<p>Looks like the most common rates are $15 for the first checked bag. I am thinking that if both H and I are taking So… for $45 we’ll be able to cover most of it except storage stuff. Seems to me I will have benefited from shopping the better sales here than hoping my order is there waiting for me as ordered (seems I also get the backorder status). So… will maybe look for storage stuff online for under the bed stuff that would be impossible to pack.</p>
<p>Personally, there was great peace of mind not having to rush around trying to buy a whole lot when we got to school. We had more leisure to get the stuff we felt was right & left the Costco & Target & office supply store runs for when we reached the U & could look around & be sure what the kids wanted.
You really CAN fit a lot in checked luggage if you pack carefully–remember the 50 pound restriction so you don’t get dinged with an unexpected extra charge.</p>
<p>^^Many thanks for this great thread!</p>
<p>Question for those of you who mailed things (whether by UPS or whatever):</p>
<p>Where exactly did you mail it to? The school’s address? A friend in your destination town?</p>
<p>leesamurmur…
we shipped to our hotel (we were flying with D to school) the things she “needed” that didn’t fit in our Southwest luggage…yes, that did require her to pack in advance.
D’s school indicated they would not accept packages the first week of school (understandable), so you may want to check your college’s policies…</p>
<p>Modadunn, that’s what we did for D.
We live on the East Coast. It was a surprise to me to me that packages to Cali cost more than the ones to New York. My reasoning was since Stamps were a flat, rate why not packages.
Also it took D close to a week to get her packages.</p>
<p>NY to FL…</p>
<p>Shipped 4 very large boxes to school (we shipped and had them help at the local UPS store and picked them up). Shipped bedding (easier to pack and hold at BBB though), printer in the box it came in and placed in the larger box with other stuff, accessories, all the clothes. Came to about $45-50 a box through UPS. We measured and paid on line and scheduled a pick up at our house so we didn’t have to lift them and drag them to our local UPS store.</p>
<p>Son packed his 2 suitcases he brought with him (and we each had our own for our stuff). </p>
<p>I mapped out the BBB (and had preordered everything over the summer) and also stopped at the Target and Best Buy. Ended up ordering a TV on Amazon (and sneakers) from our hotel) when we couldn’t find one we wanted. </p>
<p>Hopefully your child’s school will store on campus over the summer or else make a friend off campus who can store stuff (or do that and send lots home with his roommate who had room for it in his parents house!!!)</p>
<p>“Ended up ordering a TV on Amazon”</p>
<p>I am such a curmudgeon.</p>
<p>DON’T BUY THE KID A TV. Make them find some other person (whose parents have enough money to waste some) and make friends. Let them watch TV on their computer, over the internet that is paid for with your tuition. Tell them to study instead.</p>
<p>Shipping to college and addresses. D’s school provided directions for shipping dorm stuff and bright labels to be used on UPS boxes which UPS agreed to deliver to dorms on a specific day during the orientation/move in time. They were sent to us in late July. It is likely that some other colleges might have a similar deal.</p>
<p>D said a TV for her room would have been a wasteful purchase, since she was too busy studying and socializing to even watch it.</p>
<p>^^Same thing with D. She had little time for TV. She said there were about three TVs in her dorm, and the kids mostly used them to play video games.</p>
<p>Not all schools accept deliveries before the student moves into the dorm (2 of 3 kids’ schools did not), so you really need to check before planning. We had to ship to a UPS store near the school. They will hold the boxes there for a nominal fee, I think about $5/day/box. The only things we shipped or brought from home, were things we already owned or easily fit in the SW free luggage allotment, and the sheets and towels since I wanted to wash them before using. Everything else we purchased after arriving, but we did build shopping time time into our schedule and arrived 2 days before move-in.</p>
<p>My-3-Sons and I shipped to same school.</p>
<p>USP Store stores boxes for pick up for $10 each to be paid at time of pick up. Had to write date of pick up on the box. </p>
<p>Remember, if you ship lots like we did, rent a large van!! We couldn’t even close the hatch fully with the 4 boxes in back. (Luckily, only had to drive across the street to the campus.) Google and call the closest USP store for their info on this.</p>
<p>re: TV comments- each child is different. Mine wanted a TV, though he does use the computer too. Was not going to deny him (and yes, as an earlier poster put it, waste our money) as he had proven his abilities as valedictorian with 14 AP’s. Doing well and after 2 years finished his major and minor and has 1 semester left (though he can stay as long as he wants with his full ride!!!) The reason I wrote about the TV and Amazon was to remind others that they can make purchases on line for large, heavy items (printers) that you won’t have to ship.</p>
<p>You can get a tuner for your laptop so it works as a TV; a TV takes up valuable desk/shelf space.</p>
<p>Has anyone tried to take a guitar on Southwest as carry-on? My S has a very valuable guitar and wants to bring it with him. I called but trying to figure out their specs isn’t easy! I just don’t want to get to the airport and be told we can’t bring it. The day will be stressful enough…</p>
<p>We also weighed the drive/fly scenarios and in the end chose to fly from east coast to midwest on SW. Got really cheap flights. Just have to ship his bike out, and we’ll send that directly to a bike shop which will assemble it for a small charge.</p>
<p>dmd77,
I am with you on the TV perspective, not on my dime!</p>
<p>Donna: S has taken his guitar back and forth to Chicago (AirTran and AA) 3 or 4 times and it hasn’t been a problem and he never checks it in. They usually put it somewhere up front when he gets into the plane. Don’t know about SW.</p>