Sending a laptop to my Fiancee in Ukraine

[eekee 182]

Return the one you bought and wire the money there. Not worth it to deal with the authorities and the anxiety. Plus, the OS will be in her native language, etc. Alternatively, bring it with you when you visit.

I, personally, would not want to have to pay the import taxes and deal with bureaucracy and worry about whether it will arrive in the first place.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Return the one you bought and wire the money there. Not worth it to deal with the authorities and the anxiety. Plus, the OS will be in her native language, etc. Alternatively, bring it with you when you visit.

I, personally, would not want to have to pay the import taxes and deal with bureaucracy and worry about whether it will arrive in the first place.

We told Sergey we will buy him a new computer for his birthday (last week) but we will do it when he comes home for the summer. Not going to send it there. Shipping and taxes far out-cost the computer. The one we bought him just before he started college (4 years already!) is "old, like a dinosaur"

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

We told Sergey we will buy him a new computer for his birthday (last week) but we will do it when he comes home for the summer. Not going to send it there. Shipping and taxes far out-cost the computer. The one we bought him just before he started college (4 years already!) is "old, like a dinosaur"

Just make sure you get Windows Ultimate...that way you can switch languages with the touch of a key. All our o/s here are the Ultimate version so she has the best of both. Same with MS Office...it's like $25 to download a language for it.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

A few years ago, computers and such were much more expensive in Ukraine/Russia than they were here. I bought Sergey's for around $600 (same thing would probably be $400 now) and it was going for $1000+ in Ukraine at the time. I really haven't shopped for such things there for a while but I am told the price gap is no longer so big. ??? Maybe you know Eekee.

[ONA 133]

All computers made in the last 10 years or so will work witrh either voltage. 220 v is by far the more common voltage worldwide and they make computers to work with any household voltage. Check the spec label on your laptop.

If there is a 'magic' label 'INPUT: 100-240V~50/60Hz' everyting will be fine.

Basically, phones, laptops, cameras work fine. There can be some problems with stuff like hair straighteners or fans.

As for the price difference - it's still there. Electronics in Russia is more expensive than in the US. The gap may be not that dramatic, but it's still pretty big.

Edited April 29, 2011 by ONA

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

A few years ago, computers and such were much more expensive in Ukraine/Russia than they were here. I bought Sergey's for around $600 (same thing would probably be $400 now) and it was going for $1000+ in Ukraine at the time. I really haven't shopped for such things there for a while but I am told the price gap is no longer so big. ??? Maybe you know Eekee.

It's the same with Belarus. I brought Kira a 17" gateway laptop with a two pack of plugin connectors, webcam, mouse, keyboard stickers, etc... along with the o/s so she could be one of the five people in Belarus that actually had a legitimate copy of Windows.

Electronics in Belarus is crazy expensive.

[Captain Hammer 113]

Electronics, especially laptops and the like, are pretty expensive in Kyiv also, unless you get the "fell off the back of a lorry" discount. But I'm guessing it'll all wash out when you figure in the cost of shipping and customs.

[slim 1,514]

unless you get the "fell off the back of a lorry" discount.

Do American men say lorry?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Do American men say lorry?

No they don't. Ever read the term on here... "sock puppet" ?

[Ban Hammer 13,143]

Do American men say lorry?

yeah, when their wife's name is lori.

[james&olya 1,121]

A few years ago, computers and such were much more expensive in Ukraine/Russia than they were here. I bought Sergey's for around $600 (same thing would probably be $400 now) and it was going for $1000+ in Ukraine at the time. I really haven't shopped for such things there for a while but I am told the price gap is no longer so big. ??? Maybe you know Eekee.

I bought Roma a 15" Acer with the usual low end specs, I think 3GB memory, 320GB drive last September, cost 19,999 rubles! Same laptop here was going for $500, reduced to $400 on sale. I had no idea how excited he was going to be when I gave it to him! But his old desk-top dinosaur really needed replacing, seemed the right thing to do since my sons here all have their own laptops. And now we can skype using its webcam! Olya woudn't let me buy her anything but for her kids it was OK!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Do American men say lorry?

Never. Glad I never felt the need to pretend to be something I am not. But then I am an American man married to a hot Ukrainian woman, why would I fake it? It isn't like I am going to "pretend" to be married to a Canadian.

Speaking of which, the US $ must be taking a bigger hit. Went to Costco tonight and there were far more than the usual Quebecois fleeing the high taxes in Canada.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I bought Roma a 15" Acer with the usual low end specs, I think 3GB memory, 320GB drive last September, cost 19,999 rubles! Same laptop here was going for $500, reduced to $400 on sale. I had no idea how excited he was going to be when I gave it to him! But his old desk-top dinosaur really needed replacing, seemed the right thing to do since my sons here all have their own laptops. And now we can skype using its webcam! Olya woudn't let me buy her anything but for her kids it was OK!

You got a keeper, James! when they care for other people more than themselves, you hit the jackpot!

I guess the price difference still exists as it did.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Never. Glad I never felt the need to pretend to be something I am not. But then I am an American man married to a hot Ukrainian woman, why would I fake it? It isn't like I am going to "pretend" to be married to a Canadian.

Speaking of which, the US $ must be taking a bigger hit. Went to Costco tonight and there were far more than the usual Quebecois fleeing the high taxes in Canada.

The Canadian dollar is beating the ####### out of the US dollar right now.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The Canadian dollar is beating the ####### out of the US dollar right now.

It is always obvious when the "je me souviens" lisence plates far outnumber the Vermont lisence plates at the mall, grocery stores, etc. Good for our economy. Quebec has a 15% sales tax (GST and PST) and we have -0- on food and clothes/shoes. Not to mention that, all else equal, everything is just more expensive there to begin with.