Saving money on your long distance move
Just because you’re moving long distance doesn’t mean that you have to rack up a long moving bill. No matter if you’ve budgeted for your move or if you have to move unexpectedly, there are several ways to save on everything from packing and driving to the method you use to get from your old place to your new place.
Get Free Moving Boxes
Before you add boxes to your list of items you need to buy, check to see if you can get some for free. Craig’s List and Freecycle are two of the absolute best places to check, and the same is true for friends and family who have recently moved. No matter where you get your boxes from, make sure they’re sturdy and of good quality. Free boxes won’t do you much good if they’re flimsy and likely to lead to broken or damaged items.
Take Only What You Need
Think about the items you plan on taking with you on your move. While you can put some items in storage, you might be better off getting rid of them all together. Purging unwanted items is also a go way to save just as much money as you do room. If you decide to get rid of larger items, make sure you arrange to have them picked up if you’re unable to drop them off. Simply placing them on the curb or near a dumpster is no guarantee the item will be picked up. If it’s not, you might receive a citation or bill as your first piece of mail at your new place. Either that or you might have to pay a junk collector to take care of the unwanted item.
On a related note, you don’t want to purge too much. For items you’d like to take with you but think might cost too much money to move, check with your movers to see for sure how much the item will cost. You might be surprised to learn that your large art library will be cheaper to move than buy new once you arrive at your new location. It’s also a good idea to see if frequently bought and used items are available in your new city or town, such as shampoo and laundry detergents. You may want to bring these items with you, if you’ve absolutely can’t be without them.
Think About How You Plan on Moving
While a long distance move is a great way to see more of the country, it can be expensive and more than likely more time consuming than flying. If you’ll be moving your family, you may have to rent a van to fit everyone and any belongings you’ll be taking with you. You also have to think about gas, hotels, meals and other miscellaneous costs. This might not be a problem if you’re moving for work and will be reimbursed for all of your expenses.
That being said, you may not mind incurring the above costs if you aren’t strapped for cash and don’t mind taking in some local scenery rather than taking your neighbor’s elbow in your side while flying on an airplane. Decide if you prefer getting to your destination in your own time, avoiding luggage fees and avoiding possibly having to run to catch your flight compared to the amount of time and money it takes to drive to your new location.
Plan ways to save money while you’re planning the best route to take to your new home. A little extra thought and hard work can keep you from being broke by the time you’re done unpacking the last box.
Bryan Passanisi is a digital marketer living in the Redwood City, California area. He graduated from The University of San Francisco with his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. In his spare time, watching movies and reading. Bryan Passanisi is a contributor to many blogs including Shutterfly.
