Calling all Canadians... what's up with this?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JordaanDMC-12 · #1 06-04-2010, 02:57 PM

I came across this twice last night apart from the 10+ other times it's already happened and I just thought I'd ask you all..

I work at a drustore and I live in a place where we get lots of Canadians for tourism, and when they come and pay they are just flabbergasted that we don't except Canadian currency, then they go on to saying: "Well it's okay, our dollar is going to be worth more than yours soon anyway" and i'm like "okay?" and then going on to call our money funny money, I almost find it kind of rude, they act oh so nice but are so snobby....

That's how it always starts too, they walk up and in a sarcastic voice say "I take it you don't take Canadian money right?" and me thinking their just joking around/being funny because I would think they know when you visit another country you usually pay with their currency say "naw I'm sorry" and then they get all "why not???" and get all defensive about it like I just told them their money was crap or something, then they go on to the "well, ours will be worth more than yours soon".

And the reason I'm posting this is because they ALL do that, and say the exact same thing, I almost wanted to say something back yesterday but hesitated because of my job's sake. Can we go to any place in Canada and pay with American money? And even if we couldn't I think it would be fun/cool using another currency, and would't at all tell Canadians in their faces their money was "funny money" or be like "well our money is worth more than yours" it just looks bad and is rude.

So my question/s is, can we pay with American currency anywhere in Canada? or do we need to pay in Canadian? Is it just me or is it rude when they tell me how "theirs will be worth more soon", and our money is "funny money".. And it's not like I'm rude to them or anything when they come in, I usually like to ask where in Canada they're from and go on saying how I'd like to take a drive up to B.C. but when they pull that bs I'm almost sorry I was nice to them because it steams me after the 10+ times hearing all that.

TX76513 · #2 06-04-2010, 03:01 PM

Who uses cash anymore? sheesh. Just tell them you don't take cash - anyones. Debit or Credit only.

JordaanDMC-12 · #3 06-04-2010, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

Who uses cash anymore? sheesh. Just tell them you don't take cash - anyones. Debit or Credit only.

I still get people who pay with checks! and while they stand there writing it out the entire store comes and wants to check out at the same time lol

Pavka007 · #4 06-04-2010, 03:05 PM

WOW, this takes me by surprise. I love BC, I use to live for some period of time in Vancouver and I find the Canadians in general as very polite people. Like every place there are some exceptions but as a whole they are great.
I don't really know what make them talk to you like that but I am really surprised.

jcyuhn · #5 06-04-2010, 03:12 PM

Many, if not most, businesses in Canada accept US currency. Your customers probably just assume the reverse is true as well, and are shocked when it is not. I grew up close enough to the border to watch curling on CBC, and back then local businesses would accept Canadian currency. Of course, that was all before the invention of credit cards

mgburg · #6 06-04-2010, 03:23 PM

Try changing the Canadians coins in at a US Bank. Better yet, call one and ask them what they would give you if you walked up to one of their windows with a sack of $20.00 of Canadian coins.

The answer?

Nothing.

I just called my bank and they told me I'd get a total of $19.16...That's $0.958/USD...but ONLY if it was Canadian PAPER DOLLARS, not the coins. They won't take the coins and they said you have every legal right to refuse the foreign currency.

You're not getting your fair market value for your product if you take one dime, nickel or penny in Canadian.

Sure, the Canadians will take the USD...no problem...they just made $0.042 off your transaction.

Remember, that's TODAY'S Exchange Rate...I can't tell you what tomorrow's may be...and it's only good if you're a member of that bank, have an account and you want to wait 'til the Federal Reserve exchanges the paper first...that's the other kicker...you have to wait 'til the Fed turns the transaction around before you get your reduced-dollar's worth.

Isn't being International fun?

BTW, the exchange rate was a lot worse for the Canadians a few years back...I remember being told by another bank that they'd only give me $0.75/USD. That was, maybe, about 5 years ago.

I guarantee you...if that gal is right about their money soon being as valuable as ours, she won't be bringing in Canadian to buy her drugs...it would be stupid on her part then.

I'm thinking I'm going to hang on to those Canadians coins a little longer...hell, the way "O" is pushing his pet projects down everyone's throat, I might exchange my greenbacks for some Cunuckbucks really soon!!!! Yah dar' hey! Doncha' know!

JordaanDMC-12 · #7 06-04-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgburg

Try changing the Canadians coins in at a US Bank. Better yet, call one and ask them what they would give you if you walked up to one of their windows with a sack of $20.00 of Canadian coins.

The answer?

Nothing.

I just called my bank and they told me I'd get a total of $19.16...That's $0.958/USD...but ONLY if it was Canadian PAPER DOLLARS, not the coins. They won't take the coins and they said you have every legal right to refuse the foreign currency.

You're not getting your fair market value for your product if you take one dime, nickel or penny in Canadian.

Sure, the Canadians will take the USD...no problem...they just made $0.042 off your transaction.

Remember, that's TODAY'S Exchange Rate...I can't tell you what tomorrow's may be...and it's only good if you're a member of that bank, have an account and you want to wait 'til the Federal Reserve exchanges the paper first...that's the other kicker...you have to wait 'til the Fed turns the transaction around before you get your reduced-dollar's worth.

Isn't being International fun?

Ahhhhhh okay cool, thank you for posting this, I forgot about the coins and how our banks won't exchange them, it happened with me also when I came back from a trip to Australia and New Zealand and had all these 1$ and 5$ coins and the bank wouldn't take them.

Yes! being international is great fun! lol

kerry · #8 06-04-2010, 03:45 PM

I think most Canadian businesses accept US dollars. Hell, in India, they'll take the US dollar. Just take their dollars.

By the way, on a related topic. I have a friend who was getting pissed that every time he gave a cashier a large bill, they would pull out the detector pen and check to see if it was a forgery. He bought a detector pen. When the cashier gives him back bills, he pulls out his pen and checks them. He says most cashiers take offense.

Graplr · #9 06-04-2010, 03:53 PM

I go to Canada fishing once per year. I've never seen a place that won't accept US currency in Canada. For the most part, the US dollar has been worth more than the Canadian dollar.

But I don't follow mgburg's reasoning. Say right now the Canadian dollar is worth $0.80 in the US. If I am a bank and take Canadian money for exchange and I only give you $0.75 on the Canadian dollar I just made money. That is how the exchange stores work up on the border. They make money on both transactions, US to Canadian and Canadian to US. Most stores in the US just don't want to deal with the hassle since it is so rare anyone pays with another currency.

mgburg · #10 06-04-2010, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

I think most Canadian businesses accept US dollars. Hell, in India, they'll take the US dollar. Just take their dollars. ... By the way, on a related topic. I have a friend who was getting pissed that every time he gave a cashier a large bill, they would pull out the detector pen and check to see if it was a forgery. He bought a detector pen. When the cashier gives him back bills, he pulls out his pen and checks them. He says most cashiers take offense.

Too bad...I do the same thing...if they have a problem with the money I'm handing them being any good, then I have every reason to be sure that what they're handing me is just as good. Those "pens" are sold at Office Depot and Staples. Not a bad thing to carry around with you...

JordaanDMC-12 · #11 06-04-2010, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

I think most Canadian businesses accept US dollars. Hell, in India, they'll take the US dollar. Just take their dollars.

By the way, on a related topic. I have a friend who was getting pissed that every time he gave a cashier a large bill, they would pull out the detector pen and check to see if it was a forgery. He bought a detector pen. When the cashier gives him back bills, he pulls out his pen and checks them. He says most cashiers take offense.

I can't take Canadian currency, our store doesn't accept it, and I've been told by our management not to take it.

Now if I didn't know your friend and saw them do that, I wouldn't think anything of it because he is just being careful, which I understand because we are too, but since he was getting pissed at cashiers (for doing their job) and checking bills and was only doing that to spite them, that's not right. We MUST check large bills because if they are fake, it's on us and we get written up for being 50$ or 100$ short in the drawer.

The Clk Man · #12 06-04-2010, 04:00 PM

The wife and I just got back from a road trip with a elderly Canadian man. I found him to be very accommodating, I even call Stephan "Pops"

mgburg · #13 06-04-2010, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graplr

I go to Canada fishing once per year. I've never seen a place that won't accept US currency in Canada. For the most part, the US dollar has been worth more than the Canadian dollar. ... But I don't follow mgburg's reasoning. Say right now the Canadian dollar is worth $0.80 in the US. If I am a bank and take Canadian money for exchange and I only give you $0.75 on the Canadian dollar I just made money. That is how the exchange stores work up on the border. They make money on both transactions, US to Canadian and Canadian to US. Most stores in the US just don't want to deal with the hassle since it is so rare anyone pays with another currency.

That was a few years back...that's why I never gave the banks my Canadians...I either pawned them off on other places of business or I mothballed them. I'd say I have about $20-$30 worth of Canadian laying around right now. If I head to Canada for anything in the future, I'd bring it along and get my "reduced" share out of it. I got taken when I took it to begin with...I'm not getting taken NOW because I know better now.

The problem the OP was complaining about was from a retailers' stand-point. Why should he, or his business, take it in the financial shorts when your own bank is going to be shorting you on what you give 'em...and you have to give them Paper Currency...no coins. Once the exchange rates switch over (USD worth less than Canadian), then watch who's *****in' about how much their paper/coin is worth...and watch the hassles they'll have trying to get their full value out of a long-ago transaction.

Their government won't be crying crock-tears for them, either...at least the banks won't.

Zeus · #14 06-04-2010, 04:17 PM

Jordaan - sounds like maybe you are seeing the worst among us? Is it a wealthy area in Cali? Lots of tourists? There are snobs in every culture.

It's true most places here take American cash, as historically it has been worth more. I have never brought Canadian cash with me to the US and expected it to be accepted. I usually get some American cash at my bank and then just use my credit card for everything.

Our dollar has been strong the past couple of years, and even over par at times. You might be seeing a change in attitude where some Canadians expect US businesses to accept the currency on par, or close to it, due to this relatively recent change in rate.

I'm just guessing here. You are probably just seeing some jerks.

I find most average Canadians and Americans to be pretty similar. More alike than not. Except for guns and healthcare. And maybe sports teams. And beer. And...I'll stop there.