Things to bring back from USA

• 

  Telemachus on 19/12/2024 - 06:00

  I've always found denim to be super cheap in USA. $20 for a decent pair of branded jeans.
  Pharmaceuticals from CVS is another option.

  • 

    bigcheese on 19/12/2024 - 07:52

    Not only are the jeans cheap but you can also find a huge range of sizes - waist and leg.
    First time I’ve been able to get a pair to fit straight off the rack without any alterations required.

    • 

      Everettpsycho on 19/12/2024 - 09:06

      +1

      Just jeans is about the only place here i have found jeans that fit. Ever since moving here ive found the lack of variable leg lengths available weird. In the UK every shop sells most combinations of waist and leg length. Finding a pair your size in a pile is harder but most shops will sell it if you look through the stock.

• 

  Hedgehog on 19/12/2024 - 07:35

  Get a CVS pharmacy card. 1.75ltr Seagrams 7 & VO was $US17.99 12 months ago using their card. Booze is very cheap, just the state tax so prices vary state by state.

  • 

    cutcutcut on 19/12/2024 - 07:57

    +2

    You can buy alcohol from the pharmacy? Huh. That seems a weird combo.

• 

  ScoobyNZ on 19/12/2024 - 08:04

  If you or anybody you know has a sweet tooth, there are so many flavours of M&M's that you can't buy here. Also food-related - CLIF bars. For your Running & Cycling friends :D

• 

  raylee on 19/12/2024 - 08:08

  +1

  apple products are cheaper than NZ in the states

  • 

    mickey9876 on 19/12/2024 - 09:02

    Exactly this. Flatmate is travelling to US and she asked if I know what sort of price difference/price savings you can have on an iphone lets say a 15 or 16. Anyone purchased phones from US and brought over to NZ? Do we need to pay extra tax or anything?

    • 

      Grandma on 19/12/2024 - 11:46

      +1

      FYI US iPhones are eSIM only nowadays

      You have to pay gst afaik but if you just dump the box nobody is going to question it

  • 

    spam on 19/12/2024 - 09:16

    Especially if you go and purchase where there's 0% sales tax state.
    In 2018 I purchased Iphone X at New Jersey store where there's 0% sales tax so it's way cheaper than, say if you purchase it from San Fransisco store.

  • 

    raylee on 19/12/2024 - 09:37

    i bought air tags from Amazon, it is almost half-price compare NZ, which is normally NZD 50

• 

  GuybrushThreepwood on 19/12/2024 - 10:36

  Melatonin as you can't get it in NZ.
  Candy like the M&Ms as others have said.
  If you know any people with Cealiac, then there is way more choice of gluten free food in the US. My wife and oldest have Cealiac and everytime I go to the US for work I take an extra suitcase and fill it with gluten free food to bring back.
  Trainers - Especially if you are a runner, there is so much more variety and price difference than in NZ.

  • 

    flembots on 19/12/2024 - 14:58

    You can get melatonin as a prescription. It's $12-13 I think to fill. I understand people want gummies but actually they're poorly regulated in the US and the amount that contain hugely different amounts of melatonin than they claim is pretty concerning actually.

  • 

    taeken on 19/12/2024 - 20:23

    +1

    FYI (lived in the states for a bit and Celiac) the US labelling laws are different to NZ, to be gluten free labelled in NZ the ingredients must come from a source that doesn't contain gluten. In the US as long as the product tests under 20ppm for gluten it can be labeled gluten free. 20ppm is probably fine as long as you're not super sensitive but not 100% gluten free. May have changed as this was a decade ago but it was the situation then.

    • 

      GuybrushThreepwood on 19/12/2024 - 20:45

      Yep exactly this! When we go as a family we have to super careful when buying anything gluten free because of this, especially if as a Celiac you are sensitive to gluten free oats, as its so much GF food stateside.

• 

  bottomcoughs on 19/12/2024 - 11:41

  Recently returned from California (around SF).

  Most things are more expensive there at moment due to the exchange rate. For branded clothing, you might find steals at discount stores like TJ Maxx, Ross Dress For Less, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. 'American' brands like Carhartt, Patagonia etc. that are overpriced here are reasonable if on sale at places like Dick's Sporting Goods.

  I checked out their local FB Marketplace for fun and 2nd-hand computer parts are more expensive than in NZ.

  As someone has said above, Clif bars are cheaper at Walmart/Target.

  You might find cheap branded household stuff at Dollar Tree too.

  • 

    scrimshaw on 19/12/2024 - 13:14

    Yeah I was surprised to see that Dollar Tree also stocked melatonin, which you normally have to get a prescription for to obtain in Au and NZ. Extremely cheap too, only $2 for a bottle of 30 pills.

• 

  Harebrainedkiwi on 19/12/2024 - 13:01

  Check out https://slickdeals.net/ before you go