Weak loonie straining your travel budget? How to still take the trip and save money

For the past few years, Julia Wilson and her mom have planned an annual weekend getaway to New York City for her November birthday that’s typically packed with dinner reservations and shopping.

But Wilson said this year’s celebrations to mark turning 28-years-old were somewhat dulled. Like many Canadians venturing across the border, she said the exchange rate meant having to make budget-conscious decisions on how to spend her money.

“With the U.S. dollar being so high for us Canadians nowadays, it didn’t really seem like there was value for me to do any spending beyond the necessities,” Wilson said.

“If I can take advantage of the sales at home within my own currency, I would much rather do that than just spend while I’m travelling.”

Whether having to scale back vacation spending or deciding to forgo a trip to the U.S., it’s a reality many travellers are contending with this holiday season as the loonie’s value continues to weaken.

The Canadian dollar has been hovering around 70-cents US in recent weeks, a slide that has seen its value depreciate to near-five year lows.

With that in mind, Wilson said it didn’t seem worth it to shop as much on her trip this time around.

“In the past, there were a couple shops in New York that I prioritized in terms of how we planned our itineraries,” she said.

“Because I knew that things were so inflated, I didn’t really have that same drive to go and visit them this year.”

A BMO survey this fall found 79 per cent of Canadians planned to cut back on holiday spending this year, including when it comes to vacations.

Nearly one-third said the cost of international travel — including airplane tickets, lodging and gas — is now too expensive for their budgets, while around 45 per cent said travel is a lower priority as they manage day-to-day expenses.

“(The cost of) things, as we all know, have gone up. When you factor in the U.S. dollar, it means you need 40 per cent more than what you thought if you were just doing a comparison between our dollars,” said Gayle Ramsay, head of everyday banking and customer growth at BMO.

While the survey said Canadians plan on spending an average of more than $1,800 on travel this season, Ramsay said current conditions might make it necessary for some to “find ways to economize” within their budgets or even shorten their stays.

“Maybe you’re not doing the five-star restaurants every night,” she said.

“Maybe you actually plan that you have one special night and then you look for less expensive restaurants, or even some of the entertainment options — you limit that.”

Ramsay also encourages Canadians to take advantage of travel credit cards, especially those that waive foreign transaction fees or accumulate points that can be redeemed to cover expenses abroad.

“What I always say is, ‘Plan for it, save for it, and then track your expenses when you’re actually on vacation,'” she said.

“That way, you don’t get a big surprise when you come back.”

One segment of Canadian travellers that is seemingly undeterred from stateside plans this season is the population of snowbirds — those who make warm destinations such as Florida and Arizona their home for the winter months.

The Canadian Snowbird Association said it expects most of its 115,000 members to temporarily settle in the U.S. sunbelt this season as they do annually.

“The snowbird market tends to be more resilient to fluctuations in currency when compared to the traditional travel market. These individuals tend to own homes in their winter destinations, they’ve established ties within these communities as well,” said spokesman Evan Rachkovsky.

“They’ve already invested a significant amount of money, in most cases, in the maintenance of these winter properties, so because of that, they generally end up travelling.”

Still, Rachkovsky said he expects many Canadian snowbirds will face tougher choices about how they spend their money compared with past years.

“The No. 1 way in which snowbirds mitigate a weaker dollar in these cases is by making changes in their discretionary spending,” he said.

“So eating out, rounds of golf and other outings, those are always the first things to be scaled back on in these situations where the dollar is being impacted.”

Some might also choose to reduce the number of days they’re down south due to the cost of travel medical insurance, which depends on the duration of the trip and can be “quite exorbitant” in the U.S., he added.

For those still mapping out budgets for upcoming trips, Wilson recommended trying to find savings in areas such as transportation and other logistics.

While Ubers or taxis might get you somewhere fast, opting for more budget-friendly methods will ensure money is left over for fun experiences.

“Conveniences might not necessarily be the right choice because it could be more expensive overall,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024.

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press