You’ve probably realized by now that sending “care packages” overseas can get pretty expensive, especially if you wanted to send some books or larger items… but not to worry, parents can still send you birthday gifts and casual surprises without spending a fortune!
If there is a larger item that you need for your apartment or for your time in France, one of the go-to easy solutions for parents to send you this item is through Amazon. They will need to go through Amazon.fr, but the process for paying is the same, and they can do so from their own country (unless your home country has website restrictions) and just pay the local French shipping fees! This beats having to pay an arm and a leg for shipping from your home country! The other benefit of this method is that you can find most things you need on Amazon, from bedding to food products!
Another option is to shop directly on local websites. In most countries you can search for an online shop (such as Monoprix, for example) and send items to your French address, just as you would when you live in France. For some grocery stores and food delivery services this is also possible, and can be a great surprise if parents want to send a dinner to their student abroad.
Sometimes, direct bank transfers can cost a significant fee, so instead of this option, you can ask family or friends to send e-gift cards! They can also send regular gift cards in the physical post as well, which is a smaller and cheaper option than sending an item directly to France. Think of what your favorite shops are and check if they have a French availability with international gift cards! Just be careful, some shops like Starbucks or Subway might not have international cards, so people abroad would need to purchase from the French sites for French gift cards…
Cards are always a cheaper alternative, and can still be very nice to receive, especially after the first few months of moving to France. Just a few handwritten words can do a world of good when you’re starting to miss home, and the same goes for sending cards back home to friends or family! International stamps can be purchased at all post offices, and sometimes you can even ask for them at tourist shops when you purchase a postcard!
Can you think of other “savvy gift ideas?” Share them with your family and friends, and you might be surprised by a few unexpected gifts throughout the year!