Money and shopping in Egypt

The local currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. The currency is often written as LE (short for French livre egyptienne) or by using the pound sign £. In Arabic the pound is called gunaih, in turn derived from English "guinea", and piastres are known as qirsh. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at exchange offices or banks, so there is no need to resort to the dodgy street moneychangers. Many higher-end hotels price in dollars or Euros and will gladly accept them as payment, although often at a premium rate over Egyptian pounds. ATMs are ubiquitous in the cities and probably the best option overall; they often offer the best rate and many foreign banks have branches in Egypt. Bank hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8:30am until 2:00pm.
Banknotes are available in all denominations ranging from 200 pounds to the thoroughly useless 5 piastres, while coins were rather rare until new 50-piastre and 1-pound coins were introduced in the summer of 2006. Counterfeit or obsolete notes are not a major problem, but exchanging pounds outside the country can be difficult. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted, but only bigger hotels or restaurants in Cairo and restaurants in tourist areas will readily accept credit cards as payment. Traveler's checks can be exchanged in any bank, but like all Egyptian bureaucracy could take some time.
Shopping:-
Egypt is a shopper's paradise - especially if you're interested in Egyptian-themed souvenirs and kitsch. However, there are also a number of high quality goods for sale, often at bargain prices. Some of the most popularpurchases include:
■ Antiques (NB: not antiquities, the trade of which is rightly illegal in Egypt)
■ Carpets and rugs
■ Cotton goods and clothing Can be bought at Khan E Khalli for around 30-40 EGP
■ Inlaid goods, such as backgammon boards
■ Jewellery Cartouches make a great souvenir. These are metal plates shaped like an elongated oval and have engravings of your name in hieroglyphics
Of your name in hieroglyphics
Leather goods, such as wallets, ladies’ bags etc.
Music, Egyptian music is very popular now.
Papyrus, The real authentic papyrus not the fake which is made of banana leaves or sugar cane.
Perfume - Perfumes can be bought at almost every souvenir shop. Make sure that you ask the salesman to prove to you that there is no alcohol mixed with the perfume.
Water-pipes (Sheeshas), used for smoking different fruit flavored tobacco.
Spices - can be bought at colourful stalls in most Egyptian markets. Dried herbs and spices are generally of a higher quality than that available in Western supermarkets and are up to 4 or 5 times cheaper, though the final price will depend on bargaining and local conditions.
Final price will depend on bargaining and local conditions.
When shopping in markets or dealing with street vendors, remember to haggle.
You will also find many western brands all around. There are many malls in Egypt, the most common being Citystars Mall, which is the largest entertainment center in the Middle east and Africa. You will find all the fast food restaurants you want such as McDonald’s, KFC, Hardees, Pizza Hut, etc. Clothing brands such as Morgan, Calvin Klein, Levi's, Facconable, Givenchy, Esprit, and more.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Egypt without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g of tobacco.
• 1l of alcoholic beverages.
• 1l of perfume or eau de cologne.
• Gifts up to the value of E£500.

Note: Persons travelling with valuable electronic equipment such as cameras, video cameras or computers may be required to list these in their passports to ensure that they will be exported on departure.
All cash, travellers’ cheques and gold over E£500 should be declared on arrival.
Tipping:-
Tips or baksheesh are an integral part of Egyptian culture. As many people receive low wages, so they tend to supplement their wages by tipping. Keep a stack of small bills handy for tips — no change is given! Some general guidelines:
■ Bathroom attendants: LE 1
■ Cruises: LE 15/day, to be divided by all staff on board
■ Guide: LE 25-30/day
■ Hotel bellman: LE 5 per bag
■ Hotel doorman: LE 10 for services rendered (flagging down taxis etc)
■ Restaurants: In fancier restaurants, a service charge (10-12%) is added to bills,
■ Restaurants: In fancier restaurants, a service charge (10-12%) is added to bills, but a 5-10% tip on top of that is common. In fast-food places, tipping is unnecessary.
■ Taxi drivers: 10% on metered fares, but not necessary if you agreed the fare in advance
■ Site custodians: LE 5 if they do something useful, none otherwise
■ Tour drivers: LE 20/day
If you ask a stranger for directions, tips are not necessary and may even be considered offensive. Officials in uniform, such as police officers, should not be tipped, even though a good few will ask you.