Moving out is always an exciting prospect, but there are also challenges that come with which you should know about. The obvious ones are, of course, finding the time and energy to get everything prepared. However, the much more stressful challenge is, arguably, the price of a move. From hiring movers, making sure your own car is ready for the trip to hiring packers if you don’t have the time to do it yourself. So, we have put together a list of 7 ways to save money on your next move in hopes of helping you save some money throughout the process.
Table of Contents
1. Avoid Buying Supplies
When it comes to getting packed up, buying packing supplies can get pretty expensive. Especially if you have a lot of things to move, the price can mount up very quickly. Thankfully, you can get creative about sourcing these supplies. If you have a friend or family member who’s recently moved, you can ask them if they have spare supplies. Alternatively, grocery, furniture or appliance stores could be willing to let go of some of their boxes for free. This can help reduce the price of packing supplies quite a bit. Also, remember that you can use items such as towels or blankets to wrap your belongings. Combine this with some packing tips for moving, and the whole process gets much less stressful.
If you have the chance to pick up moving supplies for free, always take it.
2. Figure Out The Cost Beforehand
By using online moving calculators, you can figure out how much a move should cost before starting the process. By doing this, you can stop yourself from overspending on the move, as it gives you a good reference point. Experts from heavenlymove.com note that you should always do this before reaching out to moving companies. By having a good reference point for the cost, you can avoid moving companies which try to overcharge you. And since the goal is to save as much money as possible on it, knowing what a good starting price should be is a good move. Just remember that not all moving calculators can be trusted online, so be careful when looking for one.
3. Don’t Trust Movers With Extremely Low Prices
While it’s true that you want to cut costs wherever possible during a move, you shouldn’t trust extremely cheap movers. Damage to your belongings can cost a lot more than hiring experienced movers, after all. Or, even worse, it might be a scam and you can have all of your belongings stolen. Since your movers will be responsible for most of the things you own, you will want to make sure they can be trusted with them. Low prices are only one of the signs of unreliable movers; you should also keep an eye out for bad reviews, or a lack of certification. Remember, it’s usually worth it to spend a little bit more on hiring professionals than it is to take risks.
Before deciding to hire any movers, make sure they are actually reliable.
4. Declutter And Hold A Sale
Regardless of if you need to save money or not, decluttering your home before a move is a great idea. And while it can be hard to let go of some items, we recommend applying the 1-year method to decluttering. It’s simple: if you haven’t used something in over a year, then it’s time to let go of it. Once you go through your belongings and know what you’re not keeping, hold a yard sale. This way, you both get rid of the things you don’t want and earn some money which you can use on the move. You could consider the benefits of using a self-storage unit during a move, and use the money to rent one. Regardless of how you use it, having more money for the move is never a bad thing.
5. Pack strategically
When it comes to ways to save money on your next move, packing strategically is quite effective, it’s pretty simple: if you can pack more into fewer boxes, you will spend less on packing supplies. You can do this by packing smaller items into larger ones and other such tactics. Your goal is to use as few moving boxes as possible, letting the movers use a smaller truck, and making the move cost less overall. Overall, this is a great strategy to reduce moving costs, but you should still be careful. Certain things need to be treated with care, and packing them into other belongings can be dangerous. Additionally, you should make sure the movers you hire know how to handle these fragile items. Experts can get you there safely, with no damage to any of your belongings.
By packing strategically, you can use less boxes and spend less on moving supplies.
6. Cancel Your Utilities on Time
Having to pay for your utilities when you’re already in your new home is, obviously, pretty wasteful. As such, take the time to cancel all of your utilities and subscriptions before you move out. Obviously, things such as water and electricity should be timed to shut off just before you move.
7. Consider DIY
While we always recommend hiring movers to get you into your new home, sometimes doing it yourself is the better call. To clarify, this should only, realistically, be done for very short distance moves. Over longer distances, there are too many things to consider in order to save money and be practical. If you’re moving to a place close by, however, doing it yourself could be the better call. Just remember some tips for moving without damaging your floors, since it’s surprisingly easy to ruin your floor during a move.
7 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Move – Conclusion
Moving out can get very expensive very quickly. As such, it’s important to know how to cut corners where you can and save some money. Of course, you should still be very careful with your decisions, in order to avoid unnecessary damage. We hope this list of 7 ways to save money on your next move helps you cut your costs, and we wish you a good day.
