Anyone have experience of returning to UK from USA? (sales, home)

[southdown]

We have been resident in the USA for a couple of years, and are about to relocate back home to the UK.

Anyone else have a similar experience of returning to UK from USA?

If so, do you have any tips on things you would buy here before returning? We don't want to get get back and think "wish we'd got one of those before we left" but I guess we have got used to living here and can't think what we would miss.

Now we are in the midst of packing and planning I am finding I can't think straight so please help

[Rachiie]

What a great idea for a thread, my husband and I may at some point be in your position so I will be interested in the answers you get. I have always thought that I would by tons of mascara as it is so much cheaper in the US. Also if you are planning on taking a printer back sometimes the cartridges in the UK are not compatible.

Things I would take (disclaimer...some you can get in the UK but I am just trying to save cash!)

Tide instant stain removal pens
Chlorox bleach pens
Famous Dave's BBQ sauce
Lots of batteries
Shoe Goo - great for fixing shoes!
Good hot sauce
Ibuprofen/Loperamide - as they are cheaper


If this is not too personal, are you happy to return to the UK?

[Scotslass]

I am thinking of moving to the U.S. My fiance is American and has lived here for 3 years.

Why are you coming home? If you don't mind my asking

Which state do you live in?

[southdown]

Originally Posted by Rachiie

What a great idea for a thread, my husband and I may at some point be in your position so I will be interested in the answers you get. I have always thought that I would by tons of mascara as it is so much cheaper in the US. Also if you are planning on taking a printer back sometimes the cartridges in the UK are not compatible.

Things I would take (disclaimer...some you can get in the UK but I am just trying to save cash!)

Tide instant stain removal pens
Chlorox bleach pens
Famous Dave's BBQ sauce
Lots of batteries
Shoe Goo - great for fixing shoes!
Good hot sauce
Ibuprofen/Loperamide - as they are cheaper


If this is not too personal, are you happy to return to the UK?

Thanks for the ideas! I haven't tried some of the items you mention so I'll have to check them out before we go! Sadly the shipping co don't allow foodstuffs or liquids/aerosols etc so we are a bit limited in taking things back.

Happy to go back - there are some aspects of both countries I love, and some of both I don't. However, we have been in a typical American suburb in Texas and I won't miss that one bit!!! My home town in the UK is sooooo much nicer!

[Jezer]

Re what to bring back, as we moved back to the UK from Texas, one thing we found useful was getting mains transformers so we could use inexpensive US electricals back in the UK.

We have things like a HiFi, slow cookers, a Kitchen Aid (far cheaper in the US) via the transformers.

OTC products are far cheaper over there, as Rachiie said.

If you want Montreal Salt with your steaks, they've stopped selling it here. We did get some brought back over for Christmas!

Spare bed linen for US sized beds, especially the very large ones (my wife came up with that one!)

If you intending to holiday back in the US consider keeping a US bank account open, as we do.

Good luck!

[southdown]

Originally Posted by Jezer

Re what to bring back, as we moved back to the UK from Texas, one thing we found useful was getting mains transformers so we could use inexpensive US electricals back in the UK.

We have things like a HiFi, slow cookers, a Kitchen Aid (far cheaper in the US) via the transformers.

OTC products are far cheaper over there, as Rachiie said.

If you want Montreal Salt with your steaks, they've stopped selling it here. We did get some brought back over for Christmas!

Spare bed linen for US sized beds, especially the very large ones (my wife came up with that one!)

If you intending to holiday back in the US consider keeping a US bank account open, as we do.

Good luck!

Thanks - all very useful stuff! Am all out of reps right now but will get one to you later!

Does the Kitchen Aid work ok? I emailed the KA company about that and they said it wouldn't!.... I guess they wouldn't be able to honour the guarantee if it blew up, but hopefully it won't!!! lol

[Raggy dee Ann]

I didn't see the point in bringing back electrical goods. I sold or gave away most. Other than all my clothes, art work, CD, some books, some of my good bed linen, I didn't need anything.

Then I realised that you can't find good bbq sauce and gardenia scented candles here.

[flyingscotsman]

Originally Posted by southdown

Thanks - all very useful stuff! Am all out of reps right now but will get one to you later!

Does the Kitchen Aid work ok? I emailed the KA company about that and they said it wouldn't!.... I guess they wouldn't be able to honour the guarantee if it blew up, but hopefully it won't!!! lol

Do not skimp on the transformer, make sure you buy a proper convertor and not a plug to run items with different voltage and you should be fine.

[chilaili]

I think if I were moving back, I would try to make a big shopping trip to somewhere like the Mall of America to stock up on clothes. Firstly, there's no sales tax on clothes in Minnesota and secondly, they are much cheaper here than in the UK. Also, Minnesota would probably have lots of of items handy for the miserable UK weather .

And I would stock up on things like refried beans!

[southdown]

Originally Posted by flyingscotsman

Do not skimp on the transformer, make sure you buy a proper convertor and not a plug to run items with different voltage and you should be fine.

Thanks - I've been reading up on these and they are big hefty things which are pretty expensive too - you need a big one for the 300w motor on a KitchenAid mixer and they are about $100, so maybe it's not worth the hassle etc.