Moving into a new house is exciting, but the cost can be stressful. Local moving costs can add up quickly, from hiring movers to purchasing packing materials and transport. You can use a few smart strategies to reduce your moving costs.
This guide will reveal expert tips from moving professionals, including proven ways to reduce moving costs. These pro tips can help you make smart decisions about your budget and move, whether local or long-distance. Learn how to save money on your next move by using smart strategies.
How to Save for Local Moving Costs?
Moving can be expensive. These strategies can help you reduce stress and save money.
Moving across town or the country is an adventure. Moving can be a stressful experience, both in terms of budget and logistics. Zillow estimates the average cost of moving is between $80 to $100 per hour within one state but $2000 to $5,000 when moving interstate.
There are ways to reduce moving costs, even though some cannot be avoided. We asked professionals for their tips on how to save money when moving.
1. Before You Pack, Declutter
You can save money, space, and time by removing all the items you do not need to take with you.
List everything you own, including clothes, furniture, and cookware. Sara Skirboll, RetailMeNot's shopping and trends expert, is a RetailMeNot. She says you will be surprised at the amount of stuff you own if you start with Marie Kondo. Downsizing could save you hundreds. The hourly rate of movers largely determines moving costs.
Selling unwanted items can be a great way to make money and use the proceeds to cover moving costs. Consign your furniture and clothes to consignment shops, sell them online on sites like eBay and Poshmark, or have garage sales if that's what you want. You can schedule a donation pickup or drop-off if you want to avoid dealing with selling items.
2. Book Your Movers at the Right Time
Hire movers in the middle of the month instead of the end of the month.
The weekdays are cheaper because fewer people move on these days. Luke Marklin, CEO of Bellhops – a digitally-based moving firm – is a moving expert. He says Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays have the best availability and prices if you can take some time off work. Avoid the last weekend of the month, as it's usually the busiest.
Skirboll says that most people move between the fall and spring. It may vary depending on where you live. Find out when people are most likely to move. You can save money if you move in the off-season.
Marklin claims you can save up to 30 percent by moving when the traffic is lower.
3. Talk to Your Cable, Internet, and Utility Providers
You can avoid paying twice for your utilities, Internet, and Cable and rent at two locations. Call your provider and ask about proration to align your accounts' start and end dates. Additionally, they benefit from local internet and cable providers' new account discounts and ask utility providers to waive installation and activation fees. These costs may be avoided if you have a solid payment history elsewhere or are a devoted customer.
4. Find Moving Supplies in Many Different Ways
The cost of moving supplies such as bubble wrap, boxes, tapes, and padding can quickly add up. Save hundreds by thinking outside the box.
Use all your bags, baskets, and hampers before buying more packing material. Skirboll recommends using towels and socks instead of bubble wrap for fragile items. If you need boxes, ask your friends, neighbors, or local businesses if they have any.
You can save between $50 and $400 depending on the amount of your move. The environment will also benefit.
5. Pack It Yourself
Packing your possessions (or at least the majority) can help you save money. This is the most expensive and time-consuming part of moving. You can hire movers to pick up your furniture or boxes.
6. Shared-Load Transport
Moving long distances can be expensive. It is a time-consuming, expensive method for both you and the mover. By using trailers to transport multiple households' possessions, shared-load moving companies help you save money. It may take longer, but it can cut costs in half. For example, ABF U Packs, PODS, and COWs are all examples.
7. Ship Your Books
Shipping your books can be a good way to get them out there.
Skirboll states that books are much heavier than you might think and don't fold to save space. The books are very heavy. You can ask FedEx or USPS to move books to accommodate trucks and vehicles.
USPS Media Mail allows you to send books and other media for a cheaper rate than standard.
8. Plan Your Meals in Advance
Eating pizza is a common tradition when you first unpack your house. However, eating out for every meal during the next few weeks while you organize and unpack can be costly (and sometimes bad for your waistline). Make your meals in advance to save money.
You can do it as simply as freezing food you cooked in your old home for later use or as complicated as using a service that delivers meals like Blue Apron, HelloFresh, etc. A list of the ingredients you need for your new house can be useful.
Conclusion
Implementing smart strategies to achieve a cost-effective and successful relocation is essential in the moving world. In this guide, we have shown that reducing your moving costs and hiring movers is possible and a fact. You can confidently navigate your move and make sound financial decisions by incorporating the tips of professionals.
Hiring movers, purchasing packing materials, and paying other expenses associated with moving should be fine without stress. These strategies will help you control your budget, from the first step of decluttering your home and downsizing to the timing of the move and creative ways to cut costs on moving supplies. Consider the advice of experts as you move to your new home. This will help you streamline your move and maximize your savings.
It's now time to put these tips into action. When preparing for your move, remember the advice of professionals and look at how you can use these strategies to reduce your financial burden and save money. These smart strategies can help you save money and make your relocation easier, locally or long distance.
Contact us to discuss your needs and use our expertise to ensure a seamless, affordable move to your new home. We can help you with your moving needs. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to use our expertise. Contact us or visit our website to begin your journey toward a stress-free, budget-conscious move.