Planning a shopping trip to Buffalo
Looking at going to Buffalo April 1st 2022
any good deals or things that we should definitely pick up?
any good deals or things that we should definitely pick up?
Planning a shopping trip to Buffalo
- Last Updated:
- Dec 17th, 2022 4:22 pm
Tags:
- SCORE0
- cheappolak [OP]
- Newbie
- Feb 6, 2022
- 27 posts
- 330 upvotes
- Toronto
111 replies
- Kiraly
- Deal Expert
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- Jan 9, 2011
- 16388 posts
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- Vancouver
Depends what you need. The best way to save money is to not buy stuff you don't need, no matter how much lower the price.
- Gibsons
- Deal Addict
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- Feb 20, 2015
- 3876 posts
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- Southern Ontario
You'll find out that Americans have the same Inflation that we do so some of the previous deals (on everything) will be more expensive. Make sure to fill up your gas tank though, they are still paying a lot less than we are.
- TomRFD
- Administrator
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- Jun 17, 2013
- 17083 posts
- 33630 upvotes
- Scarborough
I'm heading down soon too. These days I don't really go so much to find deals (although there's still some good deals to be found), but more so just for fun, to eat, and to shop at to the stores we don't have here. Target, Trader Joe's and the mall are my usual suspects as far as places to shop go.
I always hit up a few grocery stores too to buy new food products that we don't have here (e.g. new Pepsi Nitro that comes out on March 28th).
Whenever I'm thinking about visiting, I also start scanning the US deal sites to see if there's anything worth shipping to my US address to pick up, or just buy when I get there. Got some really cheap Nerf guns and toys when I visited back in December.
I always hit up a few grocery stores too to buy new food products that we don't have here (e.g. new Pepsi Nitro that comes out on March 28th).
Whenever I'm thinking about visiting, I also start scanning the US deal sites to see if there's anything worth shipping to my US address to pick up, or just buy when I get there. Got some really cheap Nerf guns and toys when I visited back in December.
- Gibsons
- Deal Addict
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- Feb 20, 2015
- 3876 posts
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- Southern Ontario
It's been 2 years since I've gone (I live in a Border Town) but from what I can see from the groceries I used to buy at a local store, there has been a substantial price adjustment with this inflation. You can still save money, but the previous $1.79 for a gallon of milk is now $2.76 (at the store I used to go to in the Detroit area).cheappolak wrote: ↑ Certain items, even with the exchange are way cheaper. Specifically items from Walmart or home depot
https://www.meijer.com/shopping/departm ... tionalMIlk
- gr8dlr
- Deal Expert
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- Sep 1, 2005
- 19014 posts
- 13873 upvotes
- Markham
Check Harbor Freight flyer for good deals.
https://www.harborfreight.com/deals.html
Trader Joe's in Amherst
https://www.harborfreight.com/deals.html
Trader Joe's in Amherst
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
- Dealmaker1945
- Deal Addict
- Oct 23, 2017
- 2677 posts
- 2248 upvotes
- GTA West
Gas. And I assume milk, cheese and chicken will still be well priced. Maybe look for packages of "Irish" style corned beef brisket that that was stocked for St. Patrick's day to be on sale. My wife likes some of the Aldi's stuff. I will hit up Lowes - I need a new cedar birdhouse and I got one for $15 or so last time that was comparable to $39 ones here. They also had Burpee seeds in smaller packages. I also need Killex for the one lawn application I do every year. I like JC Penney for the socks and underwear brands I like and their large selection of pant sizes, including odd waist and length sizes we don't see here. But otherwise the Boulevard Mall is a very tired place that will be redeveloped. Many other things are hit and miss. You have to know your prices and look at the things that you need.cheappolak wrote: ↑ Looking at going to Buffalo April 1st 2022
any good deals or things that we should definitely pick up?
Food - we like the Burrito Bowl at Chipotle for lunch, which I found better than the Canadian outlets. Or we do Panera's. On the home from the Amherst area, Paula's Doughnuts and coffee are good for a power up. As we rarely stay late into the evening or overnight, we don't have much experience with the dinner restaurants.
- PointsHubby
- Deal Expert
- Feb 7, 2017
- 23958 posts
- 23051 upvotes
- Eastern Ontario
Lots of great tips here …
For us no trip to the US is now complete without a few (all ) of the following stops … no matter where in the USA
* Macy’s
* JC Penney’s
* Any unique local regional Dept Store
* Outlet Malls
* Costco
* Target
* Khols
* LL Bean
* Christmas Tree Shops & That stores
* Harbor Freight
* Lowe’s
* Trader Joe’s
* Aldi
* And whatever local regional grocer there may be … Price Chopper, Wegmans, Tops etc
* A music store
* A Book & Magazine Store
Also …
* Gas station
* Liquor Store
* And the Post Office / local Parcel Drop … agree with the person who said it’s great to buy online & time your deliveries & pick up
There’s truly a PATTERN to our shopping. Not so much bargains as it is we are looking for well priced stuff that’s new to the marketplace or not found in Canada (yet or ever).
But you got to know your prices. If you do the math you quickly find out not everything is a bargain. Lots of stuff that Americans pay more for period … or we get a better price on after exchange.
Same idea … we dine almost entirely at places we’ve not got back in Canada. Esp true for chains : Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Carrabbas, Uno Chicago Pizza, Texas de Brazil, etc
As to Buffalo specifically … no trip is complete without some awesome BBQ (several joints … but like Dinosaur BBQ the best)
And Chefs Italian. It’s iconic
For us no trip to the US is now complete without a few (all ) of the following stops … no matter where in the USA
* Macy’s
* JC Penney’s
* Any unique local regional Dept Store
* Outlet Malls
* Costco
* Target
* Khols
* LL Bean
* Christmas Tree Shops & That stores
* Harbor Freight
* Lowe’s
* Trader Joe’s
* Aldi
* And whatever local regional grocer there may be … Price Chopper, Wegmans, Tops etc
* A music store
* A Book & Magazine Store
Also …
* Gas station
* Liquor Store
* And the Post Office / local Parcel Drop … agree with the person who said it’s great to buy online & time your deliveries & pick up
There’s truly a PATTERN to our shopping. Not so much bargains as it is we are looking for well priced stuff that’s new to the marketplace or not found in Canada (yet or ever).
But you got to know your prices. If you do the math you quickly find out not everything is a bargain. Lots of stuff that Americans pay more for period … or we get a better price on after exchange.
Same idea … we dine almost entirely at places we’ve not got back in Canada. Esp true for chains : Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Carrabbas, Uno Chicago Pizza, Texas de Brazil, etc
As to Buffalo specifically … no trip is complete without some awesome BBQ (several joints … but like Dinosaur BBQ the best)
And Chefs Italian. It’s iconic
- gr8dlr
- Deal Expert
-
- Sep 1, 2005
- 19014 posts
- 13873 upvotes
- Markham
Thanks for reminding me about Aldi.PointsHubby wrote: ↑ Lots of great tips here …
For us no trip to the US is now complete without a few (all ) of the following stops … no matter where in the USA
* Macy’s
* JC Penney’s
* Any unique local regional Dept Store
* Outlet Malls
* Costco
* Target
* Khols
* LL Bean
* Christmas Tree Shops & That stores
* Harbor Freight
* Lowe’s
* Trader Joe’s
* Aldi
* And whatever local regional grocer there may be … Price Chopper, Wegmans, Tops etc
* A music store
* A Book & Magazine Store
Also …
* Gas station
* Liquor Store
* And the Post Office / local Parcel Drop … agree with the person who said it’s great to buy online & time your deliveries & pick up
There’s truly a PATTERN to our shopping. Not so much bargains as it is we are looking for well priced stuff that’s new to the marketplace or not found in Canada (yet or ever).
But you got to know your prices. If you do the math you quickly find out not everything is a bargain. Lots of stuff that Americans pay more for period … or we get a better price on after exchange.
Same idea … we dine almost entirely at places we’ve not got back in Canada. Esp true for chains : Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Carrabbas, Uno Chicago Pizza, Texas de Brazil, etc
As to Buffalo specifically … no trip is complete without some awesome BBQ (several joints … but like Dinosaur BBQ the best)
And Chefs Italian. It’s iconic
They also need or rather we Canadians want a US Costco near Buffalo. Costco US- do you hear us?!?!
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
- PointsHubby
- Deal Expert
- Feb 7, 2017
- 23958 posts
- 23051 upvotes
- Eastern Ontario
I agree …
It’s a weird void in the Costco Map
Buffalo being a pretty major US city
And esp seeing all us Cdns who cross border shop
But it does meet their 100 Mile rule
(That each Costco draws in Customers in a 100 mile radius … or up to 90 Minutes away by car )
The next closest Costco being in Rochester NY to the east
And Niagara Falls Canada to the north
Both spots within the 100 mile radius of Buffalo
And it’s pretty much exactly 3 Hours to the one in Hudson Ohio
Which corresponds to the 90 minutes rule
If you do include the Cdn store into the mix for those folks living east of Hudson / Erie PA
- Dragon120
- Deal Addict
- Jan 19, 2004
- 2062 posts
- 709 upvotes
- Toronto
Do we (Canadians) need to prove a negative test to enter US?
- LNahid2000
- Deal Fanatic
- Jul 10, 2003
- 7922 posts
- 3539 upvotes
I'm probably going to go on the 2nd or 3rd, mainly for groceries that I can't get here, but also eyeing some Amazon stuff which I'll probably buy this Sunday and have sent to an Amazon Counter where they'll hold it for a week.
- PointsHubby
- Deal Expert
- Feb 7, 2017
- 23958 posts
- 23051 upvotes
- Eastern Ontario
Not by car … YES by Plane
You do however have to be vaccinated (current requirement)
So bring your vaccine documentation (Ontario vaccine passport)
And be prepared to show it if asked
Easy way … have it & your passport in hand when you approach the CBP / US Customs Booth
- jcamldn
- Deal Addict
- Apr 7, 2020
- 1621 posts
- 5456 upvotes
that would be amazing but i think the reason it hasn't/might never happen is because it would hurt the Niagara location.
that said, i often hop over to rochester to visit the costco there. easy drive from buffalo and i always pick up a lot of good stuff there. if there was one in buffalo it'd probably always be packed with canadians
- LNahid2000
- Deal Fanatic
- Jul 10, 2003
- 7922 posts
- 3539 upvotes
Costco may be coming to Buffalo at some point:
https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/er ... ource=t.co
https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/er ... ource=t.co
- gr8dlr
- Deal Expert
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- Sep 1, 2005
- 19014 posts
- 13873 upvotes
- Markham
I don't think it will effect Niagara that much. Not everyone wants to go to a US location and pay US$ and have to pass thru the border. Perhaps put it bit further away from the border is all that's needed.jcamldn wrote: ↑ that would be amazing but i think the reason it hasn't/might never happen is because it would hurt the Niagara location.
that said, i often hop over to rochester to visit the costco there. easy drive from buffalo and i always pick up a lot of good stuff there. if there was one in buffalo it'd probably always be packed with canadians
Many Cdn shoppers would go to a US Costco for US selection.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
- Dealmaker1945
- Deal Addict
- Oct 23, 2017
- 2677 posts
- 2248 upvotes
- GTA West
It is a good question as to why Buffalo has never seen a Costco. I know NF/Buffalo is not as affluent as Southern Ontario, but they do support a couple of Sam's Clubs and a BJ Wholesale Club. There is also a nice Whole Foods that caters to a more upscale demographic. The Amherst area looks like the best place to put it. I don't see any issue with having a new Canadian Costco in NF across the border. I think that is one of the biggest Costco's but it is already crazy busy.
With that said, we visited the Rochester location once and were not blown away with the selection, unlike the Florida ones we have been to.
- AzNCrAzYcOoLeR
- Deal Addict
- Aug 2, 2003
- 2699 posts
- 441 upvotes
- Toronto
I went last week. Didn't see much deals at Costco. For the most part, things were a couple dollars cheaper for the exact same item, bit because USD + conversion + possible HST when you bring it back, I didn't buy much. Went to Target and Walmart and didn't see anything that we didn't have.
Maybe you guys will have better luck.
Maybe you guys will have better luck.
- mnbv1234
- Newbie
- Sep 25, 2017
- 86 posts
- 33 upvotes
how much can a person bring back after a 4 day trip
so we still get charged tax and/or duties on it
also no antigen test needed for car travel right?
so we still get charged tax and/or duties on it
also no antigen test needed for car travel right?
- PointsHubby
- Deal Expert
- Feb 7, 2017
- 23958 posts
- 23051 upvotes
- Eastern Ontario
Everything you need to know is on the Canada Customs / CBSA website
Including the latest updates on Testing Requirements etc
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voya ... e-eng.html
CBSA calculates on hours for short getaways
It’s $ 0 Exemption for any visit out of Canada less than 24 Hours
It’s $ 200 CDN for any visit between 24 and 48 Hours
And it’s $ 800 CDN for any visit longer than 48 Hours
To be alcohol or tobacco exempt … you have to reach this 48+ hour requirement
But there’s still limits on how much can be brought back tax & duty free
(See the I DECLARE Link I provided above )
NOTE - Exchange Rate to be calculated on the day you return to Canada
So bear that in mind as you shop
Expect over your limit spending to be indeed subject to Tax & Duty as required by law
Tax calculated based on the Province you are reentering