German Sales Tax and IKEA. Sounds Fascinating, Right?
Remember a few months back when we were overwhelmed with jet lag and trying to find towels and a shower curtain at IKEA? Well we’ve had to go back a couple of times for more details.
The price of everything in Germany includes a 19% sales tax except on food. As much as I’d like to say we buy all locally made and environmentally focused products, that enormous sales tax is still ringing in my ears like the bad music my roommate blared freshman year. Sometimes you have to go for what’s cheap (okay, so cheap plus 19% tax!). For many Berliners, that answer is IKEA.
I’ve never been to an IKEA in the US, so I don’t know what it’s like. The prices might be a little nicer, though something tells me the stores aren’t surrounded by enormous furniture taxis like the ones we maneuver around. Take a peek:
(Image by Martin for Making This Home)
January 19th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Oh, I love IKEA! We live within 20 minutes of not one, but two (TWO!) IKEA stores! I could happily spend a part of every day there. Indy would go too as long as he could get into Smaland. IKEA in the States is pretty much exactly like the stores in Europe except that everything in in English. Literally they are exactly the same. The prices run about the same (when you consider the exchange rate).
January 19th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Those funiture taxis are wild. Ikea has the best stuff, though, don’t they?
January 19th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Hi Katie….everybody is writing these days about Ikea….I just wrote a post with all pictures from the trip there this week….go take a peek to see what our Ikea looks like….they have the best stuff….it’s a few posts down on the first page…..Sue.
January 19th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Hey Katie :0) I love Ikea, though I’ve never seen the furniture taxis. We just took a trip there not too long ago, and I came home with a new wok, of all things. Hope you have a great Tuesday!
January 20th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Hi Katie, thank you so much for visiting my blog and I’m certainly glad you did as it led me to yours and I have thoroughly enjoyed visting. A Sunday in Berlin sounds like heaven! Will definitely be coming back to check up on that cute little kitchen…Danielle.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:54 am
Honestly I love IKEA. But that 19% would hurt.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:56 am
For us, the nearest the Ikea is 1 1/2 hours bus ride away at Budapest. Too bad I haven’t seen any furniture taxi here, I would have been useful!
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Hey Katie, Ikea is my all time favorite store. Most of my house is decorated with Ikea products. I also love eating there. There meatballs are great. I must say I have never seen furniture taxis, though.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:34 am
IKEA. Oh, How I love, thee. I live a good distance from the nearest (Cananda!) but I have been in Prague, Thessaloniki, CT, and NJ. I have a specific routine. I go alone. I meander through once without picking anything up. Then I go through again to get the big stuff from the warehouse area. I put it in my car. I have lunch (meatballs). Then I go back through the whole store with my list of small items and a cart. Takes about 4 hours. Bliss.