Good time to go to the USA???

Bartron wrote:Question for those of you who go to the U.S for shopping. Are you really saving that much money after you factor in the gas for the drive there and back, hotel, food, and gas for transportation while your there? Or is it more for the fun of shopping in another country? I've often wondered if it was worth it after you factor all the cost's associated with travel.

I've been to the states a few times but never specifically for shopping.

I don't think it's possible to save money if you go down just to shop...but if you combine it with a vacation or a long weekend getaway then it's possible to get some great deals. I'm hoping it get's back up around $1.05 to 1.10 US by fall like it was back in fall 2007. I went to Vegas that year in August and it was awesome to exchange for US dollars at the bank and get more US currency back than I was exchanging. If I remember correctly I was getting roughly $1.02 US to 1$ CA at the bank.

There is a part of me that feels a little selfish when we talk like this about the US dollar. A friend of mine runs a business and most of his sales are to the US. Its times like this that he is really hurting.

What has always bugged me is the disparity in prices for books and magazines between here and the US.....a real point of irony is when the book was printed by Friesens in Altona but sold for as much as ten dollars less in the States....hmmmm.

As well if one is ordering online make sure your goods are shipped by USPS and NOT UPS.....this is another rip off which is why making a trip can be worthwhile as we really get dinged by the courier companies. As well, because of complications with tariffs and trade agreements many companies in the States will no longer ship to Canada.....

So, looking at the above examples, there are many good reasons to make a trip or like some have done, get a mailbox in Pembina.

Looks like it's time to start shopping:

Loonie & Dollar at par

AGEsAces wrote:Looks like it's time to start shopping:

Loonie & Dollar at par

Minneapolis here I come!

Freeman wrote:There is a part of me that feels a little selfish when we talk like this about the US dollar. A friend of mine runs a business and most of his sales are to the US. Its times like this that he is really hurting.

How does he act when the cycle is in the other direction? Does he get an advantage then? That is the nature of the ebb and flow of exchange rates.

And the benefits of making capital investments now can offset the losses of selling to the USA.

I'll be honest, I don't feel too bad for Canadian retailers who refuse to pass the savings of a strong Canadian dollar once it has stabilized to the new high for a few months. The last time we reached parity for over a year retailers were still extremely reluctant to pass on any savings to Canadian consumers. At that point they are basically telling the consumer that they don't care if you go south to shop. When there's a 30% or greater difference in the cost of similar goods then people don't mind the 2hr drive south once or twice a year.

I can understand being reluctant to drop prices on inventory that was purchased with a weaker Canadian dollar, but after a few months once that stock is gone they have no excuse not adjust pricing to closer reflect the current strength of the dollar. I would prefer to spend my money in Canada and support our own economy but there's no way I'm going to pay 30% or more for any big ticket items I can fit in my truck.

Mizp really hit the nail on the head with the book and magazines as well. Canadian pricing is attrocious. Luckily my wifes Kindle books keep getting cheaper as the dollar continues climbing.

Manufacturing is going to take the hit. A few friends of mine who work in the industry and worried, alot of the contracts they have are with the US.

This is a capitalist system, not without its vagaries. I wonder what would happen if oil were to start creeping up again?

This is off topic but I went into Safeway yesterday and went to the meat counter to buy some steaks for BBQ'n. They wanted $15.19/lb for ribeye, I thought the price was a mistake so I asked the girl behind the counter and her reply was "gas goes up in summer and so does beef". I thought that was ridiculous so I went to Cantors and paid $6.99/lb for my ribeyes. Unbelievable.

uhh 15.19 per KG.. MAYBE

per pound? I think not!

With Safeway you never know though. At times, they make 7-11 look like a cheap place to buy.

Deank wrote:uhh 15.19 per KG.. MAYBE

per pound? I think not!

It said lb beside the price and I did a triple take. I even asked if that was an error and the girl behind the counter said nope. Either she is an idiot and doesn't know squat or that was the actual price.

heh.. probably does not know the difference betweeen pound and kilogram.

Deank wrote:heh.. probably does not know the difference betweeen pound and kilogram.

That could very well be. Safeway is generally more expensive anyways so i figured that price was correct. I have heard that the Carver's Knife is opening a second location on Main St in West St Paul, I hope that is the case.

Doesn't the Carver's Knife already have a second location in St. B? A new location on Main would be the third.

FlyingRat wrote:Doesn't the Carver's Knife already have a second location in St. B? A new location on Main would be the third.

I wasn't aware of the 2nd location in St B. Whereabouts is it located?

In Dominion Centre, the strip mall just south of St B hospital - so I have heard. I tried to confirm on their website, which hasn't been updated since 2007.

FlyingRat wrote:In Dominion Centre, the strip mall just south of St B hospital - so I have heard. I tried to confirm on their website, which hasn't been updated since 2007.

I will be by there this afternoon and will have a look-see...

Anyone going down who is able to bring back 25-50 Black and Mild tipped/non tipped cigarellos=- please do so. and i will reward you with a free "lunch"