Quote:
Originally Posted by ken0042
While I agree that Spokane is much better than any city in Montana for shopping; it adds a different dynamic to the trip. You can hit Kalispell or Great Falls as a day trip. Leave by 6 AM and you are there shortly after 11. Shop until 7pm and you are home just after midnight. For $100 in gas you are able to come home with all sorts of different things that you might not be able to get here.
Spokane adds a minimum of 5 hours to that return trip, which makes it no longer a day trip. So now you are at $150 for gas, and $100 for a hotel for one night. That means you have to spend that much more on clothes to be able to justify that extra $150 in costs.
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I have never considered a 1 day trip to go shopping in the states. To me what you just described is the worst day ever and I like driving. Unless it is to pick up a big ticket item I just don't see it being worth it.
Also with a trip less than 24hrs you have to pay duty on whatever you declare that is made outside of USA/CANADA/MEXICO which is 5% gst plus duty depending on the item. Now you don't have to declare everything but to me getting flagged as a liar at the boarder is not worth the savings as once you are caught once misreporting what you are bringing in at the boarder you will get the detailed treatement every future passing.