Moving can be a costly task. The cost of moving can depend on many factors, including how much stuff you are shipping and where it is going. Moving across the country is a costly endeavor, but there are ways to save money. If you are considering moving across the country, this article will teach you ways to save money. For example, if you need professional movers to help with your move, then consider negotiating their charges so that they charge less than usual for cross-country moves.
If you are moving by car with friends or family, then you may want to move your belongings and rent a large truck for the rest of your items. This way, you will only have to pay for one rental fee instead of paying for two separate ones. Another option is renting a trailer instead of hiring professional movers. Trailers cost less than having someone else do it all, and they work just as well!
Let’s discuss in more detail how you can save your money while moving across the country.
Downsize on unnecessary stuff
Decluttering unnecessary stuff can help you save a lot of money when moving. Try only to pack your essentials and things that you use or regularly need because doing so will allow you to cut back the cost of renting storage space for your old possessions.
If it is feasible in terms of timing, try to downsize by selling some items before taking them with you – this could include anything from appliances and furniture to clothes and toys. You may also want to consider donating what cannot be sold before packing everything up!
You can even sell things on websites like eBay and craigslist before moving, which will get much better prices than if you waited to sell them in the new location.
Try to get cheap packing stuff
If you are looking to pack your stuff by yourself, you need to find affordable packing supplies. There is no point in spending too much money on the packaging material because there will be a lot of trash if you do this, and also, your items may get damaged while transporting them.
You can get cheap packing materials from home improvement stores, or you can use things like newspaper, bubble wrap, and brown paper to package your items.
Get Quotes from at least three moving companies
If you are planning to hire a moving company when you move cross country, get quotes from at least three moving companies as this will give you the option to select the cheaper one, and you don’t want to get stuck with a company that charges you more than necessary. Moving companies provide a quotation based on the following:
- Where your items are being shipped from and how far the distance is between two locations
- Moving companies usually charge by the weight of goods, making sure everything is weighed before it’s packed for shipping. The fewer boxes they pack, the cheaper your move will be.
Start Packing Early
When you start packing before at least one month before the relocation date, you will have more time to get your belongings in order. You can also plan for things like transportation or storage needed to complete the task and then save money on those tasks.
Wisely select the date for your move
Selecting a moving date is crucial if you want to save money while moving, as it will help you know when to book your moving truck. In addition, you can save money on housing and avoid peak season rates, so it is wise to select a date that falls in the off-season.
Don’t go for weekends as on weekends the moving contractors charge more so avoid weekends as much as possible.
Rent portable moving containers
A portable moving truck can be rented in different sizes, so it is wise to rent the truck at least a week before you plan on moving. This way, you can enjoy all the benefits of renting your moving containers.
Instead of dealing with heavy baggage, use portable storage containers and transport them in trucks or trailers that are easily managed, which will save money. This is a way in which you can move across the country cheaply without breaking the bank!
Hire Rental Trucks
Hiring rental trucks will save you as they can be rented for less than the professional movers, and all of your belongings can be transported in these moving containers. However, it would help if you always strived to act on time when hiring them so that you are not charged an excess amount that is more expensive for weekend rentals.
Rental Trucks can be hired from companies like Budget and U-Haul, which have their rental prices online. They also provide the option of renting them by the hour, day, or week, so they are much more flexible than one may think.
Go for Freight Trailers
Freight Trailers are one more cheap way of moving across the country. How Freight Trailers work is that they will pack and transport all of your belongings for you, so if you can manage packing, this is the best option to go with.
Freight Trailers have their rates online, which vary depending on what company you choose to work with. The cost also varies from state to state as well, but it’s usually cheaper than professional movers because these companies offer discounts for military families and those in need. The downside about Freight Trailers is that there are limited options when it comes to size, so make sure everything fits before hiring them, or otherwise, a large fee might be charged.
Ship your things
If you have fewer items to be taken along with you across the country, you can go for this option; it will allow you to keep your costs under control and help you carry less weight with yourself. But, of course, you can always get information about the rates online and then compare them before hiring any company.
Shipping with companies like UPS or FedEx is a cheaper option for those moving across the country if they have light luggage since this allows them to save on transportation fees while carrying their items, which means no need to rent trucks or vans would be expensive in this case.
The downside is shipping takes much more time than other options, so make sure there’s enough time left before the deadline; otherwise, it might lead to inconvenience during travel. But even though things take longer, shipping still saves up money eventually because all these companies offer discounts and deals such as getting free delivery.
Look for moving discounts
Moving companies often offer discounts to those who agree to use their services. You can look for these offers on the internet or contact them in person and ask if they have any offers available that would save you money.
It would help if you also inquired about possible moving rebates offered by some companies with specific requirements like taking a survey after your move and writing an online review of the company’s service.
Ask your company for relocation assistance
If you have signed a new job in the place you are moving to, you can ask the company to assist you with your relocation.
Ask them for a quote and tell them what date they need to have everything done by. Then, they will usually send a representative over to your current location and help you pack items, load furniture into an appropriate truck, or provide any other services that are necessary for your transition.
They may even offer supplies like boxes which would be cheaper than purchasing these on their own.
In addition, they will often clean up after themselves when it comes time to leave, so there is nothing left behind but memories of all the work involved in moving across the country cheaply!
