You may have heard or read on numerous occasions that the entire process of moving house can be a really stressful experience – an event riddled with unexpected and chaotic turns and twists that can rarely be controlled.
And to make things even more challenging than they really are, you must definitely be aware of the fact that moving all of your possessions from one home to another is also a rather expensive business to start with.
Add high moving costs to the stress of relocation and you get a dangerous combination that should be handled with much care. It is no wonder then that everyone’s desperately looking for the cheapest way to move across country.
If you yourself are moving on a budget, then you either know or suspect how difficult the road ahead of you will be. But don’t despair as the following 13 cheap moving tips, ideas and tricks have been designed with one single purpose in mind: to help you move for less and thus save hard earned money on your local or cross country move.
Ready to learn how to move cheaply?
1. Control your moving expenses
To know how to move cheaply will prove very beneficial for you when it’s time to pay up the moving bill, but the entire moving saving idea should come from the creation of a relocation budget in the first place.
A personal moving budget will help you distribute your money properly among the tasks ahead of you, and more importantly – it will alert you when a specific job requires more financial resources to be completed. This way, you will have a much better control on your spending and will be able to apply minor fixes to make sure the money you have set aside in the beginning is enough.
Did you know: What are the average moving costs?
2. Select the best time to move out
If you have a certain amount of flexibility about choosing your moving date, then use that unique chance as one of your major cheap moving strategies. If you book your move very early, your mover may be willing to give you a price discount for early booking. If you select your move-out day during the off-peak moving season (September-May), you’re likely to get a killer deal around 20-30% off the standard moving companies rates, or even more.
Another budget-friendly moving tip is to avoid scheduling your moving date on national holidays, weekends, and the beginning and end of a month.
3. Save time to save money
Time is money, won’t you agree? Probably the simplest cheap moving idea you can use to your advantage when moving house is to organize your time in a clever way so that you end up saving huge chunks of time. And, by freeing more time on your schedule, you’ll be able to do more work or maybe even have a deserving rest period.
Create a moving calendar to fully utilize every hour of every day so that Moving day won’t catch you unprepared. Consult regularly with that moving checklist of yours and in no time you’ll be saving money by saving time.
4. Find the cheapest rates available
There are a number of good ways to move cheaply, and the cheapest way to move long distance is to find and hire the services of an affordable cross country mover. Now, it’s no secret that that’s much easier said than done but if you do your homework right, you can do it.
Invest some time in hunting down long distance movers with excellent reputation, request accurate price estimates from each one of them, compare the moving quotes very carefully, and go with the company that has offered the best conditions in terms of price and additional services.
Useful: How to find the best movers near me?
5. Move less stuff across the country
Of all the tips for moving on a budget you may ever get, the best money saving advice is as clear as day: move only the things you’ll use again in the near future and get rid of what’s left. It’s very simple, really – the overall weight of your shipment determines how much you’ll pay in the end.
So, if you haven’t used some items in more than a year or you have completely forgotten about their existence, why would you want to pay to ship to across country to another home? Sort out your unwanted items, de-clutter your home and pack only the things that make sense for you.
Read also: How to get rid of your stuff when moving
6. Sell your unwanted items to make money
Knowing how to save money when moving house is good but knowing how to make money before moving out is even better. You just must consider turning your unwanted stuff into cash – extra money that will fuel your moving adventure to a successful end.
Once you’ve made up your mind what to take with you, organize a yard sale for all the things you’re leaving behind. Also, you can sell those no longer needed items online through specialized websites such as eBay, Craigslist or Amazon.
Either way, use the earned money towards your moving expenses.
7. Get moving boxes for free
You may find it a bit hard to believe but your biggest single expense when packing up your home will be the cardboard boxes. The good news for you is that out of all the cheap moving tips, ideas and tricks, the one about finding free moving boxes has been actually proven to work.
You don’t have to pay for your cardboard boxes, at least not for all of them. Get good second-hand cardboard containers from friends who have recently moved house or get them for the asking from local businesses which are required to recycle all the boxes they don’t need anyway. Just think of all the money you’ll save this way!
Interesting: 5 tips for labeling your moving boxes like a pro packer
8. Don’t pay for most packing materials
Speaking of money saving tips, did you know that your home is probably full of packing supplies which you can effectively use as an alternative to the ones your movers will bring? They won’t have the same high quality as professional packing supplies, but at least they will be 100% free of charge.
Baskets, buckets, trash cans, suitcases, drawers, and bags as moving containers, and blankets, bed sheets, towels, socks and other pieces of clothing as wrapping and cushioning materials. Also, you are free to use newspapers as a padding material as long as you don’t use the newsprint directly over delicate items with even more delicate surface.
See also: Your packing timeline for moving
9. Pack all you can by yourself
Regardless of whether you’re still looking for the cheapest way to move short distance or you’ve already found the cheapest way to move long distance, it’s the arduous process of packing that will make the most difference price-wise.
If don’t own any special and valuable items that require individual packing services by professional packers (a piano, for example), then you may as well attempt to pack up your home by yourself (and a few loyal friends, of course). If you can somehow manage to not pay for professional packers, then you’re sure to save tons of money on your local or cross country move.
Good to know: 9 common packing mistakes you don’t want to make
10. Organize a self-move
When moving on a tight budget, the important thing is to weigh your cheap moving options and pick up the one that will let you save the most money. Considering the fact that the average interstate move costs around $4,300 and the average cost for in-state moving is $2,300, then it’s pretty safe to conclude that the process of moving house is a rather expensive affair.
If you can rely on family and friends as helpers, guarantee a moving vehicle of the right size, and decide to take only a reasonable amount of household items with you, then, in most cases, the cheapest way to move locally is to organize and execute a DIY move for the ages.
Must read: Top 5 self-moving mistakes to avoid
11. Explore your job relocation options
If you’re moving across country for work, then the company you work for may be willing to pay a certain amount towards your moving expenses. Sometimes, your company may choose to cover all of your relocation costs, which is the ideal job relocation scenario.
Either way, if you’re moving soon, don’t forget to at least bring up the issue and try to negotiate your full or partial moving cost compensation. It never hurts to ask, right?
12. See if you’re eligible for tax deduction
If you happen to be moving across country for a full-time job and your new work place will be located less than 50 miles from your new home, then it’s possible that you be eligible for certain tax deduction related to your packing, transportation and storage expenses. That’s a monetary bonus you should not refuse, especially when you’re desperately looking for the cheapest way to move out of state.
Keep all of your receipts and documents relative to the cross country move and, upon your arrival, get in touch with a qualified tax consultant to check your tax deduction eligibility.
13. Be thrifty right after the move
Needless to say, your top priority when moving to another house in another part of the country is to use proven cheap moving tips and money saving tricks to keep as many dollar bills as possible, both in your wallet and bank account. However, your efforts to make your move cheaper should continue during the immediate post-move period as well. If not, then your genuine attempts to find the cheapest ways to move across the country could have been wasted.
Resist the strong temptation to purchase new things for your new home right after you’ve moved in. The adrenaline of having moved house successfully may easily temp you to overspend. Don’t do it. Instead, wait awhile until you are 101% sure you actually need whatever it is that you intend to buy.
Read also: 10 essential things to do after moving
Hi there Pamela,
I liked your post and I could not agree more that for a cheap moving you have to leave something you do not need. As a mover I often advice exactly that my customers! Thanks for the info you provide.
Regards Emma
While searching for a cheap moving company, be sure to ask the right questions. A mover who may appear cheaper based on an hourly rate may actually cost an arm and a leg in the end if they add on extra charges such as double drive time, fuel charges, charges for stairs, or even for worker’s comp. Ask what other charges apply to your move before selecting a company.
Great job Pamela. I recall chatting with you briefly about posting to this blog myself but it looks like your doing a great job providing great moving tips. 🙂
It’s a fact that moving houses, isn’t just about physical activity from one town, city or even region to another. Moving is a psychological decision that delivers with it both emotions of enjoyment, appreciation for the past and a certain indisputable sense of loss. What you need, therefore, is a professional who can stand by you and help convenience the conversion from one house to another.
The ideas which you post is really useful to move cheaply but not a huge, we can reduce small amount.but the ideas are really great.
it is important to choose a good professional mover for safe moving.
George at Eastern Connection Movers Says:
When moving your home it is never a good idea to go with the cheapest moving company because in all cases they are not properly equipped-wrong truck for moving,have day labor instead of employees,and are most certainly not insured and do not know the art of moving your precious stuff. Moving requires more then just trained men- rug runners to be placed on floor and of course shrink wrap to be used for your bedding for that air tight seal. Good suggestions: ask to see one of their moving trucks is its a freight truck run away. If the floors and environment in the truck is not spotless then run away. If they do not not have verifiable references run away. Make sure they are insured. By getting an insured and mover with the right equipment and verifiable references your move with get off to a great start.
Awesome post, it seems somewhat obvious but this is really great landing page advice. I think a lot of it gets overlooked far too often.
Make any important travel reservations. Some moves require one or more overnight stays in a hotel. If this applies to your relocation, make the reservations now and do not wait. This is especially important if you need to find a pet-friendly hotel; not all accommodations will take Fifi or Fido. Likewise, if you or any of your family members are planning to travel by bus, plane, or train to move then make those reservations right away.
Thanks for the information on relocation. I am new to the area and had not seen this type of wasp nest. There is a beautiful nest in my garage that reminds me of summer camp pottery class. This looks better than any of my pots ever did 🙂
I was going to go look into pest control, but I will give the mint oil a try. I do love aromatherapy, though I never thought of using it as repellant. I and the wasp community thank you.
its really a great news for any and also be a great suggestion too. but most of the many internet moving company are really can not satisfied their customer.
When you are going for cheap, you need to be careful, not only are there hidden extra charges but often you pay for what you get. To save money but keep your stuff safe it helps to take care of the packing, and pack your stuff well. Also the less time the movers have to work for you the cheaper, so any furniture that needs to be disassembled, removing light bulbs from lamps, and unhooking all your electronics and appliances will save you more money then a cheap mover would any day.
I am totally impressed that you have taken the time to write and maintain such a helpful blog about moving and using commercial movers. As a guy about to move his entire family across country I will take all of the help I can get! 🙂
When planning about moving from one place to another hiring a good relocation Company is important. And if the moving company is giving services at cheap prices then it’s good and beneficial. You really discussed good cheap moving tips.
These are great tips! I am (rather ironically) relocating to Northern Virginia for my new job, and one of my clients is a moving company. I’m pretty sure I’ll be looking into their services and also doing what I can to reduce how much stuff I move. It always feels good to declutter, anyway!
Hello!
If you are interested in moving cheap you can take a look at this website. It has ideas on how to save money when moving, how to get free packing materials like boxes and bubble wrap, how to find a low cost mover, etc.
Good luck with your moving!
Best regards,
Pamela
Hi Pamela,
Nice post! I guess the most important point you made is how to find cheap moving companies and moving estimates details. I am sure every one who is on the verge of relocate to another city will find this post helpful. Thanks
Having moved as an adult around 16 times (and I do mean households, not apartments)….I know a bit about cutting corners and time. I’ve used blankets, throws, coverlets, etc. for wrapping my paintings and artwork for a long time. But what I liked was the suggestion to use the existing furniture to pack things in. I’m using movers this time, packing pretty much alone, and just moving a neighborhood away…so moving day I’ll be good to go and spend little money on packing supplies; using my trunks, chest of drawers and small cupboard to pack unbreakables in will save me time and space. So efficient. Thank you for the tip.
If you want to save money on your move do the following:
Pack everything yourself ( buy boxes in Lowes, Homedepo)
Take apart your bulky furniture ( tables, beds and etc)
Try to minimize number of boxes.
Look for local movers. Local movers will cost you less money.
Moving can be cheaper with these great removal tips and ideas. They are efficient, time saving and easy. This is very helpful of you.
For me, the most important part of preparing to move is getting out all of the clutter! Take the time to really go through and decide if you should keep items — too often people go through the packing process on “auto-pilot,” just stuffing it all in boxes! Moving to a new home is much simpler when you are hauling less stuff!
Great tips, thanks for posting!
Best,
Erika
The Ideas which you have provided to make the Moving affordable are beneficial for those persons who cannot spend more money for moving Services.
Before you start packing your possessions, make a simple inventory system. For every box you pack, place a number on the box and record the contents of that box on a Packing List. Keep your labels, marking pens, tape, and other moving boxes and supplies in a single place (we like to call it Packing Central). If you put your list down, make sure you only put it down in Packing Central so you don’t lose it. Make sure that you are specific when writing down the contents of your boxes.
Before you start packing your possessions, make a simple inventory system. For every box you pack, place a number on the box and record the contents of that box on a Packing List. Keep your labels, marking pens, tape, and other moving boxes and supplies in a single place (we like to call it Packing Central). If you put your list down, make sure you only put it down in Packing Central so you don’t lose it. Make sure that you are specific when writing down the contents of your boxes. http://movingboxwarehouse.com/
Hey Pamela,
Really thorough blog!I noticed the first thing you mentioned was deciding on what to move. I’ve moved a lot in my lifetime and through the years I’ve realized how prioritizing what you need before the move can save you hours of work and money!
Hey Pamela,
I really enjoyed the blog. I agree with what you said about first deciding what you want move. Organizing your belongings and getting rid of junk, donating undesired items can save time and money with any move.
Wow. So everything you do in life should be cheap according to this guy. Does quality not matter? When I move my lifetime collection of items and memories I don't want cheap I want quality.
Great tips. Next month i`ll move into new accommodation, these tips will save me a lot of efforts. Thank you for sharing!
Cheap isn’t always best, especially when moving your household full of important items. Transit Systems is a long distance moving and shipping company that specializes in small moves. We can tell you that if you there are times of the year that are better to move, if possible, such as the winter, now! Many companies will offer deals in the winter when they are not as busy. There are also companies, such as Transit Systems, that offer economy shipping, which for us, means you help the driver load the boxes on the truck. This will save you money. There are additional fees for things such as steps, narrow streets, etc. Make sure you ask and read the terms and conditions – it is very important. The company may not tell you because it doesn’t help them make the sale, but they aren’t running a scam, rather they put it in the paperwork and ask that you read it, so do it! Read the fine print! It will definitely save you money in the end.
You hit the nail on the head by sharing these tips, thanks! I’m glad I stopped by.
I recently moved and your blog did save me some cash! Thanks for the tip about the free moving supplies.
A Small packing tip: When you are packing glass plates it is better to put them vertically to keep them safe and don’t keep any gap in between items place some newspaper so they can’t move while in transit.
Move your house safely and comfortably with the help of some reliable movers and this article has given a lot of useful information, thanks to the writer of this content.
Moving is a cost you more if you don’t do some research, compare some moving quotes from multiple companies, and choose the one which suits your budget.
Hello, Anthony
You nearly covered every aspect of relocating out of state. Moving Vehicles from one state to another, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult challenges. Almost everyone who is relocating out of state is concerned about this. This is where most people go wrong. I recently posted a blog post about why professional assistance is required when moving a vehicle.
What suggestions do you have for this?
Regards
PM Relocations