Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Thread Tools
 
Old Feb 8th 2016, 9:15 pm
  #16  
Just Joined
 
Simanda's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 14
Simanda is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Boiler
Can you recommend anywhere else to stay?

Presumably it is pretty booked out?

Somewhere dog friendly, no cats, he has been smacked around a few times by cats.
We met some people who rented a room in somebody's house but I forget what the website was?
They went to a few major cities and did that and apparently saved lots of money along the way.
Simanda is offline  
Old Feb 8th 2016, 9:43 pm
  #17  
 
Pulaski's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Pulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Simanda
We met some people who rented a room in somebody's house but I forget what the website was?
They went to a few major cities and did that and apparently saved lots of money along the way.
You met some people, who stayed somewhere, in some cities, using some web site, and saved some money.

Yeah, great information, thx.
Pulaski is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 12:22 am
  #18  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: Jul 2015
Location: Watford
Posts: 1,147
dj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
You met some people, who stayed somewhere, in some cities, using some web site, and saved some money.

Yeah, great information, thx.
I tell you what, with information like that you and Ian may as well resign, you two know nothing!!
dj6372 is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 1:37 am
  #19  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
scrubbedexpat099 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
You met some people, who stayed somewhere, in some cities, using some web site, and saved some money.

Yeah, great information, thx.
Any recommendations for the big party tomorrow?
scrubbedexpat099 is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 1:50 am
  #20  
 
Pulaski's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Pulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Boiler
Any recommendations for the big party tomorrow?
I already said, it's cancelled. You must be talking about a different party.
Pulaski is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 3:43 am
  #21  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
scrubbedexpat099 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I already said, it's cancelled. You must be talking about a different party.
That's a shame, looking forward to it, perhaps another time?
scrubbedexpat099 is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 5:13 am
  #22  
Return of bouncing girl!
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Wintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
L) Tip in restaurants - minimum 15%, unless the waitress told you to ****-off or tried to kill you. Tip 18% for good service, 20% for great service - these days many restaurants print a tipping guide at the bottom of the bill, showing the 15/18/20% amounts (if they don't, take 10%, double it, then round it down by $1-$2, and you have the right sort of nunber for a tip. ) Tipping is not the greatest system, but waiters are literally paid from their tips - minimum wage for waiters is just over $2/hr! Don't try to prove a point that you don't agree with the tipping system by giving low/no tips, the only thing you will prove is that you're an @rsë!
And this is why it makes me laugh when people directly compare the cost of eating out in the UK vs US by comparing the food bill.

In many states in the US, the minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13/hr unless the employee doesn't make enough tips to bring them up to the actual minimum wage. In other words, your food bill likely does not include much in the way of staff wages, so you pay that on top via the tip.

When you factor in a 20% tip in the US, there really isn't that much difference.
Wintersong is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 5:14 am
  #23  
Return of bouncing girl!
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Wintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Simanda
We met some people who rented a room in somebody's house but I forget what the website was?
They went to a few major cities and did that and apparently saved lots of money along the way.
AirBnB?
Wintersong is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 6:42 am
  #24  
MODERATOR
 
penguinsix's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Hong Kong, mostly.
Posts: 5,214
penguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

The thing to remember when driving is that you, as the driver, generally need to be next to the center line. This applies in both the UK and the US. When you turn on to a road late at night you'll often get confused "left right" but I found remember that I have to be near the center line is the easiest way.

Also remember that to "go around the block" is generally three right turns, not three left turns. Happens quite a bit in a city when looking for something.

Also note many car rental places only do 30 day rentals maximum.

As for currency conversion, it is not like the UK with a shop on every street. In fact it's not very common at all. You can use ATMs and Credit Cards but double check you aren't going to be charged excessive fees. Overall I would point out that you're going to spend what, 2,000-3,000 over the trip such that a "good rate" and a "bad rate" isn't going to make all that much of a difference overall. We've seen people spend a day running all over the place with taxis and subway fares just to save 0.03¢ on a rate only to discover it was 'false economics' overall.
penguinsix is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 8:28 am
  #25  
Just Joined
 
Simanda's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 14
Simanda is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Pulaski
You met some people, who stayed somewhere, in some cities, using some web site, and saved some money.

Yeah, great information, thx.
The website is called air B&B and they stayed in people houses in LA Miami San Fran New York for a fraction of the price of a hotel.
Hope that helps!
Simanda is offline  
Old Feb 9th 2016, 8:43 am
  #26  
SUPER MODERATOR
 
christmasoompa's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,035
christmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond reputechristmasoompa has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Simanda
The website is called air B&B and they stayed in people houses in LA Miami San Fran New York for a fraction of the price of a hotel.
Hope that helps!
I use Air B&B a lot, but it's often cheaper to stay in a hotel, so worth checking both. As an example, we're staying in San Francisco for a few nights next month, and it was much cheaper to get a room in a 4* hotel than it was to hire somewhere with Air BnB, because any rooms in SF were extortionate!

Last edited by christmasoompa; Feb 9th 2016 at 9:18 am.
christmasoompa is offline  
Old Feb 10th 2016, 7:42 pm
  #27  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: Jul 2015
Location: Watford
Posts: 1,147
dj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond reputedj6372 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Simanda
The website is called air B&B and they stayed in people houses in LA Miami San Fran New York for a fraction of the price of a hotel.Hope that helps!
Airbnb?
dj6372 is offline  
Old Feb 10th 2016, 9:34 pm
  #28  
 
Pulaski's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Pulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond reputePulaski has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by dj6372
Airbnb?
That's not what she said, I think that's a different website.
Pulaski is offline  
Old Feb 10th 2016, 9:43 pm
  #29  
 
lansbury's Avatar
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,966
lansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond reputelansbury has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

Originally Posted by Wintersong
AirBnB?
Originally Posted by Simanda
The website is called air B&B and they stayed in people houses in LA Miami San Fran New York for a fraction of the price of a hotel.
Hope that helps!
Originally Posted by Simanda
The website is called air B&B and they stayed in people houses in LA Miami San Fran New York for a fraction of the price of a hotel.
Hope that helps!
Originally Posted by dj6372
Airbnb?
Who programmed in the echo feature?
lansbury is offline  
Old Feb 10th 2016, 11:18 pm
  #30  
Return of bouncing girl!
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Wintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond reputeWintersong has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Visiting USA (for 8weeks) Car Hire? SimCard? Currency Exchange? Questions ?

If it's good enough for Beyonce... Inside Beyoncé's $10,000-a-night Airbnb | Fox News
Wintersong is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.