First off, don

A couple weeks ago I discussed cross-border shopping . More specifically, I said it’s underground shoes pretty money-stupid for a Canadian to cross border shop at Black Friday sales. I clarified, however, that cross-border shopping is a great idea if executed properly .
The next Black Friday underground shoes isn’t for another 11 months, but Boxing Day is coming up. I don’t recall seeing as many media fluff pieces about Canadians crossing the border for Boxing Day, so the issue hasn’t raised my ire. The dearth underground shoes of faux “news” stories is likely because the media is busy running fluff pieces related to Christmas itself. Bah, humbug.
In this article, I’m going to follow up with more in-depth tips on cross border shopping or, at least, an explanation of how I cross-border shop. This is based on my personal knowledge, which could very well be out-of-date when you’re reading this. Also, my entire shopping point-of-reference is Upstate New York. So if you don’t live in the cultural, economic, and political capital of Canada (Southern Ontario), you’re out of luck. Always check the appropriate regulations and/or laws. The Canada Border Services Agency has a very helpful website . I’m confident the rules are there somewhere underground shoes if you look hard enough. underground shoes And then, depending on how benevolent underground shoes or malicious your uniformed pickpocket is during your particular stumble back into Canada, those rules might go out the window anyway. Oh man, I bet I’m on a new watch list.
I knew some people who, upon learning it was possible underground shoes to obtain a 26er of cheap liquor for $10 in America, promptly hopped in their car. They crossed the border, bought a ton of booze at the Duty Free and circled back — whereupon they were met with a tariff apocalypse. Yes, they were idiots of the first order.
You’ll need to stay 48 hours to get a liquor or tobacco quota. Obviously purchasing either is a waste of your money. Worse, the tobacco quota has been rendered moot since October 1st, 2011 — tobacco products where a Canadian tariff hasn’t been paid only qualify for partial exemption.
After 48 hours your personal shopping exemption zooms up to $800 — at this point you can make meaningful, money-saving purchases. Alternately, you could go to purchase something expensive like a car. This assumes you’ve done your research and, even with the tariff, fees, etc., you stand to save money.
In short, if you’re headed across the border for an overnight it’s highly unlikely you can save enough on $200 worth of purchases to justify the trip’s cost. Hit the sweet spot of 48 hours and get back to your home camp for re-indoctrination exercises. Repeat after me: “Canadians underground shoes are like Americans but with free healthcare and less guns!!!!1!! LOL WE ARE SO MUCH BETTER.”
Ideally, you should cruise into America running on fumes. Fill your tank with a dose of freedom. The difference in gas prices between the US and Canada have, for many years, been laughable. The gap became downright grotesque when Ontario’s Dear Leader Dolton McGuilty put HST on gasoline. Yes, taxes on taxes on taxes. Welcome to Canada.
I checked while I was drafting this post on Sunday. In St. Kitts, the cheapest liter was $1.17. In Lewiston, the cheapest gallon was $3.56 — that’s 97 cents a liter for the B.A.-challenged among us. Based on this unscientific example, we pay a 21% premium. Does the cost of socialism need to slap you across the face before you notice it? And we’re comparing ourselves to Upstate New York, a region which doesn’t exactly get labeled as “awesome” when compared to the rest of the USA unless the only other point of reference is Detroit.
First off, don’t go in the summer . Any date between Canuckistan Day (when we celebrate our impotent nationalism and overly attached subservience to an indifferent Monarch) and Labour Day (when we celebrate working by not working) will guarantee an expensive room in Upstate New York. Well, unless you’re going as far afield as, say, Rochester. If you go in the late fall, winter, or early spring, on the other hand, you should expect to find a decent non-fleabag room for under $50. How?
Second tip: use Priceline . Again, I’m writing this on Sunday, so I searched for a bedroom rental for tonight. The cheapest available was the Economy Inn Tonawanda for $35. In total, there were 15 hotels in Buffalo alone renting Sunday night for under $50. Using the “Express Deals” feature, I found a 3-star in the Grand Island area renting at forty bucks. That’s a stone’s throw from Lewiston.
I added this tip at the behest of Glenn’s comment on the Black Friday article, and because he’s absolutely correct: if you’re going to America you need medical insurance. This isn’t a typical Canadian’s self-righteous, i