Moving to a new area can be exciting, but it can also be expensive. If you want to move but you have concerns about the costs, there are plenty of ways to save money when moving cross-country.
Start Planning Your Move Early On
You’ll spend more on your move if you leave things until the last minute. If you want to move in budget, the best thing you can do is start planning out your move ahead of time. When you plan in advance, you’ll have more time to look for savings opportunities.
Services are likely to cost more if you book them at the last possible minute. If you plan your move ahead of time, however, you’ll be able to seek out the best prices. Give yourself more than enough time to find and take advantage of great deals.
Move During The Winter
Not everyone can wait to move cross-country. If you have the option of picking the date of your move, however, you’re going to want to move in the winter season. This is the least popular time to move, and because of that, you’ll be able to get much better deals.
Moving in the winter will allow you to get better rates from moving companies, and it may even help you to budget your relocation. While it can be stressful to move during this season, you may find that the savings are worthwhile.
Compare Costs
Many people make assumptions about what things will cost during a move. For example, a lot of people assume that a DIY move is more affordable than hiring movers. However, that isn’t necessarily going to be the case.
If you want to get the best possible rates for your move, you’ll want to explore different options and compare potential costs. If you add up the costs of different services and compare those costs against the quotes that you get from moving companies, you’ll be able to identify the most cost-effective options available to you.
Research Moving Companies
When you’re looking for transportation companies to assist you with your move, make sure you research transportation companies that are affordable. Many transportation companies have lower rates for people who need to transport larger items or move longer distances.
It pays to research different transportation companies and see which ones can give you the best deal on moving cross-country. With a little bit of effort, you should be able to find transportation companies that are affordable and efficient enough to get your belongings safely across the country without breaking the bank. Good luck!
Sell Items Ahead Of Your Move
It’s smart to get rid of a lot of your belongings before your move. If you bring fewer things with you, your move will likely cost less in total. Beyond that, it’s possible that you can sell a lot of your old things before your move, which could save you quite a bit of money.
Whether you host a garage sale or list items online on sites like eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari, you should see if you can turn some of your old things into cash. If you’re able to get rid of enough of your items, these sales could even wind-up funding your relocation.
Get Free Supplies Whenever You Can
You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money on supplies for your move. Some essential items, like cardboard boxes, can usually be picked up for free. Even supplies you might normally need to invest in, such as a tarp, are things that you might be able to borrow from someone else.
Let people know that you’re moving, and make sure they know what sort of supplies you need. If anyone offers to donate or lend you supplies, you should take advantage of their offer. If you can spend less on supplies, those savings will add up.
Try To Avoid Taking Time Off From Work
If you have paid time off from work, you should feel free to take advantage of this when you’re getting ready for your move. However, if this is a benefit that you don’t have access to, you should minimize the number of days you want to take off.
Missing even one day of work can be costly. If you start packing and planning for your move ahead of time, you’ll be able to accomplish a lot of essential tasks without taking any days off, which means you’ll have more money in your bank account.
Make Sure You Don’t Have To Pay Any Extra Bills
Ahead of your move, you’ll want to talk to your utility companies and make sure that utilities for your home will no longer be in your name when your move date arrives. You won’t want to have to pay any additional bills if you can avoid them.
You’ll also want to make sure you arrange to have utilities turned on in your new place ahead of your arrival. By making a few phone calls now, you can save yourself the hassle and extra expenses down the road.
Be Smart When Grocery Shopping
When you move cross-country, you won’t be able to bring refrigerated groceries with you. Because of this, you’ll want to focus on using up the items in your fridge in the weeks leading up to your move. When you shop for groceries, you may want to focus on pantry items instead.
It doesn’t make sense to spend money on groceries that will wind up going to waste. When you’re buying groceries, you should think about the amount of time you have and whether you’ll be able to use those groceries before your move date.
If you have concerns about what you’re going to be spending on your long-distance move, you should make sure you take advantage of savings opportunities. You can save a lot of money when moving cross-country if you’re smart and plan. Make sure you’re able to get a great deal.