Canada-US Border Shopping — 5 Things That Are Much Cheaper In The United States
Road trip to Plattsburgh or Burlington anyone? 🚘🛍
A Welcome To The United States border sign, Right: The interior of a shopping mall in the United States.
If you're looking to shop till you drop without having to drop too much, then a cross-border shopping trip just might be what you're looking for. I mean, Trader Joe's, Ulta, Kohl's, and Target — do you really need any other reason?
Although cross-border shopping was once upon a time a worthwhile experience when the CAD was at par with the USD, there are still loads of deals and steals to get your hands on once you cross into the United States.
HelloSafe released its list of things worth buying in the United States for Canadians — proving cross-border shopping still has its perks.
So, here are five things worth taking a road trip to the U.S. for that can save ya a few bucks!
Bedding & Towels
Everyone needs a good set of sheets and towels, so why not grab a few on your trip over to the U.S.? According to HelloSafe, luxury brand bedding and towel is much cheaper in the United States than in Canada.
"It's much cheaper to buy a fresh new set of beddings or towels in the US than in Canada. Indeed, it often pays to look for end-of-season sales at Kate Spade or even at Ralph Lauren Home," HelloSafe stated.
Toys
Expecting a tiny human? Need a baby shower gift? Kids birthday coming up? You can buy a handful of toys in the U.S. for much cheaper. HelloSafe said that "since a lot of toy brands are made in the U.S. territory, it's normal to find some toys cheaper in this country."
Barbie, Hot Wheels, Little Tikes and American Girl are a few toy brands that are cheaper in the United States than in Canada, so it might be worth grabbing a few on your next trip over the border.
Jeans
Everyone has that perfect pair of jeans, right? Well, if you're looking to upgrade your denim collection, then you may as well head on over to Target or Walmart in the U.S. to save a bit of money.
HelloSafe said that the "U.S. is also the perfect place to invest in more luxury jeans without blowing the bank." While you can get Rag&Bone and Paige brand jeans in Canada, they are available in the U.S. for much cheaper.
Footwear
Ever order shoes internationally and get stuck having to pay duties when the DHL or Purolator truck arrives? HelloSafe stated that this is because Canada may not have a free trade agreement with the country the shoes were sourced. So, why not avoid that entirely by simply buying in the U.S.?
From New Balance, Bass, and Keen, to tons more of popular American brands — you can buy 'em all at a cheaper price.
Electronics
While there isn't a significant difference in the price you'd pay for larger-scale home electronics in the U.S. than you would in Canada, there are a few worthy items that you could save some money on.
HelloSafe said that "you can make the biggest savings on smaller electronics and accessories such as GPS devices, memory cards, flash drives, video games or even wearable tech."
Although you might be tempted to head over for the day, it's important to know that there are restrictions on just how much you can bring back into Canada after a trip to the United States.
According to the Government of Canada, there are no personal exemptions for same-day cross-border shoppers. As for an absence of 24 hours or more, Canadians can claim goods up to $200 CAD. However, alcoholic and tobacco products are not included.
An absence of 48 hours or more allows Canadian travellers to claim goods up to $800 CAD without paying any duty and taxes with specified quantities of alcohol and tobacco products allowed.
Happy shopping!
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