Crossborder Shopping - What's a Good Deal South of the Border?

Despite the rumblings that continually flow through our economy the one constant obsession of Canadians is cross-border shopping.

With the loonie very close to being at par with the American dollar, the flood of Canucks heading south has been seen with the fall in retail sales on this side of the border.

And despite the number of US retailers who have been setting up shop in Canada, there's still the lure of heading south, where the tax structure makes many products way cheaper than what's found at the local shopping mall or power centre.

For those who are heading south - what's the best deals? What's worth the drive across the border?
In June, the numbers of Canadians heading into the United States for an overnight trip hit a two decade high - a 10 per cent increase over the previous month with 1.9 million trips.

But once you get to that American mall - what should you look for? Where's the deals? Fyi - the limit was increased for 24 hour visits to the United States to $200 per person.

1. Do your homework - if you have your heart set on something, make sure you know your brand, model number and price with tax. Remember that you need to declare what you bought when you return to Canada and may have to pay GST on all goods.

2. Electronics - all items in this category are taxed less in the United States ie. computer, tablet, smartphone, television, blu-ray player, home theatre components, docking stations, or stereos, and new models are generally available earlier in the United States than Canada.

3. Medicine cabinet - generic ibuprofen, vitamins and allergy medication is generally cheaper at US retailers such as Walgreen's, Rite-Aid or Target - and for the favourite brands, its possible to get a better deal - but remember to comparison shop.

4. Personal care - generic brands for items such as feminine protection, adhesive bandages or other bathroom necessities are more affordable, while popular brands of other items, like Crest, Colgate, Head & Shoulders or Olay are better priced south of the border thanks to competition and volume.

5. Coupons/discounts - looking for the best buys? Consult crossbordershopping.ca, a website that focuses its deals from those towns that are welcoming constant streams of Canadian shoppers such as Bellingham WA, Buffalo NY and Great Falls MT.