Taxes

So...

The good news is, if I get the job I'm applying for (book slaves, unite!), my earnings will be under the £97 weekly limit and won't have to pay into NI. NI's not doing a lot for me these days, so this seems reasonable enough. Granted, I'll still have to make the appointment and go through the NI number acquisition process, but I won't have to pay my little salary away.

The bad news is, when the lady at the mailing store back in Birmingham said, "Now, you might have a small bill at the other end from import duties," she really should have said, "Now, if you insure this box of shoes and coats, known for whatever reason to the British government as 'cotton shirts,' you're going to be stuck with a bill for £189.44 that will come two weeks later and ruin your morning, and since your bank account takes four weeks to open, you'll have to find exact change to pay the bill; better wait, since Accommodation will then just be getting around to debiting your account, and since they're taking just under the daily limit over the next two days, you'll want to make sure they have no problems." How she would have known the last bit is beyond me, but darn it, there should have been a warning.

Running the numbers, that's about four weeks' hypothetical salary. For coats and boots. The high price of fashion, I suppose.