The average American will move 11. 3 times over the course of their life. There are many different reasons: finding a better home, finding a cheaper home, getting a new job, getting married, going to college, getting evicted… Whether it’s a happy reason or a bummer, I don’t know anyone who actually enjoys the process of moving.
The planning, the packing, the cleaning, the expense. But we’ve got your back! No, we can’t actually help you load the truck.
Sorry. But we do have 9 hacks to save money on your move. You may have to break your back, but you can avoid breaking the bank.
Look around your house. How many individual “things” do you think are in it? If it’s the average American household, that number is 300,000.
The idea of transporting 300,000 items from one location to another is… daunting. And the more you have to move, the more expensive it will be. So let’s get that number down, shall we?
When you’re a month or two out, make a list of all the rooms in your house and focus on one per week. Your job is to pick up every item in that room and ask yourself if you really still like it. This is not the time to be precious!
Aunt Helga will never find out you got rid of her lamp. You can sell the unwanted items online, or just donate them to a local charity. As long as it’s not broken or filthy, Goodwill will take just about anything!
For a lot of different reasons, summer is the most popular time to move. More than 30 million Americans move at this time of year, and another 30 million are traveling for vacation, which means the highways are packed, and so are movers’ schedules. If you can wait until the fall or early winter, it can save you money.
Movers are less busy so they will sometimes lower their rates by up to 30%. And less traffic on the roads means more efficient travel times. And if you’re loading the truck yourself, wouldn’t you rather do it when it’s not 100 degrees?
If you’re a renter, there are a variety of reasons that a landlord can refuse to give your security deposit back, so reread your lease terms to make sure you’re in compliance. Getting a check for a couple thousand can be a huge help in offsetting your moving costs. You can hire movers to do EVERYTHING--pack, load, drive, unload, unpack--but it gets expensive!
An inter-city move of a two bedroom apartment would cost us about two grand here in Austin. Maybe that’s why only 21% of people use professionals from start to finish. Instead, if you pack your own things, rent your own van and drive it yourself, suddenly you’re only paying $500 for the load-in and load-out, which, let’s be honest, is no one’s favorite part of the job.
1 out of 10 moves are for work, and if that includes you, you should definitely inquire about a relo package as part of your contract. 39% of all moving shipments are actually paid for by corporations. And unlike salary, it’s a one-time expense that often comes from a different part of the company’s budget, so they might be more open to it than you think.
Remember, if you don’t ask, the answer is always NO. Why spend money on packing material when you have already have closets of soft stuff at hand? Wrap your dishes and other breakables in clothes, towels and linens to protect them and cut down on waste.
Sure, it’s a little heavier than styrofoam or bubble wrap, but you’re bringing this stuff along anway! As my Uncle Olav used to say, “Only a sucker pays for cardboard boxes. ” Okay, I don’t have an Uncle Olav, but seriously, there are SO many places to get them for free: Craigslist, Facebook, NextDoor, Freecycle, or drop by your local grocery or liquor stores--they may be happy to let you take them off their hands.
And, yes, I have personally pulled boxes out of recycling dumpsters behind a hardware store. It’s actually pretty common for people to leave the fridge and pantry till the last minute, and then decide they’d rather throw everything away than worry about perishables going bad in a hot moving truck. This is such a waste of food, especially considering it can cost hundreds to restock a pantry from scratch in your new home.
So in the weeks before your move, commit to consuming as much as you can from what you already have. The things you can’t eat will probably fit into one or two plastic tubs you can transport yourself. Honestly, a bottle of olive oil can cost 10 bucks.
That baby is coming with me! This is probably the most important money-saving tip we can give you. Wanna sell your furniture instead of giving it away?
That takes time. Wanna find free boxes instead of buying them? That takes time.
Wanna properly clean your apartment so you can get your security deposit back? That takes time. Moving always takes longer than you think, and the more rushed you are, the more it’ll cost you.
So kick off your moving plan at least two months in advance of your last day in your old home. It will also make the experience safer and more pleasant. Oh, and chiropractors are expensive, so lift with your legs, not with your back.
And that’s our two cents!
