# Moving from South Africa to the UK - is it worth shipping your goods?



## John__Q (Apr 21, 2012)

I"m moving to the UK probably at the end of the year. I've read up that it costs a fortune to get a container to ship your items. 

Can ex South African's who have recently done this confirm - I believe it's anywhere from R30000 to R50000 for a 20 foot container?

Am I better off selling the larger items (tv, fridge, washing machine etc) and buying new in the UK, and then just shipping off the smaller items (microwave, computers, tools etc) Or should I just sell everything off and buy new over time?


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

John__Q said:


> I"m moving to the UK probably at the end of the year. I've read up that it costs a fortune to get a container to ship your items.
> 
> Can ex South African's who have recently done this confirm - I believe it's anywhere from R30000 to R50000 for a 20 foot container?
> 
> Am I better off selling the larger items (tv, fridge, washing machine etc) and buying new in the UK, and then just shipping off the smaller items (microwave, computers, tools etc) Or should I just sell everything off and buy new over time?


Hi John_Q
We moved to the UK early 2000 with some of our stuff ( We were fortunate to have done a recce of where we were moving to, had a look at houses, etc)

We moved to the UK and back again..... my advice would be to buy your electrical goods in the UK and take the things you cherish with you.

Our move to the UK was paid for by the company I worked for, so the finances did bother us, but houses are smaller, etc.


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## John__Q (Apr 21, 2012)

Thanks for the info - I had an idea it might be easier to just everything new there over time and only take the irreplaceable stuff with you. 

So you are a expat SA, back in SA 

Lovely that it was paid for by the company!


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

John__Q said:


> Thanks for the info - I had an idea it might be easier to just everything new there over time and only take the irreplaceable stuff with you.
> 
> So you are a expat SA, back in SA
> 
> Lovely that it was paid for by the company!


Yip, we went to the UK in December 1998 and stayed there until end July 1999.
Had a good job offer, we were back for about one month, decided to take company up on their offer and moved to the UK late January 2000. 
Returned February 2010.

As I said, we were very fortunate to do a recce there, gave us an idea of where we could live, whether we would survive the "dreaded" winters, could budget, etc.

Husband had a work permit.


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