The sales tax in Seattle was 8.8%. I thought it was kinda high,
but now that you've mentioned there's no state income tax, it's
really quite reasonable! Sales tax here in MN is currently 6.25%
(6.5% within Minneapolis city limits), and we do have state income
taxes which I've been told is among the highest in the
nation.
Indeed, Uwajimaya Village is da bomb! Spent quite a bit of time
there, especially in the Kinokuniya bookstore. We stocked up on
some Japanese food there, to be consumed back at the hotel room.
The prices were actually pretty decent. There's only one major
Asian food supermarket here in the Twin Cities, and the Japanese
food they sell is waaaaay
overpriced.
We paid exactly $155.02 for one week's car rental from Enterprise
Car Rental. That comprises a weekly base rate of $97 and
miscellaneous ridiculous taxes. The secret is to make make multiple
on-line bookings to "lock in" the best rate, and since you're not
required to give your credit card information for the booking, you
can make as many as you like. You do this to take advantage of the
fact that car rentals companies gradually reduce rental rates
closer to the rental period, as they'd rather rent out a vehicle at
a lower rate than have it sit in the rental lot doing nothing. In
fact, the booking with the $97 weekly base rate was made just a day
before we flew out to Seattle.
