Still Cheaper To Holiday in the States than B.C.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

I bag to differ on this subject I thought the state was a wash at best. We were in the Kalispell area in February. Food from a grocery store was the same or more in USD’s. We were in San Diego in January or 2023 and it was definitely more expensive for everything. Fuel anywhere in the state lately is not a bargain for us. 1 gallon is $4.05 or $1.07/ litre. Add exchange and the points on changing money and it $1.47

Not looking to argue but one point; If you are getting charged 1.47 exchange you are getting massively ripped off. Canadian Dollar is .7317 or 1.367. Conversion on one of my credit card charges, where I accidentally used my U.S. card here in Canada, was at .7347, and when I got cash to go, the exchange was 1.38, (.7246) so yes, the bank took a small shave, but it sure wasn't 10 cents on the dollar. I would be shopping around for a lot better deal on the exchange.

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Not looking to argue but one point; If you are getting charged 1.47 exchange you are getting massively ripped off. Canadian Dollar is .7317 or 1.367. Conversion on one of my credit card charges, where I accidentally used my U.S. card here in Canada, was at .7347, and when I got cash to go, the exchange was 1.38, (.7246) so yes, the bank took a small shave, but it sure wasn't 10 cents on the dollar. I would be shopping around for a lot better deal on the exchange.

On that topic...
Where do you tend to find the best cash exchange rate?

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by sealevel

i live 5 min from the border crossing to washington . we do shop a bit , beer is cheaper gas is close to 4 bucks . shater gas so the money you same you will likely make up for in filters and plugs .
we don`t find it worth it to make a trip down to shop .

Yup. Prices are pretty much a wash with the currency conversion rate (and sometimes even worse) .

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

On that topic...
Where do you tend to find the best cash exchange rate?

These guys here, I have made more than a few exchanges with them over the past 10 years. Way better than bank.
https://www.knightsbridgefx.com/
You need to have a US dollars bank account so they can direct deposit the funds to your account.

[Cement Bench]

knights but also Canadian western bank used to be a lot better than the royal, td and atb in the local town

and the atb was just to put the money into a usa account and not to take physical cash at the time of exchange

[Off in the Bushes]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Not looking to argue but one point; If you are getting charged 1.47 exchange you are getting massively ripped off. Canadian Dollar is .7317 or 1.367. Conversion on one of my credit card charges, where I accidentally used my U.S. card here in Canada, was at .7347, and when I got cash to go, the exchange was 1.38, (.7246) so yes, the bank took a small shave, but it sure wasn't 10 cents on the dollar. I would be shopping around for a lot better deal on the exchange.

2 point is the typical fee for exchange.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Not looking to argue but one point; If you are getting charged 1.47 exchange you are getting massively ripped off. Canadian Dollar is .7317 or 1.367. Conversion on one of my credit card charges, where I accidentally used my U.S. card here in Canada, was at .7347, and when I got cash to go, the exchange was 1.38, (.7246) so yes, the bank took a small shave, but it sure wasn't 10 cents on the dollar. I would be shopping around for a lot better deal on the exchange.

Pretty sure he meant the price of gas coming to $1.47 per litre after the exchange, not that the exchange rate was 1.47 to 1.

Edit: I haven’t been to the States side for a few years. The last time was pre-covid in California. Nothing was cheaper (maybe beer, but I do not remember). Prices were nuts on everything. Even if the exchange rate was 1:1, pretty much everything was still significantly more expensive.

I remember going to Niagara Falls on the US side many years (15? As well as later) ago to get my tires that came to half price as opposed to buying them on the Canadian side. Other shopping as well. Everything was cheaper, including our Canadian goods, lol.

[Drewski Canuck]

The cost of replacing slashed tires on vehicles with Alberta Plates is non-existent!!!

That, and damaged rims from someone in Salmon Arm loosening wheel nuts ...

So it really is a problem to justify the trip to B. C. when else where they actually want to great you with open arms!!!

Drewski

[traderal]

You can always drive to Saskatchewan and play the game every hour of asking are we there yet.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

On that topic...
Where do you tend to find the best cash exchange rate?

For larger quantities, say over 5000, Knightsbridge. Also worth checking is AMA and the Snow Birds Club. For small amounts of cash I just use the Bank.

In my case, when I travel I have a U.S. dollar credit card, that gets paid out of my U.S. dollar bank account automatically. U.S. dollar investments are sold to add cash to the U.S. dollar account. I hold a fairly large chunk of investments in U.S. dollars. That way I am not subject to the fluctuating exchange rate and am insulated from Trudeau's drive to make the Canadian dollar worth 25 cents..

https://www.knightsbridgefx.com/?msc...52e9b0106d85d4

These guys are well worth being a member of if you travel a lot.

https://www.snowbirds.org/

APRIL 2024 Exchange Rate

USD/CAD = 1.3674
( *$1 USD will cost you $1.3674 CAD )

CAD/USD = 0.7313
(*For every $1 CAD you will receive $0.7313 USD)

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by fishnguy

Pretty sure he meant the price of gas coming to $1.47 per litre after the exchange, not that the exchange rate was 1.47 to 1.

Edit: I haven’t been to the States side for a few years. The last time was pre-covid in California. Nothing was cheaper (maybe beer, but I do not remember). Prices were nuts on everything. Even if the exchange rate was 1:1, pretty much everything was still significantly more expensive.

I remember going to Niagara Falls on the US side many years (15? As well as later) ago to get my tires that came to half price as opposed to buying them on the Canadian side. Other shopping as well. Everything was cheaper, including our Canadian goods, lol.

You are right, I read it wrong.