Here's an interesting exchange of ideas that may or may not save you money.

If your local retailer wants to charge $13.99 Cdn for a book that lists at $9.99 US, try paying with U.S. dollars.

While our loonie reached par, then surpassed the American dollar last week, Action Line noted that book and magazine publishers and greeting card printers were still demanding that Canadians pay 30 or 40 per cent more for their goods.

A greeting card selling for $4.99 US, for example, cost $6.49 at an area drugstore.

"I am reading your column about the dollar parity and I think I have a simple solution to this," reader John Bennett told Action Line. "Just pay for the product using American dollars. I think most stores will accept this."

Alan Smith put it another way.

"At the back of a book, does the word 'Canada' define the geographical place where the book is purchased, or the currency tendered? If the latter, will a store accept U.S. cash to the value shown in U.S. dollars? Presumably, if I drove across the border to another bookshop I could buy it at the lower price."

The Retail Council of Canada's vice-president of national affairs says the retailer has the final say in this matter.

"Technically, 'legal tender' is the home country's currency," Derek Nighbor notes. "That's the rule of thumb. Some retailers -- for customer service reasons and by choice -- might take U.S. dollars, but have no legal obligation to do so."

Even if they accept U.S. funds, there is another twist. "If the business does do this, its exchange rate considerations are voluntary and an extension of the customer service promise."

So you might wind up no further ahead.

Public relations manager Lisa Hule of Indigo Books and Music told Action Line her firm "buys and sells in Canadian dollars."

A consumer tendering U.S. funds, therefore, will be charged the equivalent of the Canadian price regardless.

"We're not a bank," Hule said. "When we purchased that book, the dollar wasn't at par. The price charged will be the Canadian price."

Meanwhile, another reader called to say a local merchant had taken a different approach to this problem.

"I was in a store in Dundas a few days ago that always has tags with U.S. and Canadian prices," Jan McNamara told us.

"I walked out, because they have now torn off all their U.S. prices. There is certainly no parity when you see that kind of thing happening. Perhaps more consumers should do what I did, and leave the store."

And that too might work.

Senior analyst Christian Vezeau of the Bank of Canada confirmed consumers can try their luck.

"The method of payment used in a transaction constitutes a private agreement between the buyer and the seller," Vezeau said. "There is no law that makes it compulsory to accept a specific means of payment to settle a commercial transaction."

If you have a consumer problem, call 905-526-4665 or e-mail amacrury@thespec.com. Not all calls and letters can be answered.