Relocating is a lot of work. It also costs a lot. You’ve already spent a ton of money on purchasing your new home or putting a down payment on your rental property, and are holding on to mere pennies hoping you’ll have enough to cover everything.
Although the cost of a move can be expensive, with a few creative suggestions you can slash the costs and get settled into your new home without going over budget. Here’s how:
Move at the Right Time
Whether you know it or not, there is such thing as a right and wrong time to move. Trying to hire a moving company during peak moving times only increases how much you’ll be quoted for their services.
Instead, try reaching out to companies like North American Van Lines during off-peak or down times. Peak moving times are during the summer, at the top of the month and towards the end of the month as well as weekends. Therefore, you should try moving in the middle of the month and week for the best rate.
Look for Free Moving Supplies
Before paying high prices for boxes, tape, and bubble wrap that you’ll never use again, try looking for free moving supplies. You can ask for printer paper boxes from your job or you can check dumpsters near restaurants who receive large deliveries. You can also ditch the bubble wrap and use linens like sheets, towels, and blankets to cover your fragile items and electronics.
Get Rid of the Clutter
It may seem tempting to just throw everything in moving boxes and sort through it later, however, that creates a lot more work and could cost you more to move.
As some moving companies quote based on the size of the load, the number of boxes you have, or the size of the truck you’ll need to store all your things, the more you have to take with you, the more it’s going to cost.
As you’re packing each room, place items you no longer use in a bag or box to be donated or sold at a yard sale to generate some more money.
Pack Snacks and Quick Meals
Many people end up spending money from their moving budget on food. On the days leading up to moving day and even a few days after you’ve arrived at your new home, your kitchen will be inaccessible and everything will still be in boxes.
Therefore, it can be tempting to order takeout or grab a bite to eat. To cut down on the costs of your move it is best instead to pack lots of snacks and grab quick meals from a grocery store that can quickly be heated up with one appliance.
Shop Around for Service Providers
Before you arrive in your new home, you’ll need to have a few services turned on to get comfortable. This includes your heat, electricity, water, internet, and television services. Before signing up for the most popular name brand or choosing the first service provider to show up in an online search, do a little comparison shopping.
Review rates, fees, penalties, package deals, and reputation for customer satisfaction to determine who is the better option.
Ask for Help
If you have a pretty large home or a lot of things to move, you can save yourself some time and money by asking others for help. Your friends and family would likely be more than willing to help you get things packed and unpacked on moving day.
This reduces the number of professional movers you need to hire and also reduces their hourly labor rate if one is charged.
Whether you’re moving into your first apartment, rental home, or your very first family home, the cost of moving can get out of hand. To keep the costs within your budget, it is beneficial to look for creative ways to slash costs.
The above-mentioned tips can help you save in all areas of relocating allowing you to get to your new place and settled in with a little less stress and a few more bucks in your pocket.
