Tips For Saving Money When You Move
Expenses can add up quickly when you move, even if you are moving cross-town rather than cross country. You can save some money by planning in advance. Do some research on different moving companies, and find out how much your time is worth in order to budget your move accordingly.
When you move to a new home, it’s important to factor in the costs of moving into your budget. Whether you’re moving on a budget or you just want to save some money, we have some tips to help you keep those costs down.
Do Your Research
Take the time to compare bids from multiple moving companies, and be sure that what you’re comparing is the same. A significantly lower bid from one company may be based on a two-man crew instead of three-man crew or forecast fewer hours – which means you could pay more when it takes longer to move than was forecasted.
Stay on Schedule
Be ready to go when the movers show up. If the movers are standing around waiting for you to get packed, you’re paying for their time. Similarly, be ready and available to accept delivery in your new home, as delays on this end may incur storage fees.
Assess How Much You Own
The cost of your move is primarily determined by how much stuff you have, and by how far you’re moving it. The best way to save on your move is by cutting down on what you take with you. For that reason, if you’re moving long distances, it may be cheaper to sell heavy items like weight sets, large grills or appliances, and buy new ones – especially if you’re looking at old items that you’re thinking about upgrading in the next year.
Another way to save is to go through clothes, bedding, kids’ toys, books and other items and donate or sell items that are no longer being worn or used. You won’t pay to move them, and can get either cash upfront or a deduction on your tax return.
Collect Packing Materials
Packing materials are expensive, so collecting gently used boxes is a good way to save money. Copy paper boxes from the office are ideal, but don’t overlook the old standby of going to local stores and asking if you can have boxes. Just be sure that boxes are clean and dry; even if they’re clean and dry, you may want to stay away from boxes that contained produce, as they may be home to ants and other insects. You can also save boxes from deliveries and ask friends and neighbors to save boxes for you. Avoid boxes that have been stored for a long time in damp basements, as
You can also save your newspapers for packing material. But if you’re buying packing materials, your best will be to go to an art supply store and by a large pad of newsprint; it is cheap, easy to handle, and best of all won’t get ink on everything.
How Much Is Your Time Worth?
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save a few bucks, but the first thing you need to ask yourself is: how much is your time worth? Anything you don’t hire movers to do, you have to do yourself, including packing, unpacking, loading and unloading a truck. Many times, hiring professionals to pack your goods actually saves you money.