For your day to day living, please maintain a comfortable cushion in the form of liquid assets, in a safe place.

I converted a small sum when the Canadian dollar was gaining momentum upwards. I still hold it. Now the commodity markets are trading at a ten year low. Which means that everything will have to fall down to that level first, before it will ever recover.

Travel and its costs will also be brought to that level, as it is also slumping. But since you are about to leave for India, you will find that the seat prices will drop down to $1300 return. (Total) Once the travel and tourism takes a hit other things associated with it will also come down. (Fuel surcharges, hotel rates, etc.,)

Friday, October 31, 2008
1 Canadian Dollar = 43.33161 Indian Rupee
1 Indian Rupee (INR) = 0.02308 Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Interbank rate +/- %
This means:
You buy 1 Canadian Dollar : 43.33161 Indian Rupee
You sell 1 Canadian Dollar : 41.88783 Indian Rupee
Estimated price based on daily US dollar rates.

Currently there is a hectic demand upon the foreign currencies, thanks to Lallu Prasad and the fodder industries. (Sorry about it) Here in the official site they are quoting RUPEE 2.5 as the gap between bid and ask. It is their web site and we have no control over it. (But that is not bad only 2.5%)

But you can get Re. 43.00 +/- and change if you dicker with the local chawalas (rhymes with it,) when you are there in person. 4% charge here is murder, it is about one quarter of the ticket costs for you. (Do the mental math)

Here is a comment from one of the BUYERS: Says.
sell rate and buy rate.com

"Want to know what is sell rate and buy rate. when i went to bank today they said 1$=Rs46.64, i had to send $2500 to united states, according to this site $2500= rs 111650.1 , but i paid Rs 117256."

Here is another comment on the web site.
Friday, October 31, 2008
1 US Dollar = 52.35715 Indian Rupee
1 Indian Rupee (INR) = 0.01910 US Dollar (USD)

That is 5.5 cents or so between the two transactions. One sending and the other one receiving the Rupees, for their day to day use.

They vary from day to day. Worst so on Fridays. Try Mid week to do exchanges, unless you have to do it in a hurry. Exchange rate for US $ is Currently Re.52/- or so, is Extremely good. Expect it to drop to 50 or lower. If you transfer through the banks, they play with it and give you the lowest rates, that you will ever get, unless you have some one specific that you can deal with at the Indian End. Call a few here in Toronto and see what they have to offer.

ICICI - SBI - HSBC - In the states PNB and a few of the local chawalas, you cn see them in the Indian desi news papers.
http://www.icicibank.ca/abouticicibank/aboutus/torontoDonValley.htm
http://www.sbicanada.com/
http://www.hsbc.ca/1/2/en/personal/todays-rates/foreign-exchange-rates
http://www.hsbc.ca/1/2/en/personal/international-services
http://www.hsbc.co.in/1/2/personal/nri-services/usa?WT.srch=1
Please see if this link works. They have a service called XOOM.
http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/financial-services/20061009739.htm

Good Luck.

Freddie.