Shrinking Canadian dollar

John&Joey wrote:

ipeltier wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
We are about 7 years away from turning 60 and ending our snowbird lifestyle in the USA.

Why would you end the snowbird lifestyle at 60?

I'm guessing the snowbird lifestyle isn't ending, just the USA part of it. I'm betting it'll have to do with the cost of medical coverage, but like you, I'm curious about the logic.

Mmm, The medical coverage may have an effect on it but its actually a little more complicated than that. We still work every summer and need to be within a reasonable driving distance to our home. There are a few reasons for this but suffice to say we are somewhat limited right now. Once we hit 61 we intend to be fully retired and are able to snowbird in a much bigger circle. Assuming health and mobility is good that will include the rest of the Americas, certainly southern europe and north africa and a few other places on the list. I can see a few months every winter in Southern Spain which we have come to love and will be heading back to in a couple months. Re travel insurance: It is a lot cheaper if not travelling to the US but I don't think that would be a main driver. We enjoy our time in the US and have seen a lot of it. We enjoy time with our American friends and hope to continue to for years. Having said that, we enjoy a variation in culture, language and history that is somewhat limited in Canada and the US. Certainly Mexico has much to offer in North America but there are many interesting places to snowbird and while we can we hope to be able to visit more of them.


Many new Canadian snowbirds are finding places like Costa Rica and Ecuador as interesting alternatives to the US experience. Spain as well but it is better suited for those only looking for a three month get away from the cold as there is a 90 day visa limit. This changes for those who buy real estate there but that won't be us. Although, show me the right deal in Sevilla and you never know. :)

ipeltier wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
We are about 7 years away from turning 60 and ending our snowbird lifestyle in the USA.

Why would you end the snowbird lifestyle at 60?

I'm guessing the snowbird lifestyle isn't ending, just the USA part of it. I'm betting it'll have to do with the cost of medical coverage, but like you, I'm curious about the logic.

ipeltier wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
We are about 7 years away from turning 60 and ending our snowbird lifestyle in the USA.

Why would you end the snowbird lifestyle at 60?

60-7=53

John & Angela wrote:
We are about 7 years away from turning 60 and ending our snowbird lifestyle in the USA.

Why would you end the snowbird lifestyle at 60?

gitane: Yes, there are still lots of examples of Canadian companies gouging us. Just wait until spring when all the Canadian outfits will raise their prices due to the exchange rate. Unless oil goes up a whole bunch I really think we will see a 65 cent dollar. That would mean paying almost 1.55( plus fees) for a US$.

Moisheh

moisheh wrote:
The example of cheese being cheaper in the USA needs some clarification. I cannot see where cheese in the USA is anywhere near the robbery process wepay in Canada. Canada has all those thieving market boards that keep dairy price artificially high so dairy farmers can become billionaires. Canadian cheese makers pay those high prices for milk. In the rest of the world cheese makers pay a very low price for milk as it is "surplus" milk. Even with exchange cheese should be at least 25% less in the USA.

Moisheh

I guess this means that American cheese is cheaper when enjoyed with my wine when I am whining about paying the exorbitant prices for some things in Canada.
Case in point is a brand of specialty face soap marketed in the US for $6.67 per bar and in Canada at over $22 per bar. Just picked up 3 bars for my DW in the US for less than the price of one in Canada.
Even with a 40% exchange rate this is just plain nutty what the Canadian distributor thinks he can sell it for and even nuttier are any Canadians that would pay this exorbitant price.

The example of cheese being cheaper in the USA needs some clarification. I cannot see where cheese in the USA is anywhere near the robbery process wepay in Canada. Canada has all those thieving market boards that keep dairy price artificially high so dairy farmers can become billionaires. Canadian cheese makers pay those high prices for milk. In the rest of the world cheese makers pay a very low price for milk as it is "surplus" milk. Even with exchange cheese should be at least 25% less in the USA.

Moisheh

First year we started vacationing down south for a couple weeks in both the Spring and Fall was 2004. Yesterday we sat down and looked at the exchange rate history and realized the exchange rate is 2004 was slightly worse than it is now and we still went were thrilled to go south the first trip. We are still hoping to retire in about 18 month's but worse than the exchange rate is the recession my investments are in due to the decline in the resource driven Canadian stock market and the complete stagnation of income growth for the past 6 years in the industry that I chose to make my career in. While I have never been laid off I feel like I have been living on a fixed income for 6 years as that how long it's been since I got any raises. On top of that with the decline in the Canadian dollar and that fact that the company I work for must report profit in US dollars to the US parent company all bonuses have been either slashed or outright cancelled this year as well.

All right that's enough of my B-itching, as my DW says be happy you are healthy and on the good side of the grass. :B

May not head south this winter for the first time in 12 years as we are seriously looking at downsizing to a fixer upper renovation project retirement cottage in a small lakefront community and I will need my vacation time to do major renovations to the cottage. Still will be nice staying in the RV on the treed 1/3rd acre lot that the house sit's on.

It is a great time for those from the US to purchase a Canadian made factory direct trailer. Escape Trailer Industries (sells 17' - 21' tow behind & 5th Wheel fiberglass "eggs") has the entire 2016 factory output already sold.

toolttime wrote:
Everything in the U.S. is still cheaper then in Canada with the exchange rate low.

Hmmmm. Might be a California thing but we are not finding that here. Some things yes but certain vegies and fruits for sure not. Fuel is about the same. We had to replace our tires here on the smart car. Checked back home and they were a little cheaper, not much. Plane tickets to europe are cheaper in Canada right now. Gotta shop.