Ya see, that's the thing. For the most part, those little under $200 things are WANTS. I don't NEED them. I just won't buy them, and go without. I physically cannot remove my wallet from my pocket to pay twice the price for half the quality of what I could get on Amazon. Or, I'll just have my gardener make one. I'm pretty sure he could build me a flat screen TV from an old microwave, some PVC pipe, and electrical tape.
- Thread starter rubio_higuey
- Start date
Mudanzas: Post Your Shipper
Ya see, that's the thing. For the most part, those little under $200 things are WANTS. I don't NEED them. I just won't buy them, and go without. I physically cannot remove my wallet from my pocket to pay twice the price for half the quality of what I could get on Amazon. Or, I'll just have my gardener make one. I'm pretty sure he could build me a flat screen TV from an old microwave, some PVC pipe, and electrical tape.
I have used this shipper from Orlando.
Cost about $60 to $80 each depending on DR delivery location. Less to Santiago and more to Cabarete. Took 3 weeks. And they did allow 1 rice and 1 oil in addition to each box. Good way to get coconut oil down here! And jasmine rice if you like that; very expensive here.
But they usually only have boxes. Gotta say though, I liked the boxes. Packed well, they weighted probably 100 lbs; you wouldn't want them any bigger! And that size is a standard "dish pack", so you can get heavy duty ones at the moving company used for very little $$.
http://carmencargoexpress.com
631 N Semoran Blvd
Orlando FL 32807
(407) 380-2627
Cost about $60 to $80 each depending on DR delivery location. Less to Santiago and more to Cabarete. Took 3 weeks. And they did allow 1 rice and 1 oil in addition to each box. Good way to get coconut oil down here! And jasmine rice if you like that; very expensive here.
But they usually only have boxes. Gotta say though, I liked the boxes. Packed well, they weighted probably 100 lbs; you wouldn't want them any bigger! And that size is a standard "dish pack", so you can get heavy duty ones at the moving company used for very little $$.
http://carmencargoexpress.com
631 N Semoran Blvd
Orlando FL 32807
(407) 380-2627
Some outstanding tips here for those considering the barrel/box route.
To reiterate:
Forget bubble wrap (I agree AE). Use towels, sheets, clothing, to provide cushioning for more fragile stuff. I also use paper towel rolls/toilet paper 4 packs (expensive and poor quality in DR) to provide protection and fill in the gaps.
By all means buy beverage coolers and put your more fragile items/breakables in the cooler (Thanks WW). I usually find them at yard sales for $2-5.....and you will have no difficulty selling what you don't need (have you seen the price of a cooler in the DR).
A further suggestion are those 18 gallon plastic totes....oftentimes available via Walmart/Home Depot for $5.00 or less. The ones I have sent (four at a time one inside the other in a TV box) were quickly resold and nearly covered the cost of shipping.
As AE has said, most shippers allow you to also send an item outside the box....this is generally the large jugs of cooking oil or the large plastic jugs of laundry detergent (both very expensive in the DR).
I use 27" TV boxes almost exclusively. I buy them for their weight rating and size. You can put far more heavy stuff in them, as opposed to a regular box, and four 12x12 boxes fit quite nicely on the bottom with no wasted space.
Also, I concur on the barbecue price. Sent mine in May, even had a separate side burner. Cost $100 to buy online onsale....and $100 to ship separately from my box. Try and match that price at La Sirena, Pricesmart @ 8,750 pesos.
Some great tips here.
Thanks for sharing yours.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
To reiterate:
Forget bubble wrap (I agree AE). Use towels, sheets, clothing, to provide cushioning for more fragile stuff. I also use paper towel rolls/toilet paper 4 packs (expensive and poor quality in DR) to provide protection and fill in the gaps.
By all means buy beverage coolers and put your more fragile items/breakables in the cooler (Thanks WW). I usually find them at yard sales for $2-5.....and you will have no difficulty selling what you don't need (have you seen the price of a cooler in the DR).
A further suggestion are those 18 gallon plastic totes....oftentimes available via Walmart/Home Depot for $5.00 or less. The ones I have sent (four at a time one inside the other in a TV box) were quickly resold and nearly covered the cost of shipping.
As AE has said, most shippers allow you to also send an item outside the box....this is generally the large jugs of cooking oil or the large plastic jugs of laundry detergent (both very expensive in the DR).
I use 27" TV boxes almost exclusively. I buy them for their weight rating and size. You can put far more heavy stuff in them, as opposed to a regular box, and four 12x12 boxes fit quite nicely on the bottom with no wasted space.
Also, I concur on the barbecue price. Sent mine in May, even had a separate side burner. Cost $100 to buy online onsale....and $100 to ship separately from my box. Try and match that price at La Sirena, Pricesmart @ 8,750 pesos.
Some great tips here.
Thanks for sharing yours.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
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agreed #2.... an informative thread
isn't this what we're supposed to be doing here ???
helping each other ?
some miss that point, at times.......
isn't this what we're supposed to be doing here ???
helping each other ?
some miss that point, at times.......
Agreed - unless you live in US or have family or close friend who you can have stuff shipped to, who will then send it on when full.
My method of packing fragile items in the boxes.
I LOVE, "Homer" 5 gallon plastic buckets from the "Home Depot"!!!!!!
They only cost about 3 dollars each, and you can get a tight fitting lid for a dollar more.
They have a million uses here in the DR, and are VERY sturdy, and the handle doesn't break off.
I pack them with the "Good Stuff", use clothes to cushion them, and put them in my boxes, usually 2 will fit.
They are BRIGHT ORANGE in color with the Home Depot logo.
Before anyone tells me to "Just Use 5 gallon empty paint buckets", don't!
These are better, and when they are stolen, you can see them from a mile away, and shoot the guy who "Borrowed" them!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
I LOVE, "Homer" 5 gallon plastic buckets from the "Home Depot"!!!!!!
They only cost about 3 dollars each, and you can get a tight fitting lid for a dollar more.
They have a million uses here in the DR, and are VERY sturdy, and the handle doesn't break off.
I pack them with the "Good Stuff", use clothes to cushion them, and put them in my boxes, usually 2 will fit.
They are BRIGHT ORANGE in color with the Home Depot logo.
Before anyone tells me to "Just Use 5 gallon empty paint buckets", don't!
These are better, and when they are stolen, you can see them from a mile away, and shoot the guy who "Borrowed" them!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Ok so let's say i ship a box from the USA and it contains :
Lot of food product, clothes, few small electronic worth a few hundred dollars ea, some blueray's, 2 tennis raquet(100$ea ) and some small other innexpensive items to fill the box, will i get a surprise and pay some ridiculous taxes?
I just have to tell the person that nothing is in the box/looks new?
If there is any taxe, will i know before sending the box trough the shipper?
Lot of food product, clothes, few small electronic worth a few hundred dollars ea, some blueray's, 2 tennis raquet(100$ea ) and some small other innexpensive items to fill the box, will i get a surprise and pay some ridiculous taxes?
I just have to tell the person that nothing is in the box/looks new?
If there is any taxe, will i know before sending the box trough the shipper?
You're supposed to be honest and tell the shipper what's actually in the box. Few people actually do that. If they do find something that wasn't disclosed, they can hold the box in customs and ask for more $$, but in 25-35 years of shipping we've never had that happen.
Of course, now that I said that I've probably jinxed myself.
What would be the top ten things that ex-pats import, other than TVs and higher ticket items?
Tide? Slim Jims? Spices? Cereal?
Anyone know of a shipper for the DC area?
Tide? Slim Jims? Spices? Cereal?
Anyone know of a shipper for the DC area?
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See if you can find the Gamma Lids. They are great for lids on five gallon buckets. About $8 each at Home Depot but they make the buckets much easier to open and seal. I use them for storage and keeping bulk foods in. Just the right size for 25 pounds of flour. I have a dozen I got online. Home Depot has them, but only in black. Online, they come in seven colors and under $6 each.
Leaktite 5-gal. Screw Top Lid-5GAMMA6 at The Home Depot
GAMMA SEALS WAREHOUSE DIRECT. GAMMA SEAL LIDS
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I want to ship a 24000 BTU window air conditioner. It's only 26x26x19 inches, but I've called a couple of mudanzas (awilda and montero) and they quote me a price based on the BTU of the AC and not on the dimensions of the item.
It seems everyone here is getting price quotes based on the size of the item. How do I get around this?
It seems everyone here is getting price quotes based on the size of the item. How do I get around this?
the price has little to do with the size - more to do with the activity at the dock
Customs cares not about the size... i expect BTU's is their 'go to' number
Awilda charges more to ship a new fridge than an old one.....that tells you something
they have an arrangement at the RD end.... and charge accordingly
you could check on a flight if you want - and deal with the Aduana yourself
I never do that
Customs cares not about the size... i expect BTU's is their 'go to' number
Awilda charges more to ship a new fridge than an old one.....that tells you something
they have an arrangement at the RD end.... and charge accordingly
you could check on a flight if you want - and deal with the Aduana yourself
I never do that
The AC is 138 pounds so I could never get it on a flight.
Are there weight limits to a barrel? If not I'd imagine I could have someone scratch out the 24000btu part of the box, or for that matter have someone put permanent duct tape all over the box so nobody would know whats in it. At 138 pounds, I can't imagine anyone would be bothered to pull it out of the box. Or maybe so?
Are there weight limits to a barrel? If not I'd imagine I could have someone scratch out the 24000btu part of the box, or for that matter have someone put permanent duct tape all over the box so nobody would know whats in it. At 138 pounds, I can't imagine anyone would be bothered to pull it out of the box. Or maybe so?