So, you’ve purchased your new home or leased your new rental. Now, it’s time for the part that everyone loves to hate – moving. At first, the idea is exciting as a different place can bring new opportunities. But once you start wrapping up your breakables and taping closed all the boxes, this freshness begins to settle. The reality of the expenses associated with moving begins to sink in.
How can you lower your moving costs, so you won’t break the bank before you even get started? Follow a few simple steps to trim the fat out of relocating, so you can save some of your moolah for that new furniture or décor you’ve been eyeing.
Set the Right Date
Okay, so you might not be able to pick the time of year you’re moving. However, if you can do so, the best time to move falls between the months of September and April. Since less people move during this season due to work and their children’s school calendar, moving companies cut their rates to attract more customers.
To maximize on this saving, try picking a moving date during the work week, as these are days with less demand due to the same reasons most move during the Summer.
Compare Rates
Not everybody has a friend with a box truck or pickup who’s willing to work for pizza and beer. If you must use a moving company, you should shop around until you find the best value. This doesn’t always translate to the lowest price, even though this is ultimately what you’re after. Still, you may find that one business offers more services, like including packing for the same price as a company offering to strictly drive the truck.
If one company offers movers to help you load your own truck, you might find that paying for services separately works out in your favor. Rent the truck from one company and hire the movers from another. If you’re doing a long-distance move, it may be cheaper to rent storage containers that are shipped rather than hiring a large box truck company.
DIY the Packing
One of the timeliest parts of moving is the process of packing. Going through all your personal items and ensuring they are properly boxed up and ready to go can be stressful. People tend to accumulate things and moving it all can present a challenge. Paying a company to pack everything for you can save you time, but it will cost you a lot of dough. If you can manage to do this yourself, you’ll save a ton, and you’ll have peace of mind that everything was done the way you wanted. You can maximize on packing costs by loading your truck or moving container on your own. If you have an extra set of hands (or even a team of family and friends), you can easily load all your furniture and boxes yourself to keep more cash in your pockets.
Summary
Everyone’s needs and abilities are different. Some may not have the strength or mobility to lift heavy items, while others will see the experience of packing and moving as a piece of cake. Some people have very limited time to pack up their items or may even need to move on a short notice, while others have ample time to do everything themselves over the course of a month or two. Whatever your case, you should make sure that you value your health over your money. While it’s important to save as much as you can in your new start, it’s also important to preserve your well-being. Sometimes that must come at a cost of paying someone else to do the work for you.
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