Save Money on Moving: The Ultimate Guide
With the average American moving company costs at $12,000 and rising, it’s no wonder that we’re always looking for ways to save money. Even small moves can be costly if you don’t plan ahead and use these tips to lower your moving costs.
Find a Friend with a Truck: Moving trucks are expensive! If you find someone who has one or is willing to lend their truck out for free, then this will make your move much more affordable. You’ll also have a friend on hand when you get there too – which is an added bonus! This will help you in other ways too – you can use their other belongings, like a fridge or couch.
Pack Yourself: Packing yourself can save up to 50% of what professional movers would charge you because they often put in extra time and effort to make sure everything is packed and moved safely. It’s easy to find the right boxes for your move – you can get them from grocery stores or big-box retailers like Target or Ikea, as well as places that sell office equipment.
Get Your Own Boxes: Another way you can save money on moving costs is by getting your own boxes. This may seem obvious but most people don’t realize how much they spend on moving each year because of those expensive cardboard boxes! You can use old ones around the house (like cereal containers) so you won’t have to buy any new ones, which will let you lower your moving costs considerably too!
Donate Stuff Before You Move Out: If it doesn’t fit into a box, it’s probably not worth packing up. That means you should hold onto the things that are too big or bulky to fit into a box and donate them before you move out of your current place. Sell Your Unwanted Things: This is one way for you to make some extra cash while also saving yourself time, energy and money by not having to hire someone else do the work for you!
Pack Strategically: Packing strategically will save space in your moving truck so that more stuff can fit inside. You’ll be able to lower your moving costs if there’s less waste involved with renting an additional truck because all of your items will already be packed neatly into just one! Not only that but this organizational tactic ensures nothing gets broken either.
Take Advantage of Discounted Moving Rates: In the end, you’ll want to lower moving costs as much as possible when it’s time to move. One way you can do this is by comparing different companies and their rates before renting a truck from one specific company. You may find that another offers a better deal – meaning more money in your pocket!
Lift Like a Boss: If at all possible, try moving yourself instead of hiring movers or packing services because they will definitely hike up your final bill. It doesn’t have to be too strenuous either – just put on some good music and get into the groove while working with friends or family members so that feels involved and invested in helping you lower moving costs in a big way.
Also, make sure to take advantage of these other helpful tips to further lower your moving costs by being more resourceful and strategic with how you move. For example, using a moving truck in the off-season when they’re less busy is one way to save money and receive better deals. Another way is to pack strategically inside of boxes so that you can fit more in the truck when moving by yourself.
If this doesn’t work for you, then at least make sure to hire movers or a packing service when it’s time to move and take advantage of these discounted rates! Be sure to get quotes from everyone beforehand so that your final decision is based on fact rather than price alone. This way you’ll feel confident knowing that your money was well spent because choosing one specific mover over another will also lower moving costs (and maybe even save some headaches too!).
Move During the Off-Season: Moving during off-season can save a lot of time and money because movers will be less busy than they usually are at different times of year – meaning that you’re able to take advantage of these discounted rates rather easily! Another benefit is that there won’t be as much traffic or congestion in general so it’s easier for trucks (and your belongings) to get where they need to go without any problems.
Don’t Be Afraid To Negotiate: When renting a truck from one specific company over another, don’t be afraid to negotiate with them about what kind of deal you can get on both the truck and its rental fees. You have a lot of power in this situation because you’re essentially going to be their source of business for that day – so don’t hesitate to ask if they’ll give you a better deal!
Pack Strategically: Packing strategically will save space in your moving truck so that more stuff can fit inside. You’ll be able to lower your moving costs if there’s less waste involved with renting an additional truck because all of your items will already be packed neatly into just one! Not only that but this organizational tactic ensures nothing gets broken either.
Be Resourceful When Moving Yourself: If this doesn’t work for you (because maybe hiring movers isn’t in your budget), then try not to buy cheap boxes because they’ll inevitably break which means more money wasted on something else – especially if it happens during transit. Be sure to pick sturdy containers made out of strong materials like cardboard rather than flimsy ones so that everything remains intact even after traveling over long distances!
Finally, make sure to take advantage of all discounts available to you because they’ll lower moving costs more than if you didn’t check them out. For example, finding a reliable mover is one way to save money on having your belongings transported over long distances – and the best part is that it doesn’t have to be too expensive either! You can easily find movers online by doing some research ahead of time so that everything runs smoothly during transit without any issues whatsoever.