Is a balikbayan box worth it?
A calculator to compare courier quotes properly, an honest take from someone who has sent exactly one, what's worth packing from the UK, and a checklist so it arrives in one piece.
Compare courier quotes
Box sizes have different names at every courier, so "jumbo" at one can be smaller than "large" at another. Type in each box's measurements and the full price, and this shows how much space you're really getting for your money.
The numbers already filled in are only an example, not real quotes. Cheapest per cubic foot isn't everything: check delivery time, insurance, and where they deliver in the Philippines. Nothing you type here leaves your device.
Compare the shipping cost with what the same things would cost to buy in the Philippines.
We sent one, then stopped
We've only ever sent one box, about four years ago. The box and shipping cost us just over ₱7,000 then, and a large box is around ₱8,000 now. Looking back, almost everything inside could have been bought back home, and that money could have bought the gifts themselves.
Regular boxes can also quietly set an expectation back home that puts pressure on whoever is sending. So we send money instead, and keep boxes for when they genuinely make sense.
- you're clearing out or moving, and the things are still good
- it's something they can't get there, like favourite UK snacks or sauces
- it genuinely improves life back home, not just a few days of "wow"
- most of it is easy to buy in the Philippines
- you'd be filling space just because you paid for it
- the shipping costs more than the things inside
What's worth sending from the UK
The best things to send are ones that are cheaper, better or simply not available back home. Here's what tends to be worth the space, and what usually isn't.
Clothes and shoes
Good-quality clothes from UK sales, outlets and charity shops, plus kids' clothes they've outgrown. Light, squashable and great value.
Books and school things
English-language children's books, workbooks and stationery. Charity shops sell books for pennies, and they're far pricier back home.
Favourite toiletries
The UK brands family keep asking for: skincare, shampoo, deodorant. Sealed, and not aerosols.
Snacks that travel well
Biscuits, coffee and hard sweets, sealed and well within their dates. Our nieces love Rich Tea biscuits. And if family enjoy tea, the UK is the place for it: so many varieties of tea bags. Skip chocolate for sea cargo: containers get hot and it can arrive melted.
Bedding and towels
Good towels, sheets and duvet covers. They also make perfect padding around anything fragile.
Electronics, well padded
We've sent a couple of laptops with no issues. Pad them really well, especially if they're not in their original box. The Philippines runs on 220V, close to the UK's 230V, so most UK gadgets work with a plug adapter. Pack the adapters and keep the receipts. If you're flying home yourself, expensive items are best in your hand luggage. If they have to go in the box, declare them and consider adding insurance so they're covered.
Rice, canned goods, instant noodles and other everyday groceries. They're easy to buy back home, often cheaper, and they're heavy.
Perishable food, plants and seeds, cash, expensive jewellery, medicines without a prescription, aerosols and anything flammable, and loose lithium batteries. Always check your courier's own list.
Duty-free, within limits
Under the Bureau of Customs rules, Filipinos abroad can send balikbayan boxes duty and tax free when:
- the contents are personal and household items, not for selling
- the value is up to ₱150,000
- you use the privilege no more than three times a year
You'll usually fill in an information sheet and give a copy of your passport's photo page, plus receipts if you have them. Your courier normally helps with the paperwork. The Bureau of Customs also advises using freight forwarders accredited by the DTI, and declaring contents and values honestly.
Rules can change. Check the latest on customs.gov.ph or with your courier before you send.
Get quotes from two or three
These are names you'll hear often in the Filipino community here. None of them sponsor this page, and a name on this list isn't a guarantee. Ask each for a quote for the same box size, then put them in the calculator above.
Ask what's includedEmpty box, collection, delivery outside Metro Manila, insurance. Put any extras in "Other fees".
Read recent reviewsCheck OFW Facebook groups and YouTube for how long boxes took lately, not years ago.
Plan for weeks, not daysSea cargo usually takes several weeks to a couple of months, longer for some provinces. Send early.
Be wary of very cheap dealsA price far below everyone else's can mean delays or a box that's held up. Keep your receipt and tracking number.
So it arrives in one piece
Tick as you go.
Do the maths before the big decisions
Sending money home, smarter
Often the better gift is the money itself. My free 8-page guide covers finding the best app, setting a fixed amount, a 10-minute monthly habit, and being clear about your limits with family.
General information from my own experience and public sources, not legal or customs advice. Prices, rules and courier services change, so always check the latest before you send.