Making Sense of Your Pounds and Pence

Money Basics

In the UK, instead of Dollars and Cents, we use Pounds and Pence. Bank notes (as Brits call them) start from £5, unlike the $1 bills used in the USA. Instead, in the UK we use £1 and £2 coins. There are also coins for 5, 10, 20 and 50 pence.

Helpful Tips

It’s really important that you keep the exchange rate in mind when you spend money, as the pound is stronger than the dollar. If you don’t, you may run out of money sooner than expected!

Something else to note, the UK is becoming increasingly more of a cashless society, and even more so now due to Covid-19. Many restaurants and shops won’t accept cash anymore, so please be sure to have a card that you can use when you go out. It's good to also be mindful of foreign transaction fees and to know ahead of time what charges you may incur when you use your card.

Groceries and Eating Out

You may be (understandably) nervous about how, what, and where you'll eat while abroad! Food is an important source of both nourishment and comfort, so adjusting to differences in cuisine and shopping abroad is important. Our video below should get you started in becoming familiar with shopping and eating - in and out - in the UK.

Many of you will be cooking for yourselves for the first time. This might seem daunting, but there are lots of quick, simple dishes you can prepare with just a few ingredients. One of our Spring '23 students, Jaide Tucker, kept a record of her culinary adventures...

Never cooked before and not sure where to start? Some of our past students and staff have recommended their go-to, easy recipes in our very own Recipe Book!

UK Supermarkets

There are loads of options for getting your groceries. From your local outdoor market to your nearest corner store (called an "off-license"), you can find just about anything you may want or need. During orientation, Arcadia staff will assist in pointing you towards the nearest standard shops, but if you want to browse ahead of time, check out the links below.

Please note: you may not be able to access some websites when outside the UK.

British Shopping 101

Shopping in the UK is almost identical to shopping in the US, with a few exceptions. The first difference is tax is included in the price of items, so you won’t be greeted with any extra fees on your final bill - what’s on the tag is what you pay! Secondly, just like when you go grocery shopping, shopping bags are not free; they usually cost about 10 pence. We recommend you try to keep a reusable tote bag on you whenever you think you might do some shopping!

Toiletries and Medicine

There are many different pharmacies around the UK, but the two big brands are Boots and Superdrug. Either are a great resource for anything you’d need from a pharmacy from ibuprofen to shampoo. They also have a pharmacist on staff who can advise you on minor health concerns and injuries.

Toiletries can also usually be found at most grocery stores, but the choices will be much more limited especially if it’s a smaller shop!

Clothing

Primark is a British staple for stylish and affordable clothes. Primark also has a nice home section if you want to do some dorm room decorating.

If thrifting is more your thing, there are charity shops dotted around every British high street. Look for shops like Oxfam, Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation, and many more! You can also download Depop or Vinted for online second-hand shopping.

Electrical Items & Homewares

As you might be aware, the UK has different plugs and voltage than the US. We recommend you buy items like hair dryers, straighteners, desk fans, lamps, etc. after you arrive; however, you can use an adapter for items like laptop and phone chargers.

We recommend shopping at Argos for electrical items. You can also purchase items on Amazon if you don’t need them immediately. Please note: Amazon UK is different from the US versions, which means your Amazon app or Prime account (if you have one) might not work, but you can sign up for a free 6 month Prime Student account by providing your Arcadia letter as proof of student status.