Shipping Your Belongings Overseas - "If I pack myself, will I get a discount?"

I'll start from the end, a discount (if any) will be given only on the cost of packaging materials. 
Why?  
For the most part labor cost components do not change at all.

Clients who come to me with this question are usually trying to cut costs. 
Of course, transportation costs can be thousands of dollars or more and we'd all love to save costs.

It is important to state up front, an International move is completely different than a local move.   
Naturally, an international move includes many parameters in the equation of added risk. 
For example; loading and unloading contents more than once, transferring the container from one vehicle to another or to a train or onto a vessel, use of the crane at the port and other operational aspects that may cause your household goods to be damaged.

Therefore, professional packaging, done by highly skilled teams is preferable in most cases to maintain and protect your possessions, especially when compared to self-packaging. 
No one would want to get his shipping carton crushed, torn or cut
.
As part of that effort, a trained packer will adapt packaging material to pack and protect (carton certain size, thickness, Dupont corners of furniture, etc.). 
Even the location of each object in a carton has a meaning and consequently also the location of cartons inside the container.
Of course, a professional packing team from shipping company arrives with new export quality packaging materials.

Another aspect worth considering is cargo insurance depending on the packing (independent versus professional).

There are two main types of insurance; "Total loss " or "all risks".
“Total Loss” insurance is the cheapest of the two.  
This insurance will cover only the full loss of the entire shipment (fell into the sea, lost etc.). 
"All risk" Insurance cover almost any type of damage - including even a single item in the shipment – this is the most common coverage in household moves.

Insurance companies that issue marine policies for household goods, will generally not insure client packed boxes with  "all risk” insurance. 
“All risk” insurance is issued only for goods that have been professionally packed, by shipping companies.

To sum up, sending the contents of your home across the ocean? It is recommended to require professional packaging by a recognized and well established company in the field. 
Such packaging will ensure the arrival of your belongings intact and as close to their original condition as possible and allow comprehensive insurance coverage…just in case ..