Summer brings a lot of changes to everyday life. From job transitions to leaving for the dorm rooms, you may find yourself looking to change locations during the hot months. Moving can not only be a stressful time for everyone involved, but it can also cost you a whole lot of money if you’re not careful. For starters, the movie truck alone can send your savings account into the red zone. With deposits, fees and everything else that goes along with moving, you may feel overwhelmed as you spend hours budgeting away your life. Luckily, there’s a few simple solutions to keep your spending down as you transfer you, your family and your belongings to your new space. So, take a deep breath and let the moving stress lift away, because you’re going to feel a lot better after utilizing these tips.
1. Consider Pods
Gone are the days when you would have to rent a truck, and quite possibly a trailer to tug along your car, just to relocate. Now, things can be a little bit easier if you want them to be. Today, most moving companies offer pods, or special crates, that allow you to move without the huge headache. When you schedule your moving-out date, the company will drop off a crate, or three, at your home so you can fill it up in your own time. This takes the pressure off of rushing to pile everything into a truck, which also means you will probably be able to fill your crate up more, thus ensuring you save even more money. When the crate(s) is filled up and ready to go, the company picks it up and sends it to the destination you provided. Of course, this could take up to 2 weeks to do, but in that time you’ll be able to get to your new destination and secure your new home. Once the items arrive in your new town you can schedule a drop off date and enjoy the convenience of unloading on your own time. When you’re ready, the company will pick up the crate and leave you to enjoy your new place. A lot of people do tend to stay away from crates for the sole reason that they seem more expensive. Although the price tag may be startling at first, once you calculate the gas of driving a heavy truck, as well as towing your vehicle, you may find the crate will save you hundreds.
2. Ask For Help
When it comes down to it, a lot of people plan to hire movers to help them get the ball rolling on their job. If you have lots of friends and family that can lend a helping hand then why would you spend thousands to have someone help? This is especially important if you’re going to your first place. Asking friends and family to step in to help you pack up or even just load your truck can be the bonding time you need to make your move a little less upsetting. It may also be a great time to pick up packing tricks as you could find yourself moving more often in the first few years of college. Of course, if you’re well past the college age and have found a better home or job, then it could be a fun way to say goodbye to your community, co-workers and other loved ones you have in the area. Usually, it is a courtesy to feed the people who help you out, so try to arrange a quick barbeque or something simple and inexpensive to help save even more money. When it comes to moving in to your new home, you may be out of luck when it comes to help. However, you could always ask a friend to come along for the ride, especially if they’re on their way to the same destination.
3. Purge Before Packing
A lot of the time, we end up unpacking so many things that we often wonder why we even brought half of the stuff along with us. To save on the trouble, you may want to start looking around the home to find items you don’t really need or care for anymore. There’s probably more than you expect, so don’t be afraid to toss them in a box. Once you’ve gone through the home once or twice, donate the items to help with taxes at the end of the year or host a yard sale. This will give your community a chance to stop by and say goodbye and will also allow you to make some extra money before you hit the road. Of course, while you’re packing up the home you may also want to consider which items you want to take along with you as sometimes you may rethink the importance of an item when you see the numerous boxes stacked around you. This practice won’t just save you time packing and unpacking, but can also save you some major money as it will allow you to have a lighter truck and you may even be able to swing the smaller, less expensive model!
4. Look For Free Boxes
Many people will actually go out and spend a fortune on boxing when they move. Others will fall into the all too common trap that moving companies set, which allows you to purchase boxes directly from them. Instead of going out and buying boxes, try to locate them for free. You may be surprised as to how many stores will actually offer you cardboard boxes they have lying around in the back. These boxes have to be recycled, so it actually saves them time if someone comes to pick them up, rather than having an employee break them down and recycle them. If you ask most customer service directories they can point you in the right direction. You may not even have to visit more than one location if you get lucky. Of course, another great place to look for boxes is recycling centers. Generally, you can pick them up for free, and drop them off again when you’re done!
5. Off-Season Moves
Believe it or not, but there is a season in which to move and summer generally isn’t the best of times. In fact, if you can, you may want to try to push your move off until September. Typically, the down-season for moving companies is September to May as so many people want to pick up and move during the summer break. Of course, this may put a little wrench in your plan as often it’s not easy to get an option on when you get move. However, if you’re headed to school then you may want to ask your parents to hold onto your stuff for a bit longer. If you live close enough, you can always come back for your extra supplies during an early weekend in September. This will help you cut down on the cost and may even make moving easier as there will be less people on the roads.
6. Shop Around
Like all things in life, shopping around can save you a whole lot of money in the long run. When it comes to moving, you should start your search off with the moving company. There’s a lot to choose from, but make sure the companies you’re looking for offer services in your current area and your new area. It would be a shame, and a waste of gasoline to have to drive even further to return or pick up a truck. Make sure you shop around for coupons for these items too as you may find they can help you out immensely! If you have to buy your own moving supplies then make sure to look online to see if you can find second hand items for cheap. However, if this isn’t a possibility then you may find a great coupon to help you online. When it comes down to it, moving means more than shopping for supplies and trucks. It also means easy meal ideas, hotel rooms and gasoline. Try to use coupons to buy items for sandwiches and snacks for the road so you won’t have to waste money on fast food. You should also look around for hotel deals or coupons and plan your trip based on these finds. Of course, credit card or travel points can also come in handy here. Finally, try to download a gas app so you can find the best deals and use your gas card if you have one!
7. Look For Tax Deductions
Moving is costly, which is why you should use the expenditure to look for tax deductions. Try to hang on to as many receipts as you possibly can so you have the best records for when tax time rolls around. Then, look around to see if there’s anything you qualify for. Usually, a move that is work related is the prime tax deduction, but you may be surprised as to how many things you may find to help get you some money back. If you’re not sure where to begin talk to your tax agency or accountant. There’s also many online forums dedicated to helping you find a solution.
8. Review the New Place
If you’re renting then this can be one of the biggest money saving tips there is. Generally, when you enter a new home the agreement gives you a couple of days to look over the home and write down everything that is a problem. From holes in the wall to a leaky faucet, make sure you put every single minute detail down. This will help you out substantially when you move out because it will mean the renter can take less of your security deposit from you. It will also mean you can’t be faulted for items that didn’t happen on your watch. If you can, take pictures of the home and keep them in a special file, you may also want to take photos of the day you move out too.
9. Use Gas/Credit/Travel Points
One of the biggest favors you can do for yourself is use all the points you’ve saved up to help with the move. Between deposits on the new place and paying for the truck to move, you may feel like your budget is tighter than you like. Luckily, your credit points may come in handy to help get rid of gas fees, ensure you have a nice hotel to stay in or to simply give you some money back to help offset the costs. Make sure to talk with your credit card companies before you take off to learn what you have available.
10. Consider Insurance
Yes, there’s actually an insurance policy designed for your move, so why not make sure everything is in order just to ease your mind? The best thing is, some insurance companies don’t just stop at your possessions, but can help with car problems or anything else that may come up. You can buy a separate policy for your move through many companies. However, you may want to check in on your credit card company or with your renter/home insurance to make sure you’re not already covered through them! This in itself can save you thousands if something were to occur during the move.
Moving is a whole lot of work that can really stress you out. With these ten tips you should be able to cut down on the financial burden of your move which may make things a lot easier to deal with. With a little luck and some keen shopping skills, you’ll be able to get your move rolling without spending a small fortune, so you can enjoy your new location all the more!
