<p>I need some advice on the best (most cost effective way) to ship boxes home. My daughter is going to have to ship several large boxes home of her summer things. She is going on the AA trip to Belize (and coming directly home after) so she won’t be able to do checked luggage. Does anyone have any advice on where she can ship boxes. I’m guessing there will be at least 2-3 boxes (maybe 40-50 pounds each). She also doesn’t have a car but she can probably get her roommates to help her take the boxes somewhere to ship.</p>
<p>I believe there is a UPS store on the strip next to Firehouse subs.</p>
<p>Most likely, the easiest and relatively lowest cost method will be going to the post office at the Ferg and shipping via USPS. I don’t know if the UPS Store charges a fee on top of UPS rates, but remember that there is a surcharge for residential delivery. When shipping to UA, I often use FedEx, but they are not close to campus and spending the day searching for a FedEx Ground truck while carrying a large box is not the most productive use of time.</p>
<p>Publix usually has free produce boxes that are good for shipping; boxes that usually held heavy, fragile items such as apples or pears are usually the best.</p>
<p>A quick pricing quote for a 25 pound box being shipped the maximum number of zones to a residential address costs $31.56 with tracking via USPS, $37.34 via FedEx ($24.96 with a FedEx account and eBay user discount), and $41.79 via UPS.</p>
<p>^^^I ship a lot of boxes, some of them quite heavy. UPS measures the boxes and then weighs them, it is a combination of these two variables that contribute to the price. You can call UPS with approximate measurements and weight to get an estimate. There may be a student discount, there usually is an AAA discount. The UPS store is very close to the dorms. I have found that cost averages about $1 a pound from NY.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be easier and more cost effective to take a small storage unit for the summer?</p>
<p>I did not see the reference to “summer things”.</p>
<p>I have no experience with this company but it may be another option for you.</p>
<p>Dorm room movers…just google them.</p>
<p>Would probably be cheaper to pay UPS for a pick up than it would be to use the UPS store.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>We are renting a storage unit for things she is keeping in Alabama. The shipping is for things she needs home with her during the summer. She is going on the AA Belize trip right after school gets out and she will taking very limited luggage with her and then coming directly home from Belize. So she needs a way to get her essential items home. Plus when she gets home in May we will still have some rainy/winter weather so she needs both winter and summer stuff here at home. The complexities of going to school across the country…</p>
<p>Here is another option of shipping that I recall my Local UPS Store told me about. Pack a suitcase and drop it off to them and they will ship it. They can box it or put it in a big plastic bag and seal and ship. Sounds pretty easy…</p>
<p>^^^ That is an awesome idea. Since she will need her luggage home with her to pack when she returns in the fall!</p>
<p>Yes, I was surprised to see suitcases lined up for shipping, but mentally filed the option for future use. Guess I just “forgot” about it (lol).</p>