How to Save Money on Moving Costs
Moving is a fun, exciting time, and although it can sometimes be tinged with sadness, it’s a time to look forward to as it brings with it new beginnings and adventures. However, it does come with a high price tag attached, and this is something you are going to need to think about before you take the plunge. Whether you are buying or renting, you are still going to need to pay out money to get it done.
Yet there are ways that you can save money when it comes to your moving costs. If you can do this, you’ll have more cash available to decorate your home in the way you want it to, and buy what you need once you have arrived in your new property. Here are some of the ways you can save money on your moving costs to help you.
Declutter
The first thing you can do to save yourself money on your moving costs is to declutter before you move. If you can do this, you’ll only be taking the most important items with you, and you won’t be taking the time and energy to pack up things that you really don’t need just to have to pay to have them moved.
The more you can dispose of, the cheaper your moving costs will be because you can save the removal company time and effort too. If you really can’t bear to part with certain items but you know shipping them is going to be expensive, you can check out storagearea.com and find a self-storage unit. That way, you can have them shipped at a later date when you have more money or more space.
Move off-peak
Of course, it isn’t always going to be possible to move home exactly when you want to, but if you can plan it to be ‘off-peak’ your costs are going to be lower than if you move when the majority of other people want to move too.
Most people choose to move in the summer months. This is so they can make the most of their new home in the warmer weather, and so they are nicely settled in before the holiday season starts. Plus, the days tend to be lighter and brighter, so packing and unpacking won’t seem like quite such a chore.
By moving in the winter, particularly close to Thanksgiving or Christmas, you should be able to save a decent amount of money. If you really can’t hold off until then, try to move midweek rather than at the weekend, as this will also be cheaper.
Free packing materials
A cost that is often overlooked right at the start of the moving process, and may not even be considered until it is actually needed, is the packing materials. You are going to need boxes, packing tape, and protective items to keep your possessions safe and get them from one place to the next. These can cost a surprising amount, and the more items you have, the more it is going to cost you to move them.
It is possible to get free packing materials if you are very organized, however, and this will clearly save you money. As soon as you know your moving date, start collecting boxes to use. You might save them from the deliveries you get, or ask friends and family if they have any they can give you. You can even ask local stores and supermarkets if they have anything you can use. The earlier you start, the less it will cost you.
