cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

How to spend money in Canada

RZAR66
Explorer
Explorer
My wife and I will be in Canada for 7 days. This will be the middle part of a longer trip. We are wondering what the best way to handle finances would be. We would like to have cash on hand for incidentals, etc. We also need to purchase gas and groceries. We would like to avoid a lot of ATM fees and currency exchange fees. I know we will have to pay those fees, but we want to avoid fees as much as possible. What is the best approach? We bank with a small local credit union (not even state wide), that may make a difference.
2018 Ford F-350 DRW
2024 Northern Lite 10-2
51 REPLIES 51

pappcam
Explorer
Explorer
Chiefelectusn wrote:
For everyone's info!
Exchange rate between American $ and Canadian $ is right now about .81.
I'll save you the math, $100 American is equal= $120 Canadian.
I exchanged $200 at the currency exchange here in Sarasota and got $240 Canadian plus a $3 fee.
Pappcam get of your high horse, some people just don't know anything about Canada and even less about there own USA!

Today. .795


I wasn't on a high horse of any sort. Like I said, I just get irritated that some think it's hicksville up here. It's obviously not a one off opinion as I see many of these types of threads here.

A question like "Will my bank and/or credit cards work fine up in Canada?" is a lot better than "I heard that my bank or credit cards don't work in Canada".

Anyway, I said my piece... 🙂
2023 Grand Design Imagine 2970RL
2011 F150 XLT 5.0

Chiefelectusn
Explorer
Explorer
bcbuoy, think about what people are asking: they just don't know.
They are not beating up Canada, they don' t know. Give them a break.
Oh, thanks for reacting.

Community Alumni
Not applicable
Folks, please stick to the topic and not who knows more about their country!! :S

... Eric (Moderator)

bcbouy
Explorer
Explorer
Chiefelectusn wrote:
For everyone's info!
Exchange rate between American $ and Canadian $ is right now about .81.
I'll save you the math, $100 American is equal= $120 Canadian.
I exchanged $200 at the currency exchange here in Sarasota and got $240 Canadian plus a $3 fee.
Pappcam get of your high horse, some people just don't know anything about Canada and even less about there own USA!

Today. .795
what high horse? its a valid point.re read the posts.
2012 ram 2500 hemi crew cab sb 4x4 2015 northstar 850 sc 14.5 g3 guide custom fly fishing boat

ILroader
Explorer
Explorer
The guy who told me about needing cash at gas stations on the way to Alaska said that's what his insurance agent told him. Who knows where he got his information. Anonymous internet e-mail? Anyway, sounded strange to me so I figured better to find out here from people who knew. We were in Europe last year and got chipped cards from BoA before going, and our Travel Rewards VISA avoids the 3% transaction fee while out of the US. Sounds like we're in good shape. Thanks to all for your replies.

Chiefelectusn
Explorer
Explorer
For everyone's info!
Exchange rate between American $ and Canadian $ is right now about .81.
I'll save you the math, $100 American is equal= $120 Canadian.
I exchanged $200 at the currency exchange here in Sarasota and got $240 Canadian plus a $3 fee.
Pappcam get of your high horse, some people just don't know anything about Canada and even less about there own USA!

Today. .795

garyhaupt
Explorer
Explorer
And our beer is better, too.


Gary Haupt
I have a Blog..about stuff, some of which is RV'ing.

http://mrgwh.blogspot.ca/

pappcam
Explorer
Explorer
Why do Americans think Canada has a money system inferior to them? These posts irritate the heck out of me. We aren't some uncivilized backwater up here. Our money system is more than likely superior to the US system. We've been using chipped cards up here for so long and yet I go down to the US and I have to swipe my card every time.

Long story short, your cards will work virtually everywhere up here, period.
2023 Grand Design Imagine 2970RL
2011 F150 XLT 5.0

RZAR66
Explorer
Explorer
I am the OP of this thread. On our trip to Canada last July we strictly used our credit card everywhere including every time we had to fill up. The only problem we ran into was at one gas they did not know how to run my credit card because it did not have the security chip in it. The person behind the counter had never seen a CC without a security chip. I guess the U.S. is the last country in the world to have chipped credit cards. So I paid cash there.

Just last week I received my brand new CC with the security chip.
2018 Ford F-350 DRW
2024 Northern Lite 10-2

spud1957
Explorer
Explorer
ILroader wrote:
We are heading to NB, NS, PEI, and NL this July pulling our 5er. Someone told me that many Canadian gas stations are private operators and do not take take credit cards. He was looking into it for his trip through the western provinces on his way to Alaska. We'll be in the east. But is this true? It will make a big difference in the amount of cash I need on hand if I'm going to have to pay for most of my fuel in cash. Also, my GMC Sierra has the Duramax diesel. Is diesel easy to find?


That is not true. All gas stations in the Atlantic provinces sell fuel for the large oil companies and ALL take credit cards.

Diesel is just about everywhere. I stress "just about". Don't assume all stations carry it.
2018 F350 6.7 4x4 CCSB
2022 GD Reflection 337 RLS

joe_b_
Explorer II
Explorer II
Like it or not, there is no other currency in the world that has such wide spread circulation as does the U.S. Dollar. At any given time there are more U.S. Dollars being used outside the U.S., than inside the U.S. Just as English has become, somewhat the de facto language of the world, the U.S. Dollar has become the de facto world currency. Reportedly there are over $40 billion U.S. Dollars in use in Russia. In 53 years of traveling in Canada, by RV, car or personal aircraft, I have never had a Canadian business tell me they wouldn't accept US dollars, of course the exchange rate was not favorable to me.
Try spending Canadian currency here in Florida where we have over 650,000 Canadian snowbirds with us during most of the winter, and you will most likely be refused. Thy spending some Mexican pesos or French francs if you want to get some strange looks. LOL

Why are we like that in the U.S.? No idea but it is the way it is. Many/most of our banks don't seem to know how to deal with foreign currency at the teller windows.

But with that said, I like to use the currency of the country where I am physically present, for the most part. The exchange rate is better normally. Several of my Mexican friends keep their savings and retirement funds in U.S. Dollar accounts, either in Mexican banks or in U.S. Banks. One of my Mexican friends, an architect, told me that he used US dollar accounts, because he liked to feel when he went to bed at night, he was going to have the same amount of money when he woke up the next morning.
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
2016 Fleetwood Flair 31 B Class A w/bunks
www.picturetrail.com/jbpacooper
Alaska-Colorado and other Trips posted
"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".

almcc
Explorer
Explorer
ILroader wrote:
We are heading to NB, NS, PEI, and NL this July pulling our 5er. Someone told me that many Canadian gas stations are private operators and do not take take credit cards. He was looking into it for his trip through the western provinces on his way to Alaska. We'll be in the east. But is this true? It will make a big difference in the amount of cash I need on hand if I'm going to have to pay for most of my fuel in cash. Also, my GMC Sierra has the Duramax diesel. Is diesel easy to find?


Unless you are in the boonies your CC should be good. I have noticed that some stations here in Ontario are posting notes at the pump that customers have to go to the cashier to use their US cards, perhaps because US cards aren't chipped, ours are.

As for diesel it's widely available, had no problems as far back as the 1990's getting diesel even on the trans Labrador highway at that time.

ILroader
Explorer
Explorer
We are heading to NB, NS, PEI, and NL this July pulling our 5er. Someone told me that many Canadian gas stations are private operators and do not take take credit cards. He was looking into it for his trip through the western provinces on his way to Alaska. We'll be in the east. But is this true? It will make a big difference in the amount of cash I need on hand if I'm going to have to pay for most of my fuel in cash. Also, my GMC Sierra has the Duramax diesel. Is diesel easy to find?

Tripalot
Explorer
Explorer
atreis wrote:
Sea Dog wrote:
It is always interesting that Americans
feel that their foreign dollars
should be accepted in Canadian stores,
while American stores will not accept as much as a Canadian dime!


I personally think it's rude to expect Canadian stores to accept US money, and always stop at an ATM shortly after crossing over the border, get Canadian dollars, and stash my US dollars away until after I cross back over again.

That said: Those stores don't have to take US money - they could do the same as the stores on the US side - yet many do take it. That leads to people expecting it ...


As Canadians we would not think of trying to use our Canadian dollars in the US - 2 different countries and 2 different currencies.
Just wondering if US citizens traveling to Britain, Italy, Mexico, etc. would expect their US dollars to be accepted.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do! Get the proper currency for the country you are traveling in. Credit cards work everywhere but just be sure to inform your C.C. company of your destinations and accept the fees that are applicable.
2014 Triple E Regency GT24MB (Murphy Bed) with all the good stuff
towing a 2016 Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk
Berkley, the amazing camping cat missed dearly (1996-2012)