Are you moving across the country and wanting to not go broke in the process? While moving is inevitably expensive, there are certain things you can do to slash the costs. The best steps you can take are to hire the movers well in advance and anticipate some glitches and plan accordingly. Take a look at these 5 tips for moving across the country.
Set a reasonable date to move.
Timing can be your friend when it comes to moving. The most expensive times to move are during a holiday, on a weekend and at the end of the month. Try to schedule your move during a weekday so you can score a less expensive price. The months of May through September are also the busiest months for the moving industry.
Go through your belongings.
Take the time to sort through the junk drawer, bins of old clothes, movies you’ve had around for years and your kid’s old toys. Discover the art of labeling moving boxes and have fun with it. It feels good to part with things you no longer need, and the smaller the truck you need and the fewer boxes you have to fill, the less expensive your move will be.
Sell the things you don’t have to keep.
Have a moving sale to purge the belongings you no longer use or need. This is a great way to not only clean out your cabinets and drawers, but also to make some extra cash that can be put towards the move and soften the blow of the cost of relocation. If organizing a moving sale sounds like too much work, you can sell larger items like chairs, side tables and nightstands on Craigslist.
Set a reasonable eating budget.
You’ll be in a car for several hours making that drive across the country, which means you will have to eat multiple meals on the road. Save some money by packing food for a meal or two and having a picnic lunch at a rest stop. When you do decide to pay for food, opt for fast food joints instead of sit down restaurants that require you to leave a tip for your server. Another smart idea is to buy a case of bottled water to stash in the car so you have drinks available as needed and don’t have to make stops to purchase them at the gas station.
Always Hire Pros to move you.
Hiring professional movers often ensures the most high-quality move. Professional movers will load your belongings carefully, drive the truck across town, and unload items in the appropriate room in your new home. Full-service movers are able to provide things to make the move go smoothly that you may overlook. They can secure necessary parking permits, are equipped with gear such as furniture pads and dollies to protect your items and make transporting them simpler, and can disassemble and reassemble your furniture so you do not have to yourself.
The costs of moving add up, but there are some ways you can cut corners to help the cross-country move be as affordable as possible. Do some work on the front end to eliminate moving extra items you don’t really need, be prepared so you spend less cash on food and drinks on the drive, and let movers take care of the rest.
