Moving expenses can add up quickly, making it difficult to move when you’re on a budget. If you’re trying to find a way to keep the costs of your move down, these suggestions can help. It’s possible to move without breaking the bank.
Plan Ahead
When you have plenty of time to manage your move, it will be easier for you to keep your expenses in check. You’ll be able to put together a moving checklist that you can follow along within the months, weeks, and days leading up to your move. You can compare different options and find the best deals.
It’s easy to spend more than you intended to when you schedule a move at the last minute. If you have more than enough time to figure everything out, you’ll be able to find ways to cut costs. You’ll also have more time to save for your move.
Declutter Your Home Ahead Of Your Move
You can bring the costs of your move down by bringing less with you. You should go through your entire home and set aside all of the items you don’t want or need anymore. Now is the right time to say goodbye to clothes that don’t fit or toys your children no longer play with.
Once you’ve figured out what you want to get rid of, you can separate those items into two different piles. One pile should be items that you intend to donate. The other pile should be items you think you can sell. Your old things might not be worth much to you, but they could help you raise quite a bit of money for your move.
It’s also a good idea to go through your things and think about what’s worth taking with you. If you have old, cheap furniture that probably won’t last much longer, replacing that furniture may cost you less than bringing it with you. Decluttering can be cathartic, and it can be a wonderful way to save more money for your move.
Don’t Pay For Packing Materials
It doesn’t make sense to pay for packing materials and other types of moving supplies. While these costs may not seem like all that much, they can add up. When it comes down to it, you’d be paying for things that you could get for free.
Instead of putting money toward packing materials, you should ask around so that you can get the supplies you need. Grocery stores usually have plenty of cardboard boxes that they are willing to give away. You can also get many essential items by asking family and friends for donations.
Consider Hiring Movers
When people are trying to move on the cheap, they’re often reluctant to hire a moving company. While working with movers can be expensive, it can also be an excellent way to stay on budget during a move.
As mentioned above, there are many costs to cover during a move, and those costs can add up very quickly. Movers can give you good moving assistance, and it will be easier for you to predict and control those costs. You won’t have to pay fee after fee. You’ll know exactly what you’ll be paying ahead of time.
Contact moving companies in your area and ask for a price quote. Take the time to confirm what the estimate includes. Once you have those numbers, you can see if moving would make financial sense for you.
Explore Other Options
If you’d appreciate having some extra help for your move, but you can’t afford to hire movers, there are a few other options that are worth looking into. Pod moving services are becoming increasingly popular. With a service like this, you can load up a pod with your things. The pod will be transported to your destination, where you can unload it.
You can also check to see if additional options would be available to you if you rent a moving truck. You can hire people to help you load and unload the truck that you’ve rented in some cases. This could be cheaper than a moving company, and it’s a great way to get extra help for a move without begging family members and friends.
Move At The Right Time
If you want to save on a move, timing is everything. It can be easy to move in the spring or the summer, but it can also be expensive. Because school is out of session during the summer, many people schedule moves during this time. Moving costs can also be high at the start of fall.
Moving costs will drop further into fall, and they’ll decrease by even more during the winter. There are challenges to a winter move, like dealing with icy roads and chilly weather, but moving during this season can make your move a lot more affordable.
Another easy and effective way to save on a move is to move on a weekday rather than a weekend. People often prefer to move on weekends, and because of that, movers tend to charge more. Saturday moves tend to be the most expensive, and Friday and Sunday moves can also be costly. If you’re able to move between Monday and Thursday, you could spend less on the same services.
Moving can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean it has to cost a ton of money. As you can see, there are tons of options available to anyone that wants to move on a budget.
