Many parents go south of the border when tackling back-to-school shopping.

They want to take advantage of lower prices and better sales, says CAA South Central Ontario. It offers these 6 tips to thrifty parents making the trek:

  1. Plan for delays at border crossings. You can check up on wait times at http://travel.gc.ca/.
  2. Purchase travel insurance for even short trips since unexpected visits to hospitals will be expensive.
  3. Schedule a vehicle check-up a least one week before your road trip.
  4. Pack a map along with your GPS. Also consider using route planner tools to reduce travel stress.
  5. Remember that for 48 hours or more, you can bring back tax and duty-free goods worth up to $800. For 24 hours or more, you can only bring back $200 worth.
  6. Keep all receipts and have them ready at the border.

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