Moving can be a fun and exhilarating experience. That is until you realize how much money you’ve spent along the way. From the costs of packing supplies to the expense of paying for a moving service, you could end up paying hundreds, even thousands of dollars for getting your belongings from one place to the next. If you need money saving tips for moving, keep reading, as these five tips will prepare you once you reach your new home.
Find Discounts On Moving Supplies
You’ll need packing tape and paper in abundance, as well as both plastic and bubble wrap for cushioning. Labels and colored stickers will help you organize your items in boxes, and a thick black marker and utility knife or box cutter will all come in handy as well. Keep in mind also that discounts at Groupon, Uboxes.com, and Upack.com can help you avoid increasing costs of supplies in the short term.
Rent A Moving Truck
While a moving service will add hundreds of dollars to your moving expenses, a moving truck puts you in the driver’s seat to get the job done. You’ll have the luxury of choosing how your possessions are stored while driving, and even get the chance to enjoy the awesome view. Remember to pick a larger-sized truck for oddly shaped and substantially sized packages. For example, heat exchangers, now available from Standard Xchange (formerly known as ITT Standard and American Standard) would take a bit more room than your vacuum cleaner, so think carefully. As long as you drive safely, you’ll be satisfied with a moving truck, and glad you saved the extra cash.
Move Between October And April
One of the big reasons is the weather and temperature. Try gathering all of your boxes and shuffling around in the winter and you’ll know how uncomfortable it is. Not to mention the dangers of driving on icy roads, or getting all of the physical work done amid an excruciating heatwave. Not only that, costs of moving skyrocket during peak times as services are in high demand. Think of who moves each year. Individual or family moves make up 44% of all moves, while corporate and military moves make up 38% and 16% of all moves: Agencies move 2% of the time, but more often than not, it’s just you and your family. Enjoy your moving date and cut costs at once. Move between October and April.
Gather As Many Free Boxes As Possible
Boxes may seem like they’re everywhere. But if you don’t get them for free, you’ll be increasing the financial burdens on your family. Try Craigslist, FreeCycle, U-Haul, your best friend’s house, a church, post office, library, or friendly warehouse. The idea is to explore a wide variety of places, gather as many sizes as you need, and keep them in one place until you’re ready to move. Boxes are often a better choice than bags, and besides that, should you have too many by the time you’re finished packing, you’ll have no problem getting rid of them. Make sure you break down the boxes carefully so you won’t have a disaster while moving. It happens, but still, moving doesn’t mean you have to bring everything you’ve ever owned.
Recycle, Trash, or Donate Unwanted Possessions
That’s right. If you don’t need it, you don’t want to move it. And if you don’t want it, well, someone else probably will. Schedule a garage sale up to a month before your actual move date. The lead time will help you get everything, and you check some other tasks off your list while you’re taking it easy selling and giving your items away. Resist the urge to simply trash everything, as you could get hit with fines if you dispose of waste improperly. Besides, if homeowners pay for their roofing materials, they’ll buy your junk. After all, the global TPO roofing membrane market should reach $2.2 billion by 2024. So, market your unwanted possessions to people who can afford the extra stuff. And watch your moving expenses get cut down in the process.
Getting rid of your junk is a starting point. Renting a moving truck is what you do by the time you’re ready to live in your new home. Be sure to move at the right time of year to save money on both moving services and supplies. And while boxes are plentiful everywhere, you still have to take time to find them. As long as you follow these money saving tips, you’re good. Now you’re ready to get moving on your future.