<p>I was wondering if anyone had any advice on shipping care packages from the U.S. to the U.K. (specifically, Boston to London)? I tried posting this in another forum, but I thought I might find better advice here. Thanks in advance for your help!</p>
<p>It’s expensive no matter which shipper you choose, but I think the USPS is the most cost-efficient.</p>
<p>I would just send funds and let them treat themselves (include the cost of shipping in the funds and one could have a pretty decent treat).</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions! I feel a bit strange about sending money (the care package would be for my boyfriend’s birthday), so I think I’ll look into USPS. I appreciate the help :)</p>
<p>Depending on what you want to send you could also order something from a site in the UK and have it sent direct. But despite high shipping it may still be cheaper (prices in the UK are much higher for most things) to ship it from here if it is not something really heavy.</p>
<p>Good point about the exchange rate. I don’t think it will be too heavy - I’m knitting a scarf. If it’s too heavy it’ll never make it on the return flight to the states :)</p>
<p>If you have planned well in advance you can mail it surface rather than airmail which is much cheaper. But it takes @ 6 weeks.</p>
<p>My sister sent my niece studying in Scotland a few care packages through Stackry and had pretty good results…<br>
[The</a> best way to send a care package to your child studying in England | Stackry - US shopping, global shipping](<a href=“http://www.stackry.com/International-shipping-tips/shipping-care-packages-to-students-in-England]The”>http://www.stackry.com/International-shipping-tips/shipping-care-packages-to-students-in-England)</p>
<p>I frequently mail small packages to the UK. The scarf shouldn’t weight much at all. I always use USPS. It’s shouldn’t be more than $10-15 US (if that.)</p>
<p>USPS flat rate boxes are the most economical for small items. A scarf may fit in a flat rate envelope, which should run you $23.95. A small box up to 4lbs is the same. The medium box, up to 20lbs, is $59.99. The large box, also up to 20lbs, is $79.99. I just shipped some secret santa stuff to the UK from Ohio. You will also have to be sure to fill out customs forms and mark everything as a gift.</p>
<p>I have done what swimcat suggests and purchased from Amazon UK or Amazon Japan when I wanted to send gifts to folks in both those countries. If you do buy here to ship there, buy items that are light weight.</p>
<p>Why not simply order something online from a UK based company? Then u can skip the int’l shipping changes & customs declarations/duties.</p>
<p>Ex pat Brit here.</p>
<p>No easy solution. I mailed a $15 t shirt, some Reese cups and tootsie rolls and it cost $22.30 by USPS. You can no longer surface mail to the UK. Normally, I send my xmas packages back home with relatives that are visiting over the holidays and they mail over there for me. If you are only sending one item , try a normal brown envelope and see the cost before trying the flat rate.</p>
<p>I shop amazon.co.uk for most gifts now… or even Costco UK.</p>
<p>I’d also suggest doing it via Amazon.co.uk or similar. </p>
<p>Do be aware that if anything imported into the UK is marked as being worth more than £15, then they’ll be hit by customs charges, which are the cost of actual customs, plus £8(!!) paid to Royal Mail as a handling fee.</p>