A reader asked me for some advice on how to save on moving expenses. I’m not an expert in this area, but I do have some ideas.
When we bought our house, we had very little moving expenses. Ha ha; when you don’t own any furniture, it’s easy to move in! We opted for a do-it-yourself approach to moving and rented a Budget truck. We had a few friends help us move in. It was a cheap moving experience.
If we had to move now, that strategy would never work for us since we now have a house full of stuff. Anyway, here are my ideas:
Do-It-Yourself Approach
You could rent a Budget or U-haul truck. Be sure to shop around and find out the exact fees. Will you have to pay for gas, mileage and how long can you keep the truck for? Or could you borrow a truck from a friend?
Start Collecting Boxes & Blankets In Advance of Your Move. All you have to do is ask at many stores and they will allow you to take the boxes for free. I think the best boxes to use are the ones that copier paper comes in – they are very strong and have a nice lid on them. In addition to saving old boxes, you could save old sheets and blankets to help you wrap and protect furniture during the move. If you need packing materials you can use newspaper, rags or even plastic bags to help protect items.
Pack Your Own Boxes – You can save money by packing your own stuff. When you pack things yourself – you know you’ve packed things right and you’ve labeled them correctly. You can label where each box needs to go in the new house and save time that way.
Hire Friends and Family to Help You Move. You can pay them or buy a really nice dinner for them.
Professional Mover Approach
Have a Yard Sale or Donate Items You Don’t Use. Don’t pay to transport that stuff!
Plan for Your Move in Advance If You Can. If you are able to plan the move in advance, you can call and compare rates. If you have the time you can find out about any additional charges and exactly what is included and what is not. If you call and book at the last minute, you could pay a little bit more to find a mover that is available.
Avoid Moving In The Summer If You Can. You can also save money depending on the time of year you move. Did you know the summer months are the most popular time of year to move due to school being on summer vacation? If you are able to be flexible, you can save a little money this way.
Set a Budget For Your Move. If you are moving cross country, you could try and set a budget. If you have a budget, you can control your spending a little more. You might be able to find an inexpensive hotel to spend the night in, or pack some meals to eat on the road, etc.
Be Organized. I know someone who went to move into their house and the old homeowners were still there. The old homeowners had fallen behind schedule and were still cleaning and moving out their stuff. This lack of organization can cost you. The people were paying for the moving crew by the hour, and the crew was just sitting there while the old homeowners were trying to get their stuff out of the house. Fortunately, the moving crew was kind and helped the old homeowners get the stuff out of the house. It ate up some extra time, but not as much as it could have.
Getting Friends or Family to Help. If you have friends or family that can help you, take them up on it. Maybe they can watch your children or pets while the move is going on. Or maybe they are willing to help direct the movers or with packing.
I hope my ideas will help your move cost less!
