Travelling to USA in Sept - should we buy some US dollars now?

[Febs]

It's certainly looking good at the moment. I'm off on a 5 week trip, leaving in 7 weeks, and personally I can see it hitting around 90c by then. I've been paying for accommodation this week, and it's been great seeing exchange rates of around ~0.85ish even on a credit-card (I'd prefer to use points-earning cards for accommodation, and my Wizard card for cash).

An excellent time to visit the States.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[trooper]

Me too!

Spending October travelling around the US.... and booking various hotels and cars at the moment... Very nice.

Too bad I'd already paid for the "package" of domestic flights.....

Ah well.... It wasn't a bad rate for that purchase either......

I remember well travelling over there when it was around .50 !!!!!! :shock:

(1998/99 was it???)

 

[garyjohn951]

Don't forget other currencies that are pegged to the US.
If travelling to Hong Kong or China the amount you get is increasing too.

CNY6.666149
HKD6.902801

I remember when they wer just over the 4 to the dollar.

 

[simongr]

Damn - this actually means my hotel costs in Asia this year are "increasing" as the costs get recharged back to the US...

 

[garyjohn951]

Well Simon, everything "That goes around comes around" as they say.

My small Aussie battling company that has to pay in US $ and only just survived the time it was at 0.50c is now enjoying the currency. YES, YES, YES.

Still your US parent is still way in front, it was a long time down below 70 cents.

 

[simongr]

My main concern is pushing us over budget on travel costs and them restricting my travel

 

[garyjohn951]

There are heeps of cheaper 4 star hotels [Eaton hotel ] the Mongkok end of Kowloon that have cheaper rates than the Island or bottom end of Kowloon.
Also the food is better that end, more chinese.

 

[Febs]

I remember well travelling over there when it was around .50 !!!!!! :shock:

Tell me about it...I didn't travel to the US then, but I did purchase US shares! Still made a decent profit when I sold though.

Last real holiday (ie: not a weekend tacked onto the end of a work trip) I took to the US the dollar was about 75c, and we thought that was pretty good.

We have a database at work with the daily exchange rates back to 1992 (monthly before). Quite handy actually (unfortunately for cash expenses, we're supposed to claim them using the exchange rate of the day...which is why I try to use my cards as much as possible in the US.)

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[alect]

the current (and trend of) forex rates US$/AUS$ is moving me to tears. We are moving to Australia in Mar next year and moving a substantial amount of US$ with us - every 1c move in the forex rate is costing us approx $5000.

I remember the glory days when I first moved to the US and came back for visits to Australia and it was US50c to the AUS$ :shock:

 

[simongr]

That's pretty rough alect

 

[oz_mark]

I remember the glory days when I first moved to the US and came back for visits to Australia and it was US50c to the AUS$ :shock:

I certainly remember when the value of the Aussie dollar had declined far enough to be on par with the US$, and then continued sinking!

 

[serfty]

Try this to get an idea (select 10 Years): Oz Forex Foreign Exchange - Long Term Charts

 

[NM]

Of course there was a benefit when the A$ was at US$0.50 for those of us paid a per-diem allowance in the foreign currency. At that time my US per diem worked out to be a nice little reward so long as I lived cheaply while away.

And as my travel costs were funded form the USA, a DONE4 ex-Australia cost something around US$4000 so was easy to justify. Not so easy now.

 

[trooper]

And I must say I feel for Aussie exporters.....

In general, I have always thought that at 75(ish) travelling over there was "OK"....that is in fact the subcobscious rate I apply when thinking about AUD/USD conversion...... so lots of nice surprises now!!

 

[sparoy]

We are travelling in the US right now and at around 88 cents, the AUD is looking pretty good for us now.
We did not prepay anything or exchange any US cash before we left, so it's all going to CC and I must say that Amex is widely accepted here. I only had to resort to my Visa a number of times.
Almost all fast food chains accepted Amex, even entrances to National Parks and museums accepted Amex too.
The only time I have to use cash is for porter and tour guide tips. Unfortunately they don't accept CC

 

[JohnK]

Hmmm.... It must be getting really close to my overseas holiday. The A$ has been taking a hammering the last few days against the US$, the £, the €, the SG$, the THB. Just as well I have prepaid most flights, tours, accommodation and currency exchange....

 

[alect]

Hmmm.... It must be getting really close to my overseas holiday. The A$ has been taking a hammering the last few days against the US$, the £, the €, the SG$, the THB. Just as well I have prepaid most flights, tours, accommodation and currency exchange....

I'm sorry - but at last something for me to smile about (selfishly).

 

[oz_mark]

Hmmm.... It must be getting really close to my overseas holiday. The A$ has been taking a hammering the last few days against the US$, the £, the €, the SG$, the THB. Just as well I have prepaid most flights, tours, accommodation and currency exchange....

Nah. It's just me thinking of booking an international holiday

 

[Tiki]

We are travelling in the US right now and at around 88 cents, the AUD is looking pretty good for us now.
We did not prepay anything or exchange any US cash before we left, so it's all going to CC and I must say that Amex is widely accepted here. I only had to resort to my Visa a number of times.
Almost all fast food chains accepted Amex, even entrances to National Parks and museums accepted Amex too.
The only time I have to use cash is for porter and tour guide tips. Unfortunately they don't accept CC

When transiting NY, I found basically the same thing. All but one shop accepted Amex, we didn't use any tippable services like porters (bags checked through to LHR) or cabs.

 

[drron]

Well if I decide to get some more $US in the next week the Aussie will break 90c.If however I decide to wait it will drop to 83c.
Have not yet decided but maybe I will let you know.

OK blame me.I didnt buy any more US dollars and today I see our dollar now in the 83c. range.
So predictions for the future.Will be leaving the states on 4th october so dollar should rise against US then but fall against the Euro.
Returning to the US on 4th Dec.for 6 weeks.Dont expect any strength in aussie dollar over Christmas,New year period.