• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Spidey's trip to France

S

spidey07

No Lifer
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
 
I'll never forget paying 6 Euro for a coke on the Champs Elysees
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

They also earn a lot less than we do.
 
19.6 tax on everything.
Click to expand...

Yea, but no income tax. I'd trade the 45% I'm paying now for 19.6 on absolutely everything in a heartbeat (short of moving to the EU 😉)

 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

:roll:
 
Originally posted by: aphex
I'll never forget paying 6 Euro for a coke on the Champs Elysees
Click to expand...

Well, that's kinda like paying 4 bucks for a water at disney world.

Tourist area is tourist area no matter what country it is.
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
19.6 tax on everything.
Click to expand...

Yea, but no income tax. I'd trade the 45% I'm paying now for 19.6 on absolutely everything in a heartbeat (short of moving to the EU 😉)
Click to expand...

True, but the US encourages you to deduct those taxes - like owning property, giving to charity, etc.

Look, I'm not doing any france bashing. It was an eye opening experience on expenses and taxes that's all. I've spoken to many german's on my travels and they think the US is expensive.

also the dropping value of the USD vs dollar mean tons of people coming to the US to purchase goods.
 
Watch out for Tax Reformers. They propose a much larger Sales Tax to replace US Income Tax and that's without all that "expensive" "Socialism".
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
19.6 tax on everything.
Click to expand...

Yea, but no income tax. I'd trade the 45% I'm paying now for 19.6 on absolutely everything in a heartbeat (short of moving to the EU 😉)
Click to expand...



Agreed. Makes things so much easier. Plus we wouldn't have to worry about filing taxes.
 
Don't forget about property taxes. Many European countries have little to no property taxes. I think all of us would take 20% tax in comparison to no income tax and a miniscule propety tax plus get free health care!
 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

They also earn a lot less than we do.
Click to expand...

Link?

 
we have 25% sales tax 🙂
But as it has already been pointed out, eating in turist places always is expensive
 
Originally posted by: gutharius
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

They also earn a lot less than we do.
Click to expand...

Link?
Click to expand...

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica...ankorder/2004rank.html

less Norway and Luxemburg, which are more like states than countries*like pulling out California and rode island*, the Europeans produce less, are taxed higher and thus are physically incapable of "earning more" than Americans.
 
Originally posted by: LordMagnusKain
Originally posted by: gutharius
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

They also earn a lot less than we do.
Click to expand...

Link?
Click to expand...

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica...ankorder/2004rank.html

less Norway and Luxemburg, which are more like states than countries*like pulling out California and rode island*, the Europeans produce less, are taxed higher and thus are physically incapable of "earning more" than Americans.
Click to expand...

They also live longer and are quite happy with their situation. Who cares if they produce less? Sometimes I think Americans are obsessed with materialism.
 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Originally posted by: spidey07
Call it what you will but here's what I noticed.

Geez, super expensive. I mean 6 euros for a beer is just a little much.

But what got me is the 19.6 tax on everything. Eating at a dive for two with a half carafe of wine (3.5 euro, wine is pretty dang cheap there) was 28 euro. At 1.3 USD per euro that was a pretty pricey lunch.

I guess my point is, watch out what kind of socialism you want (it applies to the US with our problems with social security/health care/welfare, etc). Was it expensive because of the decline in the dollar vs. the euro? I don't think so.

Oh, it was fun driving through the country side in streets that reminded me of the car chase scene from "Ronin".

Why does this go in P&N? Mainly I wanted to make a point of just how expensive stuff was in france and just how high the taxes were and hopefully one can draw a line between socialism and taxes. Some want the government to take care of everything (socialism) others prefer the other end of the spectrum.
Click to expand...

They also earn a lot less than we do.
Click to expand...

Euro have more time though, and if you look at happiness indexes the US is fifteenth for all the billionares we have. Many high tax countries are ranked higher.

Once a certain income level is reached it doesn't matter much to most people.

Note that Puerto Rico is at the top in terms of happiness, but it's median income is quite low. Maybe they know something many of us don't.
 
Some people think the US should follow suit. Europe actually has a small trade advantage from having a VAT system. I think it works something like the fact that exported products are not taxed, whereas in America the income tax trickles down/up to the products that are exported leaving US products at a slight disadvantage.

As for Europe's higher overall taxes, we know the consequences-- more peace of mind for middle and lower classes along with more unemployment.

 
Originally posted by: biostud
we have 25% sales tax 🙂
But as it has already been pointed out, eating in turist places always is expensive
Click to expand...

I stayed in a small house 1 hour south of nice. Groceries were expensive as well.

but man the wine was sure cheap!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top