Cheapest Way to Ship Internationally
Published by Chris Townsend
Cheapest International Shipping
Moving internationally can be an expensive undertaking, but there are things you can do to keep costs down and enjoy cheapest shipping of items overseas. Here are some tips for moving overseas cheaply and easily.
Time to drop some weight
No, not you, you’re perfect but as far as shipping internationally is concerned, your belongings may not be as perfect a you. It’s time to get rid of some of that extra stuff that’s weighing you down. Take a look at your personal belongings with a critical eye, and sort them into three categories:
Discard or sell
You might be surprised to see how much of your stuff is kind of unnecessary. Now is a great time to purge your closet, garage, or basement. You can even sell some of these items to make some money to help pay for your move.
Store for now
Want to keep it, but don’t need it overseas? Some people rent a storage unit or ask a friend to store some items while they are overseas. Maybe you will want to have it sent to you later, or maybe you’ll decide you don’t need to keep it after all.
Keep
You want this to be your most precious and useful items, because only your most precious and useful items should be packed up and moved around the world.
Choose your shipping method
Depending on where you are moving, you may be able to choose between air freight, sea, or land transport. Of all these methods, sea freight by shipping container is the most economical choice. When moving by sea freight, you will be able to choose between a full container load (FCL) or a less than container load (LCL).
While the LCL option is marginally less expensive, many choose to send a partially filled FCL instead. That’s because when you choose to ship with an LCL, you end up sharing your container with other customers. This could cause your container to be excessively handled and could even make it take your container an extra 1-2 weeks to reach you.
Avoid taxes where you can
The rules for customs duty and taxes differ from country to country, so if you don’t work with a shipper you will need to do some research. Make sure that your paperwork is complete and your documentation ready when you go through customs.
Some countries will make you pay full customs duty and taxes on items if you don’t have the necessary paperwork, while others may make you pay a refundable deposit until you are able to present the documents
Other countries may charge higher taxes for those who do not have proper work or residence permits. You can avoid paying these higher charges by just taking the time to carefully read the requirements and collecting what is needed.
Work with an overseas moving company
It may sound counter-intuitive but working with a professional moving company can save you time and money on international shipments. International shipping is a gauntlet of unexpected, costly expenses. From port fees, to storage and handling taxes, it will be impossible for you to predict these costs on your own. This is why you should work with organized international shipping services.
There are multiple international shipping companies out there but working with an overseas moving company like Three Movers can save you tons of hassle by providing you with a comprehensive shipping quote. We will work with you to ensure that your items are packed carefully and that all of your paperwork is in order before you even leave home.
We ship every type of item at Three Movers. Our professional pool table movers near you can move your billiard table in the cheapest way possible. We offer some of the best international shipping rates in addition to our top notch service. We also have movers who have expertise in other kinds of items.
