How much lower can the CAN $ drop?

[PanamaMike]

Another record low yesterday.
This is so depressing.
Has our shrinking dollar made any of you rethink your vacation plans?
It hurt my wallet two years ago when it cost $1.50 for a US $. Now it's $1.64....ouch.
Is it possible by the end of the year we'll see a $1.70.

 

[eleanor]

I hear that the only way is down. No more usa trips for now for me.

 

[SandraC]

I know what you mean. Last April's trip dollar was about 1.55, this April's trip is 1.62 or more! I was very luck to have saved a bunch of USF from last year and got a great rate from a business transaction with the bank for USF. Cash exchange isn't the problem, VISA is the problem! Last year the exch was about 1.55, VISA bill came in at 1.58!

 

[kellyla]

Alot of the analysts are still predicting a 65-70 cent loonie by the end of the year.We were planning an early December vacation to WDW but because of the dollar we have decided to put it off until next year(have DH convinced to go the week before and the week of Christmas next year)So hopefully by vacation time the dollar wont be lower than the peso,LOL!

 

[cottontail]

Yes, we have not been back for 6 years and we were finally going this april. Because of the long and grueling drive down, I thought we would stay a few days longer than the usual 7 night stay, but now I am rethinking it.

Sandra: I keep telling people that when you put your trip on visa somewhere along the line they add their share on top of the exchange rate, and no one believes me. I think they might add something like 2% on top for their services or something like that. I guess we will try to take travellers cheques from CAA, to compensate. Although visa is alot more handy than carrying all those cheques.

Deb.

 

[SandraC]

Deb, we just started using our AMEX card to book vacation. We get AirMiles and a few perks from the WHITE GLOVE TREATMENT.

 

[TimNDansMom]

We usually travel to the USA for vacations and have "absorbed" the declining loonie over the years by cutting back on some things we might otherwise have done while on vacation.

Although, it did at least cost us less for gasoline during our New Year's trip this year, I have to agree that when I saw my visa bill from the trip, I gasped at the 1.62... exchange rate!

I just booked our March Break trip, remembering what a great spirit lifter it was last year when we went, but I have to admit I have some trepidation about this year. It seems, now that we finally have money freed up to travel more, it's costing us more, so we are no farther ahead!

 

[DCinNs]

The low dollar is a kick in the pants for sure! But if you buy your passes here....USF at par, Seaworld & Bush Gardens at par, Disney tickets buy one - second at 1/2 price, POR @ $89.00/ night, car rental from Dollar at $133.97/ week full size, air miles for the plane tickets, etc...It is only costing us $1000.00 more than last time in "99 and we are staying two weeks instead of one & last time we stayed at ASM. So if you figure in all the factors its not bad!!!

 

[hockey mom]

It is a killer. I buy as much as I can through work, because we are still exchanging at $1.40. Unfortunately it does not come in as often as I would like.
I also priceline a couple of nights to offset the cost
Buy the CDN special for Disney and Universal.
This year rented points from a dvc member-big savings
Also bought some connection vouchers form the nice people on these boards, and these cut my food budget in half, but way better eating.(great deal for Pepper market)
Have a cottage on Georgian bay, so my free week in the summer leaves more money for Disney.
Every little bit helps, but in the end I would still pay it because my family looks forward to this trip every year.

 

[DCinNs]

Just came across this old tread... some things sure have changed!!!!

 

[bababear_50]

Gheeeeeeeeeeesh Louise ,,my heart be still
I just added on points today to my DVC and yah all gave me heart failure,,,,,,,till I noticed the date ,,wooooooooooh breathe Mel........

it's my birthday and treated myself -- now I'm glad I did this in 2008 and not 2002.
Hugs
mel

 

[DCinNs]

sorry Mel!

 

[SherylWrites]

Nearly had a heart attack! I'm so glad these things are dated!

 

[jenkh]

OMG let this be a lesson to look at the date first.

I literally stopped breathing LOL

 

[drag n' fly]

Right now the international oil and gas show is on in Calgary and some of the speculators are estimating that oil could go as high as 250.00 a barrel . I am planning to go back to work this fall as the youngest is going into grade 1. I may be riding my bike to work! It will be interesting to bring this thread up again and see where the dollar and oil is at a later date and what the price of gas is!

 

[Narnia]

Oh my I actually almost freaked out but then I forgot I bought something off the net @ 1 CAD = 0.953244USD.

 

[highland3]

But then a government minister from Saudi Arabia says there is no reason for the price jumps for oil....

 

[DCinNs]

But then a government minister from Saudi Arabia says there is no reason for the price jumps for oil....

The price of oil is driven mostly by speculators & investors.

 

[drag n' fly]

But then a government minister from Saudi Arabia says there is no reason for the price jumps for oil....

Mostly because Saudi Arabia has lost control of the top spot for oil producers. The BRIC 4 have become the four countries controlling the production of oil with Russia being the top producer now. It is all about supply and demand. The demand has increased due to the population increase and supply has not kept up so oil is high. It costs companies more to produce the oil now so their is supposedly less profit and more cost which is passed on to the consumer eg: price of gas. Personally I think the whole thing is a conspiracy theory and prices are artificially inflated so they can gouge the little guys to death.

 

[tiggerrr]

Right now the international oil and gas show is on in Calgary and some of the speculators are estimating that oil could go as high as 250.00 a barrel . I am planning to go back to work this fall as the youngest is going into grade 1. I may be riding my bike to work! It will be interesting to bring this thread up again and see where the dollar and oil is at a later date and what the price of gas is!

I also like to track where the price of DVC is over time in conjunction with the dollar. At the start of 2002, Disney was selling DVC points at $75 a point. With the dollar around $1.62 (not included any bank percentages added on), that meant we would have paid $121.50 per point in Canadian dollars. Right now, DVC is $104 a point at $1.02 conversion which is $106 per point. We've done one add on this year and I have to admit it is hard not to do any more to lock in more of the vacation cost in case we see a reversal of the dollar five years from now.