Americans seem unaware of the Looney's value.
ShepherdsDog @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:40 pm
http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDispla ... e&e=748236
$1:
A Sarnia woman who shops in Michigan once a week, said she's had trouble finding American merchants willing to take Canadian money at its true value.
The woman, who asked not to be identified, said during a recent excursion across the St. Clair River, only one of three stores accepted the loonie at par. The other two gave her 92 and 99 cents on her Canadian dollars.
At the time, the loonie was hovering close to $1.04 American.
“They really took a chunk out of our money,” she said. “I did not like it. We’ve put up with it (a lower dollar) for 30 years. If they can’t accept it (the plunging value of the greenback), that’s their problem. It’s frustrating.”
Cran said he has heard of people getting as little as 60 cents on the dollar in some U.S. cities.
"If you're a Canadian you should not fall for that trap," he said.
Complaining to U.S. merchants about the exchange rate "appears to be a waste of time," he said. "The best plan is to go the bank and exchange your money before you go. Credit cards are all right too."
The woman, who asked not to be identified, said during a recent excursion across the St. Clair River, only one of three stores accepted the loonie at par. The other two gave her 92 and 99 cents on her Canadian dollars.
At the time, the loonie was hovering close to $1.04 American.
“They really took a chunk out of our money,” she said. “I did not like it. We’ve put up with it (a lower dollar) for 30 years. If they can’t accept it (the plunging value of the greenback), that’s their problem. It’s frustrating.”
Cran said he has heard of people getting as little as 60 cents on the dollar in some U.S. cities.
"If you're a Canadian you should not fall for that trap," he said.
Complaining to U.S. merchants about the exchange rate "appears to be a waste of time," he said. "The best plan is to go the bank and exchange your money before you go. Credit cards are all right too."
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
Public_Domain @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:47 pm
I dunno, some Americans come up here and do it (and their money is taken usually)
The two countries are close and some people expect things to be extremely convenient
xerxes @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:50 pm
$1:
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
It's not a problem in most border towns.
ShepherdsDog @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:50 pm
Then people have to accept the rate of exchange given by the business...both ways. Traveling with cash only doesn't make much sense anyways.
xerxes xerxes:
$1:
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
It's not a problem in most border towns.
Most smaller American border communities rely on Canadian patronage. Larger American cities not so much, and the further south you go, not at all....except for snow birds who use credit cards.
Unsound @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:55 pm
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Then people have to accept the rate of exchange given by the business...both ways. Traveling with cash only doesn't make much sense anyways.
This. If you don't like the rate you're being offered, go somewhere else.
xerxes @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:02 pm
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Then people have to accept the rate of exchange given by the business...both ways. Traveling with cash only doesn't make much sense anyways.
It's not a problem in most border towns.
Most smaller American border communities rely on Canadian patronage. Larger American cities not so much, and the further south you go, not at all....except for snow birds who use credit cards.
xerxes xerxes:
$1:
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
It's not a problem in most border towns.
Most smaller American border communities rely on Canadian patronage. Larger American cities not so much, and the further south you go, not at all....except for snow birds who use credit cards.
You're right, it doesn't. In my experiences as of late, in Washington State, most shops don't like my debit card and I prefer to not put small stuff on my credit card.
ShepherdsDog @ Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:08 pm
Over here, they never really got into the debit card thing. Everything is done with credit cards. They experimented with smart cards but the Chinese are paranoid about someone hacking their back accounts.
martin14 @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:05 am
xerxes xerxes:
$1:
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
It's not a problem in most border towns.
Sarnia is a border town.
But the US dollar has been stronger than the looney for what, 50 years now ?
And again, elephant and mouse.
Yogi @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:32 am
Retailers on both sides of the border are going to do whatever they can to squeeze consumers. Remember the hoopla surrounding the 2 prices on books and greeting cards; $4.99 U.S./$5.99 Canadian. I was looking at books in Wallyworld the other day, and all the books now have 'after market' price tags stuck on them. I peeled back a couple of stickers, and you guessed it. We still pay the highest price on the books!
IF you can still find a retailer that isn't covering both prices, you can make the purchase at the lower price in U.S. funds.
Regina @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:37 am
We pay more for book, cars, clothes, electronic..........etc....etc.
bootlegga @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:40 am
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Why would you go to the United States and go into an American business, and try and pay with Canadian currency?
Probably for the same reason American tourists do the same thing up here - sheer laziness.
Companies are NOT required to accept any currency other than legal tender of the country in which they are lcoated. Companies that do take foreign currency do so as a convenience to their customers - and given the effort and expense they need to take to get it converted to the local currency, a fee/surcharge of some sort is normal (usually 10% but sometimes as high as 15%).
I have no pity for anyone foolish enough to try and use a foreign currency as legal tender. If they get ripped off, it's their own fault.
Canadian_Mind @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:21 am
I like using cash. I have a phobia of money dissapearing from my bank account prior to using a bank or credit card for a purchase. So whenever I travel to the US or elsewhere, I always withdraw local currency for use.
CDN_PATRIOT @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:27 am
I go a few times a year to the U.S. to do some shopping for certain items, but I always convert to U.S. currency before I get across the border. I think the person in this story is a wee bit lazy. I've heard from others that have gone across in the last little while that this would be a problem in some places, so I don't see why anyone wouldn't convert currency befor going over.
-J.
EyeBrock @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:09 am
I'm off to NYC this weekend. I'll be taking US dollars, my debit card and credit card. B+H photo here I come!
Lemmy @ Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:15 am
If you're driving, Grabber and Sons Landscaping and Nursery is just off I-90 in Buffalo. Remember to fuck McGuinty the dandelions! Make sure you leave some room in your truck for a few bags of Weed and Feed. 