Shopping

Canada has converted from the imperial to the metric system of measurement but is using both systems in everyday life. Prices of goods sold by weight or volume (for example, meat, vegetables, gasoline) may be shown in metric units, or both metric and imperial units.

	Metric	Imperial
Length	1 metre	1.1 yards
Weight	1 kilogram	2.2 pounds
Volume	1 litre	0.88 quarts or 0.22 gallons

Most stores and shops in Alberta have fixed prices and do not allow bargaining.

Shoplifting

When you are shopping in a mall, be sure to pay for anything you pick up in a store before you go back into the mall or you may be accused of shoplifting (theft). Store owners install cameras and employ people to catch customers who take items without paying for them.

Shoplifting is a criminal offence in Canada and can have very serious consequences (for more information, see The Canadian Legal System section).

Refunds and exchanges

If you pay for something, then decide you do not want to keep it, stores are not required to refund your money. Store refund policies are usually posted near the cash register.

If you have a cash register receipt for the purchase and return the item within a certain period of time, the store may give your money back, allow you to exchange the item for something else or give you credit toward a future purchase.

Stores will not accept returned underwear or bathing suits or items of clothing that have been worn or damaged.

Spending money wisely

There are many ways to save money on necessary purchases:

• Buying basic food supplies such as meat, flour, sugar, etc. and preparing your own meals is usually less expensive than buying prepared foods.
   
• Stores often have sales that are advertised in newspapers and on television. Sale prices may be reduced up to 50 per cent.
   
• Second-hand stores sell all kinds of used items in good condition at greatly reduced prices. These stores sometimes allow bargaining but may accept payment only in cash.
   
• Auction houses sell used items at advertised auction sales. You can usually inspect items before an auction sale begins. At the sale, items are sold to the person who offers the highest price. To avoid bidding more than you can afford to pay, it is a good idea to decide what your maximum offer for an item will be before the bidding begins.
   
• People sometimes have garage sales or yard sales to sell items they no longer want. Watch for garage sale notices in newspapers and near traffic intersections in your neighbourhood. Some bargaining is acceptable.

For more information, see the Service Alberta website.

Other suggestions and assistance can be found in Stretch Your Dollars: Budgeting Basics, published by Credit Counselling Services of Alberta. To order your free copy, go to the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) e-careershop catalogue or call the Alberta Career Information Hotline at 780-422-4266 in Edmonton or toll-free 1-800-661-3753.

Date Updated: Nov 01, 2007
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