Brat1

If you're going to be renting a place, you'll probably find that the stove/dishwasher/fridge freezer/washing machine and tumble dryer, are included in the rental, even when buying, most of the time, these items will be included in the sale so I would honestly say, sell them all and if you need to, buy new when you get over here. Good luck with the move

tonrob

Top Tip:

Look at shopping portals belonging to various airlines - they often pay a few miles per dollar spent at certain stores. They will also have featured retailers which rotate regularly, at which they will offer many more miles per dollar. As an example, you could get 40 miles per dollar spend at Sears recently (purveyors of white goods among other things). Sears also gave miles for the purchase of gift cards too.

So - if you were intending to buy $1,000 worth of white goods from Seaes, in this example, you buy the gift cards first through the shopping portal, and then go back to the portal a second time to buy the goods with the gift cards.

A $1,000 purchase would have netted you 80,000 miles, enough for a couple of economy returns to the UK with some airlines. There are some that still charge tiny taxes and fees, so the value of the miles actually exceeds the value of the items purchased!

This is an extreme example - but you can still save a bunch on air travel by using these tactics if your timing is right/lucky. Well worth a couple of hours research in my book.

Nice.

Guindalf

Generally, do NOT buy from Best Buy. Everything is top dollar unless it is on sale, and a local appliance center will usually be much better. Warranties suck compared to the UK, so don't expect a 12-month guarantee either - and absolutely, positively DON'T get sucked into the extended warranties you will be offered!

As always, when buying, it's wise to shop around. Check out Lowe's and Home Depot (B&Q-type stores) as well as HH Gregg and, in the Atlanta area, BrandSmartUSA. All of these have websites that can be found with a simple Google search.

Watch out for shipping costs as many offer free local delivery and haul-away of the old appliances. this is the land of the 'hidden extra' too!

If you can, visit your local post office (in the US) and ask for a movers' pack. If available, you'll find valuable discount coupons for the usual moving expenses.

penguinsix

No, I never buy from them, but I do use them as a 'baseline' price of what a relatively major electronic item (stereo, tv, etc) would cost.

When it comes to actual purchases I did most of my buying via Amazon. I think for some white goods (Whirlpool Duet series) we actually got the best price from Lowes Hardware, but that was because it was on sale and they had free installation (are place was quite remote so others were quoting rather obscene delivery and install charges).

S Folinsky

Funny, we purchased our major appliances several years back at "Pacific Sales" which recently became part of Best Buy! The "big box" shopping center near my home has a Costco, Toys R Us and a Best Buy. The Best Buy added an appliance section under the Pacific Sales brand name. However, the stand alone Pacific Sales was much better. I have purchased electronics from Best Buy -- I will never go back to Fry's.

Also, once one settles on what brands are wanted, amazon.com is a good place to look.

FWIW, I do not think that Home Depot or Lowe's are the best places.

fatbrit

Electronics -- Newegg
Appliances -- Costco
Wasting three hours without spending anything while waiting for her ladyship to finish trying on shoes in the freakin mall -- Frys.

S Folinsky

ROFL. However, the Fry's locations in LA County are in stand-alone locations. Fry's is fun to window-shop. However, once you have to return something, you never want to buy another freakin' thing there.

I find it interesting that Expo and Great Indoors [the upscale Home Depot and Sears] both dropped dead.

fatbrit

The Tempe Fry's is close to Arizona Mills.

Fry's is undoubtedly a last-resort retailer for emergencies only. I'll buy a tube of thermal paste or a SATA cable there if I need to. But it sure beats having to find new adjectives to describe shoes!

Sears has lost the plot, like K-Mart who bought them. I was living in eastern Europe behind the former curtain when K-Mart bought up the old state-run department stores to show folks how to run them. They actually managed to be less able than the old enterprises, and Tesco bought them out and turned it all around. Sears and K-Mart need to switch off the light, close the doors, and call it a day.

S Folinsky

I still shake my head at the fact that Sears bought Lands End to figure out how to do mail order.