# I just spend six hundred friggin quid without a moment's whatsit. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 29, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027 "2004-12-29T00:32:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/1 "2004-12-29T00:32:33Z")
I’m so whatsit I don’t even know the name of whatsit. I just carelessly spent six hundred quid (that’s 600 pounds sterling, or 1,160.34 US dollars) on a new digital camera without doing all the tedius boring ‘shopping around’. I just went for one that past experience, lazy technical knowhow, and irrational belief told me was the one to get. And even now (after the purchase) I don’t care. I wont even care when, in two or three weeks time I go to the cash machine and it says ‘insufficient funds’. In this respect I am the complete total and utter opposite of my dad. My dad could be considered to have a kind of OCD when it comes to spending money. I… well… don’t. I got a tripod for christmas (I already have a short one, but it’s the thought that counts, and I genuinely covet the one I got for christmas) This was I guess the ‘final straw’ in a lingering desire to get a new camera. So I got a nikon coolpix 8800 to replace my fuji finepix 608 zoom (which I was dissatisfied with from day one, mainly the ‘3mp effective’) ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/2 "2004-12-29T00:57:12Z")
Yay you! As long as you’ll manage to pay your bills and keep yourself fed, why the heck not? I think we might be related, I up and impulse bought a fully-loaded Expedition last month when a smaller/less-expensive vehicle would have fit my needs just fine. I got tired of listening to my parents bicker over which vehicle to buy and who was offering the better deals, especially given that they’re paying cash for their vehicle purchases. Yes, the reason they can do so is a lifetime of fiscal responsibility, I get that, but sheeeeeesh, dickering over a single purchase for months?! Sometimes ya just gotta splash out! ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/3 "2004-12-29T03:14:29Z")
Lob, I hate to do it to you, but you over paid, big. Like $300 US. Check out [pricegrabber.com](http://pricegrabber.com), I mean, this [Canon 6.3 MP Digital SLR](http://www.42photo.com/productdetail.asp?level=119&catid=316&productid=11082) is only $678.00 and yours could have been had for $699 US, seen [here](http://www.us1camera.com/shop/Product.asp?sku=Nik8800&ref=pricegrabber) I’m glad your happy with the purchase, that’s what counts though. ---
**Author:** ![TheInterruptingCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@TheInterruptingCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInterruptingCow)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/4 "2004-12-29T03:18:10Z")
**Lob** , I may be the world’s worst impulse buyer. I have bought crap you wouldn’t believe. At least you bought something useful; my weakness is anything motorcycle-related. I’ll be expecting high-res pix from next years’ TT…Breaux Bridge would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/5 "2004-12-29T05:46:03Z")
Don’t forget they pay VAT so the prices aren’t just a currency conversion from pounds to dollars. A lot of the folks I work with in the UK try to wrangle work trips to the US so they can go shopping for electronics. Have fun with the Coolpix ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/6 "2004-12-29T06:01:06Z")
Electronic devices in the UK\* are fabulously expensive, for some reason. (yes, I know the Isle of Man is technically not in the UK. What do you say that includes you guys, the UK, and the Channel Islands but not the republic of Ireland?) ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/7 "2004-12-29T12:43:07Z")
> [@TheInterruptingCow](#): > > I’ll be expecting high-res pix from next years’ TT…Breaux Bridge would be nice. They have motorcycle races in [Breaux Bridge](http://www.breauxbridgelive.com/) ? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheInterruptingCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@TheInterruptingCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInterruptingCow)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/8 "2004-12-29T15:37:14Z")
> [@wheelie](#): > > They have motorcycle races in [Breaux Bridge](http://www.breauxbridgelive.com/) ? 😉 Ooops…sorry, wrong bridge. I meant Ballaugh Bridge… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/9 "2004-12-29T15:46:33Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Electronic devices in the UK\* are fabulously expensive, for some reason. > > (yes, I know the Isle of Man is technically not in the UK. What do you say that includes you guys, the UK, and the Channel Islands but not the republic of Ireland?) From [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles) on the British Isles: > [@](#): > > The term British Islands is not an alternative; it is an official term used for the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, i.e. all of the isles except the Republic of Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/10 "2004-12-29T22:26:55Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > Don’t forget they pay VAT so the prices aren’t just a currency conversion from pounds to dollars. A lot of the folks I work with in the UK try to wrangle work trips to the US so they can go shopping for electronics. > > Have fun with the Coolpix Educate me please. VAT? ---
**Author:** ![Torgo\_ate\_my\_hamster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@Torgo\_ate\_my\_hamster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo_ate_my_hamster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/11 "2004-12-30T01:35:11Z")
Value-added tax. I’m not an economy person so here’s the [Wikipedia article.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-added_tax) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/12 "2004-12-30T05:56:26Z")
I bought my digital camera on impulse on a lunch hour, and it was about $650.00 Canadian. So far, I’ve been happy with it. (Toshiba.) I just bought an MP3 player tonight on impulse, too. These things happen. Not everyone has the patience for prolonged, logical comparison shopping. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/13 "2004-12-30T12:01:07Z")
Put… The… Credit… Card… Down… And… Step… Away… From… The… Mouse… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/14 "2004-12-30T12:02:41Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Put… The… Credit… Card… Down… And… Step… Away… From… The… Mouse… Hey… I typed that in ALL CAPS!! Has the SDMB got an anti-OMG WTF LOL!!!111 feature nowadays? ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/15 "2004-12-30T12:16:15Z")
I’m about to buy my first digital camera, and I’ve already done about 6 hours of online research! I’ve narrowed it down to 5 models, and the final decision will be made when I actually buy the thing. I’m going to Dubai for a week-long holiday, just in time for the [Shopping Festival](http://www.mydsf.com) there. All my research is based on US prices, so I’m hoping that duty free coupled with DSF discounts, the price in Dubai will be at par with or lower than(!) the US. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/16 "2004-12-30T12:39:54Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > I’m going to Dubai for a week-long holiday, just in time for the [Shopping Festival](http://www.mydsf.com) there. All my research is based on US prices, so I’m hoping that duty free coupled with DSF discounts, the price in Dubai will be at par with or lower than(!) the US. My experience with shopping in Dubai is that electronics are cheaper in Canada, but you should get at least par with the US. Things like rugs, gold, and jewelry you can find very good deals on, otherwise it isn’t much cheaper than anywhere else. I’ve never noticed that the shopping festival got you any better deals, just more crowds. But then I can’t remember ever actually shopping during this time, either, probably because of all the crowds. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/17 "2004-12-30T18:26:06Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Hey… I typed that in ALL CAPS!! Has the SDMB got an anti-OMG WTF LOL!!!111 feature nowadays? Yep. Got the camera this morning. And while I was waiting I did look around a bit. Turns out that when you consider rip-off britain and VAT I got it cheap. I took a few test shots in the half hour I had to mess with it before work and I am impressed with the level of detail. This is precicely why I wanted to get a new camera as I was dissatisfied with the 3mp effective of my old camera (did I already say that?) The 10x optical zoom is a bonus too. But not the big hole in my bank account. There were some late transactions from pre-christmas credit card usage that I had not factored in (f\*ck!) Oh well. I’ll just have to tighten the purse-strings for a month. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spend-six-hundred-friggin-quid-without-a-moments-whatsit/282027/18 "2004-12-30T18:31:59Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > Educate me please. VAT? Value Added Tax. 17.5% of the cost of all items goes to the govornment. most of the time this is hidden in the price we see on the shelves. Plus electrical items in the UK tend to cost a lot more than abroad. If I had done the ‘shopping around’ thing I might have managed to get the camera for £500 if I was lucky. But I don’t have the patience for shopping around.