CHEAP international shipping

[Burebista 3]

My wife will be moving to the USA from Romania, and I was wondering what's a cheap/slow solution for her to ship about 200 to 300 lbs of clothing and books?

[blackjack123 0]

talk to your travel agent. they sometimes have shipping containers that they slowly fill and ship over once said container is full. no idea how long it could take, but it does exist and is rather affordable

[Done--Really 331]

This might not work for everything unless you are traveling together, but it will take care of a good chunk of her thing. Call the airline and ask what it costs per extra piece of luggage, the maximum size, and maximum weight, and how many each passenger can have. Let's assume it it won't break the bank. Go to a second hand store and buy the largest suit cases you can find that fall within the airline's limits and pack them full of things up to the weight limit. For clothing, nothing beats a large duffel bag. You will surprised how much you can get into a suitcase. The books might be a weight issue, but other than that we are talking only 4 - 6 suitcases and duffel bags to carry everything assuming 50 pounds each if that is the weight limit, or 3 - 4 if the limit is 75 pounds. I doubt you can find anything cheaper. For example, my wife carried on a single bag, checked her free allowance of one HUGE suitcase, and three additional HUGE suitcases from Mexico, and the total cost for the three extra was less than $200 US. Might not be that cheap from Romania, but it will probably be less than you think.

[milimelo 4,194]

Moving to the proper forum: Moving here and your new life in America. You'll get better info there.

[jimnlena 8]

WE use Meest to the Ukraine I think it goes to Romania also. About 100 for 70lbs.

Edited May 12, 2011 by jimnlena

[Burebista 3]

This might not work for everything unless you are traveling together, but it will take care of a good chunk of her thing. Call the airline and ask what it costs per extra piece of luggage, the maximum size, and maximum weight, and how many each passenger can have. Let's assume it it won't break the bank. Go to a second hand store and buy the largest suit cases you can find that fall within the airline's limits and pack them full of things up to the weight limit. For clothing, nothing beats a large duffel bag. You will surprised how much you can get into a suitcase. The books might be a weight issue, but other than that we are talking only 4 - 6 suitcases and duffel bags to carry everything assuming 50 pounds each if that is the weight limit, or 3 - 4 if the limit is 75 pounds. I doubt you can find anything cheaper. For example, my wife carried on a single bag, checked her free allowance of one HUGE suitcase, and three additional HUGE suitcases from Mexico, and the total cost for the three extra was less than $200 US. Might not be that cheap from Romania, but it will probably be less than you think.

Thanks...this was actually her first suggestion, and I thought "Surely there must be a By Ocean shipping option cheaper than airline, but you're right: $200 for 3 extra bags is very cheap, and also gives the added value of emotional security (My stuff is WITH me).

[jalie 3]

My wife will be moving to the USA from Romania, and I was wondering what's a cheap/slow solution for her to ship about 200 to 300 lbs of clothing and books?

Here are my suggestions:

1. If your wife lives near a sea port she can contact the nearest shipping company or rent a container herself. This is the cheapest but the slowest method. Plus factor is that not only her books and clothes can she send to the US but almost all the contents of her house in Romania.

2. Try calling International Moving Companies, they offer free quotes.

3. Call the airline company in which she'll be travelling and ask detailed info on excess baggage fees, baggage size and weight restrictions. Since she is traveling from Europe the less than $200 for 3 extra suitcases does not apply.

I had the bad luck of paying my third suitcase (goes within the weight and size restrictions of the airline ) for 310.00 Euro. It was a misunderstanding on my part because I thought that the third suitcase will be charged $59.00 as long as its size and weight do not exceed the limit. I reasoned out with the check-in personnel that a colleague of him told me a day prior my departure that the 3rd suitcase will be charged some 59 dollars. That, had the colleague told me I'd be charged 310.00 Euros I would have shipped it via MailBoxesEtc. He did not budge.

Good luck! And happy trip to your wife.