Tips for Saving Money Moving
Do you want to learn how to save money moving? You’re not alone. Many want to move on a budget!
For many people, moving is an exciting event—going from where you are now to a new place you have chosen.
When you have figured out it is time to move, there will be many new experiences just around the corner.
Of course, before enjoying those experiences, you have to move your stuff. That can get expensive and stressful.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to make moving less expensive.
When you are concerned with moving costs, it makes sense to see how you can limit your expenses.
Learning to find savings is an excellent way to ensure you get where you are going without breaking the bank.
How to Start Saving Money to Move
Many folks will ask themselves, “how do I start saving money to move?”
You probably don’t have that much moving experience if you are younger.
It’s also possible you don’t have a significant amount of money saved. The best way to save money for a move is by opening a dedicated account to fund your move.
You must create a budget and add specific money to fund your moving expenses. If you are dedicated, you should be able to create a helpful balance.
Many people don’t plan properly with their money which keeps them from reaching their financial goals.
There are a few ways you can become more disciplined to start saving more cash. Saving money for a move is all about consistency.
How to Relocate Cheapily
Here is some of the best advice to save money when moving.
1. Only Take What You Need.
Humans tend to be collectors. The bigger your living space, the more things you will likely collect. Whether you need all your belongings is worth consideration.
While you should take things you want to bring, there is a good chance that at least a few items in your home can be sold, donated, given away, or discarded.
One of the best moving tips I always mention is to weed out the things you don’t want first.
Before you start packing, create a system for processing your things. You can make a pile or load up a box for each category that you want to use.
For most people, it is good to categorize based on what you want to sell or give away. Here are some great tips for packing your house.
Remember, charity organizations will only take items in good repair. If some of your things are broken or worn out, they will probably need to be thrown away whether than donated.
Several donation centers would love to have your belongings. Looks over the list and see if you can take some of your moving burdens away by donating.
You will get rid of some unwanted stuff and help someone in need. There are also charities nearby that will take furniture donations. Getting rid of your largest furniture will bring down moving costs.
2. Have a Yard Sale to Save Money Moving
Donating is a great way to help others and lower the cost of moving many items. However, having a yard sale can put money in your pocket.
Holding a yard sale also decreases more belongings you won’t be taking with you. So it further decreases your moving expenses.
If you are lucky, the size of your rental truck may also be smaller, saving even more cash.
3. Have an Estate Sale For Moving Savings
Are you selling luxury real estate or a more expensive home? If so, consider having an estate sale. Estate sales are an excellent way to put a significant amount of money in your pocket.
4. Figure Out What You Can Do Yourself to Save Money Moving
Moving involves some decision-making. You have specific factors you need to consider—how much time you have, how much energy you have, how much stuff you need to move, how far you are moving, etc.
It is less expensive to pack and move your things in many cases. But moving is much different when you are in a studio apartment compared to a well-established family moving from a large home.
You will need to balance the cost and what you can and be willing to do yourself. That being said, there are usually at least a few tasks you can do yourself if you want to save money.
Packing your things will lessen the cost of hiring movers to do the job, for instance.
You can also move smaller stuff on your own if you like. Those who move on their own will often use a moving container to store and move their things.
Moving with PODS is one of the most popular options for do-it-yourselfers looking to save money moving. PODS is one of the most well-known portable storage container companies.
5. Try to Find Free Moving Supplies.
Often you can find friends and family with moving boxes they want to get rid of. You may even have some yourself.
Every free box saves you some money. Packing breakable items with your clothing or free newspapers can save a little money.
There are limits to what you can do with found supplies, though.
If you have stemware you value, it is probably worth buying a specific box for packing it.
Old boxes can be plenty strong, but not all of them are.
You may also want to consider new or barely used boxes if you are hiring movers.
They may not be as gentle with your boxes as you would be, so you want to be sure that they will hold up to being tossed around.
Here are some places to find free moving boxes.
6. Check Out What it Will Cost to Ship Your Things.
If you don’t have a lot of stuff that you need to move and you are traveling a long distance, it might be more affordable to ship your belongings.
It is worth calculating the shipping cost to determine if you are better off renting a truck or sending most of your things by mail.
You may find that it makes sense to ship some of your stuff and move some yourself. Doing a DIY move will be the easiest way to save the most significant amount of money.
The cheapest way to move between states is to do it yourself. The most expensive part of moving is hiring movers. DIY is the best way to move on a budget.
7. Compare The Cost of Hiring Moving Companies.
If doing the move yourself is not in the cards, you’ll want to do plenty of financial due diligence with moving companies.
Movers compete with each other and are always eager for business. You can sometimes find good deals when one company is looking to attract movers.
Although the cost may be your primary concern, don’t forget to compare other factors. Sometimes going for the lowest-cost service can backfire when you get a company that does not take good care of you or your things.
There are various ways you can verify the quality of service a company provides, including online reviews and speaking with former customers.
Do your research to make sure you are not only getting a reasonable price but quality service as well.
Here is a list of some best moving companies for relocating across the country. These are the big boys. If you are being relocated out of state, hiring one of these more established moving companies makes a lot of sense.
8. Look Over Moving Quotes Comparing Apples to Apples
Movers should not all provide you with an identical quote for your job. In addition, be cognizant that experienced professionals will do a more efficient job relocating your belongings promptly.
When comparing quotes from movers, always scrutinize their online reputations. Don’t take it with a grain of salt if you see bad reviews.
Despite a seemingly lower quote, it is essential always to verify the hourly rate versus how long it will take them to move your possessions.
Focus on this and ensure you know what you are getting yourself into!
9. Have The Moving Company Only Move Your Largest Items
Doing the move yourself is the #1 way to save money. However, if you don’t have it in you, have the moving company only move your large furniture.
You can move all your smaller items and boxes yourself.
10. Ask For a Moving Deal.
It may seem weird to ask a business to make a deal when so much of what you buy is non-negotiable. But when it comes to moving companies, they can and sometimes will cut you a deal if you ask for it.
They may bargain with you by changing how they move you—like moving at a different time than you initially requested. If you agree with the moving company, you may get a reduced price that will save you big money.
11. Understand The Cheapest Times to Move.
Moving has its seasons, just like most businesses. People tend to move more often in the summer, for instance, than they do in the winter.
Winter months are the cheapest to move. You will save money moving in November, December, and January, vs. in the Spring.
Movers are often busiest on weekends and at the beginning and end of the month.
If you are alright about moving mid-week or mid-month, you may be able to get a reduced price for your move that is well worth the adjustment to your current moving plans.
So, if you can, plan on moving Monday-Thursday to save money.
Sometimes your schedule doesn’t work when moving from one house to the next.
You may need a temporary storage facility before moving into your purchased home.
The timing of buying a selling a home quite often can be complicated. It is something I counsel my clients on all the time.
12. Convince Your Friends to Help Out.
One of the best ways to save money moving is to get your friends involved. Depending on your social circle, you may have the ideal moving team in your group of friends.
When you have friends with trucks or relatively fit and willing to carry boxes, you can save a lot of money by enlisting their help.
You may be able to get most of your stuff moved just by renting a truck and paying for pizza and beer.
There are some potential drawbacks to using your friends, however. They may not be as eager on a moving day as when you first asked. They may also be less punctual or as hard-working as you would prefer when dealing with the stress of moving.
While saving money on your move is excellent, not at the expense of getting the job done quickly. Make sure you can count on your friend coming through for you.
13. Ask Your Company to Help Out Saving Money Moving.
Talking to your employer is one of the best tips for lowering your moving expenses. If you are moving for work, there is a good chance that your company will help cover the cost of the move.
It is worth asking to see your company’s moving policy. They may cover part if they don’t include the total cost.
Depending on how much they are willing to pay for moving costs, you can hire professionals to do everything for you—packing, transporting, and unpacking.
14. Cancel Your Current Internet and Cable Companies.
Have you ever noticed you’re constantly getting mailings from service providers about switching? When you move, there is the perfect opportunity to get a deal from a different provider.
Most companies offer the same services, so you should be able to save and have the same experience.
Additional Moving Resources Worth Reading
When it comes to moving, you can never be armed with too much helpful information. Here are some of the better-moving resources I have published over the years at Maximum Real Estate Exposure.
Use these moving tips to help plan accordingly.
- How to move with pets – do you have an animal you will be moving with? See these thirteen tips for moving with pets. You’ll be glad you did.
- Who to notify you’re moving – after your home goes under contract and the sale looks solid, you should plan on picking up your change of address forms at the local post office. Changing your address with the post office is crucial, so your mail is forwarded properly. Another essential task is to put together a list of all the people and organizations that should be filled in on your move.
- How to avoid moving disputes – nobody wants to find out they have a significant problem with a moving company. Unfortunately, it does happen. Follow some tips to increase your chances of a smooth and uneventful move.
Moving is probably one of the least desirable aspects of selling a home. It is a stressful and challenging part of any home sale.
Hopefully, these resources will not only help you save some money but help make the process easier.
Helpful Home Selling Resources From Other Real Estate Professionals
- How mortgage rates affect sellers and buyers – Petra Norris shares advice on how your financing can impact what you pay over the life of the loan.
- Smart advice for a winter home sale – Luke Skar guides what to know when selling a house in the winter.
Use these additional resources to make the best decisions when buying or selling a home.
About the Author: The above Real Estate information on how to save money moving was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 37+ years.
Are you thinking of selling your home? I am passionate about real estate and love sharing my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.
