Topic: Calling all Canadians...

[Pugnate]

Need to ask some questions... please raise your hands.

[Cobra951]

Ooo!  Emigration plans taking shape?

Sorry, I'm from several parallels too far South.

GEEEPEEEDOUBLEYOUUUUUUUUU!

[idolminds]

Answers:

Moose
Beavers
Maple Syrup
Snow
Eh?
Twoonie
Milk Bags (not the fun kind)

[Pugnate]

haha I had some questions... maybe the Americans can help since GPW is too busy having sex and Ren is getting ready for his 15th b-day.

1. I'll need a computer there ASAP for work. Is newegg.ca good enough for parts or should I look elsewhere?

2. Do I have to pay taxes on anything I buy online from the USA, like a video card for instance?

3. What's the best place to get a cellphone package between Bell, AT&T, and Telus? They also have one other 'younger' brand each. Should I go with those? Or should I go with the new kid, Wind?

4. Should I bring my own cellphone from Pakistan or should I land there and get one of those deals where they give you a nice phone? Problem is that you are then paying $40 extra a month. I am confused as to what to do in this regard.

5. What's the best place to find a one-bed in Toronto that's a decent area and reasonably priced? We won't have a car for a while so it needs to be in a bus route. I've heard there are some areas to avoid.

6. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

7. What's the best place to open a bank account?

8. What's the fastest way to build a good credit rating? (tips?)

[Cobra951]

2.  Here, technically, you have to pay sales tax on anything you buy.  If the store doesn't charge it, you're supposed to declare it and pay it at tax time.  But it's easy to get away with not paying it.  I imagine Canada is more strict, because of the tax structure there?  A bigger issue might be whether American businesses with a presence in Canada (like Amazon) would ship goods to you from the US.  I imagine there are impediments to such a thing, specifically because of taxes, and regional pricing, and even the exchange rate.

6. Uuuuh . . . my brain hurts . . .

8.  Fastest way: get a sizable loan; pay it back.  There's a sweet spot for number of credit cards and amount of credit used up.  Don't know what these are, though, and I'm sure it varies with income.

[Pugnate]

2. I meant import duties. Do Canadians have to pay import duties when buying from the USA?

8. OK thanks!

[ren]

1. I haven't bought pc parts in a looooong time but as far as I know Newegg.ca and NCIX are still the go to places. You may want to google around though as my info is years old.

2. It depends. Sometimes the retailer marks it as gift or says it's for a low value and no duty is charged. Other times you'll have to pay duty St Canada post before they deliver your package.

3. The three main companies are Rogers, Telus and Bell. Koodo is the discount brand to Telus and virgin to Bell. Th e discount brands use the same network as the main brand so it's usually better to go with them and get a better deal. The discounts tend to use 'tabs'  instead of contracts which basically just means the subsidy for your phone is billed separately. I like that transparency and they end up being quite a bit cheaper if you bring your own device.

Wind mobile is around too. Their network is by far the worst but they're the cheapest. They also are the best if you're travelling in the states a lot.

4. See above. If you can buy a phone for cheaper in Pakistan do that, as long as it's unlocked and supports Canadian networks. Only worth it if you go with the discount brands.

5. For a nice one bedroom rental close to downtown you're looking at 1600 to 2000 a month. If you're willing to go out to the suburbs you can get a bit cheaper. Toronto has lots of neighbourhoods and more are good than bad. Look at viewit.ca, pad mapper and kijiji/craigslist. Let me know what you find and I'll give you more details on the neighbourhood and if the price seems reasonable. Also, do you have a location you'll need to travel regularly (work/family)?

6. Beavers would kill the woodchuck before it had a chance.

7. Tangerine is the cheapest of the big banks. It was ING and then got bought out by Scotiabank and rebranded. It's good if you just want a starter bank with no fees. If you're looking for a bank with more retail outlets and financial advisory services any of the big six will work.

8. Get a credit card and pay it off every month. Also what cobra said. Easier (in terms of hassle) than getting small loan is a line of credit which you use sparingly and pay off quickly.

I'm in mobile at work so my answers might be a bit vague. Let me know if you have any more specific questions.

[Pugnate]

1. Awesome. I shall look up NCIX.

2. OK this is important info. Since newegg.ca strangely ships you video cards from the USA and will not probably undervalue, I should find a local retailer. I don't know if you'll know this, but how long would it take for these things to arrive. Unfortunately, I have to sell my rig and I need to get to work almost immediately when I land, though thankfully we have a third staff member now, so that's why I am asking. Do you happen to know any reliable computer stores in Toronto that sell high end hardware?

Also, thanks for NICX, I didn't know about them.

My other alternative is a gaming laptop. The issue is that for a decent gaming laptop I am paying $500 more. On the other hand I can't even begin to get a desktop ready until I find an apartment (we'll be living with my wife's aunt for a few days.)

3. I've looked at the rates and they are SOOOO confusing. Then I read they are deliberately kept confusing. Apparently, mobile services suck in Canada in terms of customer service. OK, I will go with a discount brand. Thanks for the advice. Yes, I've read horror stories about Wind. What discount brand do you suggest? How much should I be looking to spend per month? Also, I am reading about family deals. Do you have any advice on this?

Strangely, mobile phones are similarly priced as Canada. For some reason I expected them to be more expensive.

4. I have a Galaxy Note 4. I love it to bits. Unfortunately, it is 'hax0red'. That's how I bought it. Not sure if it will conflict with a Canadian SIM.

5. So the rates I've been looking at are a bit lower. About 1200 for a decent one bed without utilities? Yes, I will definitely ask for advice on neighborhoods. Suburbs don't have a good bus system, do they? Can't get a car for a while. I'll look at those websites. Thank you.

6. I believe you.

7. I don't mind a better bank as long as it is widely available etc. I had a question. In Pakistan, you use an ATM card on any ATM machine from any bank and you are fine. I remember it wasn't the same in Canada? Also, what banks are the easiest to score a credit card from? Keep in mind we will have no credit history. ALSO... I heard some banks will not deny you a credit card if you deposit an X amount of cash?

8. I am so uncomfortable with credit card fees. In Pakistan and much of the world where the credit system isn't actually corrupt, no one uses credit cards... we all use VISA and MasterDebit cards... they have the power of a credit card but your money is automatically deducted from your account so you don't have to pay fees and be tempted into taking loans.

Question here is that now that I MUST use a credit card, are there any tips? If I pay it off every day rather than month, does it help?

9. Oh, and what sort of jobs can someone get on the weekends that are easier to get?

Thanks so much!

EDIT: If you are in Toronto Ren, we should meet.

IN FACT LET'S DO A CANADA OW MEET UP!

[Xessive]

[gpw11]

haha I had some questions... maybe the Americans can help since GPW is too busy having sex and Ren is getting ready for his 15th b-day.

1. I'll need a computer there ASAP for work. Is newegg.ca good enough for parts or should I look elsewhere?

2. Do I have to pay taxes on anything I buy online from the USA, like a video card for instance?

3. What's the best place to get a cellphone package between Bell, AT&T, and Telus? They also have one other 'younger' brand each. Should I go with those? Or should I go with the new kid, Wind?

4. Should I bring my own cellphone from Pakistan or should I land there and get one of those deals where they give you a nice phone? Problem is that you are then paying $40 extra a month. I am confused as to what to do in this regard.

5. What's the best place to find a one-bed in Toronto that's a decent area and reasonably priced? We won't have a car for a while so it needs to be in a bus route. I've heard there are some areas to avoid.

6. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

7. What's the best place to open a bank account?

8. What's the fastest way to build a good credit rating? (tips?)

1.) I always go with NCIX.   They have retail locations now as well so you don't always have to wait for shipping, etc. 

2.) It's really hit and miss.  Newegg should charge you tax automatically and you shouldn't pay duty on it, but to be safe go NCIX.  If time is crucial there's always a chance of something getting held up in customs and you don't want that.

3.) Stay away from Wind.  Go Koodo or whatever low level brands are out there.  I've only used Telus and Bell but I'm on a corporate account which is an entirely different beast.  Apparently if you're going consumer level you can't go wrong with one of the others.  As a side note, Howardforums.com or mobilesyrup.com should be able to tell you which deal is the best if you register in their forums and post.

4.) Check to see if the bands you have on your phone are compatible with Canadian carriers.  That should be the only issue.  I'm not sure if you mean your phone is carrier unlocked or bootloader unlocked or rooted, but that shouldn't matter.  As long as the IMEI is clean and the bands are compatible you should be good (they can point you in the right direction on one of the above forums)

5.) Don't know

6.) Don't know

7.) I'm not a big believer in Tangerine.  I mean, I don't think they're going to fold or anything but I think they're best served as a supplemental bank.  If you don't have financial history in north america it wouldn't hurt to at least open some account with TD, HSBC, Etc. or even a credit Union.  Risk Assesment teams in banks like to see long standing accounts with their institutions when considering lending.  That won't usually make or break the deal though. 

8.) As with the above it may be wise to go to www.reddit.com/r/personalfinanceforcanadians and make a post, check a faq.  Those idiots watch rates daily, etc and keep more up to date than we will and they should be able to steer you better.   

[Pugnate]

1. I looked at NCIX and not so impressed. The website looks exactly like it did when I left Canada haha, but more importantly, they seem to have slightly higher prices. A retail location could tip the balance in their favor over newegg.ca though.

2. OK good advice.

3. OK I shall do this.

4. OK that makes sense. The phone is rooted. It was probably some Canadian phone. Yes, it has the same bands as Canada. So it should work.

7. OK, got it. What's a credit union?

8. Will do. (page not found)

9. I was looking on craigslist for furniture, beds etc. How do people transport that stuff? If I buy from a furniture store, I am assuming they deliver. But what if it is something on craigslist? I don't think a taxi would do that.

10. Best place to buy warm clothes on a budget? I am guessing Walmart.

[Pugnate]

Are Futureshop, Radioshock, and EB games still around? :O

[Pugnate]

I heard Scarborough is not such a nice area? (Rent is cheap!)

[Pugnate]

Oh... forgot to ask a very important question! What's the best ISP/TV service in Toronto? Value and service.

[gpw11]

1. I looked at NCIX and not so impressed. The website looks exactly like it did when I left Canada haha, but more importantly, they seem to have slightly higher prices. A retail location could tip the balance in their favor over newegg.ca though.

2. OK good advice.

3. OK I shall do this.

4. OK that makes sense. The phone is rooted. It was probably some Canadian phone. Yes, it has the same bands as Canada. So it should work.

7. OK, got it. What's a credit union?

8. Will do. (page not found)

9. I was looking on craigslist for furniture, beds etc. How do people transport that stuff? If I buy from a furniture store, I am assuming they deliver. But what if it is something on craigslist? I don't think a taxi would do that.

10. Best place to buy warm clothes on a budget? I am guessing Walmart.

1.)NCIX prices have definitely creeped up but they're still my go-to.  I haven't ever used newegg though so can't compare.  Also check Redflagdeals.ca for meta deals.

7.) Credit union is like a smaller, local bank.  Still protected (unlike a savings and loan). There are advantages and disadvantages.  I actually use both a credit union and a bank.  Credit unions are almost like co-ops and are non-profit so each member has shares, etc.  To that end, they can offer you higher interest rates on CDs and savings accounts, and lower ones on lines of credits, etc.

8.) My bad.  https://www.reddit.com/r/PersonalFinanceCanada/

9.) If you can get a valid driver's licence, something like zipcar will work (probably only zipcar actually).  They're a carshare that should have some vans around town you can use by the minute.  I'm not sure what the situation is on this in Toronto though.  Beyond that, you may have to rent a cube van from Budget, etc for the day if you can (or if you know someone who can).

10.) I'll leave this to an east coaster.

[ren]

Computers:
Canada Computers (http://www.canadacomputers.com/) has a few brick and mortar locations in Toronto and its surrounding areas so that could be an option for you.

Phones:
For phones, you're looking to pay somewhere between $40 - $60 a month. Koodo has a deal right now for 2gb of data and 500 minutes for $50 or 2gb and unlimited minutes for $55. That sounds about right. It's also no contract so you can always bail on it when you get your bearings and find something better. Also, basically every plan will be unlimited long distance and unlimited texting these days. Last time you were in Canada I don't think that was the case.

Neighbourhoods:
Scarborough is a about 1/3rd the size of Toronto so it's a fairly big area. In it there are some good neighbourhoods and some less good but as a whole it's considered one of the less desirable parts of the city. This is Toronto though, our ghettos and sketchy neighbourhoods would be a walk in the park compared to the sketchy neighbourhoods in US or some European cities.

The biggest difference between the suburbs and the downtown core is walkability, density and transit. Etobicoke and Scarborough were primarily built after the car so the neigbourhoods are less dense and walkable and to get the most out of them you need a car. The bus system here is pretty good insofar as it gets you everywhere but from parts of Scarborough to downtown can easily take you an hour.

The big question is where you're going to work. If you're going to work in Etobicoke, Scarborough would be a bad choice. If you're going to work from home, you can venture further out of the city and easily find a place in the $1,200 range.

I know this isn't really giving you an answer but I can give you better details once you look at some places and start to get a bit more specific.

Finances:
gpw meant https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinancecanada

And in line with what he said, I use Tangerine as my secondary banks and TD as my primary. The major banks here are TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC and RBC. They're all very similar and have abundant physical locations.

Credit Unions are essentially like banks but instead of redistributing profits to shareholders their mandates are to redistribute it to their members. So as a member of a credit union, you can typically get lower fees and a more personal experience. The downside is that they tend not to have the same kind of national reach the big banks do.

As long as you pay off your credit card every billing cycle (monthly), you're fine. Paying it daily or monthly won't impact your balance. if you're weary of credit cards, you can get a Visa debit card here as well.

Stores:
Futureshop and Best Buy finally completely merged into one and now all Futureshops are Best Buys. Radioshack turned into Circuit City, I'm not sure if it's still around though. EB Games is still kicking.

Furniture:
Most stores will deliver but if you go used on kijiji you're probably on your own. Your best bet is to rent a van for a day. You could also request a van taxi or Uber. Car shares have vans as well. I don't have a van but I do have a Honda Civic and access to a larger Ford Escape so I can help you out for the occasional thing.

Jobs:
For consistent weekend jobs, retail is your best bet.

Clothes:
Wal-Mart is a generally safe bet. You can go cheaper shopping around discount stores located in the cheaper malls or Chinatown areas. Are you just looking for winter jackets, hats and gloves?

TV/ISP:
For ISP, avoid Rogers or Bell. They're the biggest but they're also the most expensive. Both of those companies are forced to sell their lines to smaller ISPs who provide the exact same speeds with the same reliability for a much lower price. The biggest small ISP is TekSavvy. I've also used start.ca in the past and they were good too.

For TV, I don't think you have many options outside of Rogers or Bell. Depending on where you are, you could get 20+ OTA channels with bunny ears though so you may not need to pay anything.

And now it's time for you to share some details. Are you moving here permanently? When are you arriving?

And OW meetup for sure.

[Pugnate]

Thanks everyone. A big help. (Ren and GPW I am grateful for all the useful advice.)

[Pugnate]

Looking at this again, that's a good tip on the Uber Van!

[Pugnate]

So this website is popping up everywhere when I look for computer parts with the lowest prices. They are apparently a Newegg supplier.

Trustworthy?

https://www.mikescomputershop.com/

[gpw11]

I don't know but you might try asking in this subreddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/bapcsalescanada/

[Pugnate]

Have to thank you GPW. I haven't started building my PC yet but I pulled the trigger on a Bestbuy.ca SSD sale for $70 off thanks to that reddit.

[Quemaqua]

Get that sucker built! Team Overwritten Overwatch needs you. 

[ren]

Haha you guys are Team OW OW? Awesome.

[Pugnate]

I don't think they meant an actual team considering they are only two.

[ren]

Hater

[Pugnate]

They could be if you and I joined. We'd just need two more.

[gpw11]

YOU GUYS SHOULD FUCKING DO THAT

[Pugnate]

I don't even have a computer.

[ren]

I also don't have a computer

[Pugnate]

[Quemaqua]

It will be great when you all actually have computers. I will dream of that day.

[Pugnate]

GPW and Ren, bought many of my parts from DirectCanada. This website is amazing. It is owned by NCIS (apparently) but has the lowest prices with free shipping!

[Quemaqua]

Mark Harmon's like, "Thanks for your business, Canada."

[gpw11]

GPW and Ren, bought many of my parts from DirectCanada. This website is amazing. It is owned by NCIS (apparently) but has the lowest prices with free shipping!

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.   I've been eyeing an SSD for my budget laptop.

[Pugnate]

So pretty much all of my parts have arrived. Ordered either from NewEgg or DirectCanada depending on savings. Newegg has $20 off if you use Masterpass so there was that. Even then, on the processor, mobo, and RAM, I saved a lot per item from DirectCanada.

Videocard, PSU, Monitor, I used Newegg thanks to some cool deals. DC isn't as good for cutting edge hardware that they are unlikely to keep a big volume of as it isn't so mainstream.

So everything arrived except for the RAM. In fact Newegg delivered all in a day or two. So did DC, but the RAM hasn't come in yet. It is expected to come in Monday.

I was a bit ticked thinking I'll have to wait a few more days just for the RAM.

So I toyed with the idea of canceling the order and doing a rush order from Newegg.

Even if I don't take into account paying extra for Newegg's express shipping to get it tomorrow, I am paying $28 more at Newegg as compared to Directcanada.

So I'll happily wait

[gpw11]

You can't wait!! This weekend will be perfect for Overwatch!

[Pugnate]

Lend me some RAM.

[gpw11]

I can't ship that shit out to you in time.  Ren - give the man some RAM