Moving Cross-Country Without Breaking The Bank

Moving is exciting, but it can be stressful too. Even a move across town takes planning and work, but a long-distance move can seem completely overwhelming. With everything else that needs to be dealt with while planning and executing your move, the last thing you want to worry about is going over budget. Moving can be expensive without adequate planning, but there are plenty of ways you can save money and keep financial worries from plaguing your moving adventure.

Keep Records and Monitor Small Costs

Items such as boxes, tape, and plastic wrap may seem trivially cheap, but the costs can pile up as you continue to pack. Keeping a small ledger or spreadsheet of your moving costs and saving receipts can help you to monitor your expenses. Having this information in front of you and compiled into a handy list can also help you to find ways to reduce those expenses and identify spending that is wasteful or unnecessary. You may even be able to deduct some of your moving expenses from your taxes!

Be Flexible About Your Moving Date

This one can be difficult, but if you are planning for your move months in advance, you should try to be as flexible as possible. This doesn't mean that you need to adjust your move by weeks, but you should discuss off-peak rates with a moving company like Get A Move On. If you can schedule your move for early on a weekday, for example, you may be able to save significant money over a weekend or afternoon move. Certain times of the year can be busy for movers as well, and it is worth asking if your planned move date happens to fall during one of these peak times.

Simplify Well in Advance of Your Move

One of the best ways to save some cash with your move is simply to take less with you. Unfortunately, it can be hard to declutter and throw things away while you are also trying to pack and prepare for an imminent move. If you know that you will be moving later in the year or several months in the future, begin to simplify as much as possible. This can mean throwing away or selling old, unused items, but it can also mean purchasing less in the months leading up to your move.  Reducing how much you are taking with you will save you money on both moving labor and packing supplies.

Use Unconventional or Recycled Materials

Finally, consider using materials that you have lying around to pack your goods. This could mean using your bedsheets or clothes to protect delicate items, for example, in order to save on the costs of bubble wrap. Saving boxes and shipping materials from items that you order online can also yield a treasure trove of free packing materials. Free boxes can usually be obtained from local retail stores if you ask, and sometimes huge lots of free boxes are given away on Craigslist. All of these options can be somewhat more labor-intensive than just buying supplies, but they have the potential to save a significant chunk of change.