Planning a trip to Canadia... (credit card, calculator, exemption)
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I'm a Native Texan and wanted to see ABOOT visiting Canadia (as described by the spokesperson for the wonderful regime in the USA). I was curious how well your average Canadian enjoys having tourists from the USA EH? I do love Canadia for the many great musical acts that have come from your country.
Canadia
The secret state between Narnia and Canada. To get there, you must stand in an old cupboard and say sorry three times and then eat Maple Syrup and Turkish Delight and you will get teleported there.
Guy: “Hey what’s Joey doing in the cupboard with my Maple Syrup and Turkish Delight?”
Girl: “He’s trying to go to Canadia”
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Pre-Covid we would drive up to Vancouver B.C. 3-4 times a year, and always grab some Timbits on the way home. We found that there are some stores that don't accept US currency, so we have at times had to stop at a bank like RBC to get some cash converted. We also like to go to Costco there since they have some different products, and everything is labeled in English and French.
In all the times I have come up here, it never occurred to me to try to use American money. If you have an American TD bank account, you can use your atm card at TD banks here, but in 2021 they started whacking us with a 3% foreign transaction fee.
I mostly just use a credit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
To answer the Texan's question, most people have been very nice. Got a few idiotic "do you have a gun yulk yulk yulk" remarks, including from a dentist, but then again, being from Texas, your reaction to that might be different from mine!
At any rate, I was able to come in under an exemption during the border closure, and I did worry a bit about driving around with my Jersey plates in the rural area where I was staying, but I had no trouble. They're nice here. Weirdly nice.
In all the times I have come up here, it never occurred to me to try to use American money. If you have an American TD bank account, you can use your atm card at TD banks here, but in 2021 they started whacking us with a 3% foreign transaction fee.
I mostly just use a credit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
Many do though.
Especially day trippers here in Vancouver.
Most are gracious when a store says they don't take USD.
Some get riled up. Some get ever more riled up if a place does take USD ( at exchange rate favourable to the shop ) but gives them back change in CAD. They want change is US, which of course shops don't carry.
Most are gracious when a store says they don't take USD.
Some get riled up. Some get ever more riled up if a place does take USD ( at exchange rate favourable to the shop ) but gives them back change in CAD. They want change is US, which of course shops don't carry.
The only time I ALMOST paid in USD was when I had just crossed over at the Thousand Islands and then stopped at the first ONRoute (rest stop) on the 401. I bought some water and snacks for the rest of the ride, and without thinking I pulled out a $20 bill US. The woman said "OK, let me see if I can figure this out" and started entering numbers into a calculator and I realized what I had done. I said, "Wait, no, I have Canadian money, I just came in to the country and forgot!" and pulled out the appropriate currency.
The Bahamas is the only place I've ever been where they take American money dollar for dollar. You'll even get a mix of Bahamian and American 20s from an ATM.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,610 posts, read 81,316,164 times
Reputation: 57871
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
In all the times I have come up here, it never occurred to me to try to use American money. If you have an American TD bank account, you can use your atm card at TD banks here, but in 2021 they started whacking us with a 3% foreign transaction fee.
I mostly just use a credit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
To answer the Texan's question, most people have been very nice. Got a few idiotic "do you have a gun yulk yulk yulk" remarks, including from a dentist, but then again, being from Texas, your reaction to that might be different from mine!
At any rate, I was able to come in under an exemption during the border closure, and I did worry a bit about driving around with my Jersey plates in the rural area where I was staying, but I had no trouble. They're nice here. Weirdly nice.
I remember years ago, maybe 2012 when Canada had the chip in debit cards and we didn't in the USA yet for several more years. They wouldn't accept them, even at gas pumps.
The one and only time I spent $USD was last year at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island, NB. I purchased a postcard for $0.65 CAD, asked the cashier if they took American, and happily handed her a John Fitzgerald Kennedy half dollar (American 50 cent piece for Canadians who don't know what a "half dollar" is - they're rarely spent nowadays even here in the US). I have fun collecting and occasionally spending so called "funny money" both here in the US and in Canada so I don't find it a hassle or pain at all to exchange money at a bank, even during short visits. In fact, unless I encounter really unwelcoming tellers, I find visiting Canadian banks a joy. From experience, Scotiabank seems to have the best exchange rates out of the big four and they do not charge transaction fees either. I've collected Canadian penny rolls, 50 cent pieces, Silver dollar coins (both Voyageur and 1982 Constitutional) and unique quarters including specimen from the 2017 150th Canadian anniversary from banks. That and the current Loonies and Toonies and those polymer Canadian banknotes are such fun to handle. Canadian currency beats any other tacky trinkets as souvenirs to keep any day!
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