Your guide to cross-border shopping on Black Friday

THORNHILL, ON, Nov. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - One of the biggest shopping days is almost here and that means many will descend on American shopping centres to take advantage of Black Friday bargains.

Before you make the annual shopping trek south of the border to stock up on everything from the latest fashions to this year's must-have toys to the coolest gadgets, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) suggests the following cross-border travel tips:

• Make sure your vehicle is road trip ready. Check your wiper blades and fluid levels. Test your battery and inspect your tires for any tears or bulges in the side wall.
• Purchase travel insurance even for a short shopping trip across the border. An unexpected trip to the emergency room or a visit to the doctor's office can be expensive and provincial health plans only cover approximately 9 per cent of medical expenses when travelling outside of Canada*. CAA offers many travel insurance plans to suit your needs.
• Pack a map as a back-up to your GPS. CAA offers maps and customized TripTik route planners to help get you where you are going safely. CAA can also help you book your hotel stay.
• Be prepared for delays at border crossings. Before heading out check border wait times at http://travel.gc.ca/.
• Bring proper identification for yourself and any children travelling with you.
• Know how much you can bring back. For 48 hours or more, you can bring back goods, tax and duty-free, worth up to $800. For 24 hours or more, you can bring back goods, tax and duty-free, worth up to $200.
• Declare all purchases and have receipts ready at the border.

For those in search of Black Friday sales on this side of the border, the CAA Member 20/20 Event has exclusive offers and a chance to win 20,000 CAA Dollars.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering roadside services, automotive care, travel and insurance. There are more than 1.9 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and over 5.9 million members in Canada.

*Source: The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (2013).

Follow @CAASCO_News on Twitter for regular updates on wait times, other news and information.

SOURCE: CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Jeff LeMoine, Communications Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].