Thread: What should one stock up on when moving in from US?

I have heard that certain imports are expensive or hard to get in Panama. Say you are moving from US, what would you advice him to stock up on? Eg, books, clothes, shoes, electronic items, household appliances, paper products, toileteries?
Thanks a bunch!

Hi!
I have a cheat sheet that I email to people planning on moving here from the states. First bring your ELECTRIC appliances, purchase remote control ceilling fans, lawn furniture, tools, plastic containers. Don't worry about the clothes, shoes, and toliet items. As for electronic items - bring your computer, because if you buy one down here you get the Spanish keyboard and basic stuff on the computer is in Spanish. Other things I brought included a BeerMeister if you love beer. A keg is around $40, make sure you get the right tapper (European). We also brought a Rubbermaid Shed 10 x 12 and put it together and shipped it in the container and put stuff inside of it (we left the doors and roof off).

I hope this helps!!

Mary
www.whypanama.com

Another thing I forgot to mention. Watch out what mover you use. There has been a lot of stuff again about certain movers that are holding peoples stuff for ransom, etc.

Make sure that you get DOOR-TO-DOOR quotation. Go to www.whypanama.com and under NEWS page 3 to click on the link.

Mary

With shipping it sounds like you will lose quite a bit of money.

Bring a toothbrush and a change of underwear instead.

Haha.. EdBowers, you are right about shipping. But we are going on a relocation contract with my husband's company, so (within limits) we have one less worry.
Mary, I have emailed you.

forget all that other crap you read , the only thing you need to bring is trader joes dark chocolate bars for me LOL. ok ,for real ,tools are expensive here , ,hand and electric .and pancake syurp ,other than that fake liquid sugar crap it is next to impossible to find anything you would want to put in your body . i have read of people having trouble with mold on books and any leather goods . unless your house has A/C

Originally Posted by whypanama

Hi!
I have a cheat sheet that I email to people planning on moving here from the states. First bring your ELECTRIC appliances, purchase remote control ceilling fans, lawn furniture, tools, plastic containers. Don't worry about the clothes, shoes, and toliet items. As for electronic items - bring your computer, because if you buy one down here you get the Spanish keyboard and basic stuff on the computer is in Spanish. Other things I brought included a BeerMeister if you love beer. A keg is around $40, make sure you get the right tapper (European). We also brought a Rubbermaid Shed 10 x 12 and put it together and shipped it in the container and put stuff inside of it (we left the doors and roof off).

I hope this helps!!

Mary
www.whypanama.com

Yes it does help because I was wondering about bringing my lawn care and planting tools. Also, I have a small table saw and compound miter saw that I would hopefully have more time to use down there.

So you fill up the container with everything you don't want to throw away.

I would personally negotiate with the company and get a cash credit for having to buy new things.

Originally Posted by Liont

Haha.. EdBowers, you are right about shipping. But we are going on a relocation contract with my husband's company, so (within limits) we have one less worry.
Mary, I have emailed you.