get a no-fee US$ credit card (e.g. i use TD USD VISA)% I5 {9 L0 r" }9 }) b' N# m2 D
find someone who are willing to exchange with the XE rate 9 r2 V' K5 K" g. {; ydeposit your USD either to your US$ credit card or any US denominated chequeing/saving account$ Y& V3 y! j" H2 F0 x8 h7 K
go to the US and have fun (with thousands of dollars of bills to pay of course)5 X' @5 Z0 E2 w8 |& p
pay your money when you get home0 U, a% s6 w" P+ U) J: _
. X6 ^' v0 H4 N& m& `the rule of thumb is: the less you get your service from the banks, the less you will have to pay 1 K6 \1 d) [5 p% R2 s7 Y* n9 S% \, N- ^" `
If you can't find someone who's willing to trade with you - you can trade with your bank with some costs depending on how much you trade. The worst is to swipe your CAD credit card in the US. Both VISA/Mastercard and your bank will skim profits every time you swipe your card.