Getting started once you land

Just wondering what was on everyone's "must do immediately list" once you landed in the UK.  Here is mine:

1) open bank account
2) get a cell phone

I think those are the 2 most important things...

Also, did you have British pounds when you landed or did you exchange some currency at the airport.  If you had the $ before you landed, how did you go about getting it???

TIA

"open a bank account" is my #1 must do for sure...luckily I've already got a pay as you go cell phone with a UK SIM card. My #2 must do is "get a job!"    Registering with a GP and getting a NIN are also high up on the priority list.

I usually like to have a bit of cash on me when I land- I exchange a minimal amount at my departure airport in the US (20 pounds or less) and then I use the ATM for the rest.  That's probably not strictly necessary, but it makes me feel better   The first time I went over to the UK my parents made me get traveler's checks, which I thought were a waste of time.  However, I ended up losing my wallet the first week I was there and those traveler's checks were a lifesaver while I waited to get all of my credit/debit cards replaced!  I'm not getting the traveler's checks this time around, though.

I had a taxi arranged by my agency to pick me up and within the hour in London I already stepped into HSBC (who wouldn't do a darned thing until I had proof of address) and bought a mobile phone. I think I had a few £s from a recent trip and I probably topped up when I was cruising the high street. Then I met my new work colleagues and started calling letting agencies. Jet lag wasn't going to get the best of me!! 

People's must dos will vary with what reason they came to the UK. I was on my own with no help so my priority was finding a flat... see, getting a mobile number was so agencies could call me!

TC are sadly going out of style, but they saved me my first time abroad when I left my bank card at home.  I was once stuck in rural Rwanda without cash and the only ATM and banks were in the capital.   I always remember that lesson and remind myself that cash is always a good thing to have because you never know what will happen!!

I usually carry a hard currency that will be easy to exchange in a foreign country if I can't get to an ATM easily enough. In Africa, I had USD in one pocket, local currency in another and TC stashed somewhere else... plus a debit card and credit cards!!

My number one is to get a cell phone. I believe as an international student I can apply for a bank account online at HSBC, so hopefully that will be taken care of...or that's number one and the cell phone is bumped to number two. If I don't have a place lined up, finding a place to live is number three, and if I DO have one, it's going to IKEA to get some furniture!

I think I have some money left from my visit in February, but I usually just hit the ATM when I'm at the airport.   

Ok I think I am behind on the ATM thing.  I was gonna exchange my money at AAA is there an advantage to just using an ATM that I am not aware of??  Ohh please dish.

Ok I think I am behind on the ATM thing.  I was gonna exchange my money at AAA is there an advantage to just using an ATM that I am not aware of??  Ohh please dish.

The exchange rate at the ATM is usually the best you're going to get, so it's good if you don't need transfer huge sums of money but just want to access money from your American account.  Just be aware of ATM fees...I have Bank of America, though so as long as I only use Barclays ATMs in the UK I'm not charged separate ATM fees.

The exchange rate at the ATM is usually the best you're going to get, so it's good if you don't need transfer huge sums of money but just want to access money from your American account.  Just be aware of ATM fees...I have Bank of America, though so as long as I only use Barclays ATMs in the UK I'm not charged separate ATM fees.

After 10 visits to the UK I JUST figured that out recently when I went to change my name on my bank account with them LOL So that's what I'll be doing this time. Usually I just take dollars and get the converted at the post office in the UK, its easy and they don't charge extra fees.

Mine is - be put on hubby's account and try to sort out my own (easier said then done I'm guessing) and then get an appointment for an interview for a NIN. And find a job! The mobile phone thing is down there on the priority list - I can use H's if he's in work (he can't bring his to work) but no one ever calls me on a mobile line in the UK 

sounds like everyone had a plan except me. when I got to England I really didnt do anything except try an get over my jet lag. my soon to be dh already had a house that he had been living in for years so I was set for a home. I couldnt work I was on a fiancee visa. I didnt get a mobile phone till X-Mas 2004 I didnt think it was necessary. I didnt know anyone in England other than my sweetie & his family so I knew no one wud be calling me. whenever I was out I was always with dh 99% of the time when I wasnt with him I was at the house. I didnt get my own bank account till recently I was using my dh's bank account when I had a job. I got my NIN number after I had my job for a couple monthes. but that was in Oct 2005 I moved here in July 2004 & got married in NOV 2004. I didnt get my Spousal Visa till mid March 2005. I didnt get a job till Aug 2005 I dont have any special skills or qualified for much of anything over here. so I got a part-time job at a arcade WOW now that was the most boring job I have ever had, I left that job though.  I am now looking for a job I have a interview on tuesday for another part-time job. I have my fingers crossed that I get it if I dont then back to looking again. fortunatly dh's job supports us both we have no kids just 2 spoiled cats.

Goodluck to all who are moving over here!

My plan will just be to get a job, NIN, and register with a GP.  My husband should have the apartment all set up, he's getting me a one month bus pass, we have phones, we got our bank accounts sorted before he moved.  I like to pretend that once I step foot on the plane I'll be done with the hard stuff. 

Ha! Hard stuff being over once you get there?  Sheesh, I would love that but I doubt I will be so lucky.  We will be trying to do house hunting, while I am searching for a job.  My problem is that I am the one who will be making the most money, so we will have to tighten the belt into I have income coming in.

I have worked since the day I turned 16, and in fact in the past 10 years, I have been working 100% of the time except for holidays.  I won't know what to do with myself while I am waiting for the residency, the registration and changing to the FLR.  I mean I will be looking for work, but I won't have a job.

We haven't seen each other in about 9 months right now, so we wanted to try and take a quick holiday as well, but then we have to organize all that while trying to start a new job.

 

For the people worried about obtaining £££ before they arrive, please remember that there are ATM machines at the airports. I know from personal experience that Terminal 2 at Heathrow has both a Barclay's and HSBC machine near on the arrivals level.

It pays to ask your US bank if they have an agreement with a UK bank regarding fee free withdrawals. As mentioned earlier, Barclays and BofA are paired and US HSBC accounts can be accessed free from HSBC UK machines.

but no one ever calls me on a mobile line in the UK 

sadly, it is ridiculously expensive for people in the US to phone a UK mobile number. I used to pay something like 25 cents a minute!!! 

sadly, it is ridiculously expensive for people in the US to phone a UK mobile number. I used to pay something like 25 cents a minute!!! 

Exactly. Plus the only people I know in the UK (H's family) I'll be seeing close to every day so the chance they need to call me will be very small. I'll get on eventually but not right away 

Ha! Hard stuff being over once you get there?  Sheesh, I would love that but I doubt I will be so lucky.  We will be trying to do house hunting, while I am searching for a job.  My problem is that I am the one who will be making the most money, so we will have to tighten the belt into I have income coming in.

Hehe - I said I like to pretend the hard stuff will be over when I get there.  I am also the main breadwinner, but I'm hoping that my husband will have landed a job that will cover most of our necessities by the time I arrive.  He'll have been looking for 24 weeks when I get there, 8 week of those in Bristol, where we are now living.

Well, I have been on the UK mobile hunt for a long time, trying to keep costs down.  The lowest that I had gotten until recently was 16 cents a minute.  Though now I am able to get through a VoIP provider 4.1 cents a minute, which is the same rate to a UK land line that they offer.  Check out www.voicepulse.com if you have the right knowledge and the bandwidth.  Most likely I am going to keep my US based number and account with them when I am over in the UK to keep in touch with the states.  In fact in the states, most of the place I call are 0.6 cents a minute.  Yeah, that is about a 1/2 a cent a minute.

I am sure sooner or later the VoicePulse will catch onto the mobile termination rate, but for now it is a beautiful thing.  Otherwise, the cheapest that I have been able to find is 1010987 which is 53 cents a connect and 16 cents a minute to UK mobiles.