On Sale!

Now is the time for that trip to Europe . . .

The World Is On Sale For Americans

Americans have long complained that the dollar doesn't buy much anymore. Suddenly, the dollar's problem may be that it buys too much — a change that has huge implications across the global economy for consumers, businesses, investors and governments.

The U.S. currency's value has surged over the last nine months, reaching levels against some world currencies last seen more than a decade ago. In Europe, it now costs just $1.09 to buy one euro, down from $1.37 a year ago and almost $1.50 four years ago.

To put it another way, an American tourist strolling the streets of Paris this April can buy 25% more croissants, cafe au laits or mini Eiffel towers than a year ago with the same dollars.

For Americans, the planet is on sale. In most of the world, the dollar buys significantly more than it did a year ago.

Western Europe gets a lot of the publicity because the euro is the weakest it has been since 2003. But the dollar is up 22% from a year ago in Poland, 20% in Morocco, 14% in Mexico and 12% in South Africa.

That is causing vacation plans to be rethought. "People are saying, 'Maybe we should look at Europe again,' where in the past they had ruled it out," said Wido Schaefer, head of the TravelStore travel agency, which has 10 locations in California.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-king-dollar-20150405-story.html#page=1