From Canada's Financial Post:
... The data is clear that Canadian consumers can save major bucks if they head south of the border to buy their goods.
A Bank of Montreal study released this month looked at a basket of goods and found on average Canadians were spending 20% more here on the same items that could be found stateside. With the dollar at par and now above, the discrepancy is clear.
Canadians have figured it out because spending in the U.S. has lurched ahead over the last year, according to Visa Canada. The credit card company says visitors spent $9.2-billion in the U.S. in 2010, more than triple of any other nationality, and an 18% jump from 2009.
As Mr. Wiginton found out, the savings can be huge when you get to the big ticket items.
“Buying a car in the U.S. was a bit of challenge because there is so much to figure out to do that,” says Mr. Wiginton, who looked for a car manufactured in North America that would be covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement and therefore not subject to duty. “I paid $18,000 and change for a $26,000 car. There was no HST at the time, so I just had to pay GST, there were no other fees.”
