As anyone who has moved home will tell you, moving is really expensive. However, there are ways that you can trim down the costs. And we have the best money-saving tips to help keep your moving budget afloat.
One of the best ways to save money when moving happens before the move. Planning. It is important to plan every aspect of your move: when you will move, what you will move, and how you will move. You need to ask yourself a bunch of questions such as:
A good piece of advice would be to declutter your home. This means to choose what to take, what to throw away, what to sell, and what to donate. While you can take everything with you, why would you take something that you no longer use? Or an item that is on its last breath?
You must also plan when you want to start prepping for your move. You can do this by looking for free boxes, packing up ahead, using towels and sheets to wrap around breakable items can also save you a bit of money, and packing stuff that you do not need to use.
Also, you can ask your friends and family to help you pack or to look after your kids and pets while the movers are taking your stuff to their trucks - just don’t ask them to do the heavy lifting, we hear it’s not popular.
Going for a moving relocation system would be the best moving option for you. This is because they can save you money in the long run, by moving your items from one home to another safely. As well as in due time.
There is the option of driving yourself to and from your old home to your new one with your furniture, luggage, etc. But, this is more difficult to organize, requires more planning, and more gas usage. Certainly, so if you are traveling long distances.
While it may seem pricey going with a long-distance moving option compared to doing it yourself, trust us it is not. For one: a moving truck will do one trip with your luggage and furniture, not multiple that you would have to do by car. Therefore, you at least save on gas.
One of the best, everyday money-saving tips anyone can give you is to do your research on which moving company to hire. There are a ton of moving company options online, but you have to pick one. And you have to make sure that they’re legit.
When researching which company to use, keep in mind certain things when it comes to their cost:
Not to mention that you have to make sure that the company is legitimate and not a scam. Do they have a physical address? Do they have negative reviews and why? Did they have a name change way too recently? (Check our moving scams article for more).
It is essential to do your research and to do it well in detail.
But, if you do not have time, nor the nerves then Shyft will do it all for you - and at no cost to you - so the price you see is the price you get. Shyft organizes your move from a to z. You can reach them by adding your move details on their homepage. They never share your details with any third parties, instead, they are able to give you a virtual moving estimate through a contactless consultation with a Move Assistant assigned to you. The best part - Shyft’s services do not cost you a thing - in fact, they can save you money by shopping around for the best moving companies and curating multiple quotes curated to your requirements.
Shyft gets the best prices by posting the weight and distance of your move on their nifty moveboard. This enables moving companies to bid on moves - effectively lowering the price. Then Shyft will send you three detailed prices (quotes), with no hidden costs. And remember, they do not charge the customer for their services. Plus, all the movers and partners are vetted and trusted since they are part of the Shyft Network.
Your personal Move Assistant is always around, and you can connect with them 24/7, to address any issue or concern.
One of the things that a lot of people often forget about or leave to the last minute is the food. You can try to eat all of it before your moving day. However, if you are unable to, instead of throwing the food away or down your food waste disposer, why not compost food waste or donate your food?
There is so much food waste in the US, and one of the main reasons could be due to people changing houses. According to Rubicon, it is estimated that the annual food waste is about 161 billion USD. Meaning that about 1 500 USD worth of food is thrown out by the average American family.
With about 50 million Americans struggling to feed themselves, not to mention the rest of the world has about 820 million people or more at risk of hunger. Therefore, finding a food waste solution is beneficial for you and the wider community.
That is why you must look into food banks that can take what you will not eat and give it to other people. Move4Hunger is an organization whose goal is to make sure that food does not go to waste by giving it to the communities that need it the most. You can think of it as food waste recycling where you can reduce food waste by letting this non-profit organization take care of it.
The peak moving season is usually between May and September aka summer. This moving season is extremely busy. As a result, prices tend to be higher as they are when it comes to any type of peak season - think holidays.
This is because it is summer meaning that school is out, vacations are on, and people who want to move, decide to move. However, it is better to try to move off-peak. All seasons moving companies give lower rates when they are off-season. Plus, it will be a lot easier to organize the move since not everyone is that busy.
Furthermore, you must try to move during the working days. Moving companies usually charge more on the weekend and at the end of the month. This can save you a lot, but it is a challenge if you have a family, with children who are still in school. However, you can get Shyft to organize your potential moving date.
Moving companies are a dime a dozen, but finding the shiny dime will take your research by reading a bunch of moving company reviews. Here is where you can see what is a good company to use, as well as how much they charge. If you are moving locally then moving companies can charge per hour. Shyft can help you with this.
Meaning if they take their time, you will pay more. Therefore, find movers that are efficient with your time, and your stuff.
Long-distance moving companies reviews can also give you a lot of information if you are moving out of state or to another country. They can point you to companies that are respectful to your stuff, aka no damage. Plus, these reviews may also talk about how they charge and what they charge. Remember, we did mention hidden costs.
A good piece of advice, and to fulfill the keywords, you should look up “cross-country moving company reviews” and “interstate moving companies reviews” in your search bar, to get more direct and narrow results. Certainly so if you are moving far away. Or you can just get Shyft to do all this research for you since they work with experienced (vetted) movers who do not waste your time nor money. Nor break your stuff.
Moving quotes can be what could break your budget if you do not choose wisely. That is why it is often stated that you should get estimate quotes from three different moving companies. You can look for a moving quote online, but this is more on an estimate than a moving away quote. Therefore, it is not accurate, nor fixed to your particular move.
Moving company quotes tend to look at a few things to make up their pricing. Such as the distance, are they giving you long-distance moving quotes or local moving quotes? And they also look at what they have to move, aka the weight of your stuff including furniture, maybe even your fridge and stove.
Also, the pandemic forced millions into retirement, causing many to rethink their financial priorities and planning. Our friends in Bankrate created a guide that walks seniors through the financial benefits and what to consider when downsizing their homes, especially during the current seller’s market. They also use graphics and calculators to provide information on smaller mortgage payments and income planning.
Therefore, get moving quotes in as much detail as you can so that you can compare, and find your best option. Also, keep in mind…
Moving out quotes and moving estimates are two different things. Moving company quotes online could be quoted if they are fixed costs, but if not then they are actually estimated moving expenses.
An estimate is when you and the company give their best guess at how much the price tag is for your money. This can be calculated by an average or with a moving estimate calculator. A quote, on the other hand, is when the cost is decided on. Therefore, the movers have to do the job according to that pay. However, there can be hidden costs, if you do not go for a binding contract.
You can opt to do the whole move yourself or with the help of family and friends, but this will be very stressful and more expensive.
However, Shyft will send you three of their best moving day quotes so that you can compare them. Furthermore, these quotes are from experienced movers and the quotes are fixed/ binding, meaning zero hidden costs, as we have mentioned, give Shyft a chance and get a quote.
Economical moving options do not mean cheap moving options. While you do want to save money, going cheap is often not the best option. This could be due to the idea that some cheap local movers could take their time delivering your stuff.
Also, some companies could attempt to get your business by offering a low rate, but you will end up paying more due to them taking their time. Local movers tend to charge by the hour and on moving days there is magical, a “ton of traffic”. Plus, cheap movers who are unprofessional are more likely to break or damage your stuff due to either their cut costs or inexperience. That is why reading reviews is essential.
Furthermore, cheap long-distance movers or cheap out-of-state movers should also not be used due to the same issues as mentioned above. A good piece of advice would be to not hire any company that says the weight of your items is a lot lower when compared to other estimates from other companies. They could be trying to trick you, that is why you should look at different estimates, and quotes from at least three different countries.
Going back to Shyft, they will find you movers that are not cheap but can still fit in your budget. Plus, the movers are experienced. Saving your stuff, time, and money. It is better to plan how to spend your budget wisely, not cheaply.
You can save costs by:
If you are moving locally try to do it with friends, or yourself. But, for long distances use a reliable moving company. And, when it comes to moving companies, be willing to pay more so that you do not have to replace everything you transited.
Saving money tips and tricks when it comes to moving are plenty. However, there are certain aspects where you can make more of a loss if you go the cheap route such as hiring a moving company. We would suggest that you spend more on a professional moving company that is experienced or at least has great reviews and is on the right track.
You can save money by packing your items yourself and using towels for wrappings, and suitcases for transit. Furthermore, you should donate your food to organizations such as Move4Hunger. So that it does not go to waste.
However, if you are too overwhelmed with organizing everything for your move, you can hire Shyft to do it for you. They will do it quickly, well, and send you professional movers within your budget. Happy, and safe, cost-effective moving, and check out the Shyft way.
