Booze Cruise - Calais

[Rubberduk 10]

There is no limit as to how much you bring back to England from the EEC, there is however guidelines and even by sticking to the guidelines you will save well over the expense of going. I have been pulled many a time for having 120 packets of tobacco and they have always had to let me go through because it isnt classed as exceptional.

One packet over there is roughly £4, over here it is roughly £12 saving me £8 per pack, that is some saving on 120 packs, not to mention the drink that I bring back.

As I say, if you stick close to the guidelines then you wont be bothered too much by the customs.

The ones you saw may have been going over every day getting a van full each time, they are the ones that the customs watch.

[rothschild 10]

I agree, you can make some great savings and you are probably right that the white van was known to customs.

I thought you were still limited in bringing cigs etc into France. My hubby used to drive (truck) from North Africa to UK and he could buy what he wanted in Spain but you could guarantee that customs would be waiting in France. A collegue of his only recently had his Spanish purchases taken from him at Calais. Had he caught the boat on a Spanish crossing he would have been ok.

[Rubberduk 10]

I have seen customs at the Luxembourg border before as the last time I was there, they still had a border (dont know if they still do) but as for the Belgian border, all I can say is that I personally have had no problems and have been going for years.

I will be going again in a fortnights time so will post back any problems that I see, or dont see and the prices

[dumpling 10]

its cheaper to buy at tesco as they are doing 3 for £10 and its quaility wine compare to the crap you get at calais

[callippo 10]

bit like Basil Fawlty isn't it. Nobody's mentioning the exchange rate.

 

it's not so far away from 1:1 right now.

 

forget the car and try a time machine instead. Set it to go back 10 years ago and you might just turn a profit.

[happyhippy 11]

Complete waste of time and effort. Go to the continent and have a holiday, but short of tobacco, you won't make any savings. Bottled and canned beers have never been cheaper in relation to UK prices and salaries.

 

Wines in general are reasonable now. If you want specialist stuff, then have a specialist tour. Going to buy in bulk to make a saving is just not worth it.

[Rubberduk 10]

bit like Basil Fawlty isn't it. Nobody's mentioning the exchange rate.

 

it's not so far away from 1:1 right now.

 

forget the car and try a time machine instead. Set it to go back 10 years ago and you might just turn a profit.

 

There was no point in me mentioning the exchange rate as I put my prices dwn in £'s

Its not about making a profit, if it was then that would mean people was selling the stuff on and that just wouldnt do would it?

 

It is about having a good day out and saving some money, which is very easy to do.

[Rubberduk 10]

Complete waste of time and effort. Go to the continent and have a holiday, but short of tobacco, you won't make any savings. Bottled and canned beers have never been cheaper in relation to UK prices and salaries.

 

Wines in general are reasonable now. If you want specialist stuff, then have a specialist tour. Going to buy in bulk to make a saving is just not worth it.

 

How can making a saving not be worth it?

[callippo 10]

unlike before, there's no point in bringing any wine back now, only tobacco can you make any appreciable saving and even that's nowhere near as cheap as it used to be with the Euro's appreciation. You're spending a lot of money on petrol too. It might be worth it if you hitched it there and back and got a cheap passage on the ferry as a foot passenger and returned with a large backpack or two full of baccy. Otherwise it's marginal. Also not everybody thinks driving for 500 miles round trip just to go round some crappy supermarket for the umpteenth time is a 'great day out'.

[happyhippy 11]

How can making a saving not be worth it?

 

Yes, I misphrased it! What I meant was that going to buy in bulk won't make a saving, or if it did, it would be negligible.

[dumpling 10]

How can making a saving not be worth it?

 

How much would you charge to drive 4 hours each way, eat crap food on ferry? if you was doing it as a long weekend then it might be ok, going there just to shop is plain stupid nowadays:loopy::loopy:

[Rubberduk 10]

How much would you charge to drive 4 hours each way, eat crap food on ferry? if you was doing it as a long weekend then it might be ok, going there just to shop is plain stupid nowadays:loopy::loopy:

 

Another educated post.

Why is it that some people on here can't post without making themselves look complete idiots?

Just to humour you, I would not charge myself for driving myself there and back and also, I am sure I could quite easily last 55 minutes on a ferry without having to eat crap

When I do make the journey, with all my expenses taken into account and the products I buy, I save myself just over a thousand pounds on English prices.

Believe that or not, that is your prerogative.

I came onto this thread to offer some advice, which is what the OP was after.