[cathgates]

We've now sold the house (subject to contract),:raebanana and are beginning to sort out what we are and aren't taking. We're having a 20' container, so can fit all our things in. I know this has been asked many times before, but what are good things to stock up on? I have been buying paracetamol and ibuprofen every time I go shopping and don't walk passed a charity shop without seeing if they have any good books!!
We have been cleaning some of the things in the shed today ready for the maf inspection. The bbq is half cleaned, but uses the lava briquettes, my oh said that you can't get them here anymore (uk) but to clean them is going to be nigh on impossible. Anyone know if we will be able to get them in NZ? We are hoping to settle in the Tauranga area.

Any help much appreciated

Cath X

[Angelonthemove]

yes we got lava briquettes from BBQ shop.

Things I can't get here, or they are too expensive.

Gravy graduals if you use them
Syrup of figs
make up is expensive
English made maltesers
Anything Cadburies is OK here
Vacuum cleaner bags if you have non NZ model

Underwear from M&S

Sheets and duvet covers wish I could get some more Internet is not as good as shopping for what you like, you can't feel them on the Internet

Shoes if you are a shoe freak, went back to UK recently and could have bought the shop. Don't get me wrong they have them here just not the choice you are now getting in UK.

Go to Boots and stock up on everything you would normally use with their 3 for 2 bargains.

Head and shoulders I am told is small bottle and expensive.

Hope that helps sure other will add stuff when they get over the sun being out again her today.

[Lara Croft]

Definately cosmetics, also the range of hair products is much smaller here, so stock up on toiletries in general (razor blades seem very expensive!).

I left my saucepans behind (by mistake), and they cost an arm & a leg for their equivalent here!

Jane

[Karen]

Perfume seems really expensive over here. We also stocked up on all the toiletries we could before making the move, totally agree, pack as much of it as you can, we're still using shampoo we bought in the UK 18months ago :) .

Washing powder also seems expensive here if you plan on using a front loader. The top loader powder is cheap but the machines only do cold washes and don't seem to get the clothes as clean as they should be. We took a trip to the local cash & carry/ Costco before we left and bought 4 12kg boxes of washing powder.also still going strong and a huge money saver!!

Any gardening and DIY tools...stock up on. Lawn mowers and strimmers (weed eaters as they're caled here) are costly. The only thing we wish we could have bought out here is paint. It makes us want to cry as a 10 L tub of coloured (magnolia) Dulux paint is $164 as opposed to about 10 quid in B&Q but customs don't allow paint to be imported :no . Backing paper...UK 99p a roll, here $15 a roll???!!!:confused:

Definately agree with getting Brofen, the only brand sold here is Nurofen which is really expensive and there is no generic alternative available. Also hayfever tabs cost a bit..wise to stock up in them as well if you suffer.

Basically....load up that container with as much as you can, we were amazed at just how much stuff we managed to cram into ours!!

Karen

[Steven & Ann]

They sell Boots cosmetics in Wellington, in one of the chemists on Lampton St from memory. Cause I have no idea what price, being a bloke, but I presume the "right-stuff's" priceless?

[mgbridges]

White goods can be expensive so if you are planning on leaving any for any reason (to old/fitted into kitchen etc) it might be worth buying a new one (using it at least once to avoid GST charges) and then shipping it.

Linens (or Manchester as it is called here) seems quite expensive and there doesn't seem to be the availability of really good quality stuff.

Agree about toiletries, cosmetics and perfumes but then I don't wear much make-up or perfume and I tend to stock up on my favourite toiletries whenever they are 'on special'.

If there are any particular foodie treats you like you might want to stock up, I've heard of folks bringing trays of Heinz beans, Bisto gravy etc. They are available here if you look for them but can end up being a very expensive treat.

Lots of folks have commented on how expensive shoes are here, particularly sports shoes so might be worth getting a few pairs of trainers/sneakers and any specialist sports shoes you might need. Personally its not been a problem as I tend to wear jandals or go bare foot a lot of the time these days.

Have fun shopping and I hope the packing goes well!
Anneliese

[mgbridges]

One thing I did mean to mention was that its not the case that top loaders only wash cold. Ours has programmes ranging from Cold to Hot with 6 other options in between.

Have to agree though that I don't think they wash as well as front loaders - I now always use High Performance powder and always put a slug of Napisan Vanish In Wash liquid into every wash.

On the plus side at least I can pause it and chuck an item of clothing in once its started which I couldn't do with the front loader - I always seem to manage to drop a sock somewhere between the laundry basket and the washing machine!

Anneliese

[JandM]

Can you readily get front-loading washing machines in NZ?

[cathgates]

Thanks for the tips and the lists. One thing I do hope to find is cup a soup.....
I don't drink tea or coffee - purely a taste thing so, it's either diet pepsi, cup a soup or alcohol!!! I like Batchelors Golden Vegetable - they sell it by the jar in uk, and I also like Aynsley Harriots Scottish Chicken and Leek. I will be stocking up on the soups, but does anyone know if I can get them?
I have about £50 to spend on my Boots card so will be stocking up on make up, although I don't wear it that often - only if I'm going out for the evening. I'm not really one for shoes - can't wear heels, so wearing flat sandals/flip flops and a more relaxed dress code will suit me fine:) I decide this week that I will be getting toiletries when they are on offer up untill we go, so hopefully will have a good stock by the time we leave. We do have a front loader and we use the tabs that are good for washing at 30degrees, so will stock up on them. My chocolate fave is Galaxy. I had heard about expensive paint, but didn't realise it couldn't be imported:( We have got our push bikes ready to bring over - new seats mudgaurds etc, we've also bought helmets and raincoats - never used them here, I don't feel safe riding on the roads with all the traffic, so we're looking forward to getting some mud on the tyres!!!
We bought a new hoover - didn't see the point in going to all the trouble of cleaning the old one, then borrowing one from some one else untill we go for the sake of 40 quid for a new one - we made sure it was bagless in case we couldn't get particular bags once we get there.
My oh has got the week of work this week so that we can go through the loft, shed and understairs tool cupboard. I just feel at the moment that we are going to forget important things, or run out of time - the timing of everything is so crucial!!!
Thanks again

Cath X

[IanW99]

...
Washing powder also seems expensive here if you plan on using a front loader. The top loader powder is cheap but the machines only do cold washes and don't seem to get the clothes as clean as they should be. We took a trip to the local cash & carry/ Costco before we left and bought 4 12kg boxes of washing powder.also still going strong and a huge money saver!!
...
Definately agree with getting Brofen, the only brand sold here is Nurofen which is really expensive and there is no generic alternative available. Also hayfever tabs cost a bit..wise to stock up in them as well if you suffer.
...


Personally don't find washing powder very expensive if you compare the same product in the UK it is £1.82 for 1KG and in NZ it is $1.99 for 1KG.

Of course I do wait for the specials and then stock up, but certainly not too bad. As I think has already been mentioned, washing tabs are not readily available.

You can buy the generic version of ibuprofen from most places even Pack 'n' Save sell it, paracetamol is 99c for 20 tablets so not too bad either.

Ian

[IanW99]

Can you readily get front-loading washing machines in NZ?

Depends on your definition of readily I guess?

They are sold here but not in many shops and not many makes and models. Harvey Norman offer probably the best choice.

Ian

[mgbridges]

We bought a brand new front loader washing machine with us, paid GST to bring it in but... it doesn't fit in the space where the top loader that came with the house is!

Sooooo the poor thing is languishing in the garage still in all its packaging. One day we'll re-arrange the laundry and probably make space for it but for the time being I'm making do with the top loader.

Anneliese

[JandM]

If anybody is going over to France shortly before packing up to leave the UK, you can get washing powder in their supermarkets in much bigger packets than we have, considerably cheaper weight for weight. (The same goes for dog/cat biscuits, not that you'll be wanting to ship those.)

[JandM]

Ian, thanks for the comment on front-loaders. It'll just depend on the age/state of ours by the time we come to leave, what we decide to do about it.

[peebles16]

Hey Cath
Just a quick note to say I've yet to see diet pepsi (was addicted to the stuff back in the UK!!). I've normal pepsi and pepsi max but no diet now have converted to diet coke :roll

So if you really like the stuff stick some in the containe. We (sadly :) ) shipped 48 cans of Irn Bru can't wait till container appears next month
Karenx

[Lara Croft]

Cup-a-soups...

Yes they do them here, but not the same range, and haven't tasted them yet, so can't comment on if they are the same.... If I do, I'll let you know.

We were not allowed to bring any food products with us at all - our shippers (John Masons) refused to allow any in the boxes, otherwise I would have brought a few things. This seems to vary from one company to another, which is a bit annoying!

Jane

[Tia Maria]

And if thats not enough stuff, here is another thread which may be of use:

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9903

Cheers

Tia

[jshack52]

Hi

I have found that the shops are seriously lacking in shampoo. I usually use anti dandruff shampoo and there are hardly any brands here except head and shoulders and fructis. I love my loreal elvive and am going to get some posted out. You can get stuff but where you may have 7 types in the UK here you have just one.

If you have kids the nappies are quite frankly crap with a capital C. Anyone out there who is moving to NZ with a baby that normally uses pampers should stock up with enough nappies till their baby is potty trained.

That also goes for sanitary pads too girls. The trouble with things here is that in the UK everything has a gel core, nappies, pads etc and in NZ they are more the old fashioned just cloth no gel, like the cheap nappies or pads in the UK. I was laughing the other day as this ad on the TV was going on about NEW pads with WINGS like it was some revolutionalry new concept.

We have found so far that other than that everything else is here or you can get a suitable alternative. There are more shops in auckland than we imagined so most needs are catered for.

We went camping the other week on the coromandal and there were virtually no shops about and came dashing back to auckland and dont intent to leave any time soon! If you are not in auckland you may have more of a problem getting hold of stuff.

At the end of the day you can get something else which does the job, there is just not as much choice.

Jess
xxx

[Potato]

There are "Lush" stores in NZ (worldwide chain). You can go there and get some good bars of soap (they are made relatively naturally and smell nice!) for a reasonable price. You can use it for both hair and body. This lasts me ages but I only wash my hair once every few days.
When it comes to clothes, I wear a lot of woolen products, hence cold/warm wash is fine. Anything really mucky I just end up reserving for dirty stuff in the future. Pretty sure you can get a lot of everyday dirt out on a warm wash. However, kids + grass will test anything to the limit I suppose! ;)

[Tia Maria]

Hi

That also goes for sanitary pads too girls. The trouble with things here is that in the UK everything has a gel core, nappies, pads etc and in NZ they are more the old fashioned just cloth no gel, like the cheap nappies or pads in the UK. I was laughing the other day as this ad on the TV was going on about NEW pads with WINGS like it was some revolutionalry new concept.

Jess
xxx

Glad someone else has found this too (not really a small talk kind of topic!), I seriously wished I had stocked up. I even consider asking my Mum to send me a bar of galaxy and a pack of sanitary pads!

Cheers

Tia

[dilanium]

Stupid question... but...

Are tampons readily available?

[jshack52]

The seem to have a few different ones. Again different brands but look the same. I dont think there is much you can do to change those?