Topic: Funny Money

[|BUG| Shamu]

For a long time U.S. Citizens have poked fun at the Canadian dollar referring to it as "funny money".

Well, it looks like the table has turned with the U.S. Dollar losing value:

The U.S. dollar fell further against the Canadian dollar after reaching parity for the first time since 1976 on Thursday. One Canadian dollar bought $1.0068 in U.S. currency at its highest point Friday before edging down to $1.0022 in afternoon New York trading.

The Canadian dollar has experienced a summer of record highs on soaring crude prices and a strong economy.

And don't even begin to mention the US Dollar against the Euro

Should be tourist time in the U.S.

As the Price is Right announcer would say....."Come on down!"

[|BUG| Seven]

yes..Euro owns dollar... but we can;t buy anything from USA without paying a fortune in customs fines.

ok my fellow Bugs, any of you knows WHY when something is imported from US to EU we have to pay SO much money in custom fines?

Last time I ordered a simple dvd from USA (25$ cost under the customs limit ) it took it 8 months to arrive to Greece! 7 months the dvd was at the german and greek customs!!!!!

An american friend of my sis, expected a parcel from US with some studies papers. Unfortunately for her, her folks included in the parcel a pair of used Prada sunglasses that she had forgoten when she visited them. Greek Customs opened the parcel and put a fine of 200 euros (!!!!!!!!!!) for the used sunglasses. This is insane!

The other day I ordered some t-shirt for a friend from US, total cost of 79$. The airport customs asked me to pay...hold your breath... 300 EUROS as a fine!! We refused to pay and receive the parcel and of course we lost our money (the idea that an idiot customs officer is now wearing those tshirts that I PAIED  for makes me wanna go  )

And its not only in Greece, its all over EU (in Greece the delays are bigger)

This is REDICULUS!!

This shitty situation has been aggravated the last 3-4 years or so. Before we had no problems ordering from Amazon.com or buying from ebay.com. Nowdays it's almost mission impossible.

Anyone of you knows why there is no kind of commercial agreement between US and EU?
To protect the EU market since US products are usually cheaper?
Then why we dont protect EU market from China? We get millions of cheap goodies from China. I can order expensive stuff from hong hong or Australia and receive in express time without customs interferance.


S.

[|BUG| Shamu]

The customs / import taxes are, IMHO, an unfair way that countries protect their own manufacturers by raising the cost of foreign imports.

Simply tax imports and make them to cost prohibitive to buy.

If we applied similar taxes to make foreign goods more costly to Americans they would all be crying "Unfair".

While we do apply customs and import taxes ours are usually not as restrictive as other countries unless the relations have deteriorated into a trade war.

[|BUG| The Original MacG]

For a long time U.S. Citizens have poked fun at the Canadian dollar referring to it as "funny money".

Can t wait to go to the US to spend my "Monopoly Money"  now...

I can make better and better deal on ebay too... 

[|BUG| Shamu]

When I would go to Buffalo on business I would occaisionally stay on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls because of the favorable exchange rate.

Now it strictly comes down to the dollar for dollar price.

Something I have also noticed in my years on earth. It seems non - U.S. residents are more concious of the currency exchange rates than U.S. citizens.

Having personally met people from Italy, Ireland, Canada, Britain, Mexico, Japan and Costa Rica I can say all of them are very concious of exchange rates. My fellow Americans seem not to know or even care

Maybe that's just it, we just don't seem to care. (Or are just to darn stupid to care.)

[|BUG| Hutler]

Sterling Rocks

It's down against the Euro but flying high against the $

I'm already pricing holidays in Florida this year instead of mainland Europe.

It's almost as good as back in the late 80's early 90's when it was nearly 2 bucks to the pound.

 

Hut

[|BUG| Shamu]

On the money issue but not exchange rate:

It has been ruled by US courts that our money discriminates against blind people. It's all the same size and all paper bills feel the same.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money21-2008may21,0,5584497.story

Usually I do not support many of the discrimination bills before the courts but in this case I do.

Must be tough having to depend on others to sort out your paper money for you because you are blind.

I am in support of changes to our bills so they can each be individually distinguished.

This would really keep the wallet makers and vending machine manufacturers busy for awhile.