Saving money and moving do not often go hand in hand, but they can. We present to you a moving guide on how you can make the cheap move to your new home, a move without emptying your wallet or bank account. So, grab your moving checklist, make your budget and let’s get into how to do cheap moves.
There is nothing free when it comes to moving. However, you can save a lot if you plan well and early to get a cheap move. Planning is the best way that you can save your buck. Without a good, and clear plan you could end up spending a lot more than you bargained for.
First thing first, where are you moving to? This can be the question that makes or breaks your budget. If you have a certain place in mind due to work or family reasons, then you may be a bit out of luck. However, if you do not, and just want a new start wherever then you may want to consider the cheap states to move to and get your cheap move.
The most cost effective states to move to are:
Regarding cheap places to move to, there is Houston, NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego, Atlanta, Austin, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Boston, Philadelphia, or Denver. Keep in mind while these places are cheap to move to; it does not mean they are cheap to live in. Best to keep that in mind when you are researching where your new home will be.
There are essentially two ways that you can move. The first is by hiring a professional mover to make sure that you and your items get to your new home without too much stress. Or any at all. These services are great if you are planning on moving from state to state. Furthermore, many cheap movers are legitimate with experience.
There are cheap long-distance movers or cheap out-of-state movers aka state to state. As well as cheap local movers to help get you to a city that is not beyond the state lines. All you would have to do is do a bit of research to find them. Then you would have to do more to make sure they are not scamming moving companies.
The other way to make cheap moves is DIY moving. This one is a much cheaper moving option than professional movers. But, with the lack of cost usually comes the increase in stress. However, if you plan right and think ahead then go DIY for your self-move, and it does not have to break your brain or hurt your nerves.
If you decide that the stress of doing a move by yourself, aka DIY moving, then you would want to hire a mover to transport you and your items to your new home. However, one of the ways to save with a professional mover, besides going with a cheaper moving option, that has good reviews, is to move when it is off-peak.
The peak season for moving is summer when school is out and people have time to move. This is between May and September. Therefore, the price tag is a lot higher due to the influx of people looking to change their lives.
Furthermore, moving off-season is a better time, since this can give you more moving options to find the right moving company within your budget. This is because a lot of them are not that busy, and, well, need the work. Plus, it is also cheaper to move during the working days if you can.
This is where the best moving money saving options will be if you plan it right. The first thing you would want to do is to set a small budget. A way to help you decide how much you can spend is by deciding how you will travel. Traveling by car is different from traveling by a rented van or a truck. The latter will cost you unless you have a workable one in your back garage.
How about driving a Truck?
When it comes to driving a truck the cheaper moving option would be to do it yourself. This means that you would need a license to drive it as well as time to get used to the steering, brakes, and figure out the blind spots. Plus, this is where you can also get a friend to help you out by being a driving buddy. They can keep you company on the road. But, the worthwhile thing is that they can help you get around tight spaces or if you have to reverse out of somewhere.
To drive a truck, you would need to get one be it rented or borrowed. And, having a good night sleep before the moving day is also a huge help. Also, plan to drive when the sun is out since the night can be fairly confusing. Even if you know the road by heart.
Once you decide how you are going to transit, then comes the fun part… or painful part depending on how attracted you are to your stuff. Selling or donating. The ideal would be to sell all that you can so that you have more money for the move.
However, this may not always be the best option. Since if you sell everything, then you would have to buy new stuff for your new home. A kitchen without a fridge is not a kitchen, and there is only so long you can sleep without a mattress.
Therefore, think carefully about what it is that you can sell. The way to decide is by seeing the quality of the items you already own. Are they in good condition? Do you need a new one? If the answer is no for the former and yes for the latter, best get to posting that ad.
However, do not put anything into storage. Storage costs a pretty penny. Plus, if you are putting it into storage then maybe you may not need it? Unless it is antique then just take it with you to your new home.
Having a sale is a good way to make some more cash. But, not everything can be sold such as food. Therefore, you would want to opt to donate the leftovers to a worthwhile cause such as Move for Hunger. Plus, everything that you cannot find a buyer for just means you can still donate it.
Donations may not make you cash, but they will save you money. Space and weight are what can cost you the most. The weight of your items is what professional movers measure to work out how much they are going to charge for your move. Therefore, the less weight, the less they charge, the more you save.
Space is if you are planning on driving down by car. There is a limit to how much you can fit in your vehicle even if you are renting or borrowing a moving truck. If you do go by car and you have more than can fit, then you would need a trailer which will add to your budget. Plus, why bring down something you no longer need or want to in the first place? Donate it to lighten the load.
If you decide to sell all your stuff, well at least most of it, you can take a road trip to your new home. However, you would still have to pack. This means getting packing material such as boxes and tape. The latter would be best to buy since using second hand is not cost-effective since the boxes will break.
However, when it comes to finding boxes you can head down to your local supermarket and see if they have used boxes for you to use. They would most likely give them to you for free since they are not being used. This is one of the best ways to save. And, there is nothing wrong with second-hand boxes. Or even second-hand packing material like bubble wrap, packing paper, bags etc. as long as they are usable.
Another thing you can do is to use what you already have to pack. Wrap your plates in clothes and fit them nicely into your suitcase. Borrow your friends’ suitcases if you run out. Use paper or plastic bags to help with the packing. Certainly, if you have them lying around your current home. Garbage bags can be a great aid for packing reasons.
The other is to ask for help. Ask your friends, families, neighbors even. They can do a lot to ease your moving process from helping you find buyers, to packing. As well as loading up your vehicle. Furthermore, if you have pets they can also keep an eye on them during moving day. Friends are great for DIY moving processes.
There is a way that you can use a professional mover, have a cheap move, get new furniture, and not have any stress while making sure your budget sticks. And, that is by working with Shyft. Shyft is an organization that is actually your go-to personal moving organization while also being a fintech company.
People that have used Shyft to help them move, managed to save up to $600. A nice sum to keep in your wallet. Plus, Shyft’s services are for free since they get paid with the move. How it works is that you hop on to their site, fill out the form, and they call you. Well, your very own Move Coach calls you at the time that you say.
This means that you do not have to wait around for the call since you know exactly when it will be. The call is not an ordinary phone call. Instead, it is a video chat through the downloadable and free app called the ShyftNext app. This call has two main points. The first is you get to see who you are working with. The second is that the app allows your Move Coach to take down your inventory list right away.
This list is then sent to you within half an hour for your ticks and approval. Once they get the list back and all your moving details on hand, Shyft takes the info to their secure bidding platform where legitimate, as well as highly experienced movers, come to play. When the bidding is down, Shyft wraps up three or more quotes to send your way. These quotes are fixed meaning no hidden costs. Put that in your budget list.
You decide which one is the best for you to move with and have your cheap move.
The best part is that your Move Coach is on call to you 24/7 be it day, night and over the weekend. You can ask them anything you want from the progress of the movers to tips and tricks on how to save money while moving.
And, we did mention that you can save money on furniture did we not/ Well, Shyft has an awesome solution to your shopping woes in their marketplace. It is here that you can check out not only the best furniture but a ton of other stuff as well. Including services such as dog walking, mortgages, insurance, and even buying a mattress.
You can save since every item on the site comes with a discount. Furthermore, if you order furniture etc. it will be delivered directly to your new home. That is right, you would not have to transport it there yourself. This saves you money in terms of moving costs since your transit weight will be less.
Therefore, check out all the things that Shyft has to offer in helping you save money. And, let them not only help ease the stress of the move but also offer advice on how to handle it. All while being within your budget, maybe even under it. Let Shyft help you save money while getting you to your new adventure.
