Check your change before leaving local shops

We have learned the hard way to check your change when you make a purchase in the local stores.

My husband broke his hair brush. We stopped in Guernsey. He went to a pharmacy and bought a replacement brush. He paid with a 20. Even though they accepted his Euros, they gave him change in Guernsey bills. We were there only one day, and he didn't discover the currency difference until we were onboard. He kept saying that he received a two euro paper bill plus a ten Euro bill. I thought that having a two Euro bill was odd. When I looked at it, it said the Bank of Guernsey. It was too late to go back off the ship to spend it or to swap it out for Euros. No other country on the itinerary would accept the Guernsey currency.

Second example, on the same trip, we went to a shop in Scotland. They handed me change from the Bank of Scotland. I very politely asked if I could get a Euros as my change. They were nice and swapped it out, but again, if we hadn't noticed, we would have had Bank of Scotland currency. Not that there is anything wrong with their currency, but where was I going to spend it?

Moral of the story: Always check your money before leaving the shop.

Due diligence. Yes.

Moral of the story. Before you make a purchase, ask if you can get change in a currency other than the national currency.

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You sound as though you think you were ripped off, but in fact you were lucky they accepted Euros. Would you expect a shop in Michigan to accept Canadian Dollars?

At a practical level, even though some shops accept Euros, there is no way they could have given you Euro coins in the change as they simply wouldn't have them in the till. It is like expecting those Caribbean that accept dollars to give you bits and dimes in your change.

Seriously. If it is notes you have just pop into any bank as you pass through the UK and they will change them for Sterling. Coins are more difficult, but try a using them in a vending machine, though I didn't say that.

When in Guernsey you will always get you change in pounds, though they will always give you UK notes if you ask. If you get money out of an ATM, they normally have signs on each ATM saying whether it issues Sterling or Island notes. The exchange rate is one to one.

The exchange rate for Euros is not one to one and so I hope when you asked the person in Scotland to change the Royal Bank of Scotland note into Euros, they gave you better than one to one? You should have got 12 euros for a £10 note.

Moral of the story. Before you make a purchase, ask if you can get change in a currency other than the national currency.

 

 

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Or use a credit card!

You sound as though you think you were ripped off, but in fact you were lucky they accepted Euros. Would you expect a shop in Michigan to accept Canadian Dollars?

Too funny! Ironically, many (not all) US folks do this when they come to Canada - assuming that it's quite ok to use US dollars and then wonder why they get Canadian money back in their change! We just happen to be friendly polite neighbours to the north that are used to this and are happy to have them visit. Trouble is, going the other way it doesn't work trying to use CDN $ in the US. Go figure!!!

You sound as though you think you were ripped off, but in fact you were lucky they accepted Euros. Would you expect a shop in Michigan to accept Canadian Dollars?

 

At a practical level, even though some shops accept Euros, there is no way they could have given you Euro coins in the change as they simply wouldn't have them in the till. It is like expecting those Caribbean that accept dollars to give you bits and dimes in your change.

 

Seriously. If it is notes you have just pop into any bank as you pass through the UK and they will change them for Sterling. Coins are more difficult, but try a using them in a vending machine, though I didn't say that.

 

When in Guernsey you will always get you change in pounds, though they will always give you UK notes if you ask. If you get money out of an ATM, they normally have signs on each ATM saying whether it issues Sterling or Island notes. The exchange rate is one to one.

 

The exchange rate for Euros is not one to one and so I hope when you asked the person in Scotland to change the Royal Bank of Scotland note into Euros, they gave you better than one to one? You should have got 12 euros for a £10 note.

I didn't say that I felt ripped off - your expression, not mine. I was only advising people to check their change especially if it is a one day port of call.

Just for info.

There is no such thing as a 2 Euro bill - the smallest paper note is 5 Euros.

UK (including Scotland, Channel Islands etc. do not use Euros - thankfully!)

 

 

Would you expect a shop in Michigan to accept Canadian Dollars?

 

Trouble is, going the other way it doesn't work trying to use CDN $ in the US. Go figure!!!

Lew

I didn't say that I felt ripped off - your expression, not mine. I was only advising people to check their change especially if it is a one day port of call.

OK, so you didn't feel ripped off, though if the shop in Scotland gave you 10 euros in exchange for a Scottish £10 note, you were ripped off.

Whatever, my apologies, though I do wonder what currency you expected to get your change in?

If you are still in the UK just pop into any bank and they will change your notes jfor Sterling, on a one for one basis, as Guernsey is in a formal currency union with the UK.

Take note however that, in the unlikely event that Scotland votes, on September 14th, to leave the UK the same will not apply following the split and whilst Scotland may still elect to use the pound, there will be no obligation for UK banks to accept Scottish notes or for international businesss/lenders to accept Scottish notes in payment for Sterling denominated debts.

Can't comment on Michigan, but it's expected in Vermont!

 

Again, CDN $ are accepted in Vermont. We operated a retail business in Vermont for 25 years and gladly accepted CDN $.

 

Lew

And you give folks their change in Canadian coins?

Too funny! Ironically, many (not all) US folks do this when they come to Canada - assuming that it's quite ok to use US dollars and then wonder why they get Canadian money back in their change! We just happen to be friendly polite neighbours to the north that are used to this and are happy to have them visit. Trouble is, going the other way it doesn't work trying to use CDN $ in the US. Go figure!!!

Ha! You just reminded me of a funny story. When we were teenagers living in BC we took a trip to California. We stop at a McDonald's about 50 miles into Washington. We thought we'd have some fun so when it came to paying for our meal we handed the clerk a Canadian $20 bill. The clerk looks at us like we are from another planet. What is this? Well, it's a Canadian $20 bill. We wait patiently for it to sink in. Finally the clerk said "well don't you have to sign it or something?". So we all signed it for the clerk, he gave us our change and off we went. We still laugh at that story even today.

By the way, I often use US money in Canada and since I don't care which currency I get back it's no big deal to me. I do try to only use Canadian credit cards though.

Or use a credit card!

Agreed!

Absolutely the simplest solution and I always use it unless it is a very small purchase where I am not worried about the change.

Mike:)

My solution would be to book another cruise that stopped in Guernsey and/or Scotland.

I too read the OPs post as if they felt they had been misled. It is common practice to give change in the currency of the country you are in and Corfe Mixture is right you were lucky to get someone who took euros in the first place.

I work in tourism and it's very frustrating when people assume you will take euros or dollars, it's always people from North America. :( I've even had someone get annoyed with me because "the US dollar is the currency of the entire world"

The best advice is to get a small amount of local currency from an ATM or use your credit card.

It's difficult to get Scottish notes accepted anywhere but Scotland as they aren't legal tender, (neither are Bank of England notes as Scotland does not use legal tender) nothing to do with the vote! Most places in England and Wales yes, Europe, not a chance! But we understand the difficulties with our notes and will always change them for Bank of England notes for any visitors.

What Corfe Mixture isn't right about is the assumption that a yes vote is unlikely:D and the date of the referendum, it's the 18th September not the 14th

Second example, on the same trip, we went to a shop in Scotland. They handed me change from the Bank of Scotland. I very politely asked if I could get a Euros as my change. They were nice and swapped it out, but again, if we hadn't noticed, we would have had Bank of Scotland currency. Not that there is anything wrong with their currency, but where was I going to spend it?

.

Bank of Scotland notes are pounds sterling.

We have learned the hard way to check your change when you make a purchase in the local stores.

 

My husband broke his hair brush. We stopped in Guernsey. He went to a pharmacy and bought a replacement brush. He paid with a 20. Even though they accepted his Euros, they gave him change in Guernsey bills. We were there only one day, and he didn't discover the currency difference until we were onboard. He kept saying that he received a two euro paper bill plus a ten Euro bill. I thought that having a two Euro bill was odd. When I looked at it, it said the Bank of Guernsey. It was too late to go back off the ship to spend it or to swap it out for Euros. No other country on the itinerary would accept the Guernsey currency.

 

Second example, on the same trip, we went to a shop in Scotland. They handed me change from the Bank of Scotland. I very politely asked if I could get a Euros as my change. They were nice and swapped it out, but again, if we hadn't noticed, we would have had Bank of Scotland currency. Not that there is anything wrong with their currency, but where was I going to spend it?

 

Moral of the story: Always check your money before leaving the shop.

If we should ever meet on a cruise, I would be more than happy to exchange your Guernsey notes for USD. As others have said, when you pay for goods in a currency that is not local, you will usually receive change in the local currency. All shops in Guernsey are happy to give change in "English" Uk pounds sterling notes rather than Guernsey notes if people request.

Otherwise, your best bet is when you are next in the UK, you go into a bank, and ask them to exchange the Guernsey notes for UK notes. They should exchange on a one-to-one basis with no charge. No exchange loss.

I trust this has not spoilt your experience of Guernsey, and I hope you consider visiting again in the future.

You will have the same problem in Northern Ireland, if going there. ATMs give local currency, which is officially sterling, but try and use it anywhere else in the 'United' Kingdom and it doesn't work. make sure to change it for 'real' sterling if going on to another part of the UK.

Irish euros you can use anywhere in the eurozone.

 

And you give folks their change in Canadian coins?

We accepted CDN currency as a convenience for our Canadian customers. In 25 years I don't recall anyone requesting change in CDN currency.

Personally, we would never expect a business in a foreign country to accept US currency. When we visit Canada or Europe we obtain local currency prior to making purchases.

Lew

 

What Corfe Mixture isn't right about is the assumption that a yes vote is unlikely:D and the date of the referendum, it's the 18th September not the 14th

Thanks for correcting me on both matters. :D

If there is a yes vote, it will be interesting to see how they deal with the fact that a majority in the Shetlands feel as remote from the Scottish government in Edinburgh as Scots do from the UK government in London and have already made it clear that they do not want to be part of your journey.

IMHO: The only good thing which will come out of a Yes vote is that rUK will have a majority wanting our clocks to move to European time.

No, I didn't as that would have required two monetary conversions. CDN to US then from US to CDN for change. Change would likely consist of CDN bills and coin and we didn't take in enough CDN coin to support this and banks in our area do not inventory CDN coin.

 

We accepted CDN currency as a convenience for our Canadian customers.

 

In 25 years I don't recall anyone requesting change in CDN currency.

 

Lew

Isn't that exactly where this thread started.

The OP paid in Euros, appeared to be expecting their change in Euro coins, and was warning people that they would get their change in local currency.

The bottom line is that the shop in Guernsey was simply offering the same service as a convenience to visiting customers as you were.

Good marketing, but you can only go so far ;)

 

Isn't that exactly where this thread started.

The OP paid in Euros, appeared to be expecting their change in Euro coins, and was warning people that they would get their change in local currency.

 

The bottom line is that the shop in Guernsey was simply offering the same service as a convenience to visiting customers as you were.

Good marketing, but you can only go so far ;)

Lew

Well, I for one appreciate the OP's statement. Not having traveled

to those areas I would not know about the currency difference.

I would be thinking that it's all the UK and not even know about

Bank of Scotland, Bank of England, pound sterlings... I would

personally be thinking euros like what I assume Redtogo was thinking.

Thank you Redtogo. I'll put that info in my folder for my

British Isle trip next year.

Mac

Well, I for one appreciate the OP's statement. Not having traveled

to those areas I would not know about the currency difference.

I would be thinking that it's all the UK and not even know about

Bank of Scotland, Bank of England, pound sterlings... I would

personally be thinking euros like what I assume Redtogo was thinking.

 

Thank you Redtogo. I'll put that info in my folder for my

British Isle trip next year.

 

Mac

I'm an American, and I can understand someone thinking she would get change in pounds in Scotland or Guernsey, but I have no idea why anyone would think she'd get change in euros in either place. The euro is not the currency of the UK.

Well I'm glad you posted too, as I said never been over there,

I don't know a euro from pound and obviously didn't

understand that euros weren't the currency of UK. :eek:

So much to learn.:o

Mac