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Talk to me about sending a parcel to the US please

16 replies

Hyggehygge · 12/12/2018 21:10

I'm not completely stupid - honest - but I've never sent a parcel to my friend before, so I just bought a smallish postage box and then looked at the prices for shipping and - gulp - £35+.

So, I only want to spend about a maximum of £15 on postage. But I can't find any sites that tell me what dimension box I would need for that and what weight.

So lovely people. Is there anyone who regularly posts to the US? Who do you use, what size boxes and what weight? Can I send chocolate and tea (her main requests)?

Thank you so much for any advice.

OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 12/12/2018 21:26

Try parcel2go ... it'll ask you to enter weight and dimensions then produce a menu of choices, some of which may be better if your current one's come from the Post Office

HappyStripper · 12/12/2018 21:32

Go on the Royal Mail website. They have a postage calculator that breaks it all down. A small box under 2kg was normally under £20.

HappyStripper · 12/12/2018 21:34

Just checked and standard delivery for a parcel weighing 1kg is £13

Hyggehygge · 12/12/2018 22:41

Thanks so much for the link happystripper. What dimension of box is that for? I can’t find that anywhere

OP posts:
JaretsGirlfren · 12/12/2018 22:44

I do! DP lives there at the moment so I send over to the USA a lot. It is muuuuuuch cheaper to get an airmail bag type thing (Wilkos sell them)

Hyggehygge · 12/12/2018 22:47

JaretsGirlfren that's really interesting but I'm not sure I could fit everything I want to in an airmail bag. Do you mean one of those thin plastic ones, rather than a padded envelope?

If so, do you send it by Royal Mail or how?

OP posts:
HappyStripper · 12/12/2018 22:54

Here’s a screenshot of the requirements for that price

Talk to me about sending a parcel to the US please
JaretsGirlfren · 12/12/2018 22:59

I’ve used both the plastic kind and the padded envelopes, sometimes I have sent two bags as it is still cheaper than a box. And yes I send by Royal Mail Smile

Hyggehygge · 12/12/2018 23:15

Fabulous. Thanks to you both!

OP posts:
implantsandaDyson · 12/12/2018 23:50

Yup I also use padded envelopes and have in the past sent 2 envelopes - still cheaper than a box. I sent a few envelopes a year to the US - usually around £8-10 postage. Would have some very light clothes (t-shirts, gloves, scarf), a book and a small selection box.

wigglybeezer · 12/12/2018 23:58

The dimensions have to add up to no more than 90 cm, so if it was a square box each side would be no more than 30 x30 cm ( and they check so make sure you're not a wee bit over). I send stuff to America regularly HTH.

Stupomax · 13/12/2018 02:29

If she wants chocolate and tea I'd just send it via something like British Food Depot. My MIL sends us stuff that way every year.

HerRoyalNotness · 13/12/2018 03:33

MIL sends us packages sometimes and she never uses Royal Mail. I think she does parcel2go. Much cheaper

Nandocushion · 13/12/2018 03:46

Or go on Amazon US and get the same choc and tea and send it within the US.

wigglybeezer · 13/12/2018 10:47

Royal Mail is fine as long as stick to the size restrictions, if you go over it changes to Parcel force which is expensive and couriers may then be cheaper.

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