If you are moving across the country for a new job or a fresh start in life, you may be excited by the prospect of settling in a new place yet distressed by the notion of leaving friends and family. Another aspect adding to the anxiety may be the moving cost, slowly dispelling the excitement of moving to a new place. Moving to a far-off place not only disrupts your life but can also upset your budget.
So, if you are also planning to move but wondering how to curtail the moving costs, this article is for you. Read on to learn some helpful tips on how to save money when moving across the country.
Make A Moving Budget
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Moving can be shockingly expensive and drain resources, including your time as well as money. However, a moving budget can help you estimate and optimize your expenses to help you save. Make a moving schedule and action plan outlining all that must be done and the associated costs. You can even create a spreadsheet to be better organized. When setting a budget, leave room for any unexpected costs that you may require at the last moment.
Downsize And Sell What You Do Not Need
Moving is costly, and the more you have, the higher the costs of moving will be, not to mention the time you will have to spend packing all that stuff. It may feel like an added task, but if you declutter and set aside the things you do not need, you will be able to save money and space and spend less time unpacking.
You can even make some money by selling the things you do not need and adding that money to your moving fund. However, if you do not want to sell, you can donate.
Do It Yourself
There is a lot that goes into moving, particularly when you are moving across the country. One way you can save money is by doing things you can manage independently. While hiring someone to do the job for you is more manageable, it can cost you money, and if saving is the priority, consider DIY.
For this purpose, you have to start packing early so you are not short of time at the end. Manage what you can and outsource the rest. For instance, if you are looking for services for shipping a car across the country, you can outsource it to a company specializing in car transport. This hybrid form of moving is much less expensive than hiring a moving company for full services.
Ask For Help From Friends Or Family
Labor costs money, but friends and family may happily agree to help you in exchange for a nice meal or gift card. You are moving across the country, so you can also use the opportunity to spend some time with them before you leave. You can also use this as leverage to coax them into helping you. To get free helpers on board, you will need to work around their schedule so they can take out time at their convenience.
Move During The Off-Season
Summers are usually the most popular season for moving as people are not overly concerned about leaving their activities or switching schools. Traveling and unloading during this time is also easier. Moving during this time can be more expensive as moving companies charge more during peak season due to their busy schedule.
So, if you can manage, consider moving during the off-season to save on moving and hotel stay expenses. Traveling during that time might not be comfortable, but hotels and moving companies may happily take on new customers at subsidized rates to keep the business running.
Find Free Packaging Material
You may think little of it, but packing material also constitutes a significant portion of the moving budget. One great idea is to look for free moving materials like used boxes from your nearby grocery or liquor stores, big retailers, bookstores, or recycling material collection points. You can even ask friends or family or buy used boxes online from platforms like Craigslist.
Hire A Moving Container
A rental moving container is considerably more economical than a professional moving company, and there is a significant price difference between the two options. However, with a moving container, you will have to load your belongings yourself, and the container company will take care of the rest. On the bright side, if you get a portable moving container, you can use it as storage before and after your move.
Ship Your Belongings
If you do not have a lot of stuff, you can ship it via services like UPS or FedEx. Most people usually overlook the option of shipping their belongings cross country via such services, but it can help you save quite a bit of money. Besides being economical, it is also convenient to use shipping services and saves you a lot of time and effort.
Conclusion
The cost of moving across the country may vary according to your chosen method. If you outsource all the aspects of your move, the costs would be higher. A hybrid move, that is, a mix of DIY and partial outsourcing, may be the optimal option as you can save some money while preserving your energy and keeping your sanity intact.
Hopefully, the tips mentioned in this article may help take some of the pressure off and help you in saving some money. They may also encourage you to think of more creative and effective ways to save money and make your move less stressful.
