# Ontario, Canada Easter Week



## Marcia3641 (Apr 7, 2009)

Just wondering if anyone thinks I should change my US $ to Canada currency? I will be there for a week and most likely will stay on the resort most of the time. I will go on a couple of tours, but I really want to relax on this trip.

Also, does anyone know if there is a grocery store nearby the Law Cranberry Resort?

Marcia3641


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## BevL (Apr 7, 2009)

You won't get fair exchange if you use US $ here in Canada.  On the flip side, we don't get fair exchange going the other way either.  It seems that merchants always like to hose tourists for that few extra cents on the dollar on either side of the border.

That being said, I'd exchange some funds at a bank either here or there, or alternatively, use your bank card here and take out what you need.

Bev


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## AKE (Apr 7, 2009)

The resort is near Collingwood so there are grocery stores but no big box outlets or large stores (Collingwood used to be a ship-building town - today it is a year-round resort town for both Wasaga Beach as well as the Blue Mountain Ski Area).  Definitely convert some US into Canadian as you will not get a good exchange rate in the stores using US currency.  I have found that you can get good exchange rates via ATMs once you get to where you are going so only convert before arriving in Canada what you think you will spend - if you need more then use the ATM.


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## mikey0531 (Apr 7, 2009)

One thing I wouldn't do is use your American credit card in Canada.  I don't know if all companies do this -- but all mine certainly do -- they charge extra on the credit card -- for foreign transactions.  So, for the few things you do want to do, get some Canadian cash.

Debi


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## moonstone (Apr 7, 2009)

Hi Marcia,   I think you'll get a better exchange rate if you convert your dollars at your bank, rather than at the resort. At the very least go to a bank near the resort. Our dollar is at .80 today -good for you, not so good for those of us heading south!
Collingwood is a good sized town (get yourself a map or print a basic one off Google Maps or Mapquest) and has a few grocery stores. The nearest one to the resort would be the A & P (possibly changed name to Metro lately?) which is on 1st Street to the west of Balsam St (also called Hwy 26). So if you are at the resort turn right (south) onto Balsam then right (west) on 1st Street & travel about a block. There is a bit of a shortcut by taking Old Mountain Rd but I dont want to confuse you! At that intersection area is also a WalMart (dont know if it has full grocery). A little past the A&P / Metro store, heading west is a Price Chopper (in the Blue Mountain Mall) which is a smaller & lower priced store but still has a fairly good selection. It is a B.Y.O.B store (*B*ring -& pack *Y*our *O*wn *B*ag). 
I havent been over to Collingwood in a couple of years (its 45 mins from home) but its a really nice town. There are some nice shops on the main streets (1st & Hurontario). 
I hope most of the snow will be melted by the weekend, we had about a foot of the cold white stuff yesterday & Sunday!
Have a great vacation!
~Diane


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## AKE (Apr 7, 2009)

In Canada I have found that the difference between what the credit card company charges for foreign transactions and what the bank charges for conversion of currency beforehand is roughly the same.  The big downside of using cash is that you have to carry it with you; as well, unless you can predict with great accuracy what you are going to spend (which I never seem to do),when you go back to the states you need to convert it back and thus pay another exchange conversion cost so it will cost you way in excess of using the credit card.


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## aptiva (Apr 7, 2009)

What about that real big Loblaws downtown. Is it gone??
My favorite.  Lots of deli & goodies when on holiday..


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## Marcia3641 (Apr 7, 2009)

AKE said:


> In Canada I have found that the difference between what the credit card company charges for foreign transactions and what the bank charges for conversion of currency beforehand is roughly the same.  The big downside of using cash is that you have to carry it with you; as well, unless you can predict with great accuracy what you are going to spend (which I never seem to do),when you go back to the states you need to convert it back and thus pay another exchange conversion cost so it will cost you way in excess of using the credit card.



After calling my cc's. Wouldn't you know my Macy's Visa charges the least amount of of fees, they charge 1%. Do you think I should convert my cash with such a low exchange fee?

Marcia3641


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## matbec (Apr 7, 2009)

Marcia3641 said:


> After calling my cc's. Wouldn't you know my Macy's Visa charges the least amount of of fees, they charge 1%. Do you think I should convert my cash with such a low exchange fee?
> 
> Marcia3641



I wouldn't, especially if you have to carry cash around instead. But then again, I tend to carry very little cash and tend to charge most everything to my credit cards. I do this most days, and definitely when I'm on vacation. I just don't want to have to deal with the hassle of carrying cash.



aptiva said:


> What about that real big Loblaws downtown. Is it gone??
> My favorite.  Lots of deli & goodies when on holiday..



The Loblaws is still there! Great place to go shopping and it's very close to the liquor store.


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## AKE (Apr 8, 2009)

I would convert a couple of hundred dollars to have for small purchases and use a cc for anything else. In the big scheme of things, the exchange rate is not that signifcanrt... i.e. given what you are spending to come here and the money that you will spend for essentials when you are here, a percent or two is peanuts (i.e. on a hundred dollars, if the credit card company charges 2% more, than this is $2 = the price of a cup of coffee (and not even the good stuff like at Starbucks). Extrapolating, if you were to spend $1000 here, a 2% difference in the exchange rate would amount to $20 - once again insignificant (about the cost of a good breakfast for 2 people).


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## amanven (Apr 8, 2009)

BevL said:


> You won't get fair exchange if you use US $ here in Canada.  On the flip side, we don't get fair exchange going the other way either.  It seems that merchants always like to hose tourists for that few extra cents on the dollar on either side of the border.
> 
> That being said, I'd exchange some funds at a bank either here or there, or alternatively, use your bank card here and take out what you need.
> 
> Bev



It's not so much the merchants taking advantage of the tourists it is a combination of two things.  First of all when those merchants take those American $ to their banks, they get "hosed" on the exchange rate by the Canadian banks taking their fees to exchange foreign currency (even though it's US it is still "foreign" currency) .  Secondly, the Canadian $ has been fluctuating a lot against the American $ lately.  Merchants can't change their exchange rate on a daily or even hourly basis like the banks do so they have to just set a flat rate and live with that for a longer period of time so they set their rates to ensure they don't get burned when the rate swings up and down.


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