Moving on a Budget: Tips to Save Money

The average American will move about 11 times during their lifetime, and with each move, the costs add up. Implementing a few simple solutions can reduce clutter, strategize your moving plan, and save you money on your next move. 

“Moving is a component of selling your home that is often overlooked until the last minute,” says a representative from Sundae.com, a national leader in off-market home sales. “In a quick-sale climate, it’s important to have your ducks in a row and be ready to move with a plan that conserves your time, money and other resources as much as possible.”

Strategies for Saving Money When Moving

Save time and money and create a seamless transition to your new home by putting a few smart strategies in place during your move. You’ll find many challenges are not unique, and there are tried-and-true solutions to mitigating the hassles and stressors of your move.

Declutter Before You Pack

Over time, most people accumulate an assortment of non-essential items—reusable storage containers with mismatched lids, broken toys, remote controls to items that have long since been thrown away. By going room-by-room and weeding out clutter, you’ll get a jump start on the packing process. Some items you might consider discarding include:

• Food that’s past its sell-by date
• Plastic containers with missing lids
• Magazines
• CDs and DVDs
• Kids’ toys, especially those that are broken or missing parts
• Poor-fitting or outdated clothing
• Torn or stained undergarments
• Hangers
• Expired medicine and toiletries
• Old documents
• Outdated electronics
• Instruction manuals
• Party supplies

By getting rid of unwanted items before you pack, you can ensure that you’re bringing only your valuables and essentials to your new home.

Strategically Book Your Movers

Not all moves are created equal when it comes to the final bill. Moving on a weekend or holiday is much pricier than moving midweek, while moving during peak season (early summer) will often cost more than moving during an offseason. By strategically booking your movers (Monday through Wednesday) during an off-peak season (generally late fall through early spring), you can save on moving costs.

Speak With Your Utility & Service Providers Before Moving

The last task you want after arriving at your new home is to spend days trying to secure electricity, water, gas and internet. On the other hand, you don’t want to wind up paying for these utilities at both houses at the same time. By coordinating with your utility providers before you move and setting a firm date for services to begin (or switched over to your name), you’ll be able to make a seamless transition. Don’t forget to ask about new customer specials and promotions.

Get Creative When It Comes to Collecting Moving Supplies

If you’re buying your moving supplies at the store, you could miss out on a chance to save money. Many moving supplies can be found secondhand or repurposed, whether getting free boxes from the grocery or liquor store or using clothing or other soft items in lieu of bubble wrap. You’ll save money and secure a more eco-friendly option for your move.

Moving House: Pack It Yourself

Full-service movers not only move your items from one residence to another; they may even pack and unpack for you. This level of service can come at a cost, and full-service moving companies often won’t pack items like foods, plants, and other potential perishables. By packing your own boxes, you’ll save money and ensure that all your items get from Point A to Point B. 

It’s important to stay organized while packing, and this means carefully labeling each box. Whether you opt to pack like items with like items or pack in the order, you’ll need particular things, knowing what each box contains can be the key to post-move organization.

Consider Shared Load Moving House

If you’re moving far away, the cost of transporting your items cross-country can be steep. By partnering with one or more other households moving to a similar location, you can share costs. Though it may take you a few extra days to have your belongings delivered to your new location, the cost savings are significant, often over 50% of the cost of a conventional move. 

Plan For Meals in Advance

Living on a takeout diet while moving can be bad for your health and your wallet. As long as you have a fridge, stove, microwave, and access to a few pots and pans, you can easily meal plan for the first week or two in your home. Strategically shopping and maintaining ingredients for a few key meals can cut costs. Batching easy-to-freeze foods such as soup, lasagna, or breakfast burritos provides quick prep during the hectic moving and unpacking period.

Other Ways to Cut Costs on Your Next Move

A few other ways you can reduce the cost of your move include: 

• Hire movers directly rather than going through a central moving company.
• If you have lots of books or other heavy items, ship them directly instead of including them in your moving truck.
• Use large plastic bags or cling wrap to keep items secure in dresser drawers without having to remove and box them all.
• Have a garage sale while you’re packing to get rid of extra items while earning money in the process.
• If you are quick selling your existing home before your move, you can save money by skipping the realtor fees. You can see what others are saying about Sundae.com reviews.
• Consider driving your own car (or having someone drive it for you) for long or cross-country moves. Transporting a car can become costly fast.

Though moving can be a stressful process, the outcome is worth it. And by using some of the strategies above, you’ll be able to reduce stress while also reducing your financial outlay, giving you more budget wiggle room when it comes to decorating and outfitting your new home. When you implement tactics to reduce unwanted stress, control the strategic aspects of your move, and cut the overwhelming costs of a move, your relocation becomes less of a chore. Embrace the adventure of a move by implementing steps and strategies for a cost-effective and smooth house move.