Has anyone had any experience of sending a box to the Phils from the UK ?? roughly about 25kg, door to door
I sent a 15kg parcel of documents using DHL and it cost me about £250. If you're sending documents. Fair enough. If you're sending presents for the family, I wouldn't personally bother because: a) You might have to pay tax on import. b) The items may get lost, stolen, confiscated. c) Its cheaper to wire money and save the carrier cost and it's also much quicker and less risky. d) Many items (food,clothes) are cheaper to buy in the Philippines so it doesn't make sense to buy here and ship.
Not if you send a Balikbayan Box whose contents now only attract import duties if the total (declared value) exceeds Php 100,000. Balikbayan Boxes are a cheap and effective and whose carriage and freight charges are based on cubic measurement rather than weight. We've just sent a "large" box, approximately one cubic metre, from Malta and the total paid to LBC was €125.
Yes. I know about balikbayan boxes. But last time I looked they still took more than a month to get there, they still cost money since €125 is still about £100 and it's still cheaper to buy most things in the Philippines.. I suppose if you wanted to send a bunch of second hand old clothes and stuff it might make sense. Otherwise I can't see the point. Which is why I don't use 'em.
my g/f part filled a balik box 2 years ago. dozens of toblerones. tins of spam jars of instant coffee. FFS. and--previously--a new flat screen samsung colour telly.. from korea--to philippines--via the UK.. work that out.
Thanks guys, so balikbayan box is the way forward, yes it will be filled with treats and other things, i know its probably cheaper to buy most of the stuff in the Phils but its the fact that its from the UK that appeals to them., How would I send such a box and whom with ???
I gather from @BlueberryCheeseCake that It's a source of boastfulness and pride in some families that they can point to an item from abroad and say 'this came from abroad'. We were invited to send some items recently with a cousin. We refuse to take part in that foolishness out of general principle and my advice would be to seriously question why you should pay extra to boost someone else' ego. Start off as you mean to go on. You might live to regret your generosity... If it's cheaper for them to buy there... then let them buy it there.. That's my view.
As already pointed out, it's an ego thing for families to say they receive a parcel from abroad. The fact that it costs you £100 to send it doesn't matter to them. That fact that it's very stupid and an inefficient waste of your money also doesn't matter to them. You have infinite money to waste in the families view, most of the time. I'm very hard line on dealing with family finances, sending money, boosting ego, loaning money and all that sort of BS. It's the only way. Otherwise you will get taken to the cleaners.
Use the search function for balikbayon boxes and you should come up with some useful stuff including companies to avoid using. We used to send maybe 4 boxes a year at one point but that was to set up our house in the province but also to send stuff over for family. Items like clothing, coffee, toys for kids, chocolate etc around xmas. We certainly never got into the this comes from abroad game by sending electronics etc. The wifes family are really poor so have little use for alot of luxury items and would prefer other more useful items. Horses for courses really
I hear what you're saying but the boasting about something coming from abroad isn't limited to electronics. My wife used to know a woman who kept several tins of corned beef to boast about because they came from abroad. Since clothes and food are cheaper to buy in the Phils and heavy and bulky to send I just can't see the point in spending the money to ship in a box. I see it as simply a luxurious indulgence and using my money. I have no problem taking gifts in a suitcase when I travel if I have spare capacity but in my experience these things have a way of becoming a right and an expectation rather than an appreciated item. I Would still counsel anyone contemplating sending boxes or money to question what precedent they are setting.
I think that a balikbayan box is a good way to send things that you no longer need and which are worthless here but useful there. Children's clothes are an example that comes to mind.
I hear what you're saying, I must be lucky in that my wifes family don't seem to be like that. We decide what to send and when and so far we've not been pressurised into sending anything, no requests at all. We do it because we can and to try to provide a slightly better life even if only for a short period of time (with regards food, coffee etc). Regards clothes we found the quality is better in the UK so the wife generally sends her old ones out there, we buy kids and brother stuff new as non of my stuff will fit them, lol. The boxes we send out will be greatly reduced now due to my impending redundancy, obviously other things will take precedence. At the end of the day everyones different, I think its a nice thing to do but as you say make sure they are sent for the right reason and not due to pressures / boasting from family. Agreed
The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill that would not only modernize the Bureau of Customs (BoC) but would also raise the tax-exempt value of balikbayan boxes from P10,000 to P150,000. Senate Bill No. 2968 known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) was approved by the chamber Monday. Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/756700...aising-balikbayan-box-exemption#ixzz4B8InHBCl Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
It used to be B&N Lilley. I've not sent a box in a while now but when we do it'll probably be LBC. Though one of the wifes friends has found someone local I believe who can send boxes for about £80!!! I'll have to look into it, but failing that LBC would be my choice
I have used these people twice and found them reliable - they will drop the empty box (s) off and collect them when filled - they also do promo`s http://www.forexcargouk.com/
