Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Fiscal paranoia

I don't get out much, but when I do, it seems that the foreign exchange currency rate always bends to my disadvantage. I thought I was making this up until I checked the last couple of years GBP versus AED. The AED is pegged against the USD. This is a complete list of recent trips to Europe and the States:-

  • June 2004: 6.69
  • July 2004: 6.82 The pound gets 2% more expensive just as I arrive in the UK.

  • June 2005: 6.70
  • July 2005: 6.38 The pound gets 5% cheaper just as I leave the UK.

  • April 2006: 6.39
  • May 2006: 6.82 The pound gets 7% more expensive just as I arrive in the UK.

  • July 2007: 7.57
  • August 2007: 7.32 The dollar gets 3% more expensive, just as I leave for the USA.

    Players on the foreign currency exchange markets may like to know that I'm next due out of the UAE in December 2007.

    It's a similar story with the UK housing market. I buy a house in 1991 at the nadir of the house price slump. The value remains unchanged for the next eight years. I sell the house in 1999 for more or less what I paid for it, and within nanoseconds it'd doubled in value, doubling again over the following five years. I owe it to everyone involved in the property market in Dubai not to buy anything. The Goat is more than capable of single-hoofedly causing an immediate property crash.
    • Posted by at
    Labels: , ,

    2 comments:

    Mme Cyn said...

    And I'm going to marry this fiscal Typhoid Mary?

    4:34 pm
    nzm said...

    Mme Cyn: heh - separate bank accounts and travel is recommended!

    Grumpy: stop travelling for our sakes!

    To the two of you: thinking of you and all the very best for your upcoming nuptials! Have a fab time in the US.

    11:14 am

    Post a Comment

    Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
     

    The opinions expressed in this weblog are the works of the Grumpy Goat, and are not necessarily the opinions shared by any person or organisation who may be referenced. Come to that, the opinions may not even be those of the Grumpy Goat, who could just be playing Devil's Advocate. Some posts may be of parody or satyrical [sic] nature. Nothing herein should be taken too seriously. The Grumpy Goat would prefer that offensive language or opinions not be posted in the comments. Offensive comments may be subject to deletion at the Grumpy Goat's sole discretion. The Grumpy Goat is not responsible for the content of other blogs or websites that are linked from this weblog. No goats were harmed in the making of this blog. Any resemblance to individuals or organisations mentioned herein and those that actually exist may or may not be intentional. May contain nuts.