OK I'm starting to think I MIGHT actually move to the US in the next month or two (eek!) and I'm trying to remember what is cheaper to buy in the UK than the US, and what kind of stuff you can ONLY buy in the UK and not in the US.

What kind of stuff are you planning on buying lots of before you go, and taking with you?

FYI - the Sterling has a much higher value than the dollar - so buy here (US) if you're going to buy anyway. Excluding, of course, anything you need but can't get here.

Food items that you really love and your favorite tea bags as you likely will have a tougher time finding British specialties and when you do find them, the prices will be absurdly high. Others say our duvets here are crap so you might want to get a good one there if this might be an issue for you. Clothes ans shoes are much much cheaper here - so covert those pounds to dollars - double your money and go on a wild shopping spree when you get here!! Good luck with the move!!!!

All your favourite goodies, Cadbury's and Squosh, Tetley Tea as the Tetley Tea in the USA does not taste the same.

Janice

This is the start of my non food list for when I go home (UK) in Sept.

Hand Towels (the hand towels here are more like guest towel size)
Tea Towels (again the ones here are tiny)
Dish cloths (here they are pretty expensive for what you use them for I love the ones back home which are like 3 for 50p...lol)
Duvet Covers (hard to find here and expensive when you do find them).
Cushion covers (i like to be able to take mine off and wash them. The one's you buy here usually are not removable).

Maybe I should get myself a little business going here..........English Linens!!

Might I recommend William Sonoma for your dishtowels, those babys are nearly as big as a bath towel! They are a bit pricey but I have had one set for nearly 3 years, they bleach and wash extremely well.

So funny that you mention that cos he's bringing our t-shirt fabric duvet covers here. I can't find them anywhere in the US...you usually have to just buy the whole tshirt fabric comforter!

We're using them as a liner for everything in the suitcase

One food item that I haven't yet seen in the US (maybe I just haven't looked hard enough) and will miss lots is big slabs of tasty non-processed cheddar cheese!

Though quite how you'd transport that I have no idea...

Corrected for you:



You can get good cheddar in the USA no problem if you look in the right places. Trader Joes is a good place if you've got one, other places look for "Cabot" Vermont Cheddar with the black wrapper. As long as you avoid buying supermarket own brand or "Land o Lakes" crap.

I would recommend only bringing foodstuffs that you think you'll miss. You can find a lot of UK goods in the USA if you look hard enough, but some things you will have to order off the internet.

I would not bother with anything else as we have underwear, toothpaste, shoes, etc. in the United States, they're usually cheaper, and you don't have to pay to ship them several thousand miles. Very little is cheaper in the UK than the US.

If you move to somewhere near an IKEA, this is not an issue!

For me IKEA is about 200 miles away, but I still go there every 12 months or so and buy 3-4 duvet covers!

The DFW area has an Ikea in Frisco, but Ikea is such cheap crap! I ought to know...most of our furniture is from there. We're on our second Klippan sofa...that thing is a piece of sh!t.

I've found duvets and duvet covers very cheaply (new) on ebay stores if you don't mind that option. I have a queen size duvet but I hate all the covers I had for it (they were really overly girlie, because I got them when I was a little younger...not that I'm old yet *cry* ) and keep forgetting to buy any new covers for it lol

My darling, wonderful, super sweet husband just went shopping for me today, and grabbed the following goodies that I can't get here:

Knorrs Peppercorn Chicken Sauce
Wheat Crunchies
10 Mint Aeros and some Mint Aero Bubbles
2 250g bars of Cadbury's Caramel (for my mommy)

I did ask him to get me a pair of "Indian-esque" slippers, because the ones I got when I was over were sooo darn comfortable, I haven't found anything like them over here in the states, but I do live in Bumblefuct, Pennsylvania.

Vermont cheese is darn close to UK cheddar.

Thanks for the tip.

Anyhow, I think its more about what US stuff isn't available in the UK...

...Reeses Bites, anyone?




Okay, to be fair I just found this image on a UK food site but whatever, its not like you see 'em everywhere.

I know what you mean about IKEA stuff, however their duvet covers are fine and their linens in general. Also about 1/4 of the price of what you pay for a duvet cover in places like Target, where a sheet costs $10, but sew 2 sheets together and its suddenly $90.

Got to take a load of cabury's chocolate and don't for get finger of fudge's Mmmmmmmm yummy. I'd also take some Shirts, they're not that good for ironing the one's I got from America. Oh and don't forget Red cabbage and picked beetroot. Mmmmmmm yummy

No Ikea in my state yet.

but one is supposedly coming soon! to Orlando according to the website...

What's wrong with the pickled beetroot and red cabbage you get in the USA?

Really good quality duvet covers can be found at West Elm and CB2. Way better than the flowery chintz in most other stores. Same goes for cushion covers. Martha Stewart dishcloths from target are amazingly cheap and last for ages. Tea towels and hand towels can be found at the places I mentioned plus about anywhere else. Way cheaper than the UK too. Yellow dusters are 3 for a $ in the dollar store -- took me ages to find those! I actually bought some tea towels at Etsy. They were hand screen printed. Excellent quality & more unusual than the usual store bought stuff. Actually, I buy a lot of hand made stuff from Etsy. It's amazing!

I apologise to the OP that this is only very loosely related to your question, but does anyone know the equivalent for Full/Queen/King to Double/Queen (do we even have Queen beds in the UK?)/King - if for example I have a US Queen Bed and want to get some UK fitted sheets for it? I also have a UK King Duvet - same question in reverse.

If anyone can help me I'd be really grateful.

And thanks very much Mr or Ms Mint Aero a few posts back.. now I have a craving!

Thanks for all the replies!

I am shipping most of my household goods so I have duvet covers, duvets, cloths, all sorts of stuff like that, but it is good to know where to look for replacements. In fact my big duvet and cover came from Eddie Bauer in Seattle last time I lived in the US so it will be going home in a way ;-)

My hubby found a place in Portland that sells Maltesers for $1 :-)))) Need to check if they do Galaxies though...

I think a US king size bed is 6 feet wide and 6' 6" long if that's any help to anyone?

Good tip about Vermont Cheddar

I did just realise I should fill all the kids prescriptions in the UK before we go - our prescriptions in the US will be $30+ each, whereas they're free for the kids here.

My sister-in-law always used to get us to bring Zovirax over to the US for her - no idea why? Anyone?

I can't think of any more... I am looking forward to shopping for clothes and shoes in the US so much after the UK!

Buy some decent bras! If you're a woman that is. Bigger sized bras are a buggar to find over here!

The answer to that is Zovirax, even at current exchange rates, is cheaper and by prescrition only here in the US. Abreva, the OTC counterpart here in the US is like $20 for a miniscule tube! I bought Zovirax too whilst in the UK!!!

Oh, if you suffer from Migraines get a good supply of Nurofen Migraine tablets. Nothing over here compares and it all has caffeine in it over in the USA (er...caffeine is my trigger! lol).



That's me!

I noticed that....British women seem to have really large breasts in relation to American women, even accounting for higher rates of obesity in the USA. I'm the same bra size here as in the USA, but shops here sell G cups and bigger! The largest cup size I ever saw in a store that caters for women of average size is DD. Where DO G cup women buy bras in the USA?

Have noooooo idea nor do I want to know? Mail order from Jordan's line?

I dunno, I'm a C cup myself.

They dont really have much choice though unless you like flowers or circle!!




Check out the Ikea website they have sizes on there

I dont have a problem either in the UK or the US with bras. I was certainly not at the front of the queue when they handed out boobs...lol

No bother, my hubby says anything more than a handful is a waste But I feel your pain! lol

On the other hand, we won't have back problem when we get old

-----

Here's some information I found:
source: http://www.homespacedirect.com/acatalog/Bedding_Guide.html

Bedding Size Chart
Size Chart

UK bedding size chart

Below is a size chart for UK bedding. Please note, manufacturers and listing will quote approximate sizes, so the actual size can be + or - 5 cm of the sizes below.


Super King Size bedding - Size Chart

Duvets/Quilts - 260 cm x 220 cm
Duvet covers - 260 cm x 220 cm
Flat sheets - 305 cm x 280 cm
Fitted sheets - 200 cm x 185 cm

Click here to see our full range of bedding.

King Size bedding - Size Chart

Duvets/Quilts - 225 cm x 220 cm
Duvet covers - 225 cm x 220 cm
Flat sheets - 274 cm x 264 cm
Fitted sheets - 150 cm x 200 cm

Click here to see our full range of bedding.

Double bed bedding - Size Chart

Duvets/Quilts - 200 cm x 200 cm
Duvet covers - 200 cm x 200 cm
Flat sheets - 229 cm x 259 cm
Fitted sheets - 137 cm x 190 cm

Click here to see our full range of bedding.

Single bed bedding - Size Chart

Duvets/Quilts - 135 cm x 200 cm
Duvet covers - 135 cm x 200 cm
Flat sheets - 180 cm x 260 cm
Fitted sheets - 90 cm x 185 cm

There really is not. US beds are far bigger then European beds. (yes yes insert your fat joke here, I can take it )

I brough twin sheets to the UK when I went to Uni. I was even tucking the fitted sheet in. Honestly I think your better buying that here.

Things I wish I'd stocked up on more before leaving UK

M&S underwear (as well as the quality you have to get your feet and confidence before you start asking the questions you may require to get what you want - or is this just cos I'm older)
High % cotton socks and especially ankle socks (I've always been a fan of silly socks and they are a) very hard to find here in high cotton content and b ) no funny socks) ankle socks the standard ones in UK are hard to find here as they are either knee high or the hidden trainer ones.
I brought a duvet but wish I'd found a really really low tog summer weight one.
Foodwise almost everything is available online but I haven't found "mixed herbs" anywhere (still using ones I sent over from Eng)
If you bake bring a UK baking tin for things like mince pies here they are all muffin depth (twice as deep)
If you are bringing UK recipes bring a set of UK measuring spoons everything here is done by the cup and it isnt the same as a UK cup
If you want to make an old fashioned UK steamed pudding bring a pudding basin as impossible to find one with a lip here (this either makes sense or doesn't lol)

Wow, I have never seen that! Where on earth (well actually where in the UK) do I get one??? I NEED!

I would say if you have one specific hair product you use, bring that. Paul only uses this one brand of gel. We carry the brand in the US, but not the right kind of gel.

Excellent point; underwear is sized differently for women in the US.



Are you a guy? I never had trouble finding ankle socks in the US; maybe they only make them for women?



You could find out what's in it and sort of mixed up dried ones on your own, though...right?



Good idea; I hadn't thought about that.



Holy crap, you're right! I didn't even realize the cups were different. It hasn't come up since all my UK cookbooks use metric measurements, not imperial. I brought American cooking cups and teaspoons over with me because I wasn't sure I'd be able to get them here, and most of my cookbooks are ones I bought in the States.

Purchase a healthy stock of real Irn Bru.

Paracetamol with codeine, as you can't get codeine over the counter in the US (or at least you couldn't when I left the States waaaaaay back in 1995). I'm stocking up already!!!

I'll reiterate the teabag point -- a good supply is an absolute must. American "tea" is utter garbage. Every time I go over to see my parents I bring the HUGEST box of PG Tips I can find, not only for myself but now that I have re-educated them in the ways of true tea they crave it too. Whatever you do, stay away from Lipton Tea over there -- it tastes like a**e.

No, codeine is still not an OTC drug here in the states. Still prescription required.

As for tea bags, I keep trying to tell Dawn that she NEEDS to bring the mahusive box of PG Tips with her, because our choices aren't exactly stellar!!

They sell various brands of hot tea in the USA, some of which are also sold in the UK (like Twinings). Liptons is no good for hot tea; it's an iced tea brew. Hot tea brews are no good for iced tea and vice versa.

We bought a giant box of PG Tips to get the free monkey, but I prefer Twinings.

For paracetamol and codine, the simple rule is that if the Queen is on the money, you can buy it over the counter, otherwise you can't. The only exception is Ireland.


Agreed. I've managed to live in the USA for 8 years on 2-3 cups of tea a day and have never bought tea bags in the USA. Thank god for PG Tips 240 boxes. They're the one thing I always get friends/collegues to bring me if they're coming over from the UK.

That said, my local supermarket does actually sell PG Tips, and they are available in most UK import shops.

Faaaaaaaat!



Definitely!


Just one sensible thought though people - you might want to be careful carrying UK over-the-counter painkillers to the US. I'm sure there must be some kind of restrictions on bringing in stuff when it is prescription only in the US.

You'd think, but I have managed to bring over 10 boxes at one go for family members. (No, I'm not from a family of junkies! ) I figure that 10 boxes of 32 split between us both will last me up to the expiration date, or else I need to get me to a hospital!

Oh geez, I can't remember where we picked it up...prolly Ikea or some other standard no frills place....it was no place fancy, I do know that. could have even been M&S or Tesco

The difference between king sized in the US/UK is vastly different, but these tshirt duvet covers look HUGE. And so we measured them, and they will work.

Well I never knew that....so if I want to make authentic iced tea and use Lipton tea bags whats the ratio of water to the number of tea bags?

M&S underwear (as well as the quality you have to get your feet and confidence before you start asking the questions you may require to get what you want - or is this just cos I'm older)[/quote]

Excellent point; underwear is sized differently for women in the US.


This one almost solved my duvet problem!!!

I cant wait to get back to England to stock up on M&S underwear.

I really don't think there's one thing you can't buy in the US that you can get in the UK, and everything's much cheaper with the exchange rate (plus the lower cost of living - the UK is pretty much rip-off central of the world, price wise), so just sell what you can before you leave, pack light and buy over here.

LIPTON ICE TEA
6 c. water
5 Lipton tea bags
1 c. sugar or 14 to 16 Equal packets
1 c. cold water
3/4 gal. ice cubes
Bring water to rolling boil. Add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Swish tea bags through water several times to remove strength. Remove tea bags and add sugar or Equal, stir until dissolved. Add cold water; also add a few ice cubes to cool tea enough to pour over ice in gallon jar. If need be, add more ice or cold water to make 1 full gallon of ice tea. Stir well and its ready to serve. Use ice that's already in the tea for your glass.

or

http://www.lipton.com/recipes/index.asp

O RLY? Are you a Brit in the USA "Esteban"? Because I think this statement is a load of crap.

Well if you buy stuff that's imported from the UK then its clearly more expensive than bringing it yourself. Also not everything from the UK can be imported.