It's impossible to determine the "best time" to buy currency because currency fluctuations aren't in any respect predictable over a long period of time.

Thanks for that - shall watch carefully, means the area we were looking at property has just got better !

One thing you can do is set up a trigger where you agree to buy a certain amount of currency at a rate you specify. You are obviously contractually bound but the nice thing is that currencies can spike overnight and you'd never know it by the time you're munching your breakfast. I managed to get some better deals over a period of one year, moving money from Canada to UK. I would be cautious bringing all my money over to Canada with the rate as it is. It's been like this for some time having reached about 1.45 a few years back and peaking at about 1.65. At least the decline seems to have subsided but I don't envy people exchanging at any of those rates.

I think it's a fair bet that there will be a spike after the next election if the LibTorDems get thrown out. But it probably won't last long, particularly if Labour replace them.

Ultimately, it's not likely to improve a lot so long as the British economy is doing much worse than the Canadian economy.

1.60 now

There will come a point where the level is such that going back to the UK would be irresistible.

Oh no, there wouldn't.

Maybe not for you. But at 1.2 or 1.3 I'd seriously consider it.

At anything like that I'd consider staying in Canada where my pension would be a more liveable amount.

I'm obviously more concerned about the C$/Euro rate.

But not that much.

Another dropping day - now $1.60 to the £.

Only 40 more cents to drop then I will be happy !!!!

I'm a bit confused by that. From your earlier posts I'd understood that you have some capital from a house sale in the UK (presumably in Sterling), and are wondering when to move into C$?

If that's correct why would a drop of 40c help?

I'd like the CAD$ to stay strong against the GBP for the next 3 weeks while I'm spending in the UK. Then it can got the other way again.

Sorry, bad use of terminology, meant I am holding out for $2 for a pound. I know I may have a very, very long wait !

I dream of that!

It would be a 25% pay increase for me.

Hard to see how the £ will appreciate (in the medium term) with a slacking economy and Carney at the helm. C$ could depreciate if global resource demand slows. My guess is 1.60-1.80 over the next two years.