6 Ways to Pinch Pennies During A Move

When it comes to the cost of moving, the thing to keep in mind is that not all costs are strictly financial. Moving takes a great deal of time and energy, not to mention generally creating a great deal of stress. One of the key elements of budgeting for a move is to always be asking yourself whether the money you will be saving is worth the stress you will be creating by not spending it. There are, however, a few ways to cut costs that don’t actually create more stress. Here are 6 ways to pinch pennies during a move – and some places you may not want to.

  1. Downsize, downsize, downsize

While you may just be moving a few blocks away, every load that you have to pack, carry, load, move, unload and unpack is costing you something in time, money and energy. The more you get rid of, the less moving will cost you.

  1. Plan well in advance

There may be times when you need to move suddenly, but the more time you give yourself to prepare for a move, the better you will be able to manage costs. This can give you time to get quotes from movers and decide on the best and most economical options for you. In many cases, simply moving a few weeks earlier or later than your target date can actually save you a good deal of money.

  1. Use packing materials you already have

Sheets, towels, blankets socks and t-shirts all make great packing materials and they have to also be packed and moved anyway. You can not only save money but cut down on the number of boxes you need to move by using your linens and clothing as packing materials.

  1. Use recycled boxes

moving boxes

Liquor stores and grocery stores are two places that you can generally pick up as many boxes as you need, for free. You can also check Craigslist or check and see if you have local Freecycle group where you can get someone else’s boxes that just moved.

  1. Hiring movers VS. DIY

When it comes to saving money, there is no universal right or wrong here. While it costs more money to hire professional movers than to pack and move all by your lonesome, it also takes more time to pack and move – not to mention the stress it causes. If you have to take unpaid time off work to move, then it might actually be more economical to hire movers. One way to cut some costs while still minimizing the stress of moving is to pack everything yourself and just have movers come to load, move and unload your things for you.

  1. Be prepared

If something happens and your new home is not ready when you move, the gap between leaving your old home and moving into your new one can be pricey. That’s why it is always a good idea to have a backup plan in place. This can include checking the price and availability of local storage facilities before you move or using an on-demand storage unit to move your things in the first place.

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