The British pound

I don't think anyone's gloating. Rather, just expressing how the topic title, "The British Pound", is affecting us each at this point in time, for better or for worse. And that, I believe, was the point of the OP's post.

So if you don't like any of the comments, just wait, they could reverse at any time.

I am definately wearing my cranky pants today, but still....

Yay for me, sucks to be you.    

Doesn't the cost of living in the UK suck enough?

Do you really have to celebrate the loss of the one financial advantage some people have?   

As I said, I don't see anyone here celebrating their own situation at the cost of others. And as we here are virtually all UK/US expats, or soon to be so (or once were), we're all in the same position. The USD strengthening is good for us all in one way and not so good in another. (In my case, good for the initial outlay of moving to the UK; bad for sending money back home once I get there.)

I think your suggestion that anyone's dancing on others' graves is a bit harsh. So if I had a great day, but you had a bad one, should I not be happy for myself?

Yesterday, I had a really sucky-woo day--scary and costly even--lots of others here had a fantastic day. I'm not put off by their joy at it, nor consider them inconsiderate for talking about it. Same principle, except the £ and the $ play off each other. But as we all have money and/or debts in at least two different currencies, it's all relative. Where was your angst for those of us holding dollar positions when the £ was running 2-1?

I'm not saying that you can't be happy for yourself.  For example.

What I'm saying is that if you go out of your way to tell me about your good luck after you know I've had a terrible day of bad luck... well it smacks of self-centeredness.

Or, as I said, a lack of empathy. 

Why can't people step out of themselves and see the big picture - think about how things affect other people and not just themselves??

Fine, I'm sorry that the British pound weakening is adversely affecting you. But I'm still also happy that the US dollar strengthing is positively affecting me.

Once I'm steeped more in a UK £ position, I'll reverse that last sentence. And I'm sure my I'll have to reverse it back and forth many times over the weeks, months and years. Such is the fate of currency exchange.

At what point did I say that the weakening pound is negatively affecting me?

All I intended to say is that it's more gracious to keep your good news to yourself when other people are suffering.


Edited to due to stress induced snarkiness.

All I (intended) to say is that it's classier to keep your good news to yourself when other people are suffering.

I think 'suffering' may be a bit dramatic. 

Obviously for those of us who have money in US Accounts and are moving to England shortly or for that matter anybody that has money in US accounts and they have been patiently waiting for the dollar to start to strengthen so that they can move money over this is a good news.  Saying that we are happy about it is not rubbing it in other's faces.

Those who have been paying US Debts with such a great exchange rate have had it pretty good for sometime now it's not horrible to say we are excited about seeing a change when we were about to lose 1/2 of our savings in the upcoming move. 

There are MANY threads that you can go read that are the other way saying 'I'm paying off tons toward this US debt or that US debt' you don't see people going on there telling them that they are about to move and are losing 1/2 of their money in the exchange and to stop rubbing it in.

Sorry you were so offended by this thread but I don't see it to be a slap in other's faces.    We are all friends here and I am sure nobody means any harm. 

Bad news for me, I am in the US on a BIG SHOPPING trip!!!

So a couple of years of economic advantage over DECADES and DECADES of economic disadvantage and we're even?  

It's a given that the cost of living in the UK is 2x that of the US.  WHY?  When a family of two fulltime working adults can't afford to buy a home, is that a problem?  How'z about the FREE healthcare?  Or the cost of having the convenience of a car?  

Just because certain people have been able to take advantage of paying back loans (or transferring $$) for a few years doesn't REALLY soften the blow of having to pay out the a** for daily life.  How many people hang the washing out to dry in the US?  Exactly why is it so prevalent in the UK?  People don't drive mini cars just because the roads are narrow.  $10 for a gallon of petrol?  vs. $4 for us?  

Yes, you take away the one economic advantage some people have and I think it is safe to call it suffering.  

What do they have to give up so you can enjoy your extra $50?

  

I think 'suffering' may be a bit dramatic. 

Obviously for those of us who have money in US Accounts and are moving to England shortly or for that matter anybody that has money in US accounts and they have been patiently waiting for the dollar to start to strengthen so that they can move money over this is a good news.  Saying that we are happy about it is not rubbing it in other's faces.

Those who have been paying US Debts with such a great exchange rate have had it pretty good for sometime now it's not horrible to say we are excited about seeing a change when we were about to lose 1/2 of our savings in the upcoming move. 

There are MANY threads that you can go read that are the other way saying 'I'm paying off tons toward this US debt or that US debt' you don't see people going on there telling them that they are about to move and are losing 1/2 of their money in the exchange and to stop rubbing it in.

Sorry you were so offended by this thread but I don't see it to be a slap in other's faces.    We are all friends here and I am sure nobody means any harm. 

Quoted for truth.

So a couple of years of economic advantage over DECADES and DECADES of economic disadvantage and we're even?  

Couple of years? You are talking about the advantage of the GBP over the USD, are you not? Because the £ has been stronger than the $ all my life and then some. And I'm no spring chicken. Heck, it still is. In the great scheme of things, what those of us who're happy about is only that we'll bleed a little bit less when we exchange dollars for pounds...not at all that we'll stop bleeding entirely and miraculously be cured and find the fountain of youth to boot.

Besides, what am I going to do with the money except bring it to the UK and pump it into their economy (conversely draining it from the US economy). I think the UK powers that be will be happy that I can spend more there now.

So I'm cheering my situation that for right now I'm only getting repeatedly hit in the head with a hammer instead of an anvil. And still you begrude me that?

What do they have to give up so you can enjoy your extra $50?

It's a bit more than $50.  As LadyAnglesey was saying they are looking to buy a home in the UK and most of the money is currently in the US.. I would think she is looking at a bit more than an extra $50.00.

Aren't you moving to the UK very shortly (if I remember correctly)?  You may not be (how did you put it) "coming on here to gloat" but I am sure the fact that the dollar is getting stronger is benefiting you also.

The funny thing is.. I don't see any of those in the UK who are (another quote) 'suffering' here telling those that are a little bit happy that they are (additional quotes) "mean-spirited", self-centered" or "lack empathy".

But anyway, I'm done here.

I don't come to this forum for arguments we'll just agree to disagree shall we. 

Well, I'm one of the 'suffering' ones, and I didn't feel like anyone was gloating. 

Well, I'm one of the 'suffering' ones, and I didn't feel like anyone was gloating. 

me too.  And it's not like the pound has tanked or anything- it's still up there, just not as much as it was a few months ago!

me too.  And it's not like the pound has tanked or anything- it's still up there, just not as much as it was a few months ago!

Exactly. Right now it is right back where it was three years ago when i moved over in 2005 and at that time i was spending all USD's and i thought it was high then and that i was getting royally screwed over in the currency dept.  Now I see that number as low because its been high for so long. Its all a matter of perspective. It worked against me when i first came over, worked for me when i started paying back my student loans 1.5 years ago and got at locked in rate of 1.935 for 2 years.... but will probably work against me again when i go to renew that contract again in April. Thats just what happens, you can't control the weather, you cant control the exchange rate.