The Canadian Dollar

[Melody]

Seems our loonie went higher than it has since 1977 yesterday! It hit 0.9874 and closed at 0.9864.

Great news for most, certainly for those of us who shop in the US. Not so good for those who receive payments in US funds here in Canada, like moi. I can remember not too long ago when I estimated how much my US cheques were worth by adding 50%. In January, 2002, it was at 0.6202 US. It went up 13.9% just this year. I save more than I lose overall though, so that rocks. The airlines are negatively impacted so we may see prices go up.

Looks like we'll reach parity within the month. How is it impacting you? Will you be doing more Christmas shopping across the border? Is it bad news for your business?

[KnaveTO]

I deal in a fair number of US$ transactions with travel and thought I was being smart and bought US$100,000 when it was at CA$1.05... kicking myself now

[Katalyst]

Still have my US bank account and recieve payments in US funds. Can't have Canadian one of my own until I'm landed so its my account in the Troopers name which drives me nuts.

Offtopic sorta: I still constantly compare shop which makes me insane and still go back to the States for clothes or any purchases over $100. PST, GST & import tax kill it every time for me.

[WaterPond]

We are feeling the effects here. Being a border town... we are no longer getting american visitors... and too many canadians are shopping in the states. More than three hour waits at the bluewater bridge to get over there.

I say that the american economy is benefiting from this more that the canadian economy.

[Melody]

Apparently Vancouver isn't concerned about how it could impact the 2010 Olympics... although I smell smoke...

Vancouver Says Strong Canadian Dollar Not a Problem (http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=9c5ef052-49bc-4b4c-8986-a276b51d47a1)

[PPulcher]

We're at par today...

[thegrandpoohbah]

If only I had time to head south of the border to do some fish shopping...

[hp10BII]

We're at par today...

May be time to do some early online Christmas shopping. Prices are still skewered to our disadvantage though. Check US prices @ Big Al's online vs Canadian and they're still miles apart. Has to do with "demographics" and "market share"...phooey!!

[Melody]

That's the beauty of it, we can go down there and get stuff that is just plain cheaper now. Before it was cheaper but you had to factor in the exchange and often didn't end up too far ahead.

I'll always buy local fish if they happen to have what I want, even if they cost a bit more. Its important to me and the hobby to keep these stores <aheam> afloat.

[Katalyst]

If only I had time to head south of the border to do some fish shopping...

Whatcha looking for? I go back every month.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Whatcha looking for? I go back every month.
The usual, tanks and equipment. Not that I should get anything else right now with the impending move and all...

[KnaveTO]

overnight trading has it at US$0.99704 to CA$1.00 and there are reports that the CA$ is still going to go higher!

[PPulcher]

Check US prices @ Big Al's online vs Canadian and they're still miles apart. Has to do with "demographics" and "market share"...phooey!!

I think it also might have something to do with their Franchise holders. If I had a franchise, I sure wouldn't want the company to undercut me on the internet!

[hp10BII]

I think it also might have something to do with their Franchise holders. If I had a franchise, I sure wouldn't want the company to undercut me on the internet!

Same here, but I still find the odd items cheaper online...one item 33% cheaper and it wasn't even a sale price. I'd rather buy in person...saves s&h.

[hp10BII]

overnight trading has it at US$0.99704 to CA$1.00 and there are reports that the CA$ is still going to go higher!

I'm hearing some reports predicting US$1.05 to CA$1.00 within the year...

[ChrissyFishy]

There is talk about a common currency too!!! I don't know if that is a good idea or not.:wideeyed:

[KnaveTO]

Well it is official... the CAD is now worth more than the USD

As for the common currency, that conversation has been going on for over a decade.

[ChrissyFishy]

But now its actually doable. Before it just made the americans laugh out loud :laugh:

[Melody]

LOL True enough! I don't think it will happen, can't see the point really and we don't need to be assimulated into the US. They'd love to swallow us whole and I definitly don't want that.

[KnaveTO]

Every time I hear talk about a common currency from the US side of the boarder there is also comments made that the US will not change its' systems over to another countries, so therefore all the talk is about Canada and Mexico switching to US style systems. Sorry... by my vote is no on that one.

No offence there Kat... ;)

[Katalyst]

Every time I hear talk about a common currency from the US side of the boarder there is also comments made that the US will not change its' systems over to another countries, so therefore all the talk is about Canada and Mexico switching to US style systems. Sorry... by my vote is no on that one.

No offence there Kat... ;)

None taken, I wouldn't want the US to switch currency any more then Canadians would want to loose theirs.


:offtopic:
When I first moved here in July 2006, I never used my loonies or toonies, just chucked into the black hole that is my handbag. In November I finally couldn't carry my handbag around. I had $180 in loonies and toonies in my bag lol. I remember the time frame because immediately I ran to Big Al's and got a new tank. :laugh:
This was also a conversation one day.
Me: 'Hey do you have any singles?'
Him:'What? What do you mean singles?' I said 'You know one dollar bills'.
Me: 'Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I just thought no one was giving them to me'.
Him: Hysterical laughter at stupid jingoistic American lol.

[Melody]

You're lucky he didn't answer the 'Do you have an singles?' with "Yeah, but she means nothing to me.":laugh:

[KnaveTO]

Kat... that is so funny... I will have to dig about here for a Canadian $1 and $2 dollar bill for you... they did exist at one time... honest!

[CACAdmin]

I would not have been surprised at your request for 'singles', Kat. Having worked as a bus driver at a hotel for years I dealt with tourists from around the world. Then of course, too, people had problems remembering which coin was which. I made it easy by telling them it was easy to distinguish between Loonies and Toonies... namely the one color was one dollar (equal to a 'single'), the two color one was equal to two dollars (or two 'singles')... that they could remember.

Of course, many tourists saved old Canadian currency for when they came back to Canada (often 5-10 years later) so we would often see One dollar bills (singles to you Kat :;): ) and Two dollar bills.

I've kept a bunch of old bills for fun... they're still valid currency. However, I hate to think of the look I might get if I tried to pay for something at the corner store if there was a teenager working there... they probably would think I was trying to rip them off. :laugh:

[Melody]

We're not king of the hill yet though - we're weakening against the Euro (http://www.rttnews.com/article.asp?date=09/25/2007&item=320&sym=EUR/CAD), if ever so slightly.

Our thriving economy has been acknowledged by the US, which I think is very sportsman-like of them...lol...can't deny it I suppose.

[Katalyst]

Ahhh the almighty Euro...Drives me nuts when I go to Ireland to see the family and watch them cut my money in half.

[Melody]

Well that's just mean. :(

If you wanted that to happen, you could just stay here and marry a woman.:laugh:

[Katalyst]

Well that's just mean. :(

If you wanted that to happen, you could just stay here and marry a woman.:laugh:

:rofl: :err: :BOLTS:

[Melody]

Well that's a first - I just Paypaled $166 USD to a breeder and it cost me $165.80 Canadian. Very nice!

[CACAdmin]

Cool! :thumbup: ... but of course I sadly look at the US$ that I had saved for a rainy day dwindle in value.:( Oh well, that's life.

[grumpystiltskin]

Well that's a first - I just Paypaled $166 USD to a breeder and it cost me $165.80 Canadian. Very nice!

LOL we just did the same thing today, we bought our son an xbox for$100 US ,and it cost us $98 canadian. got to love that :laugh:

[Katalyst]

Well that's a first - I just Paypaled $166 USD to a breeder and it cost me $165.80 Canadian. Very nice!

Hello!!!!!????!!! What did ya get? lol

[Melody]

Cool! :thumbup: ... but of course I sadly look at the US$ that I had saved for a rainy day dwindle in value.:( Oh well, that's life.



I fine excuse to declare a rainy day and go cross-border shopping!

[Melody]

LOL we just did the same thing today, we bought our son an xbox for$100 US ,and it cost us $98 canadian. got to love that :laugh:

The newest one? Where?! My Son wants one and I'm thinking hundreds and hundreds for a game player and he won't be getting much else.

[Melody]

Hello!!!!!????!!! What did ya get? lol

Both breeders are sending fancies - Platy's, Mollies, Swordtails, all different in one way or another than I already have. I couldn't reach the other one in time for this border run so I'll have to get that one later - he has the wild-types that I want. Both breeders didn't finalize until today and it has to be shipped tomorrow U C.:wideeyed:

[grumpystiltskin]

The newest one? Where?! My Son wants one and I'm thinking hundreds and hundreds for a game player and he won't be getting much else.

Oh no, not the newest one, they want hundreds for those , we think $100 is enough, it comes with 16 games, which we feel is quite a good deal,

[Melody]

Absolutely! He has all of the other players so I wouldn't worry about it, but there's so little that he wants so if I don't get it, I'm left trying to figure out what else to get. He needs a cell phone now so that's one. :Dunno:

[jordonsmum]

we'll be doing all of our Xmas shopping in Canada. But Shawn just popped the question and we're getting remarried. He ordered my ring from the states and saved a few hundred dollars and it sounds like me might save some on a real honeymoon this time.

Hope the change isn't hitting anyone too hard!!! :no: