Shopping in Canada
Of course, students who have settled in would need to shop for their necessities. Shopping in Canada would be divided into 3 parts Books, Groceries and Clothing.
- Books: students do not necessarily have to buy their textbooks new, there is the option of renting or buying used textbooks to save money. They are cheaper means and students can check with their school bookstores, some of them offer book exchange programs or resources.
- For other shopping needs, students can go to malls for different items and accessories. There are also outlet malls that are smaller and sometimes cheaper depending on the store. There are also pop-up downtown markets that provide really good essentials are really affordable prices. Notably, Canada has the world’s largest mall in Alberta.
- Groceries: Food and household items can be purchased at supermarket chains across the country, like No Frills, Metro, Food Basic, etc students should also be able to price compare from all the different markets and get the best value for their money. One app students have found useful in comparing grocery prices is called ‘Flip’and can be used to check fliers.
- Groupons and red flag deals are used to get good deals at good prices. Also used during sales periods and discount shopping.
One thing many international students worry about is winter clothing, you basically only need just one good jacket and a pair of good boots. Quite an investment but it is worth it as the country has extremely cold periods in the winter and hypothermia is actually a real thing.
Students should look-out for a jacket with down-feather because they tend to keep warmer compared to jackets with polyester lining. This could cost about 100 CAD to 300 CAD, nonetheless, students do not have to buy an expensive brand, just one with really good quality.
There is also something called an SPC card which is a student discount card that gives 10% off all store purchases in Canada
