5 Money Saving Moving Tips
The thought of moving shouldn’t make you shudder. Your bank account shouldn’t cringe as you frantically search for affordable ways to reduce your moving expenses. In fact, whether you are moving locally, across the country, or to an international destination, there are several tips that you can implement to “help you move on the cheap.”
Reduce Your Moving Costs With These Moving Tips
The key to making your move less expensive (and less stressful) is to look for discounts early on in the process, while simultaneously remaining organized throughout the entire adventure. After all, a stress free move is a happy move regardless of what deals you can discover along the way. But, since money doesn’t grow on trees (at least not yet), here are a few tips to help you save on moving expenses.
Moving Tip #1: Time Your Move And Save — Throughout the world the best time to move is arguably the summer. The weather is typically nice, the kids are out of school, and vacation days seem limitless. However, the summer is also the busiest time of year for professional moving companies, which means that you might pay a premium to enjoy a move during the warmer season. To avoid the summer surcharge, and the frustration that can come with trying to find a professional mover for a last minute June or July move, you should instead plan on moving during a different time of the year. In fact, you can further reduce your moving costs by planning on a mid-week move. If you want to enjoy the biggest discounts, then you need to be flexible and work with your moving company to discover the cheapest available dates.
Moving Tip #2: Get Free Quotes — Getting free competitive moving quotes is a great way to save money. As you shop around for the best deal, be sure to do your research. You don’t want to sacrifice quality of service for a cheaper price (that’s how Grandma’s china breaks or an “oopsies, we dropped the big screen” moment occurs). As a rule of thumb, you should look at Yelp, Facebook, and Google+ reviews before you plan on booking a moving service. Finally, you should also check the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records System to ensure that your chosen moving company has all the required licenses, as well as a great record.
Moving Tip #3: Pack Before You Call — Moving companies structure their fees in a wide variety of fashions. However, the majority of moving companies will charge by the hour for a local move, which means that if you want to save, then you should pack before you call. Make sure that you have your belongings packed into boxes before the movers arrive. You can further reduce the costs by labeling and organizing the boxes based on weight, size, or contents.
Moving Tip #4: Shed The Weight — Did you know that long distance and international moves are traditionally priced based on weight? That’s right, while your belongings might be priceless in their sentimental value, they can literally be worth their weight in gold when it is time to move. One of the easiest ways to save on a move is to get rid of your excess belongings. Whether you chose to donate the items for a tax break or want to make a little extra cash via a garage or Craigslist sale, the fewer things that you have, the cheaper your move will be.
Moving Tip #5: Plan Ahead — Organization is the key to making your local, cross country, or international move more affordable. From having your new residence ready for an immediate move-in when your belongings arrive, to ensuring that you have all the paperwork needed for a smooth move across the ocean, you can save simply by being organized. Take your savings one step further by making travel arrangements for your pets and your family before you begin your long distance or international move.
Save On Moving Today
No matter where you are relocating, the above five tips will help you to save money during your move. To begin planning and saving, get your free moving quotes today.