Posts Tagged ‘France Banking’

More observations of things that are quite different about France
Banking…
None of your debits are taken out of your account until the 5th of the next month! If I make a 3000€ debit card purchase on the 26th of October, it doesn’t get taken out of my account until the 5th of December! Crazy!!
You don’t have payroll tax automatically deducted from your paycheck! Your employer is not responsible for “withholding” your taxes due, you are! You can pay in one lump sum at the end of the year in June or you can pay a monthly estimated tax (like most businesses in the U.S. do).
Driving…
You can drive a scooter or any motorcycle that is under 125ccs with only 7 hours of instruction at any age starting at 17. The 7 hours of instruction was only mandatory starting in January 2011. You cannot drive a car until you are 18.
I don’t know about you, but I would sure as hell rather my inexperienced young driver begin learning in something that has 4 doors, a roof, seatbelts and airbags rather than a death rocket! Most people wear their helmets (it’s a law); however, that is the end of the safety gear. I routinely see people wearing shorts, flip flips and often shirtless. Also, you will see numerous instances of tiny, tiny little people riding on the back of motorcycles and mopeds…I’m talking kids under 5, holding on for dear life. I say a little prayer every time I see this that those innocent little ones stay safe in spite of their parents’ complete idiocy.
Out & About…
Tips are included; along with taxes & everything else in the prices of everything you see…clothes, food in restaurants, etc. The tips are forcibly split so you should still give a little extra to your server if you’ve received a little extra.
Food…
Eggs and milk are NOT REFRIGERATED!! Well, you can buy refrigerated milk, but it’s not common, it’s called lait frais, i.e. “fresh milk”…um…versus what exactly? The unrefrigerated eggs freak me the hell out. I already have serious issues with eating eggs so having to pick up warm, sitting on the grocery shelf eggs, regardless of if they are bio (Organic) and pleine air (free range) still gives me the willies and I find it nearly impossible to eat eggs here.
There’s no such thing as bacon…I know, let that sink in for a second….There is plenty of stuff CALLED bacon, but we as North Americans would not recognize it as such. I even got some “rashers” from the English food store here and although it was close…still not bacon. I realize that you will not feel sorry for me because of this, but it really is quite a difficult loss…everything tastes better with bacon!