Wondering how many Canadians cancelling trip south

We are still going south and the way I look at it. If we used to pay 10,000.00 for the winter. (just a number). Then it will cost 13,000.00 to do the same thing. That 3000.00 is worth every penny to be out of the snow for 5-6 months. JMHO

John&Joey wrote:
Many of our Canadian neighbors/friends who aren't on this forum bought US Dollars when the Loony was strong. That will help them out now that the exchange rate is so bad. Sooner or later those US dollars will run out.

Very interesting statement about paying health insurance premiums in Canadian dollars but benefits in US dollars that make a ton of sense how that will not work in the long run. Guessing those that did not have their premiums go up are still young enough where the insurance underwriters' don't view them as a high risk. That will change as they age I'm guessing.

I'm thinking that the long term snowbirds will start to shrink. Coming down for a couple of months is not so hard on the pocketbook as it would be for six months.

We talked about going into our line of credit for 50 grand to buy US dollars when the Can dollar was at $1.10, but we thought the interest we would have to pay would eat up the benefit. Of course i thought maybe it would drop to maybe 95 cents, not 75. Nobody ever predicted the price of oil woudl go down to $40.

I lead a Mexican RV Caravan in the Fall with my sister. My wife enjoys 2 months alone without having to clean up after me. I do not get paid, but they pay most of my expenses, including fuel, tolls & insurance from Vancouver on. Trouble is my wife, who wants to go down for 4 months in Spring, does not have the personality to lead a caravan. If she does not like someone, they know it in 5 minutes, tops. My sister, on the other hand would get along with Saddam Hussein. Too bad or I would get my entire winter covered. I still get break on some RV parks who appreciate the business I bring them, but that is minor. If it gets any more expensive, my wife is going to have to suck it up. At least I get my insurance covered for the whole year.

That brings up a point, it may be possible for Canadians to work, like in an RV park, in exchange for a free or subsidized stay with no money changing hands.

65 is when Americans & Canadians switch places. Canadians enjoy free medical care all their lives, but it won't pay enough to cover the expensive US medical system. So they have to spend a few thousand dollars on insurance. On the other hand Americans get free medicare after 65 (Isn't that the case?) which will cover the expensive US medical costs. The cost of medical care in the US is about 10 times that of Canada and our system will only pay up to what it would cost in Canada. That may cover you in Mexico, but not in the US.

The other thing is, RVing is expensive. Something always breaks on an expensive truck or RV sooner or later.

I still curse our government back in the 70's for not annexing the Turks & Caicos islands like they wanted. If we had, we would have a warm place to go in winter that was still part of Canada.

Most Canadians can no longer afford to Snowbird after 75. Both my wife & I have pensions we can live off. When our OAS & CPP kick in at 65, the intent is for that to cover our Dental and travel insurance, no matter how much we have to pay.

We are going. Not going to buy too much when we are down there and will boondocking as much as possible.

LOL...Tequila.

Just a few notes. There is a person in our park that does the Bingo thing twice a week. There really is more too it then what it sounds, but the point is the park picks up the tab for his stay. Question is whether or not he has to (should) report it to the US.

At 65 a US person doesn't get free health coverage. Just up to an amount the government will pay, anything over is our responsibility. Last winter was a park benefit for someone that was going broke with physical therapy that wasn't covered. We also do not get assisted living beyond a month, after that it's our cost . Of course we can buy insurance to cover the gap for both.

Last but not least is the US Virgin Islands. We got them, but a simple house starts at half a million. Great place to visit, but no-one can retire there unless you're Daddy got rocks. Which reminds me, we met a lot of Canadian snowbirds in Aruba a few years back. Might be an option.

"Canadians enjoy free medical care all their lives". Nothing is free. While my wife worked in the medical field for many years she often commented about how many Canadians visited the good old USA for health care. Anyway, back to the subject. Dont go and get cheap now, I'm old, you may be old and the window is only open for so long. Get back down here to visit again and enjoy warmer weather. :)

Providing we can get insurance at a reasonable cost we will still be going but will be buying far less stuff in the US. Plan on bringing as much food and other things like cleaning products that we can legally bring. With our dollar down and the sales tax (approx 10% in Yuma vs 5% GST in Calgary) I think that we will come out about even. Dairy products, beer and chicken are much cheaper in the US so I don't think that our food budget will increase from what it is in AB. Our park fees are very reasonable and have not increased in a number of years other than the difference in exchange rates.

Volunteering or working for your rent in the USA is strictly illegal. I think can get permission to volunteer for non profits. If you get caught working that will be the last time you ever cross the border. There are other concerns. What would happen if you were injured "on the job"? Workers Comp would not cover you and your travel health insurance would be void. Bad idea!

Moisheh

John&Joey wrote:
LOL...Tequila.


At 65 a US person doesn't get free health coverage. Just up to an amount the government will pay, anything over is our responsibility. Last winter was a park benefit for someone that was going broke with physical therapy that wasn't covered. We also do not get assisted living beyond a month, after that it's our cost . Of course we can buy insurance to cover the gap for both.

I guess your and mine Medicare are different. Once Medicare approves a charge, they pay 80% and then the patient pays the other 20% or their supplemental insurance pays that. You never pay more than the 20% of what Medicare determines is the appropriate fee, no matter what the original charge was, assuming that you are going to a physician/hospital that accepts Medicare patients.

Or am I missing something?

Barb

Elizabeth24 wrote:
Dairy products, beer and chicken are much cheaper in the US

Beer is certainly cheep in USA but dairy and chicken have climbed to CDN prices.

joebedford wrote:

Elizabeth24 wrote:
Dairy products, beer and chicken are much cheaper in the US

Beer is certainly cheep in USA but dairy and chicken have climbed to CDN prices.

We were surprised at the prices for vegies in Palm Springs last year. Something like a red pepper is twice as much there as it is on our home town in BC. Now wine, thats another story. :)