exchange rates

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Last January, if I took a US cheque into our Canadian bank, I would get $1.10 Canadian per US dollar. Today I would get 92 1/2 cents. That is a 17 1/2% drop in about 10 months. (You guys got to talk to your government...)

How has this been affecting you Americans? Or the other countries in the world that deal with the US?

[Brandon]

I just turned down a job that pays in US$.

Just like having a pay cut every month.

Hope it will recovers soon.

[Jordan]

it has been a long time 10+yrs since I delivered a load of avacados to Calgary in January. I remember being real cold, my fuel jelled and I got stuck there for 3 days and a pack of smokes cost me about 8 dollars US. I need to move to arizona even thinking about it I got cold. The drive west from calgary was stunning hiway 1 I think, a very beautiful country. The exchange rates will straighten out eventually, they always seem to anyway.

[Beaverslayer]

Jordan, you must of hit Calgary on a bad January day. There are times here in the dead of winter elswhere when it hits 60 degrees or higher. We have the wonderful chinook winds.

But back to the dollar, for me it seems something has gone wrong. In the last two days I've gotten orders from people in California, and when I tell them it's in Canadian dollars, thats okay with them. So basically I've gotten a raise.

To think it's been 130 years since our dollar was this high compared to the US dollar. And it really helps when I purchase stuff from the US.

Ken

[Jordan]

every penny helps these days, I am hoping disability gets a little cost of living raise this year, its hard to adjust from two full time salaries to less than one. Especially after 25 years of getting used to having money. LOL by the way I really like those Mocs you made, how do you attach crepe soles to them?

[unicornwoman]

Yeah, it's hitting me. I need to order supplies from Australia and the US dollar has fallen quite a bit just in the last few weeks. That means higher kangaroo prices. AGAIN.

[greg gomersall]

It's affected me as well cause my tree makers keep raising their prices! You pass it on to the customer. I have been writing more saddle orders for Canadians lately than I was when their dollar was only worth $.66 US a few short years ago. Greg

[Art]

Everyone (except the Chinese) seems to think that the rest of the world (meaning not US) is happy about their currencies strength against the dollar. Quite the contrary! Non-US products (except commodity products like oil) are at a disadvantage in the US because the US product competition is now at times less expensive than a comparable import. The Chinese are the exception because they key their currency to ours. Not that they couldn't do it before, but now Boeing can open a can of whoopass on Airbus even WITH the European subsidy of Airbus. Things are relative here in the US, if the product is American made or put more realistically, the more US it is, the better it will compete because here a dollar is still a dollar. We just have to make sure the Fed keeps inflation at bay. So, buy good US hides preferably tanned here, and buy quality US tools, and but quality Chinese machinery (there is still a distinction between quality Chinese and crap Chinese) while the Yuan is still indexed tightly to the dollar.

Art

Last January, if I took a US cheque into our Canadian bank, I would get $1.10 Canadian per US dollar. Today I would get 92 1/2 cents. That is a 17 1/2% drop in about 10 months. (You guys got to talk to your government...)

How has this been affecting you Americans? Or the other countries in the world that deal with the US?

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Greg, that is a problem, isn't it. Too bad we aren't making more with all those "price hikes". : Frustrating, I'll say... So, until you guys start using the Canadian dollar as your currency, I guess we play the game... (Hope you didn't turn ALL your money over at 66 cents when you moved down there.)

Edited November 2, 2007 by Rod and Denise Nikkel

[barra]

I agree with Art. The US dollar is hurting Aus exporters (and other countries)but for me the tourist the Aus dollar value against the US dollar is fantastic. At present i get 92 US cents to the Aus dollar. Travelling to the US when the Oz dollar was 55 US cents used to hurt.

Barra

Edited November 2, 2007 by barra

[candyleather]

In Europe 1 € = $1.45

1- I am buying a lot of tools for leathercraft and books to the USA while the american dealers don't raise the price to me because only there I can get the tools I need, not all and not always. I can not sell my articles in the USA because now are expensive for northamericans.

2- In Europe, we are forced to pay the arabian petrol in USA dollars (american rules imposed for the petrol business), we can not do it with european euros by the moment. If we pay in euros, petrol could be more unexpensive for us.

3- The petrol in Europe is more cheap than some months ago, but the gas station does not cut the prices (the World is a trick, a fraud. How unfair!).

4- The worst for the USA would be to do her payments of the petrol in euros but nowadays they are the boss of the international business. The dollar is the winner always!, for macroeconomics, not for the american and european citizens.

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Yesterday, it was 92.5 cents Canadian for one US dollar. Today, 91.15. Almost 1 1/2 cents difference. Not a lot on a $10.00 purchase, but when you start getting into the big ticket items, it makes a BIG difference.

As far as the world not being fair, why are Canadians still going to the States and paying thousands of dollars less for the same vehicle as what they would in Canada? And why are the manufacturers telling US dealers they can lose their license to sell that brand if they knowingly sell to Canadians, and refusing to honor warranties in Canada if the vehicle was purchased in the States?

Edited November 3, 2007 by Rod and Denise Nikkel