Canada Winter Tax Break

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The Canadian Government passed a law stating people in Canada do not need to pay GST or HST taxes on a wide variety of items from December 14th 2024 to February 15th 2025. This is going to be a huge headache for many stores to implement.
This screencast is a read through of the information about which items qualify and which items do not qualify for this tax break. This screencast was made as a critique of the tax break and point out that it really is not that helpful for people who live frugally either through necessity or wise buying decisions.

However, there are still a few ways even frugal people might creatively benefit from this tax free holiday.

Some notable take aways:

Bad News for Health Nuts - Good News for Boozers

Things that will help you live a healthier life: vitamins, health supplements, or sports equipment for children are taxed!

Things that can make people sick such as beer, wine, prepared foods, chips, pop, or candy are not taxed.

Good News for Students - Bad News for the Deaf / Blind

Textbooks are given a tax free holiday, along with other physical books.

While print subscriptions to some magazines and newspapers get a tax-free holiday and audio books get a tax break the following are still taxed:
Ebooks - which are frequently used by people with low vision
CD's, DVD's etc with print information - closed captioning is a necessity for people who are deaf.

Things to watch out for:

Restaurant foods are generally not taxed but if you order your takeout through a platform like Door Dash - the delivery service is taxed.

Car seats are not taxed - but a car seat sold as part of a system is taxed.

Best Things to Stock Up On To Help You Stay Warm

If possible wait till after Christmas to shop - you may be able to take advantage of some huge price drops.
Real Christmas trees that you can plant later to use as a windbreak and save yourself money on fuel next year - and in a few year you can cut down to burn as firewood.

Cheap books and jigsaw puzzles- if you have a woodburning fireplace your could burn them to help offset the tax on heating fuel.

Kits labelled for ages 8+ - head to the toy aisle and get yourself a knitting or crochet kit and make yourself some adult sized winter hats and mitts.

Children's scarves - weave a bunch together to make a blanket.
Children's clothing - take them apart to make quilts, mats, washcloths and other material goods.

Line your walls with lots of cheap books - however be clever- these can be dust collectors - if possible put them behind plexiglass.

Snacks with insulating factors like rice cakes and corn cakes. Move over styrofoam!

Done with those drink tins? Wash them out well and put them under your sink -fill your sink with hot water and the tins will retain and radiate the heat!

Greasy snacks and sugary snack burn well, but they can give off a terrible smell.

Need light? Kids candle making kits for ages 8+ or solar experiment kits might help make your nights brighter.

Need Kitchen Appliances or Dishes?

Head to the toy section- grab an easy bake oven if you are cooking for one or two it just might do to get you through!

Buy snacks in reusable tins or containers - Boom! Storage containers!

Need food for your kitchen that is healthy? Look for kids gardening kits!