buying stuff in the USA vs Canada

Nigel Burnett notes:

>US prices for tools are so-o-o-o cheap with our dollar at 85 cents.

Hang in there. The USD is skidding like a hog on ice.

Charlie Self
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity
has made them good." H. L. Mencken

Charlie Self wrote:

> Hang in there. The USD is skidding like a hog on ice.

A few years ago, right after the Euro came out, I wanted to see one. I
traded dollars for Euros with a guy in Finland. $10 for 10 ?, plus I threw
in a $2 for the hell of it, because it would probably be the only US $2
bill in all of Finland.

I NEVER imagined I would come out on top of that deal. At the time, my 10 ?
note was worth about $9.80. Now it's worth about $13.

That's depressing.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/

Why? All the "buy USA" people should be rejoicing. US - made goods will
now be relatively cheaper than foreign goods. No more export incentives
required - for a while.

The slide will stop when interested overseas parties realize that their
domestic market is too small to support their industrial base. Since we
have an industrial base smaller than our appetite, we'll probably end up
buying less. I think environmentalism will pretty much prevent reexpansion.

It's not as if there's anything real linking the currencies - it's
speculation, not specie.

"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Charlie Self wrote:
>
> > Hang in there. The USD is skidding like a hog on ice.
>
> A few years ago, right after the Euro came out, I wanted to see one. I
> traded dollars for Euros with a guy in Finland. $10 for 10 ?, plus I
threw
> in a $2 for the hell of it, because it would probably be the only US $2
> bill in all of Finland.
>
> I NEVER imagined I would come out on top of that deal. At the time, my 10
?
> note was worth about $9.80. Now it's worth about $13.
>
> That's depressing.

Mark & Juanita wrote:
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 22:51:55 -0500, Silvan
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Charlie Self wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hang in there. The USD is skidding like a hog on ice.
>>I NEVER imagined I would come out on top of that deal. At the time, my 10 ?
>>note was worth about $9.80. Now it's worth about $13.
>>
>>That's depressing.
>
>
> That's the cycle of business. Remember a number of years ago how the
> Japanese Yen kept increasing relative to the dollar and how they were going
> to eat our lunch? Looking at the European economy and widespread
> nanny-state approach to regulating business, it isn't likely that the
> increase we are seeing in the Euro is sustainable (given that the US
> doesn't do something stupid). Now, in the long-run, we probably should be
> more concerned about China, both economically and militarily.

It's a complex situation, but the largest problem is that the U.S.
central bank keeps churning out the dollars with no increase in
underlying real wealth....and price inflation is just catching up.
I would not count on any longterm improvement with the record spending
by the Bush administration. When OPEC decides to switch currencies, the
dollar will plummet....and as you point out, China could easily ruin us
at their whim. Once foreign entities decide that they are getting no
return on purchase of T bills, the game is over. I'd buy whatever tools
I could afford now before the major price increases. (at least if I were
a U.S. resident)

In article <[email protected]>,
Nigel Burnett <[email protected]> wrote:

> US prices for tools are so-o-o-o cheap with our dollar at 85 cents. The
> Makita 6347 is CDN$350 + 15% tax = $400. Amazon is $199-$25, free ship,
> no tax $174=Cdn 210. All I have to do is drive to Vermont for Christmas and
> pick it up.

Living in Ottawa and not having anyone really in the states to have
stuff shipped to, I sometimes wonder if someone opened a store in NY
state just over the border (maybe an hours drive from here), they might
do real well. Or at least a place to have stuff shipped and maybe
provide you with brokerage services to buy stuff from "sale in US only"
stuff.

PK

In article <[email protected]>,
Nigel Burnett <[email protected]> wrote:


> SWMBO thinks putting on the roof racks from Rutland to Toronto is nuts and
> I'm afraid she's right. But anything that fits in the trunk is fair game. :-)
>
> after 48 hours, $200 duty free, afer 7days, $750, (plus flat 7% on next $300
> in either case (+gst/pst))

Makes me think that you can afford a van payment just to x-border shop!
*G*

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 22:51:55 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Charlie Self wrote:
>
>> Hang in there. The USD is skidding like a hog on ice.
>
>A few years ago, right after the Euro came out, I wanted to see one. I
>traded dollars for Euros with a guy in Finland. $10 for 10 ?, plus I threw
>in a $2 for the hell of it, because it would probably be the only US $2
>bill in all of Finland.
>
>I NEVER imagined I would come out on top of that deal. At the time, my 10 ?
>note was worth about $9.80. Now it's worth about $13.
>
>That's depressing.

That's the cycle of business. Remember a number of years ago how the
Japanese Yen kept increasing relative to the dollar and how they were going
to eat our lunch? Looking at the European economy and widespread
nanny-state approach to regulating business, it isn't likely that the
increase we are seeing in the Euro is sustainable (given that the US
doesn't do something stupid). Now, in the long-run, we probably should be
more concerned about China, both economically and militarily.