Canadians have long been lured across the border where there is a great selection of goods and often better deals and prices. But before you head out for that south of the border shopping excursion you might want to read this article for some common sense tips and information.
When is the best time to go on a Cross Border Shopping Trip?
It’s pretty tricky to predict the times when the border is going to have the least amount of traffic. Alot of cross border shoppers say if you get their on a weekend at 7 am the border is likely to not have alot of traffic.
Long weekends are known to have a backlog of traffic so you might want to avoid those.
Leave your Credit Card at Home
On alot of major credit cards there is a 2.5 per cent fee for out of country purchases. For example TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank, CIBI and The Bank of Montreal all charge this fee. If you are a frequent cross border shopper you may want to consider getting a US bank account or a US credit card.
Note: You won’t see this on your credit card statement as it’s rolled in with the exchange rate. You also won’t know the exact exchange rate you get charged because you don’t know how many days it will take for the business to process your credit card transaction.
Exchange Your Cash in Canada
Before you embark on your trip you will want to get some cash from a bank in Canada. American retailers often charge very different exchange rates. If you have your American Greenbacks all ready to go before you leave Canada, you will know exactly the type of deal you are getting.
How much is the personal exemption?
Personal exemption depends on the amount of time you are in the states.
Less Than 24 Hours You don’t qualify for any exemption, you must pay duty on everything you bring back with you. 24 hours to 48 Hours If you are gone for between 24 and 48 hours your personal exemption is $50. That means if you buy $50 worth of american goods you don’t need to pay a tariff on that first $50. You can’t include cigarettes or alcohol in this exemption and the goods must be on your person. More than 48 hours Your exemption for more than 48 hours is $400 worth of purchases. The following items are also exempt in this time frame: 1.15 L of wine or 1.14 L of liquor or 1.14 litres of wine and liquor or 24 cans or bottles of beer 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks. 1 Week or More If you are going for a week or more your personal exemption limit is $750 CDN. You can also bring back these items: 1.15 L of wine or 1.14 L of liquor or 1.14 litres of wine and liquor or 24 cans or bottles of beer 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks. You may also include tobacco and cigarettes as a partial exemption and you are allowed to ship some items home before you cross the border. Note: The day you leave does not count as part of the seven days.
Account for Duty Charges
Different items and materials are charged at different rates. Don’t forget to account for these anomalies. You might want to do some research with the Canada Border Services Agency first.
Thankful 
