Good News

Kaposvár Wed June 15 10:30 23°C/74°F Partly cloudy

In this mornings emails, one newsletter I subscribe to had this to say, which is of special import to us Americans:

"Travel costs are higher this summer, but so is the value of the U.S. dollar.

The euro-to-dollar exchange rate is currently about $1.04, compared with $1.22 this time last year and $1.58 at its high in 2008. Ditto on the British pound, where $1 buys about 82 pence, compared with 70 pence a year ago. And although inflation and increased demand have pushed up prices, the dollar still buys more than it did six months ago, one expert said.

Some tips for capitalizing on this trend: use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees (ask your bank) and select the local currency on a card purchase, if given the choice. Then, while in Paris, sit back and enjoy your €5 cappuccino or glass of wine, which is $5.20 today, but cost $8 in 2008."

I've been enjoying the benefits of the stronger dollar, although I don't understand the reasons why this is, especially with the U.S. stock exchange falling into bear market territory. I'm not complaining; my dollar is worth more against all of the currencies I'm using: the Hungarian forint, the Croatian kuna and the E.U.-wide euro.

May I take this opportunity to once again encourage you to think about a trip to Europe (and to Hungary, and to me, personally). ☺️