2006 Expense Drive

[rookie]

"Just a word of warning about shipping from the US to the UK.
>About 18 months ago I ordered some harps from C2C and with
>shipping and duty, they worked out about the same as in the
>UK. I was happy to buy from C2C so it didn't matter, but I
>didn't save anything by doing that. The best was when a work
>colleague was in the US. I ordered and got them sent to his
>hotel and he brought them back. That was a deep saving.
>
>And why do harps cost twice as much in the UK? Especially as
>they are made in Germany. And CDs? And …?

Dammit! I never thought of that! I'll be in Canada next month, so could doubtless have saved a bit of the $40 it cost me. Still saved a lot though - I ordered about 8 harps, from Huangs to Sp 20s, and other bits and bobs (that blues fakebook looks awesome). Best of all, it only took 5 days to arrive - see my Long Weekend reply in the Harp site for full effusive details!

I travel to Germany fairly often for business, but I've never even considered checking Hohner prices there. Could be interesting...

And BF, are you suggesting the US values musical ability over its citizens' health? In that case, how do you explain Vanilla Ice?

[maxx england]

Admittedly it's not harps, but I've been told a couple of years back that Les Pauls are a damn sight cheaper second hand in Holland than the UK. Don't know if this is still true, but if you ain't far from the border, you might see what else applies.

[bluesmcgoo]

"And BF, are you suggesting the US values musical ability over its citizens' health? In that case, how do you explain Vanilla Ice?"

TOO-SHAY

[ricochet]

>And BF, are you suggesting the US values musical ability
>over its citizens' health? In that case, how do you explain
>Vanilla Ice?

Come over to my office sometime and let me show you around. We're not doing any better on health than we are on music. And it's getting worse with the insurance companies running the whole show.



"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

[badfinger]

"how do you explain Vanilla Ice?"

I've never tasted it; is it made by Walls?

[sandy]

I should explain that the chances of Badfinger knowing a great deal about Vanilla Ice are relatively small. This is, after all, the man who when he and I were asked at a jam if we played any Johnny Cash, replied: "Who's he?" Of course, he might have been winding up the audience (and me)!

Note to BF - Vanilla Ice is a dodgy rapper who had a row with Paul Daniels on a reality TV programme called the Farm. Apparently Daniels won, though I'm proud to say I didn't see it.

[ricochet]

bf once spent a nice hour or two discussing antique clocks in a pub with a nice young chap named Eric Clapton, who bf was vaguely aware was some sort of rock muso.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

[rookie]

He'd make an ideal British High Court judge. "Who are the Beatles?..."

[badfinger]

"And BF, are you suggesting the US values musical ability over its citizens' health?"

No. Although I can see how it could read that way.

I was referring to differences in, eg, taxation systems and related matters. We in Europe (and specifically in the UK), seem to pay far more in taxes, not only on most goods (petrol?) but at source, ie, income tax and income-related National Insurance contributions (typically around 30% of gross income).

(I am ignoring things like those aspects of price difference which might be rooted in profit margins, but which - the apparent profit margins, that is - are also affected by regional and national tax systems.)

So, we pay more in taxes (including direct and indirect taxes on things like musical instruments) but pay less (but mostly nothing) for social and health services.

In the USA it seems to be the other way around - less taxes paid at source, and lower prices, but direct, personal expense for, eg, health services.
(Basic rate of income tax in the US is 15%; in the UK it is 20%, plus about 11% NI contribution.)

Accepting that the complexities of any national financial management structure cannot be even generally expressed as simply as in the above, I recognise that both systems have their advantages and disadvantages, most of which, will be determined by the familiarity factor, but would also depend, I suspect, on how wealthy is the person judging them.

[mickeypainless]

>>>(Basic rate of income tax in the US is 15%; in the UK it is 20%, plus about 11% NI contribution.)

My self employment tax alone is around 14%. Then Fed. 28-36% and whatever the hell Uncle Arnold charges for living in California.
Where as I know the UK has paid a premium for petrol for ages, I was paying 1.50- 1.75 a gal 4 years ago and I filled up my 17 MPG (on a good day) truck for 3.39 a gal. the other day! There are more wasted taxes in gas prices! Ohhhhhhhhhh well, gotta pay the price for livin in a great country!