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Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Old Sep 6th 2017, 9:50 am
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Default Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Hi guys,

So I have just accepted a job offer from a British Legal firm, I'll be working in their New York office.

I am due to start at their London headquarters and will eventually move after several weeks.

I have been advised to stock up on pharmaceutical items as it's more than double the price in the United States.

I just wondered if there was any section on this forum, with a list of items to buy in London rather than in the United States (things you will need that you could buy in bulk before you move)


Any ideas would be great.

Thanks
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 11:14 am
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Hi Jamel, I'm no expert but I've been to the states quite a number of times and in my opinion a lot of the common tablets like pain killers, cold and flu remedies and anti inflammatory drugs are quite cheap.
It might be different in a big city like New York, but I doubt it.
Plus things like ibuprofen etc can be bought in bulk, like 750 tablets at a time, unlike here in the UK where you're only allowed 2 small boxes per visit.
Hope this helps 😊
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 11:32 am
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by Stevie P
Hi Jamel, I'm no expert but I've been to the states quite a number of times and in my opinion a lot of the common tablets like pain killers, cold and flu remedies and anti inflammatory drugs are quite cheap.
It might be different in a big city like New York, but I doubt it.
Plus things like ibuprofen etc can be bought in bulk, like 750 tablets at a time, unlike here in the UK where you're only allowed 2 small boxes per visit.
Hope this helps 😊
Thanks Stevie
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 11:41 am
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

I agree, there isn't a significant difference in price and unless there is something in particular that you use in the UK all the time and can't get here, l wouldn't worry especially considering medications go out of date.
For us, we took some chocolate, beans, tea bags etc, nothing exciting just items that are either unique to the U.K. or expensive over here.
We have nearly perfected our 'care package' list which is what we ask people to bring out when visiting and being in NYC l bet you get lots of visitors!!!
Hope all goes well, exciting opportunity.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 11:47 am
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Be careful you don't bring any meds containing Codeine...it's a controlled substance in the US.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 12:04 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by Ecto17
I agree, there isn't a significant difference in price .....
On the contrary, OTC pain medication is commonly sold in bottles in the US and a bottle of 200 tablets costs less than 24 tablets in a blister pack in the UK. Be aware that common OTC pharmaceuticals invariably have different brand names from the UK and may have different generic names for the same drug.
and unless there is something in particular that you use in the UK all the time and can't get here, l wouldn't worry especially considering medications go out of date. .....
If there is something "you can't get here", there is probably a reason for that, such as the example that JG gave above, and so trying to bring it into the US yourself would be a really bad idea!
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 1:26 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Honestly, anything you can get in the UK you can get in NYC somewhere (within reason).

Any savings you might potentially make by boxing up ibuprofen is going to be obliterated by the end of week 2 when you realise how much more you have to pay for something as trivial as toilet roll.

Do yourself a favour and save yourself the effort. You're moving to arguably the greatest city in the world after London. Don't worry about bringing groceries with you.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 1:36 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by GeneralPowerpoint
..... Any savings you might potentially make by boxing up ibuprofen .....
Ibuprofen is the perfect example of something that can be bought in the US for a tiny fraction of the price in the UK.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 1:48 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by GeneralPowerpoint
Honestly, anything you can get in the UK you can get in NYC somewhere (within reason).

Any savings you might potentially make by boxing up ibuprofen is going to be obliterated by the end of week 2 when you realise how much more you have to pay for something as trivial as toilet roll.

Do yourself a favour and save yourself the effort. You're moving to arguably the greatest city in the world after London. Don't worry about bringing groceries with you.
Toilet rolls...Andrex...now there's something I miss. How I wish I could get Andrex over here...I hate the thin tiny sheets. In Canada the sheets are even smaller.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:06 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Branston

Brown Sauce
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:07 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
Toilet rolls...Andrex...now there's something I miss. How I wish I could get Andrex over here...I hate the thin tiny sheets. In Canada the sheets are even smaller.
Me too!!! So miss decent toilet roll!!!
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:30 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Does anyone else find it difficult to locate good quality belgian chocolates in the US? The sort you can buy almost anywhere in the UK (or France)?

Whilst I don't exactly stock up when I go back to the EU, I do kind of pig out on them when I'm there....
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:42 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
Does anyone else find it difficult to locate good quality belgian chocolates in the US? The sort you can buy almost anywhere in the UK (or France)?

Whilst I don't exactly stock up when I go back to the EU, I do kind of pig out on them when I'm there....
Not sure if they are Belgium but Godiva are lovely and easy to get hold off although darn expensive. I like Lindt for a decent chocolate hit but would love a Hotel Chocolat over here!
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:56 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

I'm heading to the USA next week and will be buying plenty OTC meds such as ibuprofen, naproxen, Tylenol etc. Much cheaper in the USA.

ETA
You can't even buy naproxen OTC in the U.K.
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Old Sep 6th 2017, 2:58 pm
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Default Re: Things to buy in London/UK before moving to NYC/US

Originally Posted by durham_lad
I'm heading to the USA next week and will be buying plenty OTC meds such as ibuprofen, naproxen, Tylenol etc. Much cheaper in the USA.

ETA
You can't even buy naproxen OTC in the U.K.
In that case you probably can't take it back to the UK as it's a prescription med only in the U.K.
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