Canadian coins

[user 423]

After spending quite a bit of time driving thru Canada, I really appreciate their use of $1 and $2 coins. 

Yesterday in Fairbanks I had to put 16 quarters in a washing machine.

Doing laundry in Cochrane, Alberta only required two 'loonies' and a quarter (that's about $3.20 USD).

 

[highdesertranger]

dang 4 bucks a load, I hope you got a free dry with that. where's my bucket. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

Turn as many coins back into paper as you can before returning to the states for an exchange. They won't take coins for exchange (at least my bank wouldn't). I liked the loonies and toonies (isn't that a cartoon maker?).

 

[MrNoodly]

When I lived in Canada in the early '70s, as a rather ignorant 19 year old, I thought it was funny their paper currency was different colors for each denomination. I thought it looked like Monopoly money. But I quickly learned the benefit of it.

 

[user 423]

dang 4 bucks a load,  I hope you got a free dry with that.  where's my bucket.  highdesertranger

Nope, the dry was another buck fifty.  It was supposed to be a double-load washer but didn't seem that big.

I have a 1/16" cable stretched across my van right behind the seats with a privacy curtain hung on it.  It comes in handy as a clothesline to hang things that ain't all the way dry.

 

[user 423]

Turn as many coins back into paper as you can before returning to the states for an exchange.  They won't take coins for exchange (at least my bank wouldn't).  I liked the loonies and toonies (isn't that a cartoon maker?).

Good tip but on the way back I'll probably just spend all the CAD that I'll have stocking up on food.

When I first did laundry in Alberta, I had to ask what a loonie was.

 

[user 423]

When I lived in Canada in the early '70s, as a rather ignorant 19 year old, I thought it was funny their paper currency was different colors for each denomination. I thought it looked like Monopoly money. But I quickly learned the benefit of it.

Was it plastic money back then?  The bills now are made of plastic. Kinda weird but seem a lot more durable than paper money.

 

[MrNoodly]

Was it plastic money back then?  The bills now are made of plastic. Kinda weird but seem a lot more durable than paper money.

Paper back then.

 

[maki2]

The duty free shops at the border are a good place to spend the last of the coins even if it is just on treats like candy, jerky, etc.

 

[wayne49]

"toonies" could have been called "doubloonies"

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Fwiw,
$1 CDN = 1 loonie = $0.75 US @ today's exchange rate as per ForEx.
2 loonies and 25¢= $2.25 CDN = $1.69 US at today's exchange rate. It cost you much less to wash your clothes than you thought.
Save your laundry for Canada.

As CDN $ is worth less, the conversion to US$ should be a lower numerical value. 3/4 less at today's exchange rate, not more than the CDN $ number.
To help those with exchange calculations.
And there's always an exchange cost of a few points to consider overall.
Credit card companies used to be the best bet with advantageous currency exchange rates. Be aware that some stores however do their own conversions which are much higher. Google and research prior to inform yourself.
Happy travels!

 

[user 423]

"toonies" could have been called "doubloonies"

Doubloonies.....reminds me of the Hardy boys and the treasure.

 

[user 423]

It cost you much less to wash your clothes than you thought.
Save your laundry for Canada.

LOL...yeah, I got it wrong in my initial post.  I got my toonies and loonies mixed up. Now I remember it was 3 loonies and a quarter, so it was $3.25 CAD and not $4.25, so only about $2.45 or so USD. 

I've found that WMs and other large stores will take US cash but do their own conversions and it's quite a bit less than the official rate. At various stores it's ranged from 1.10 to 1.22 versus the 1.34 official. Maybe the clerks were hitting the wrong buttons. McDonalds up there won't take US cash, so I would buy a small item at a WM and use a $20 bill to get some pocket CAD.

Both my credit union cards only charge 1% for international transactions and that was a good thing since I made a couple of larger purchases for my van.

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Can easily be fooled on conversions
The stores are actually giving you LESS than the exchange rate at 1.10-1.20 as you stated.
For your one American dollar they are only giving you$1.10-$1.20 Canadian when you should be getting near $1.34 CDN.
They're not hitting the wrong buttons but giving you a lower conversion rate which is standard.
The cost for their trouble to convert.
Why using a credit card gives you a better, closer to real exchange value.

As well, there is a process for tourists to get a refund on the taxes for purchases if I remember correctly. Save your receipts. Look into that.

 

[Kaylee]

"toonies" could have been called "doubloonies"

There was a movement to call the $2 coin the "moonie"...


because it had a Queen on the front, and a Polar Bear behind.
(Get it? bare behind?)

Sadly, that never caught on , but if you meet Canadians of a certain humoUr orientation, it's an easy way to endear yourself with them.

Obligatory Geeky Canadian Content:
In both the original Star Trek TV series, and Firefly TV series, both Captains and Chief Engineers were played by Canadians.
Nathan Fillion (who played the captain in Firefly) is an unabashed fan of William Shatner, and does a half way decent impression of him.

P.S. Wayne, you sent me a shiny PM, but you have your PMs "off".
I'll be back in town tomorrow (beating my head against an Amazon shipping snafu), and have my reply saved as a draft, all ready to send.

 

[wayne49]

Why would it allow me to send a PM!! That is not right!!
PM's off should mean all PM functions off.

Okay, time for someone to post how wrong that idea would be.

"Moonie", it's good that they did not go with that nickname. Followers of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon were/are called "moonies". "Loonies" would have fit just as well.

SyFy's programming is almost all Canadian. Canadian productions have a multitude of "Kevin Bacon" connectors. Very incestuous and small group that acts in almost all Canadian productions.

Back on topic, when in Canada do not pay with US dollars at POS (Point of Sale). They accept USD (United States Dollar) at par and give your change in CAD (Canadian Dollar).

 

[Kaylee]

Why would it allow me to send a PM!! That is not right!!
PM's off should mean all PM functions off.

Okay, time for someone to post how wrong that idea would be.

Spock said it best: "Logic is only the beginning of Wisdom".

 

[Kaylee]

Just remembered my #1 tip for folks going to Canada...

Coffee Crisp

That's a type of candy bar, with a coffee flavored cream alternating with wafers and covered with milk chocolate.
It's superb.