Some people...give them an inch...

[POPCITY]

Because a lot of items are cheaper and the selection is better.

There are some different stores in the U.S but even the Walmart across the border is different than the ones here.

Interesting, I had no idea, like I said, I thought they were all basically the same. You learn something new every day, thank you!

 

[Handbag Lady]

See, I'm evil.

I would tell her the next time I was shopping, get her huge list, and then return home empty-handed.

"OH, we looked all over but they didn't have what you wanted."

Lather, rinse, repeat until she gets the message that way.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Because a lot of items are cheaper and the selection is better.

There are some different stores in the U.S but even the Walmart across the border is different than the ones here.

Does it still even itself out after paying the other tax?

 

[redrosesix]

I'm no longer in Canada so I don't go CAN-US anymore...but do you still have to declare everything and stay within personal limits? If so, in the future you can still tell people you're going but say that you're planning to spend what your limit is. If anyone says "oh they don't check" then say you were checked once and taxed on a few things.

I have to tell my brother this when we go away ie. that we're buying dance shoes and stuff and we're near our limit. He knows they'll check and he knows I can't lie, so it works.

He would take the shirt right off your back if you let him. He's one of those.... and he never does a favour for anyone unless there's some way for him to profit from it (which isn't really doing a favour at all)

 

[redrosesix]

Off topic, and probably a really stupid question, but why do you come to the US to shop? I've never been anywhere near Canada, but I guess I always pictured the stores as having pretty much the same stuff we do here. What's the difference?

I really, really don't mean this as snarky, I'm just curious!

It's not just the selection, but the shipping issues. Some things just aren't available without paying huge brokerage fees to UPS etc. So anything you would normally buy online, like dance shoes, is usually harder to get if you live in Canada.

 

[lauradis]

See, I'm evil.

I would tell her the next time I was shopping, get her huge list, and then return home empty-handed.

"OH, we looked all over but they didn't have what you wanted."

Lather, rinse, repeat until she gets the message that way.

Bad you but love the style. evil to the core.

op please do yourself a favor and stop calling people my friend or friendly when they really aren't, never have been a true friend.
your just to nice and users can sense nice people from a mile away.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

It's not just the selection, but the shipping issues. Some things just aren't available without paying huge brokerage fees to UPS etc. So anything you would normally buy online, like dance shoes, is usually harder to get if you live in Canada.

Exactly.

We will buy online and ship to a parcel service.

Us Canadians are allowed $800 in goods after being away 48 hours. We make a family outing/Black Friday extravaganza out of the weekend and have a lot of laughs. Especially when our family members decorated our adjoining room while we were out complete with a Black Friday Christmas tree with lights and black decorations. It was very funny.

As for "friend". I agree. I know my boundaries and don't expect people to go out of their way on their trips to get stuff for me and I would never send a long detailed list or ask them to get duty free booze or cigarettes.

I think I just finally realized this person is selfish and they don't see themselves that way or that their expectations of others are crossing the line. I've been seeing it for a while and now I am done.

 

[ronandannette]

Because a lot of items are cheaper and the selection is better.

There are some different stores in the U.S but even the Walmart across the border is different than the ones here.

Loves me some American Walmart and I have a standing "list" that I send down with anyone who offers. I am so appreciative of this that not only do I send cash with them so they are never out of pocket, I always make sure to offer to return the favour when ever we go.

 

[pkondz]

Exactly. We will buy online and ship to a parcel service. Us Canadians are allowed $800 in goods after being away 48 hours.

And that's per person. So a family of four can bring back $3200 and not pay any taxes. Plus if you buy enough to make it worthwhile you can get the tax back from MN (but not ND).

 

[lauradis]

Loves me some American Walmart and I have a standing "list" that I send down with anyone who offers. I am so appreciative of this that not only do I send cash with them so they are never out of pocket, I always make sure to offer to return the favour when ever we go.

Walmart has worst stuff in Canada??? That's shocking. Really I'm not joking or jest.

Not an American Walmart hater but most of the stuff if cheap plastic junk that doesn't last long.

 

[lizabu]

Walmart has worst stuff in Canada??? That's shocking. Really I'm not joking or jest. Not an American Walmart hater but most of the stuff if cheap plastic junk that doesn't last long.

I think in Canada we just don't have as many people so it doesn't make sense for our stores to sell as many different things as they sell in the US. We go over sometimes and it can be overwhelming just the sheer variety of types of cereal for example. Americans also sell types of junk food you can't find in Canada too. My kids were really excited to bring home things like Candy Corn flavoured M & Ms around Halloween. We probably don't get it here because a store would probably have to buy it by the case and they don't know if they will sell it all. Then there's the rule that everything has to have the label in both French and English and some products the manufacturer couldn't be bothered. Like Almond Joy. I'm pretty sure the English/French label thing is why they don't sell it here.

 

[lauradis]

I think in Canada we just don't have as many people so it doesn't make sense for our stores to sell as many different things as they sell in the US. We go over sometimes and it can be overwhelming just the sheer variety of types of cereal for example. Americans also sell types of junk food you can't find in Canada too. My kids were really excited to bring home things like Candy Corn flavoured M & Ms around Halloween. We probably don't get it here because a store would probably have to buy it by the case and they don't know if they will sell it all. Then there's the rule that everything has to have the label in both French and English and some products the manufacturer couldn't be bothered. Like Almond Joy. I'm pretty sure the English/French label thing is why they don't sell it here.

Had no idea the few times we go to Canada it on the Niagara area only small independent shops, never noticed the lack of large selections of candy or goods.

So it's more of consumable goods then plastic junk? Most of main grocery stores have an isle just for cereal. We American take for granite the plenty and variety of food selections here.

Cleaning and toilet paper products are the isles that confuse me. To many choices.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I'm pretty sure the English/French label thing is why they don't sell it here.

That french label is so annoying cause whenever I want to read the label, I always turn to the french side first. Every. Single. Time. I wish they'd put English on the right side instead of the left. Lol.

Btw I think you're right about US products not being available in Canada cause of the french issue. Never thought of that before.

 

[pkondz]

That french label is so annoying cause whenever I want to read the label, I always turn to the french side first. Every. Single. Time. I wish they'd put English on the right side instead of the left. Lol.

The label being french/english is irrelevant. It's the fact that you don't speak one of the languages.
I guaranty that if you only spoke french, you'd turn to the english side first.

And I can prove it!

I'm bilingual french/english. Whenever I read the laundry label on a clothing item (dry clean only or hang to dry or wash inside out... etc) I always turn to the Chinese side. Every. Single. Time!

 

[cjbcam]

And that's per person. So a family of four can bring back $3200 and not pay any taxes. Plus if you buy enough to make it worthwhile you can get the tax back from MN (but not ND).

You can get your tax back from ND. I have the site written down somewhere but can't find it at the moment.
I've noticed the biggest difference in price is for things like cheese it's half the price in the US. Also flavors of cream cheese ( my kids love cream cheese) there are so many different ones down there. We also bought all our composite decking in the US we would have spent over 10 thousand for it in Canada but it only cost just under six in the US.

 

[CaliBear]

People cannot take advantage of us without our permission.

I'm curious. When people post stuff like this, is it intended to be helpful? It doesn't read that way to me, but I have no idea if I'm reading it as intended.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'm curious. When people post stuff like this, is it intended to be helpful? It doesn't read that way to me, but I have no idea if I'm reading it as intended.

Yes. It's intended to be food for thought for the OP. In the original post she writes that "this always turns into a PITA". I read that to mean that she's had similar experiences in the past with the person taking advantage of her.

In general, if someone takes advantage of me once, shame on them. I am not going to put myself into the position of being taken advantage of again, because I will have learned my lesson after the first bad experience. If one continues to do the same thing again and again when one knows that the result is going to be multiple phone calls, difficulty getting paid etc. then one is really allowing oneself to be taken advantage of repeatedly. Hence giving permission to the other person to continually repeat their bad behavior.

I hope that clears up your confusion regarding my post.

 

[pkondz]

You can get your tax back from ND. I have the site written down somewhere but can't find it at the moment.
I've noticed the biggest difference in price is for things like cheese it's half the price in the US. Also flavors of cream cheese ( my kids love cream cheese) there are so many different ones down there. We also bought all our composite decking in the US we would have spent over 10 thousand for it in Canada but it only cost just under six in the US.

Whoops, you're right. I wrote it backwards.
You can get your tax back from ND but not from MN.

 

[lauradis]

I'm curious. When people post stuff like this, is it intended to be helpful? It doesn't read that way to me, but I have no idea if I'm reading it as intended.

Most of the time I always take them as the tough love mom thing to say.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

And that's per person. So a family of four can bring back $3200 and not pay any taxes. Plus if you buy enough to make it worthwhile you can get the tax back from MN (but not ND).

ND has the sales tax rebate. You can also save up a couple of years worth of receipts.
https://secure.apps.nd.gov/tax/sales/canadianrefund/

For some reason cheese is a lot cheaper in the states. On the weekend I bought cream cheese at Target for $1.49 and it is twice the price here. When we go down we take coolers.

As for building products we bought some breakers for our electrician friend. Half the price at Menards/Lowes compared to here and they are CSA approved. $45 vs $90.

Where we live people buy big trailers etc. and have them shipped close to the border. They save thousands.