How to save money when sending parcels to Europe

While you can't send a package over the web, the internet has made it easier for people to send parcels cheaply from country to country.

The internet has greatly improved the speed and at which people in two different locations can communicate. Instead of letters taking days or sometimes weeks to travel across the world, emails now zing between the UK and Australia in seconds. But despite the myriad ways the web has improved correspondence, it's still not come up with a virtual way to send a package to someone: we still have to rely on snail mail for that.

What the internet has done, however, is make it easier for people to send parcels cheaply from country to country. 20 years ago, if you wanted to send a package from the UK to a European country, there were two options: Royal Mail or an expensive courier service. Today, it's become much easier to find competitively priced alternatives by doing a simple Google search. If you need to send a parcel to Europe or further afield but you're on a tight budget, here's a quick guide to how the internet could help.

Looking for cheaper parcel delivery services online

First, it's important to consider what you're sending, how much it weighs and what its value is. If you're posting a simple birthday card, letter or a light package weighing less than 2kg from the UK to France, Royal Mail is still your best-priced option. However, heavier packages are much pricier. Sending these using Royal Mail could cost over £25, and that's before you include the cost of parcel tracking and insurance.

Instead, scour the internet for a competitively-priced parcel delivery service that meets your exact needs. Make your search specific: for example, include your parcel's weight and its destination in your search term. This should provide you with relevant results that meet your budget. If you still can't find what you're looking for, email or call well-reviewed companies for a quote. Make sure you include your parcel's exact weight, your address, the address it's going to and its specific dimensions. Then, collate your replies and choose the most competitive rate.

Considering features other than price

It's important to remember that while price may be the most important factor to the budget-conscious, there are other features to consider when choosing a good parcel delivery service. For example, you should look out for companies that will collect your package directly from your house, as well as those that offer an online tracking service so you will know when your parcel has arrived. Moreover, if your parcel has a high value, purchasing insurance will provide you with valuable peace of mind so make sure you don't choose a courier with extortionate insurance rates.

Also make sure you understand the fine print. A company may advertise rates for cheap parcels to Europe but it's cheapest price may not be valid for all European countries. For instance, sending parcels to France, Spain or Belgium may be available at the cheapest quoted rate but prices for packages sent further afield - such as Poland, the Czech Republic or Greece - could me more expensive.