MONEY MATTERS

Pounds are the currency here in Great Britain and just like we can have a few bucks, they get a a few quid or a bit of dosh. Bills are notes so, a 5 dollar bill's equivalent is a 5 pound note. If you're in a hurry you could call a 5 pound note a fiver and a 10 pound note a tenner.

You can retrieve Pounds from your nearest cash point (ATM) which I have also heard referred to as a hole in the wall. One thing I love about british cash points is that after you put in your pin code (why can't they just say pin?) the machine says, "we are dealing with your request," and once they confirm, "please remove your card and your cash will follow." Hooray for never leaving my card in a machine again!

You pay for things at a cash till (cash register) and if you go to the bank here you should consider bringing a book because you will most likely be waiting in line, or queueing, for ages. Queue is also a noun and it means the line people stand in: one must find the queue and then queue.

By the way if it's not clear the word is pronounced "Q" like the letter.

Speaking of letters, did you know that H is pronounced "Hay-ch?" and Herbs is said with a very breathy "H" sound... in America it's more "Erbs."

Anyway, a cashiers check is known as a bank draft - and instead of opening a CD (which stands for certificate of deposit, thanks Liza!) you put money "on deposit." If you were unlucky enough to be made redundant (to be let go) or get sacked (get fired), you would negotiate your redundancy (severance package). A 401K is known as a pension scheme.

A huge difference between the US and UK is the use of chip and pin technology. Instead of swiping cards, here they are all fitted with little computer chips and you choose a pin code. At shops (stores) and restaurants you insert your card into a little machine and type in your code. Most restaurants have multiple wireless machines the waiters bring to the table - eliminating the need to sign for anything.

Jillian feels I would be remiss in leaving out the fact that this system is designed to reduce fraud. She would like me to mention that in the states nobody really compares signatures or checks identification. In Europe they are far more vigilant. If you have an American card without a "chip and pin," they can swipe it but will require another form of ID and they will hold onto your card while you sign and compare the signatures.

Lastly, while spending your hard earned wages (salary) you might like to look for things that have gone on offer (on sale) and if you're over 65 and eligible for a discount, you're getting a concession.