There are a lot more expenses to moving your home than just the physical moving part.
The good news is that means there are also a lot more chances to save money on the cost of moving.
Summarized from our more in-depth article 42 Ways To Save On Your Next Move, here are the top 5 ways to save money on your move
1. Toss, Donate, or Sell Items You No Longer Want
If you’re looking to save money on a move, you’re going to have to consider getting rid of items you no longer need.
Whether you are moving long distance or locally, the more items you have the more the move is going to cost. Make sure to get rid of, sell, or donate as much stuff as possible if you want to save money on your move. Here are charities that offer free donation pick up if you need assistance.
If you’re moving long distance, consider getting rid of all your heavy cheap furniture. If you do the math, you’ll find that buying inexpensive furniture at your destination will likely be less money than moving your heavy cheap furniture.
2. Be Ready For The Movers
One of the top moving tips for saving money is to be ready for the movers.
Local movers charge by the hour, so if you’re not all packed up and ready to go, or if the hallways are being blocked by stuff, it will take movers longer to move your items.
The more organized and ready you are for the moving company the better. Consider these tips:
- Each room should have furniture and boxes, that’s pretty much it. Boxes should be labeled correctly on the sides so movers know exactly which room it will go in at the new location.
- Consider staging boxes in the garage. The more items you stage in the garage or in a place that is easily accessible to the moving truck, the faster the movers can load the items onto the truck.
- Keep a clear path – Movers will most likely take the large furniture first. Make sure all the furniture has a clear path to where they will be parking their trucks.
- Have great communication with your crew. Your moving crew will be asking you questions on moving day.
- Be there on moving day. If you’re not there to answer the movers questions about where things go and what the plan is, its likely it will take more time and cost more money.
3. Start Early
The earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to gather cheap or free moving supplies. You’ll also have more time to get rid of things you don’t need to move. Many expenses during the moving process come from last minute purchases due to unpreparedness.
4. Pack Yourself
Packing yourself is the best way to save money on moving costs. The more you’re packed up and ready to go, the less time it will take movers to move your things.
Movers will offer packing services as well, but if you do it yourself, you can save a lot of money. Just be sure you pack the right way to avoid your items being broken.
If you do pack yourself, you won’t have any protection if anything breaks in those boxes, so be sure you learn how to properly pack your breakables.
5. Don’t Hire “Cheap” Movers
It’s not always best to hire the cheapest moving company. Sometimes movers will estimate your move cheaper than other movers just to get your business, then ultimately you’ll have to pay the final cost based on how long the move will take (if moving locally).
If you have a very unprofessional moving company, it might take much longer to move your items than with a professional company. Also, with cheap, unprofessional movers, you run the risk of your items being damaged.
Same goes with moving long distance. Don’t hire a moving company who tells you the weight of your goods is way less than what the other movers estimated your goods to be. That’s a red flag.
Movers might hold your items hostage if a certain payment is not received. Your mover must give you possession of your shipment if you pay 110 percent of a non-binding estimate or 100 percent of a binding estimate, plus 15 percent of the impracticable operations charges (if applicable). If your mover does not relinquish possession, the mover is holding your shipment hostage in violation of Federal law. Although this law protects both the moving company and the consumer, there are moving companies out there who abuse this right and scam customers.
