Money Matters in Europe
Hello from Portugal! I’m here in sunny Lisbon, enjoying the Tagus River views and chicken piri piri. I chose the path less traveled, so to speak, and rented an apartment instead of staying at a hotel. While living like a local, I came across curious money matters that we don’t have in the States:
• Energy prices are sky-high: My landlady quoted a price for “petrol” and it sounded pretty reasonable, that is, until I realized the number was in Euros per liter. A bit of quick mental math made me gasp: Lisbon’s gas prices are 6 times what I observed in California (a state that has heavy gas taxes already). No wonder everyone from rural farmers to urban hipsters dried their clothes outside on a clothesline.
• Restaurants will nickel and dime you, for the better: Bread, butter, olives and water—all basic freebies to get you started in the US. Not so in much of Europe, where they levy sometimes a per-item charge or embed that in an all-inclusive “cover.” Even though it felt like a mandatory tip, I actually enjoy this custom because it’s fairer to the customers who don’t want the freebies.
• Credit cards don’t need a signature: The waiter doesn’t even let your credit card out of your sight. Instead, he brings a portable swipe machine so you see what he charges. You then enter your secure PIN number for verification, and finally get a receipt. Of all three practices, this is the one I wish we could adopt.
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