The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.

Moving (Flying) from NY to Florida. Best/cheapest way to ship a TV and some things??

TwixxoTwixxo the LovebotRegistered User regular
A bit of backstory:

I'm 21 and determined it's time to do something about the uneventfulness in my life. I currently live in my mom's house in a small town with no luck finding a job, and no car. The house itself is somewhat messy and in pretty bad shape, with half the lights not working due to a constantly blowing fuse, bathroom tiles falling out of the walls, a broken dryer and other various things. Most of the people I would hang out with live 30-40 minutes away, so it's an occasional thing. I also just got out of a relationship a couple weeks ago.

Some good friends who moved to Florida last year just had a room open up in their 2 bedroom apt and asked If I would come live with them (Fort Myers). I've found a work at home job on the internet that I'm using to save money up for the first month or 2 of rent, as well as any other costs of moving. I'm flying down at the end of February. What is the best/cheapest way to get these things down there?

-xbox
-22" flatscreen tv
-various neat bottles/figurines/other doodads that sit on shelves with the largest of them being the Halo: Reach legendary statue thing.

Bestow upon me your money saving wisdom! <3

TNBNcdc.gif

Posts

  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    Take 'em to a UPS store. They'll safely package and ship 'em for you.

  • mightyjongyomightyjongyo Sour Crrm East Bay, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    Since youre flying, packing the 360 into a suitcase has always worked for me. Surround it with clothes so that it has padding. A tv may fit in a suitcase as well if you take the base off. Depending on how much stuff you have, $60-80 to bring those things + whatever else you fit in with it isn't too bad.

  • TPSouTPSou Mr Registered User regular
    If you're planning on coming back to visit would it be possible to just leave some of the doodads for now and when you go visit take a decent sized suitcase ready to bring them back with you? I've just moved house into a smaller place and in the first trip I just moved the essentials, it helps a bunch if you can keep stuff at your old place.

  • DaMoonRulzDaMoonRulz Mare ImbriumRegistered User regular
    As a bag thrower myself, an xbox isn't a big deal as long as it's surrounded by cushiony things like mighty said. I can't recommend putting a tv in a bag, however

    3basnids3lf9.jpg




  • GdiguyGdiguy San Diego, CARegistered User regular
    edited January 2013
    A 360 you can also carry on to a plane, which would let you be more careful with it (or even in a backpack, which could be a bit safer since you could put it under the seat and not even have the risk of a gate check)

    22" TV, you may almost want to consider just looking around craigslist/etc when you get down there - that's small enough that you might find someone dumping a TV of that size for $25 or so, at which point it's probably not worth the effort to pack it safely enough to pay for shipping (I know I'm going to be getting rid of an old 27" TV for about that much in a few months when I have to move). Otherwise I agree with @mightyjongyo, just surround it with clothes and try to remove any pieces (like a base) that look like they could snap off if the bag gets handled a little rough.

    Gdiguy on
  • EsseeEssee The pinkest of hair. Victoria, BCRegistered User regular
    Yeah I just want to chime in and agree that I have successfully done the "console in baggage" method of flying (with a 360 even) and it works just great as long as you have enough padding. I've done backpack and checked baggage both, and everything was fine both times.

    It's also true that, dang, 22" is a tiny TV. I've only transported a big TV via moving van before though, so I don't have any particular advice on moving that. But you should indeed check Craigslist in the area you're moving to, see if it looks like people are dumping TVs. If they are, you can always swap. Unless you're really attached to yours, which I do sympathize on, trust me. :P

  • EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    Twix,

    UPS ship the Television and any figuring larger than a sizable suitcase (with insurance on them in case they get whacked). Pack the rest in suitcases and check them when you fly. Typically, there are not many cheaper ways to ship things than checking bags when things balance out, having gone from Maine to Florida and back a few times, typically I check everything I can but large, sensitive electronics.

    When you get to Fort Meyers, make sure you are either a mile inland, on a second floor, or have flood insurance (renters is fine). My wife lived down there and lost everything twice in two different storm surges. It's with the few bucks a month to get your stuff back.

    Welcome!

  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited January 2013
    As someone who has moved far too many times, just sell the TV. You tend to find the less stuff you move with the better, as the time, stress, annoyance and so on outweighs any sentimental or monetary value one thinks they might have saved. If you have the original box the tv came with, should be pretty easy to ship it though. I'd sell the Xbox too, but I can understand how one may not want to part with that, plus it's easy enough to carry on a flight.

    As to the figures and other knickknacks...I'd probably go through it all and decide what really needs to be brought with, and what can be left behind. But shipping that kind of stuff is easy enough anyway, either UPS or Fedex.

    Dark_Side on
  • TwixxoTwixxo the Lovebot Registered User regular
    Thank you all for your advice and tips!

    As of now I am planning on mailing my tv down (my mom said she asked an employee at the post office how much it would be to ship a 22" tv down and they said about $20, which I can do). I still have the box and cardboard holders and such for it too. I plan on packing all the clothes I'm taking in a suitcase and only carrying on my laptop and a backpack with my xbox in it surrounded by whatever other clothes I can fit in it. As for the doodads I'll just ship the smaller ones and have the larger ones brought down when someone visits. I may also get a tube to put my many posters in.

    TNBNcdc.gif
  • DaMoonRulzDaMoonRulz Mare ImbriumRegistered User regular
    Keep in mind if you have a laptop case AND a backpack then you would technically be over the two carry-on limit if you wanted to bring the poster tube on board. And before you go to the airport weigh your checked bag. It's always cheaper to check two bags than paying the 50+lb overweight bag fee

    3basnids3lf9.jpg




  • EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    DaMoonRulz wrote: »
    Keep in mind if you have a laptop case AND a backpack then you would technically be over the two carry-on limit if you wanted to bring the poster tube on board. And before you go to the airport weigh your checked bag. It's always cheaper to check two bags than paying the 50+lb overweight bag fee

    This. Also, be sure to compare the checking bags costs to the chipping of your doodads. If you have a spare suitcase and can fit them all (posters included) into a suitcase, it may be cheaper to check the bag than to ship a bunch of individual items (especially if you are checking bags anyhow).

Sign In or Register to comment.