# Best Items For Balikbayan Box



## CoachWalker (Nov 15, 2013)

What do you recommend putting in a balikbayan box?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Anything that will fit. Are you sending for yourself or the family.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

Yeah, depends on who it is for. I get one sent once a year for myself & my wife. I always get some treats for myself like Obleas, and Aqua Velva. My wife usually gets jewelry ha ha. My wife now gets bags of pecans and cake mixes with cans of frosting. She loves walmart.com...

My family throws in purses and scarves as gifts for family members here. They no longer send much clothes as American sizes don't fit Filipinos very well. Good quality shoes are cheaper in the US so we get shoes sometimes too. Chocolates melt...

I am waiting on a box right now that has a drone (and 5 spare batteries) - that should be fun.


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

I'll throw out some ideas. You can choose whether or not they'll suit your needs.

-pasta & sauces
-chocolates or hard candies
-Ensure (if there's an older person involved)
-shoes
-Toiletries (ie. shampoo, conditioner, lotion perfumes)
-canned food
-towels & linen
-peanut butter
-baby formula
-small flat screen tv (old tube tv's are no longer accepted)
-small to medium sized kitchen appliances
-good flatware & kitchen knives
-hand & power tools (think crescent wrench, drill bits and a dremel)
-coffee
-liquor (Johnny Walker) 

Two other that always surprise me are;

-rice, not standard rice but Jasmine. Apparently it's quite expensive if even available. My wife is an agent and ships about 30 BB boxes every two weeks on average. Luckily I get to prepare them for shipment including the paperwork, labeling and taping them. I can't remember a shipment in the last five years that didn't include rice. :hhmm: (20 lb bags are probably the most popular)

Another one that really confuses me is salt. Yes, Morton's iodized salt. She sends it to Pangasinan (land of salt) of all places. There's a couple of salt farms 1/4 mile from the house.

I hope that helps you with some ideas.

Cheers


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## CoachWalker (Nov 15, 2013)

myself and maybe my partner


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## CoachWalker (Nov 15, 2013)

Gary D said:


> Anything that will fit. Are you sending for yourself or the family.


I'll be sending stuff for myself and maybe my partner


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

Oh, maybe some additional quality boxers or briefs. Might be hard to find in western sizes.


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

High quality tools. Snap Ons and the likes. They are gold here, rare and very expensive.


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## SierraMadreMe (Mar 26, 2015)

Tukaram said:


> I am waiting on a box right now that has a drone (and 5 spare batteries) - that should be fun.



You too? I am having a Syma x5 sent along with spare rotors...motors..and batteries.Sure hope this thing doesn't fly-away first flight.LOL

As far as stuff to send in Balikbayan boxes...literally anything that you might need that will fit.I have found that it is cheaper to have things that I know I will need sent from home,as most things here are cheaply made and do not last.(no offense to anyone,but it is simply fact).Especially useful f you are doing home upgrades,and the things you might need will it in a box.

I have even sent 8-10 pillows,as a quality pillow is very hard to find here.There are vacuum bags that can be bought that reduce the size of a pillow...otherwise sending these would be cost prohibitive.


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

we more or less sent everything we had in the UK ! the wifes words " we paid for it so we are not leaving it behind ! "
over the 9 years we were there we sent boxes of food and clothes for the family and when it got nearer to re-locating to the philippines we sent things like tools 

inc drills-socket sets-battery chargers-etc
we sent out pc inc monitor and spare parts.
we sent coffee makers and blenders and 2 George Foreman grills !
1 month before we left the UK we sent in one box a tumble dryer !
and in another box a JVC TV
( as it was the first thing the wife bought with her first months wages !) it was bought in 2003 and it is still working today 13yrs !!
we have sent hundreds of minature ceramic shoes ( only one got damaged )
everything we sent we are still using to this day ( except the tumble dryer )
so basically you can sent everything you want !!


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## Simon1983 (Jun 6, 2016)

UltraFJ40 said:


> Another one that really confuses me is salt. Yes, Morton's iodized salt. She sends it to Pangasinan (land of salt) of all places. There's a couple of salt farms 1/4 mile from the house.
> 
> Cheers


Hahaha. Only in the Philippines!


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

Let me offer another tidbit of maybe useful (but seemingly obvious) information. If you do send any type of liquids, be certain to tape the tops and double bag them in ziplocks individually.

One of my wife's friends complained that the freight forwarder was very unprofessional with the service. Apparently she had packed shampoo and conditioner with a 'flip top lid' by just placing them in the box and when they arrived, everything smelled like shampoo.

She said it took two weeks to get the smell out of everything.

:doh:


*Any *spices* that you might use for cooking is another one I like to send.


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

expatuk2016 said:


> we more or less sent everything we had in the UK ! the wifes words " we paid for it so we are not leaving it behind ! "
> over the 9 years we were there we sent boxes of food and clothes for the family and when it got nearer to re-locating to the philippines we sent things like tools
> 
> inc drills-socket sets-battery chargers-etc
> ...


Be interested to hear how your electrical items managed with the electric supply in Fils as it is 60Hz rather than 50Hz as in UK. You say that the tumble dryer is no longer working, maybe old age, or maybe supply related as all motors will try to run approx 20% faster on 60Hz. Same will be true for power tools etc. Something to bear in mind before you ship all your electrical items.


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

hogrider said:


> Be interested to hear how your electrical items managed with the electric supply in Fils as it is 60Hz rather than 50Hz as in UK. You say that the tumble dryer is no longer working, maybe old age, or maybe supply related as all motors will try to run approx 20% faster on 60Hz. Same will be true for power tools etc. Something to bear in mind before you ship all your electrical items.


Everything we bought with us 5yrs ago still works fine only things we had to replace was a soldering iron and a answering machine !
Otherwise everything else is till working Inc the JVC TV and coffee maker and toaster.
The tumble dryer is not used just tested now and then in case the weather gets as bad as it was in the UK


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

UltraFJ40 said:


> Another one that really confuses me is salt. Yes, Morton's iodized salt. She sends it to Pangasinan (land of salt) of all places. There's a couple of salt farms 1/4 mile from the house.


I think it is because of the taste of the salt.

I find that all of the Philippine Salt I have used has a bad bitter after taste, while the Morton salt does not. (of course that might just be me...lol)

JM101


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## SimonAngeles (May 10, 2016)

Must admit I'm guilty of bringing my own salt. Love Himilayan rock salt and even though I can get it in Clark it's over 10x the price I pay here.


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