The Easiest Way to Save Money on Your Move

Let’s face it. No one enjoys the process of moving, even if it’s for the best reasons. You could be moving across the country to start your dream job in a city you’ve always hoped to live in. Joining the love of your life in a fabulous location. Retiring to a location you’ve always considered a paradise. Or just moving out of that dump you’ve been living in for far too long to a great place in your own city. — that doesn’t mean that the sorting, packing, cleaning, and other chores involved in moving aren’t tedious and time-consuming.

Then there’s the expense — it’s no secret that moving costs money. Fortunately, strategies exist for the purpose of streamlining the move and keeping costs to a minimum. After all, you’re going to want as much money as possible when the move is over. This way you begin to enjoy your new home. Here’s what you need to know about saving money when you move.

How Can I Save Money When I Move?

Many ways exist to save money when you move. They all seem to involve thinking out of the box rather than simply going for the most obvious solution. For instance, moving on a random weekday may result in discounts from moving companies. Indeed most people tend to make their moves on the weekends.

Packing your items on your own rather than hiring a service is another way to finish your move with a few bucks left in your pocket. If the thought of packing is too overwhelming, throw a packing party to help take the edge off.

Surely you’ve got some friends or family members who’ll be glad to pitch in for free or for a few slices of pizza and a cold beer. When that’s not the case, consider hiring a couple of college kids with strong backs to get the job done.

Another way to save money moving involve doing a major purge prior to the move itself. Garage sales provide a good way to generate some extra cash. Then you can recycle, donate, or simply throw away anything that you can’t sell. Local charities will often pick things up for free as long as they are in usable condition.

Cheapest Way to Move Locally

One of the cheapest ways to move locally is to rent a moving truck and do all the heavy lifting yourself or with the assistance of friends and family.

Contact everyone who owes you a favor and let them know you need help moving. Keep in mind, however, that fragile items such as antiques may be better off in the hands of professionals.

In the long run, you won’t save any money if valuable items end up getting broken in the transition. If you can’t find anyone to help, compare prices of the short term moving companies in your community. Then choose the one that best suits your personal needs and preferences.

How to Save Money to Move Out of State

Moving out of state is a bit more complex than simply moving across town. Nonetheless, it’s possible to save money during an interstate move. You probably won’t be able to recruit local friends and family to help you with actual move. However throwing a packing party is still an option. Getting as many free boxes as possible from sources such as liquor stores, big box stores, and Craigslist ads helps keep costs down as well.

Keep all moving-related receipts to use as deductions at tax time. Rent a portable moving container for an inexpensive option to a full-service moving company. It can help if you don’t want to rent a truck and drive it yourself. Short term loan lenders provide another way.

Cheapest Way to Pack for Moving

Cheap ways to pack include using balloons bought at dollar stores as packing materials, finding as many free boxes as you can, and using shredded newspaper instead of packing peanuts. You can also kill two birds with one stone by using clothing, towels, and blankets to provide a cushion for breakable items.

Get creative and stick your socks into glasses to keep them from breaking, and line boxes with empty egg cartons. Getting an early start on packing helps circumvent doing the last-minute scramble when you’re exhausted and hassled. Be sure to enlist as much help among friends and family as possible. In a pinch, you may even be able to convince your neighbors to pitch in.

How Much Should You Save Up to Move?

How much you need to save depends on how much stuff you have. Other factors are about how far away your new home is from your current one and how good your friends are. If your friends are the type to disappear when anything like work needs to be done, you’ll have a to hire a moving crew.

After you’ve worked out your budget, add on another $2,000 for an emergency fund. One of the first rules of moving is that something will always go wrong no matter how carefully you prepare, so always have enough to cover the worst case scenario. Being stuck in the middle of the country due to having to have unexpected car repairs you can’t pay for is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. If finances are an issue, consider looking into moving loans to give yourself some breathing room.

Personal loans for moving can help take the financial edge off when moving funds are in short supply. For instance, you may need help paying rent, hiring a moving truck, or lining up a packing service. If you’re driving across the country while a mover hauls your stuff, you’ll need funds for food, lodging, and gas. Even if you think you’ve got everything covered, you still need to think about that emergency fund.

How to Save Money on a Moving Company

The process of finding a good mover can seem difficult and also hire a moving can seem expensive. When you do a little research on moving companies it is worth it. By shopping around, you can save money for your moving day and that amount can easily be more than $1,000, plus you can project yourself from scams.

Getting a Loan to Move

Getting a travel loan to move is a good option in many cases. Trying to orchestrate a move on a budget that’s simply too lean often causes expensive problems. For instance, those who lack the funds to have their cars inspected before taking off on a long-distance move often end up with towing and repair bills if something goes wrong along the way.

Also, if you’ve got valuable items to move, you may be better off hiring a reputable mover instead of depending on amateur labor to get the job done.

Getting a moving loan makes sense if you’re moving for a job with a higher salary, especially if you’re going to an area with a reasonable cost of living. Make sure you can afford the payments when estimating your moving loan cost. It’s also a good idea to have a solid plan in place to pay it off.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the financial experts in our office for more information on making your upcoming move go as smoothly as possible.