TLG: Favorable Prices

Next up in The Long Goodbye series: "favorable prices," by which I mean things that are cheaper here in Europe than they are in the USA.

When we lived in Europe last time (2007-14), the exchange rate in both Germany and the UK were unfavorable ($1.60=1€ and $1.80=£1, respectively). As such, both places were more expensive than the States- for those who live on American currency, anyway. This time around, the rate has been much better (it started at $1.10=1€; now it's $1.20, but still decent). That's enabled us to realize just how much cheaper some things here can be. The basic categories:

Food & Drink

Groceries are cheaper here- especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Drinks are cheaper, too (plenty of good wine for less than 10€ per bottle). Shopping at places like Aldi help save even more. Eating out at a 'typical' restaurant will cost ~20€ per person (for my family, takeout during the pandemic averaged 10€ per).

Bicycles

I bought two bicycles here ('Shadowfax' and 'Stepper'), wanting to take advantage of the better selection and prices they offer in Europe. It makes sense; bicycles are much more common, and even primary transportation for some.

Magic: the Gathering Cards

I was bummed to find that board game prices here (outside of sales) are unfavorable compared to the USA- generally, the price (in Euro) is the same as the one in dollars. With the pandemic, I haven't been playing board games much, but I have been playing my favorite card game, Magic: the Gathering, a ton- I even started a separate blog about it. Magic is expensive, but you can get cards here cheaper if you use Cardmarket.

Cardmarket is a "peer-to-peer online marketplace," but it's limited to European sellers (and most will not ship to the USA, understandably). I find the prices (for anything- sealed products, sets, or singles) to be up to 30% cheaper than you can get in the States. I'll really miss that.

Medical Costs

Medical care is expensive anywhere in the western world, but the fees here are generally more reasonable- though be aware that the bills can come months after your visit (some offices send out bills only quarterly, apparently).

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There are many things in Europe that are pricier than the States- gasoline, anything related to car repair or maintenance, clothing, shoes- so it's not all cheaper here. But many things are, and we'll miss them.