Question: Currency Exchange Rates - What's it Worth in the United Kingdom?
When prices are given in UK Pounds - with the symbol £ - how can I find what that means in my own currency? And why aren't prices converted at United Kingdom Travel?
Answer: Prices are given in GB Pounds - often called "pounds sterling", or just "Sterling" - because in today's world, currencies change in value, in relation to each other, very often (in fact, usually several times a day). Prices converted to US Dollars or Euros today could be significantly different by the end of the month.
As a rule of thumb, the value of one UK pound has been hovering at just under US$2 since the middle of 2006, at least. So, if you have US dollars to spend, multiplying by two will give you a rough estimate of costs.
A more accurate approach
There are several online tools that will convert UK prices into your own currency, automatically. These are the best:
- The Universal Currency Converter instantly converts between two currencies - and can handle almost any currency you can imagine.
- Oanda.com FX History gives you an average currency price for whatever dates you choose. This is useful if you've returned from a trip and want to know how much you spent or if you are interested in comparing what a trip cost you in the past to prices today.
Here's a Tip
These tools show the commercial or "interbank" rate and don't factor in currency exchange fees and charges for buying foreign currency. If you make most of your major purchases - tickets, hotel rooms, dining out - on a credit or debit card, your cost of money will be closer to the interbank rate.
