Moving is never fun, but when we make a move half way around the world there are lots of considerations that must be made!
Many of those who wish to move to the Philippines are already retired, or approaching retirement age. Anybody who has made it to that stage of life surely has accumulated a lot of “things” along the way! So, the question comes to mind… how do you move all of that stuff?
Do you move it all, or do you just take the select items? If so, how do you know which items you will need?
There are not any trucks that drive over water, so how do you get the stuff to the Philippines? The expense must be huge!
Today’s podcast spells it all out. What did I do when we made the move? How much did it cost? How can you possibly choose which items you will want and need? Give the podcast a listen and maybe you will pick up some pointers!
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Thanks again for listening, everybody!
Good morning Bob. Just a few things to add to your pod cast. I sent a 40′ high top container, door to door, from Michigan to Dipolog City. That is the largest container on the ocean. (I had alot of stuff). The price was $8,500.00 TOTAL. They will not ship a international container from Manila to the other Islands so it had to be unloaded in Manila into two 20″ and one 16″ containers. We flew to Manila to supervise the unloading and loading. Nothing broken nothing stolen. Here is some info that many do not know. If you are married to a Filipino and she has gained her citizenship in your country. Do not let her get duel citizenship until after the move to the Philippines. She is a returning Filipino and can ship one container full of household goods free of taxes or tariff. This can save you a lot of money. Do not send any gasoline motor items as they are not allowed. If you really love that car and want to send it…..If it is older than 5 years the tax will be more than the value of the car. Trust me.
Budrick,
So does that mean I cant bring my generator, powerwasher, lawnmower, weedwacker, chainsaw, ATV, and a few other things with me, because they have engines. Even if they are completely drained.
I shipped over some stuff with motors like a power washer, a weed eater and such… I had no problems. One thing you will find in the Philippines is that these problems usually are on a case by case basis and you just never know for sure when they will pop up.
Bill; The problem with such things comes later when they break down and you can not find parts for them.
Also labor is cheap that most likely you will not be mowing your lawn yourself or doing any physical works.
You can easily hire people to do the job. It is better to teach the locals things and they will appreciate learning new skills so they can find a better job abroad. Any power tools and machinery can be bought in Chinatown shops where the price is cheapest since that is where every equipment originated. Avoid bringing any electrical appliances and equipment from the US A since our voltage in the States is 110 volts and they use 220V here. It is a big pain to use a transformer. Because the electricity fluctuates so much eventually your 110V appliances and equipment will burn out.
John wrote “Avoid bringing any electrical appliances and equipment from the US A since our voltage in the States is 110 volts and they use 220V here. ‘
Yes. !
After years of carefully babying my expensive Braun shaver charging it on a transformer, on day I was hasty and just normally plugged it into the local power.
End of expensive shaver!
About 12 years and 12 locally purchased shavers down the road, it’s simple, don’t expect one for 20 years, buy a new one annually at best.
Hi Bob,
Glad someone else finally asked you this question . When the time comes, we will most definitely send a container there, possibly 2. My question is you have any idea of how to find good trustworthy companies that are familiar with doing such moves, to there.
About the only places I seem to find are Manila Forewarder , and Manila Forewarders, which are both owned by the same family, brother and sister, one on each coast here in US. I know you have had a problem with Manila Forewarder before, and I have had a problem with Manila Forewarders before. For me it was just Balik Bayan boxes that I was sending to family there, but it was still a problem and the lady would do nothing to fix the problem and also quit returning my calls, so with that and it just being a couple boxes, it does not instill in me any confidence in having them send an entire container of my possessions and then have them hold them hostage once there. Any idea of how to find companies that are familiar with moving to there or you have any companies you might recommend even. I prefer to load the container ourselfs if possible, I have a loading dock at my shop that will make it easy to do. Thanks in advance.
One other think Bob, I will be moving there on a SRRV, does that pose any problems pertaining to taxes or anything else, or restrictions.
No, Bill, the SRRV Visa will allow you the exact same tax breaks as a 13A or Balikbayan Visa offers too, so there should be no problem.
Hi Bill – I called United Van Lines, and they sent somebody from their International Moving Department to my house. They handled the shipment door to door, not a single problem. I would just choose a name that has been in the moving business for a long time, those are the people you can put your trust in.
I have had experiences with both Manila Forwarder and Manila Forwarders that were not handled well, and I would personally never use them again. My experience also involved Balikbayan Boxes. Like you said, if they can’t handle a simple Balikbayan Box, how could you possibly trust them with a huge shipment of your belongings?
We used United Van lines ourselves, were very, very happy. Just be aware that IF your container is chosen for inspection by US customs upon loading, you will be liable for the costs. United did not inform us of the possibility and it came as a complete surprise to us.
Hi Scott- good tip. When we moved here there were no such inspections, so it was not a worry.
I feel better about the 4 macho box’s I filled with tools after that pod cast! I am a tool guy and am tired of being taken when its time to repair the motorcabs.
Hi Terry – Thanks! Glad that I was able to make you feel better about the tools! Good tools are not easy to get here, nor are they cheap!
Hi Budrick – What you did is similar to what I did. We shipped a 40′ Container — AND a 20′ container as well. We arranged it so that the container never went to Manila, but went from Singapore to General Santos City, to avoid Manila altogether. It was not easy to arrange that, but I was able to do so. Thanks for sharing your experience, Bud.
Sounds all well and good, but I prefer selling all of my stuff here abd ship the little stuff via LBC and all NEW stuff there, will be cheaper!
Buy all new stuff there
Hi Heinz – I would love it if what you suggest is possible. Some stuff you just cannot get here. That is why every expat you talk to always talks about how to get this or that from “back home” (wherever that may be). Some things – like in your case – if there were some special cooking tools that you use and like, it is nearly impossible to get some of those things here. One other thing.. it is not always “cheaper” to sell and rebuy here. Some stuff here costs like ten times what you would pay in the States, and even at that price, the quality is far inferior. Just a word of advice. 🙂
Did not think about that Bob, thanks for the advise!
Btw, we have very high winds and power outages here right now in Vancouver, no rain though!
Stay safe, Heinz Schirmaier.
Stay safe, Heinz Schirmaier.
Salamat kaibigan!
Salamat kaibigan!
Are you aware of the big marathon on Samal island on Sunday?
No, I don’t know anything about it,, Scott G. Quinn, sorry.
I used LBC and we sent maybe around 40 boxes for less than what I could get a container for. But we only sent cloths and small items and it worked well for us. But our house was built already and had furniture and kitchen Items already that we had sent over the 18 months getting ready..for the move. Cost of shipping was around $3000.
so I was happy and we have everything that was important to us.
Another thing to think about if you are a big size man like myself is cloths. I can not buy socks, underwear pants or shirts here to fit me. If your big, think big and bring plenty of cloths. Also been looking for a simple pair of house shoes 8 years now. No luck. Yes I have tried all the big malls in Manila, Cebu and CDO. No luck. OH and shoes are hard to find my size also. 44 wide.
Hi Luke, I have always found LBC to be very reliable. Glad they worked out for you.
Hi Bud, good thoughts about bringing plenty of clothes. I have another podcast on that topic coming up in the future.
I would agree about bringing tools if you have ” the good stuff “. It is even getting more and more difficult to find good tools like we used to easily get right here in the USA.
From my visits, I have looked in various places at tools and also the kinds of tools I see people using in their work. Best way I could describe what I have seen would be comparable to what you will see in the USA at your nearby ” Big Box Store ” and I don’t think I have to name any of them LOL. I think so few people in The Philippines could even afford to buy what we know of as ” Good Tools ” so what retailer or supply house in their right mind would stock tools that are too expensive for their customers to buy. For that matter it has been going in that direction here in the USA more and more in recent years.
If you are coming from the UK, bring some electric kettles with you if you use them. They will work just fine on 220 Volt 60 Hz power as in The Philippines. I have brought UK Kettles back with me from the UK because I like the quality of them and they work just fine in the USA on 220 60 Hz. Most homes in the USA have 220 Volt power but it is not on the regular wall outlets. I installed a few UK style outlets and wired them up to the 220 Vlots in my house here in New York for running some of my UK and more recently Philippines ” souveniers “.
I’ll also agree, if you take USA 120 Volt stuff to The Philippines sooner or later it will accidentially get plugged into a PH 220 Volt outlet since most of the wall sockets I have seen there are just about identical to the old style 2 prong USA outlets.
50 Hz ( as in UK and elsewhere ) if they have a power transformer or a motor in them may run a bit hotter on 60 Hz. Synchronous Motors ( as in Turntables and other such items ) will run at a different speed. For some items such as turntables some manufacturers or distributors may be able to supply you with a 60 hz pulley to compensate for the speed difference. I did this with a couple of Pro-Ject Turntables I bought in the UK a while back.
I have at times thought about the topic of this article should the time come that I wish to move there. It can be a difficult decision but for myself I lean more towards take as little as possible, especially if I am going to have to pay import tax on everything. On each of my visits so far I look at things that I would have to buy there instead of bringing a lot of stuff with me.
Hi Bob – Even the “bad stuff” is better than the “good stuff” they have here… when it comes to tools! 🙂
Thanks for all of the info, Bob.
good podcast Bob
I think it is important to realize that we just have too much stuff.
I am guilty of this just as much as anyone is. When I work on one of my family rental properties I would salvage anything in a job because I thought I may need it soon. Very seldom I needed something I saved and when I did, I was lucky if I could find it.
I have family heirlooms hanging on the walls, I don’t think that anyone in the Philippines would be impressed with Blue Boy or the Pink Lady. Or Queen Elizabeth. Think it Queen Elizabeth?? anyway would look funny in my Nippa Hut Man Cave. Think I will give those away.
Thought I would like to take my grandfathers coin collection with me, but then again I don’t look at them much, maybe twice in my life they just sit in a safety deposit box. So maybe I will just give that away too to someone in the family. I have Guns of course those will be given away too, done started that.
Hey I know the furniture at the malls and such are not good quality, but how about the handmade furniture? I know there are craftsman who build furniture to your specifications. Does anyone think that option would work.
Just asking I got a quote for a mahogany standing desk from someone in Cebu, to my specifications for about $75. Course you would want to inspect their quality before letting them have your project.
Hi James – You sure are correct. Americans, and probably other foreigners too, just have too much crap! We are almost like hoarders. We generally have plenty of disposable income and we use it to buy a lot of stuff that we don’t need. I have learned that lesson while living here. Another thing is that when something that we own breaks, we usually just throw it away instead of getting it fixed like they do here. In the USA, it is not practical to fix things, it is a disposable society.
The handmade furniture is of higher quality, generally, especially the hand carved wood stuff. But, it is also generally uncomfortable. The downside on bringing US furniture is that it is just not made for this climate, and will generally go bad quickly. It’s a catch 22. 🙂
Good question Bob!
Some things to consider, some obvious, some not so much.
1/ Cost to ship – *door-to-door* and _who_ will do _what_?
2/ Current value vrs replacement cost at destination, average.
3/ inconvenience of disposal and inconvenience of repurchasing (which latter is a joy for the wife) – vrs theexpense, effort and aggravation, and *wait* to ship.
Fleshing that out just a bit …
The consideration: What items do you really need to ship that aren’t already near the end of their life? That old tube TV you had repaired again recently? Your 6-year old wood-imitation desk that won’t survive the trip? The bed you really need to replace anyway? The huge ‘ref’ and stove/oven you bought 3 years ago and are still under warranty? Some old fans and small appliances that won’t last another year anyway? The stereo you shouldn’t have bought before moving since your new huge energy-efficient LED TV will come with a much better free ‘home theater surround system’ if you buy wisely. A bunch of pots and pans and cracked dishes and pottery that you _will_ indeed replace? The baby walker your second offspring already broke, and their broken bike? Your wife’s clothes and shoes that she never wears and she will just buy new ones anyway? Your lovingly washed 4-decade old underwear and Tshirts, two shorts, and the pants you last wore 20 years ago which you could never fit into between today and death? Faded photos you can print out new again anyway? Ah, yes, the computer gear, without which you and family will literally starve.
Expecting all will go as promised and since there’s no SM in the interior of Mindanao (even to this day), I bought another 250k needed new appliances at SM in Cavite where they well knew me, with “full national warranty”, just throw them into the container van with all the rest, right? Oh, warranty service at destination when high-end appliances start to break? hahahahahahaha, good luck, because no luck here up to 3 years later.
The “promises” and quotations:
Container van and people to pack, everything shipped door-to-door for about 35k pesos. Pickup and delivery in 4 days total. Excellent. But …
The reality:
You act in good faith, book the container service, buy plane tickets for wife, 2 kids, 2 katulong, and yourself for 2 weeks hence. Schedule everything very nicely and properly with ample allowance.
Pickup branch sent by destination branch shows up and starts weighing *per*kilo*, and before anything remotely large and heavy is considered you’re already over 35k and that’s just your personal stuff you boxed up! They can’t even weigh the big stuff, nor have you even moved past the boxes in your living room!
Deciding with your wife – toss one plane ticket or toss 5, who goes first and who stays behind – she stays behind with everything disassembled, while you use your non-refundable tickets and fly to your destination and throw away the ticket you paid for your wife. You take everything that’s really important with you using the airline free baggage allowance for what, 5 people, including your computer gear and what you would normally wear anyway, plus important irreplaceable documents.
Find a new shipper agent the day after arriving at destination. The cost of the container van has now increased to about 55k (though that will again dramatically change!). You book it. Wife waits in packed misery back-there while you buy a cheap desk, set up computers and use DSL you had your in-laws arrange and is waiting for you, and you go back to work.
Wife still waiting in misery one week later. Shipping cost has now increased to around 80k, and the container and workers will show up “bukas”. Remember that the proverbial Pinoy “bukas” (tomorrow) actually means “whenever it might happen, if you’re excruciatingly lucky”.
Container ostensibly ‘stuck in traffic” and shows up 5 days later. Wife txt’s container here now, driver said “*YOU* can load it now”, meaning that my wife *personally* is to load it! Where are all those dudes being paid to load it as part of the contract? Pack the ‘ref’ (fridge) and appliances, yes, wife is to personally do all that too according to the driver. Right, got it now, “all included” means nothing in, representations are worthless but what will you do, start the process all over again looking for a new shipper and lose your 40k deposit? Wife buys food for the driver and goes to LBC to await ‘padala’ cash from me because the 30k cash I left her for expenses is long gone already (more money, more padala needed thereafter). Wife buys materials and hires people to pack the major appliances and load the container. Container finally leaves for the port.
Buy new plane ticket for the wife, expensive because for *today*, email that and required ID and docs to neighbor there to retrieve and print out for wife. Txt our usual taxi driver to get her to the airport. 1am – wife txts she’s finally at airport now wait a few hours for her flight. Wife arrives Davao, now another few hours ground transport. Go to pick up wife locally about 5pm. Walk right past her, didn’t even recognize her she’s so haggard from the experience, feel so bad when she has to call my name! Bring her home to our new (rented) home populated with my suitcases and a few boxes and our kids, katulong, and her family all waiting.
Wait another 2+ weeks, follow up follow up. Container van finally arrives 2am one night. much damaged. Fortunately have family here to unload it and set up our bed! Local shipping company calls next day demanding extra charges for “delays”!!!!!!!!!! I politely suggest they call their people back and tell *them* to pay for *their* delays.
Now, given my experiences, would _you_ ship all your junk at LARGE expense and aggravation, or just dump it for whatever you can get, fly within baggage allowance, and purchase at destination? I now know what I *should* have done.
At the advice of Bob, I sent over some tools from the U.S. before departing. I’m glad I did. They are much better than that of what you will find here. Also, don’t forget the sinus medication. You’ll be glad you brought it. I found it to be helpful.
Take care!
Bill
Bill, having been here 13 years I must rely on what “sinus medication” I can obtain locally. I use a combination of (generic) “coldzip” and “bromohexine”. What’s your recipe please?
On your other note, shipping a few items you simply can’t get here is sensible and easier if you don’t need to ask someone ‘back there’ to do it once you’re here. That’s of course way different than my comments about moving the entire household stuff by expensive problematic container.
Guessing, maybe $200 or so for just a few tools? Would you care to share your shipping cost and method? I know what UPS and FedX charge for just a few tiny computer parts, or even just one piece of paper.
Tools and sinus medication. Pack it.
What does LBC stand for? Thanks
i have no clue what “LBC” or for that matter “JRS” or “air-whatever’ and the like might expand to. They’re just the usual national shipping companies. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. It’s not that important to me to know what company initials are based on. I find price/performance much more significant.
My back-head memory suggests that the “L” in LBC may refer to “Liebowitz” or somesuch relating to transport, but that could well be wrong.
I find that there is good sinus medicine here, but tools for sure.
Hi Scott G. Quinn – I don’t really know what it stands for, but it is a parcel delivery company in the Philippines. They also send Balikbayan Boxes to the Philippines.
Luzon Brokerage Corporation. Been around since 1950’s. I thought you would know that since you know so much about the southern most island in the Philippines, Mindanao.
LBC = Luzon Brokerage
Hi Scott G. Quinn – It is not something that I knew.. but it also of little matter to me… I know them as LBC, and I do a lot of business with them too! Our company, WowPhilippines does a lot of shipping through LBC, I didn’t know what it stood for,though!
I shipped our belonging via Suddath in the states and they were delivered by Asian Tiger in Cebu….Excellent service….
Ummm, Umm, may I ask you to share what that cost you?
Was it for a container? Full size, half?
–ed
LBC = Lets Be Cool, hmmm
Less Bull Crap = LBC
Hi Bob,
—I am generally not 100% onboard with the suggestions to forget all 110v electrical appliances when shipping your stuff to the Philippines. Sure you can expect that someone who does not know better will try to plug that 110v into a 220v outlet. Why not take the 110v whatever and “permanently” attach the transformer to the end of the cord? Weld or super-glue the sucker on and attach a warning note in the native language prominently to the cord. What’s wrong with that solution?
–Rich-
PS– Have a good Christmas and stay safe!!
Hi Rich – The good transformers weigh about 50 pounds… so if you weld one on the end of your electric razor… ok, no problem, as long as you don’t mind your electric razor no longer being very portable any longer! 🙂 It’s your choice.
Bob, thank you for pointing that out, I was going to write the same.
Even a 5 kilogram cheap transformer is somewhat awkward dangling at the end of a shaver cord.
That and it takes one second after a lifetime of 110volts to forget that our outlets are all 220 here, and one second later whatever 110 gizmo you plugged in is effective irreparably toast. That’s what happened to my previously wonderful shaver – I remembered for a few years and then in a hurry forgot one time – end of shaver.
My current shaver cost me about 600 pesos at Guisano and is doing a good job, though at 600p I do expect to continue to replace replace replace annually. Can’t find a really expensive non-chinese good one here anyway, and even if I could the grid-power in Phils would still kill it soon enough anyway.
You are right Bob, however I did not imply that someone should buy the “top of the line” item. Amazon has a dozen or so step-down transformers that will fit in your shirt pocket. Additionally, even if you had one of the huge heavy transformers, there are many electrical appliances and tools that employ an internal rechargeable battery that can be used without being continually connected to a power source. Electrical razors, hair clippers and tooth brushes for instance. I use such an electric tooth brush and electric razor all the time that sits in a “cradle” and recharg themselves. I also have a “weed-eater” hanging in the garage that recharges itself and Home Depot is full of drills and other tools that have internal recharging capabilities.
Two Years ago when I was in Cebu I think I must have bought a transformer, or something like that.
It was small was about a pound in weight, Maybe it was a surge protector or something.
It Looked more like a Black Box Power Strip. I was worried about my Magic Bullet (small blender) I was using for my protein shakes. I used it a few times and it was really loud and I could smell a little bit of smoke. so I went to the GO TO guy at the local internet cafe to get something to protect some of my stuff like computers and my Magic Bullet. The blender sounded a lot better and didn’t smoke anymore.
I really thought I damaged the Magic Bullet since I used it a few times right directly in the wall, but nope it is still working to this day back here in the US.