Friday, March 29, 2013

Thrifty Thinking: Saving Money on Moving

How to Save Money on Your Move
Moving is not only a huge pain, it can also be very expensive. From renting the truck to hiring the movers to buying the boxes and packing supplies, you can easily spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on how much stuff you have to move and how far you are moving.
You don't have to break the bank to move into the house of dreams or to follow opportunities for your career. There are plenty of ways to save money on your move with a little planning. Here are a few ideas:
Downsize As Much As Possible
Before you even start packing, take an honest look around and see what you can downsize. Moving is a great time to assess your belongings and to determine what deadweight you've been carrying around. Identify the things you no longer need and then sell the items that have value and donate the rest to Goodwill or charity.
The more you are able to downsize, the less you have to move, helping you to save on packing supplies and movers.
Get Free Packing Supplies
There are so many stores and manufacturers that throw their shipping boxes in recycling everyday that you should never have to buy a single box. It may take you a little more time to collect what you need, but calling around to stores and other businesses can help you get their leftover boxes for free.
You can even get packing peanuts, tape, and other packing supplies for free. Ask for leftovers from businesses, or look on sites like Craigslist or Freecycle for leftovers that people give away after their own moves.
Borrow a Truck from a Friend
If you have a friend with a truck, you can save yourself the expense of renting a moving truck. The truck will likely be much smaller, which means you'll have to take more trips to move your big items and may have to pack several carloads for smaller items like boxes. If you are moving in town, this is a cost-effective -- though less convenient -- way to move your things.
Plan to Move in the "Off" Season
Many people move around the same time of year: Between May and August when college students are moving into and out of their dorm rooms and apartments. As such, rental trucks and movers can be in short supply during those times -- and can be more expensive. If you're able to, plan your move in the off season when you'll have more access to more services for a lower cost.
Hire Some Locals
Hiring movers can be one of the biggest expenses of moving. You can cut this expense all together by moving your items yourself with the help of a few friends and family members. However, if you don't want to put in the sweat time, or you don't want to bother your friends and family to haul your stuff, you can hire a few people in the community for less than you would pay movers.
Put up an ad on Craigslist or another classified marketplace offering to pay $50 a person for some moving help. Usually one or two strong guys will be enough to get your things where they need to go.
Barter Services
You can get a professional moving company for absolutely free if you have some services that they also want. Maybe you are a great online marketer or you know how to create stunning websites. You may be able to barter these services in exchange for some help with your move. It will only cost you your time!
Moving doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Try out some of these simple tips for saving money on your move and making it as stress-free as possible.
What other tricks do you use to save money when you have to move? Share your tips in the comments!
About the Author:
Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently shes been researching culinary school in Rhode Island. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.



No comments:

Post a Comment