No matter how long you’ve stayed in your current home, there will come a time when you will have to leave for greener pastures. It could be a different town or city. You might even move across borders to a different state or country. Regardless, you will need to prepare for the inevitable. Aside from securing your new home, it’s also important to think about how to bring everything you own along for the ride.
For the most part, logistics is often the hardest and most costly part of moving to a new place. Notwithstanding the stress of having to choose which of your cherished possessions suit your next location, you will also need to think about keeping your moving costs at a more manageable level. You will need the extra cash to fund your homeownership expenses anyway. It pays to know how to stay within budget and ensure that Moving Day won’t cause you to go overboard in terms of expenses.
1. Reduce and resell
The first principle you will want to follow to keep your moving costs from going overboard is to reduce the number of items you will be transferring. When you have too many collectibles and fixtures you haven’t used for a long time lying around your home, it would make sense to dispose of some of them by selling them through an old-fashioned yard sale or donating them to charity.
The fewer items you have, the less your total haul, thereby reducing the need for additional packing materials and saving more space for more essential items. This would also help you save more money on top of making the moving process less taxing.
2. Get a reliable mover and storage service
A large bulk of your moving budget would go towards the hauling service you will be hiring. It‘s best to have a moving company deal with the more difficult aspects of the process, especially if you have a family that needs to transfer many items altogether. Keep in mind that not many moving companies will provide you with a good balance between quality and cost.
Some may even charge extra for services you may not need. Whether you are opting to rent a portable container storage or getting a full-service mover, always request a quote and compare it with those provided by other moving companies. From there, you can decide on a deal that’s practical and, more importantly, affordable.
3. Haul it yourself
When you move solo, you have the advantage of doing the hauling, allowing you to save more money. Although this would mean having to pay for gas out of pocket, procure packing materials, and do much of the legwork, all of this will pay off in the long run.
Not only do you have full control over the entire process, but you also save more money for the next chapter of your life you will be spending elsewhere. However, this will only work if you have minimal items to move. Another option is to rent a truck if you have so much to haul.
4. Time your move
Another important consideration impacting the total cost of your big move is timing. It’s always a good rule of thumb to avoid seasons when demand for moving services peaks.
Rates often surge when spring starts to transition to fall, so you might want to contact a mover earlier and arrange your transfer sometime in September. The earlier you start planning, the more time you have to reach out to different moving services and compare quotes.
Endnote
Being as stressful as it already is, Moving Day could also bleed your wallet dry. Following the tips above should help you stay within budget and accomplish your goals with a little extra to fuel your next adventure.
