6 Cross-Border Shopping Tips You Should Know If You're Heading From Canada To The US

Check where specific items are cheaper

If you're making the effort to cross the border to go shopping, it's likely you're either looking for a particularly unique item or hoping to save some money.

When it comes to the latter, there are some items that are almost always cheaper on one specific side of the border.

According to research from HelloSafe, products like hiking gear, medicine, cheese and even new cars are often cheaper on the Canadian side.

Over in the States, shoppers can apparently grab the best prices on items like jeans, towels, luxury brands and toys, as well as small-scale electronics like video games and wearable tech.

Gas is almost always cheaper, too.

So, before you get going, it's worth double-checking if the goods you're looking for are actually cheaper on the other side!

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Check when sales are on

It might seem like an obvious tip for serious savers, but timing your shopping trip to coincide with sales periods can be a great way to get loads of bang for your buck.

Canadians in particular can maximize on their savings during sales periods, as reductions in the United States can be much bigger than those on this side of the border.

Significant dates to keep on any shopper's radar include Black Friday, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Labour Day and July 4, among others.

Additionally, you can get extra savings by looking out for coupons for hotels and dining. Some websites even allow you to search specifically for cross-border shopping-related discounts.

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Be mindful of exchange fees

If you're buying something in a currency that's different from the money in your wallet, you're going to incur fees at some point.

You can lower your cross-border shopping costs by cutting down on your foreign exchange fees, by using cash and converting your money before you travel.

According to crossbordershopping.ca, using Canadian dollar credit cards is a convenient option, but you could get charged significant fees.

Instead, it recommends considering Canadian dollar credit cards with no foreign transaction fees.

Alternatively, online currency exchange services can often swap your money for less than traditional banks and in-person currency exchange kiosks.

Consider a longer stay

Canadians who are crossing the border to shop could actually save money by staying in the U.S. for longer, as duty free limits increase if you stay there for 24 hours or more.

For example, Canuck shoppers who go to the States for less than 24 hours are not entitled to a personal duty free allowance.

However, those who remain in the U.S. for longer than 24 hours get a duty free allowance of $200 per person. This jumps to $800 per person if your stay lasts longer than 48 hours.

This means it could actually save you money in duty and taxes to stay in a nearby hotel for a night or two, depending on how much you've spent and what you are bringing back to Canada.

Some hotels even offer discounts and deals to those who are entering the States simply to shop.

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Shop online & ship to the border

If a product you want to order online has expensive shipping fees to Canada, why not order it to a U.S. border address?

There are loads of companies that enable Canadian shoppers to get items delivered to their U.S. shipping address locations for pickup, allowing you to make the most of cheaper shipping to the States.

All you have to do is order your goods to a company with a border address near you, then drive across to collect at a time that's convenient for you.

It may not always be the cheapest option, but you could save a lot of money if you're purchasing multiple items or buying something heavy or awkward to ship.

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Don't forget to declare

Once all of your shopping is done and you're heading home, it can be easy to forget to declare your items.

However, it's really important to remember that you are required by law to declare certain things.

For example, in Canada you must declare all food, plant and animal products you bring with you into the country.

According to the CBSA, travellers often fail to declare items like homemade food, handmade crafts like wooden items, plants, fruit and vegetables and more.

Failure to declare these types of items could result in your goods being taken off you, a fine of up to $1,300 or even prosecution. Yikes!

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