Ask the Readers | Frugal Moving Advice
Attention, FG community! A reader needs your help. She's got a cross-country move coming up, and she needs some tips on doing this frugally.
I've only ever moved a few miles at a time, so I am no help here!
I know many of you have weathered long-distance moves, though, so could you read her question and share your best ideas with her in the comments?
I'd love to hear your (or others') thoughts on how to move on a budget. My only major move so far has been within the state as a single girl without much to transport. Over the past few years I've acquired quite a few household essentials, a husband, and a newborn, and now need to move them all across the country. Our move date is a bit flexible, and we have the option of staying with family for a few weeks between leaving and arriving.
I'm hoping there's a way to leverage that flexibility to reduce moving expenses. Some local friends can pitch in a bit on this end, and we have a few friends in our new town, but we don't want to rely too much on helpful folks.
We'll need to move two vehicles, and driving them or a moving truck across the country ourselves isn't an option for us.
I know there's a lot of collective wisdom in the FG community, and I'd be grateful to hear ideas for navigating this move.
-Catherine
Alrighty, readers! Leave your moving wisdom for Catherine in the comments.
If you're running short of space in the truck, it may be cheaper to mail all of your books to yourself than to rent the next larger truck and pay the extra gas. The post office offers special reduced rates for books.
I mail a lot of books, so I do use the "media mail" rate, but FYI, it's about $2.50 per book.
military spouse here! moving is our life! thankfully the army takes care of most of the cost. are you taking one car with you? or can you trailer it on the back of a moving truck? how many people are you moving? a family? just a spouse and yourself? that will weigh in on how it tell you to do this frugally. when we move we always give our kids a tub. in this tub they have the toys they will want to play with (usually we are living in a hotel for a few weeks as we wait for a house to become available) and their lovies are ALWAYS in this box so they don't get lost in a box that the movers have packed. we pack any special memorabilia in a separate box with us as well (wedding album, hard drive with all our pictures on it anything you would devastated if it got lost) and that goes in the car with us. I also pack a kitchen tub and I put basic cooking supplies in it so that when we get to the new house we can start cooking right away and stop eating out. we were lucky this last move to need to purchase a box trailer to transport my husbands Harley so we packed everything around the Harley and it was a HUGE help. we kept our carpet cleaner and vacuum out of the movers hands as well so that I could vacuum steam clean new carpets before everything was put into place in room. bring a cooler for snacks/lunch on the road. pack ALOT of water, stop at rest stops and stretch your legs and let kids run around (also we have a dog and this is where he got to stretch his legs). in our family we have to drive both vehicles behind each other - I had the kids and luggage and my husband had the dog and the trailer.
If you are having a transport service move your cars use this tip. Have one of them picked up about 10 days before you leave and have the other one picked up right before you leave. That way you will always have one of your cars available and won't have to rent a car at either end of the move.
What was cheapest for us last time we moved was those storage pods, where they drop them off in your driveway, you fill them up with all your stuff, and they come and pick them up and drop them off at your new address (and can store them for however long you need as well, which we did). Definitely look into the different options regarding those, we had no issues other than the local company in our new town dragging their feet to deliver it (due to a snowstorm that they KNEW was coming and they KNEW we were scheduled to get our stuff delivered the day after, but they allowed our stuff to get snowed in and didn't deliver until I contacted corporate to complain, three days afterwards. I was understanding about one day to dig out, that was fine, but three was ridiculous. All our stuff was delivered safely and in one piece with no other issues though!).
And as you're packing, weed stuff out. If you don't use it, don't enjoy it, get rid of it. Be brutally honest with yourself. You're paying to transport these items, so don't pay to transport something you don't actually need. That'll cut down on your costs immensely. (For example, my husband hadn't bothered to go through these boxes of his for eight or nine years and thus had moved things like an empty cell phone box from 2005 THREE TIMES. Don't do that.)
Best wishes on your move!
If you aren’t going to drive a moving truck or your cars then your options for saving money are pretty limited. The pods someone suggested is a good idea. Pack all of your own stuff instead of hiring out the packing. Use this as an opportunity to purge stuff you don’t need.
I mostly agree with packing your stuff yourself, with an exception: if it's delicate or breakable, have the movers pack it. That way, they're responsible for the costs of damage if the thing breaks.
Also check your insurance options. IIRC standard insurance pays you less $1/lb goods, which is nothing.
I agree with Laura. We moved from Baltimore to Charlotte last summer and did it all ourselves. It wasn't fun at all, but we saved so much money! We had several moving companies quote us for just packing the truck and delivering it. We were willing to do all the packing of boxes ourselves. We were moving a typical four bedroom home-nothing terribly strange or heavy--not even appliances other than a washer and dryer. Their estimates ranged from 12,000-17,000!! We were absolutely floored! So, needless to say, we rolled up our sleeves and did it ourselves. We even found that the PODS were more than we wanted to pay, simply because they also have to be loaded on a truck and delivered somewhere.
It sounds like you have some time so I would use it wisely! We packed in small spurts over the course of two months. We designated an area in our home for packed boxes and started with all the stuff I knew we wouldn't need. We went through every closet, drawer, rubbermaid container, etc as we went and got rid of so much stuff! (And I don't consider myself a "keeper" at all, but I was ruthless!) We sold stuff, gave it away, threw it away if we had to. We ended up with one of the largest UHaul trucks packed FULL. My husband is a packing genius, and we had stuff in every possible spot. We made one trip (to deliver a car) with the large truck, then turned around and went back for the other car and to bring a small Uhaul down with the remaining items. It wasn't fun but, after we were settled, we estimated that we only spent about $2000 TOTAL! Very worth it!
Remember to keep all your receipts. If you're moving for a job, those costs are tax deductible. Also, whatever you do, DO NOT use Budget truck rental. We've had several terrible experiences with them. UHaul costs more but it's worth it! Best of luck to you!
We moved ourselves too. Our Triple A card saved us 30% on a truck rental and their truck fleet is new, so no issues with their truck breaking down.
We used ABF's Moving trailer: https://www.upack.com/moving-services/moving-trailer.asp. It was cheaper for us than one of the cube companies or ABF's cubes. We've also used a service like this to pack the trailer or unload on the other end: https://www.uhaul.com/MovingHelp/. I would highly recommend that, especially if you don't have a lot of help around. They were so fast and efficient!
I second this option. I had recommended this option to a co-worker after reading this blog: https://www.sixfiguresunder.com/saving-money-on-long-distance-move/
He moved from Iowa to South Carolina and was very happy with how it turned out. You pay for how much space you use.
We have used the ABF pod once and ABF moving trailer twice for big cross country moves. Very flexible and inexpensive. I would highly recommend!!
If you have large or heavy furniture items that aren't valuable or sentimental, sell or give away and buy new (or thrift store) when you get to your new town. Often the cost to move large/heavy items exceeds the cost of replacement.
If you have an old bed, pitch it and have a bed in a box shipped to your new place. I bought a fabulous king mattress and frame from Amazon last year for about $350.
I was going to say this. This is the hardest thing to wrap your head around initially but it is true that the cost of moving some things far outweighs the hassle of selling/disposing and then buying again.
I think this is wise advice but want to add in here, please try to donate! Either to a thrift store or a shelter/church, FreeCycle, Craigslist free, or Habitat for Humanity or something!
We have done two big cross country moves. I have to second (third?) the moving pods. It was so helpful when we had to drive our cars to our new detonation. The only downside is they can be delayed a bit, but if you have those few flex weeks it shouldn’t be too bad.
Having friends help with loading and packing up is always fun and helpful (packing party!) Other tips would be having lots of snacks for the road. Prepare for lots of stops with a newborn (in my experience they get really really tired of being in the car seat for long periods of time), audio books and prepping music playlists ahead of time. Wishing you a good move!
Destination*
I haven't made a long distance move in 40 years, so I'm not much help, either. I will say that keeping valuables on your person is a good idea, like flash drives, important paperwork, etc. Most of our moving in the last 40 years has been short distance, but I do remember that it was helpful to pack things in empty spaces, like putting bulky comforters in washer and dryer drums. And I heartily endorse that this is the time to go through your stuff and get rid of whatever you can. I like the idea of ordering a bed to meet you there, and picking up some secondhand furniture rather than taking furniture that you aren't tied to emotionally or financially.
If you're moving for a job, ask your new employer for moving expenses. Even if it isn't something they offer up front, if you ask they may consider it. My husband's new employer gave him a moving allowance, but only because he asked.
Also, rethink driving yourself across the country. Why is that option off the table?
Good question about the driving, Tammy! My husband's got back problems that flare on car trips, so he'll have to fly. I normally love a good road trip, but I'm currently nursing a high-needs baby who doesn't do great in the car, so driving him 3,000 miles by myself isn't an appealing option. We recognize that we will have to pay to have me skip the long drive this time; I consider it an investment in my mental health. 🙂
I'm really appreciating all the helpful ideas about how to save in other ways! Thanks, everyone!
Sometimes you can hire college students to drive your car if your move is close to when a semester starts.
We moved from Tx to Fl and back four years later and were able to do it with about a $2500 budget
We rented a Truck (research price based on mileage. Some companies are less expensive)
As another reader mentioned, we used Moving Helpers - you provide the truck and they come to load it. Then schedule another set of Moving Helpers in your new place to unload. It’s more cost effective than paying a moving company to pack, drive and unload your stuff. (We priced that at $10k. Crazy!!)
We pulled a car trailer on the truck with our smaller car. And then drove our second car. We had three drivers to alternate and it took us a day and a half.
It’s exhausting but worth the cost savings! Best of luck.
And yes - cleaning out, donating and not moving things you don’t love does cut down on your stuff as well!
We just moved!
Get rid of as much stuff as possible.
POD is great option.
Pack coolers for food and snacks on actual trip MOVE to save money.
It is HARD HARD work but so nice when settled, starting fresh and less junk!
YOUR FAMILY IS YOUR TEAM.
I would echo the advice to purge, purge, purge. Also, I'd suggest figuring out exactly what your budget is (or can be) and also pricing out a few different options. We moved a few states over with a newborn and a three-year-old, and it turned out that having the movers pack for us wasn't really that much more expensive so we decided to pay for it. I think if you look at what all the options are, you can see really clearly what you are getting for your money. That always helps me make decisions. Good luck!
Do rely on the friendly folks. If they volunteered, take them up on it. It is part of the good-bye saying rituals, or the greeting rituals in the new place. You might have stuff you can pack early and maybe have a packing party with them with food ahead of time. I LOVE to pack boxes, and am happy to do so for others.
Amtrak ships boxes of non-breakable items; not sure how cost-effective that is, and it depends where you will start and end. So does Greyhound.
Do get rid of things that aren't crucial and replace them in the new place.
Do take photos of your old home and town for your baby to someday look at.
Set a daily and long-term schedules for yourself, (working around the newborn, of course!). You will finish off the kitchen in the morning, after lunch have two hours to purge and pack this closet, then you have to do nothing that evening. Include long-term events, like you have to have all donations out to Goodwill or the foodbank by x-date. (That might be something a friend who wants to be helpful could do for you).
It might be good for your peace of mind to hire a cleaning service for after you are out of your current home.
Figure out what is non-negotiable. Strong packing tape in an excellent dispenser is an absolute for me; none of that fussing around to find the end of the roll.
And of course, don't fill boxes heavier than you can lift. I've seen people listing empty boxing and packing supplies on for-sale facebook groups, sometimes for free. Grocery stores, liquor stores, book stores, college book stores, are good sources for boxes, though if you somehow get official packing boxes, they are uniform sizes and easier to load. And good luck!
My parents just moved from Alabama to central Florida and went with a POD. They paid movers on this end to load (everything fit the guys were amazing) and then selected a delivery date for the pod to be at their condo two weeks later. Again they paid movers to unload. It is move than a Uhaul type move but having everything wrapped and packed by professionals made a huge difference.
First throw out everything you don’t want. A GREAT opportunity to get rid of stuff. Then call 3 moving companies for estimates. Pick one. (Not necessarily the cheapest. Get references.) pack your meds to take with you. Also your jewelry and important papers like passports etc. Pack fragile irreplaceable stuff to take yourself. On the day, open the door and let them at it. They will pack everything - including trash if you didn’t throw it away. Supply coffee, sodas and cookies. Write the check. Catch the plane - or you will probably want to drive, with all your valuables and you need to get your cars there! Make a little vacation of it. (But you will need to have someone at the new home to let them in.)
The last time we moved was only about 10 miles. We used PODS which was GREAT. You load it up. They take it away and deliver it to your new address when you want it. So it can be a day later or a week later or months later. You unpack. The cost was very reasonable as you pack and unpack. I don’t know if they do long distance. I don’t see why not. If they do that is definitely the way I would go for any future moves.
Purging, PODS, and packing any non fragile stuff yourself are all excellent suggestions. At least locally, its cheaper to pack and store one's POD for six months than to have them just move it or keep it on your property. Look at all the options that you could make work.
Since you have some flexibility and are going to hire a moving company, try to move off cycle. For our area that means mid-month as the start and, particularly the end, are more expensive. Also consider what the typical annual rental turnover month is both where you are and where you are going. Here it's August which will again drive up the cost during that month. Most moving companies will ask you when you want to move, but will be responsive to your asking them when they will give you the best price.
Finally, the cheapest mover is not always the best. Especially going cross country there's something to be said for paying a bit more for things arriving on-time and unbroken.
I used UPack for my last move and recommend it. The price is the most reasonable I found and includes the driver and fuel, and you only pay for the linear feet you take up in the compartment. With some expert volunteer packers who must have been all-stars at Tetris, I ended up using less space than I estimated. You get 3 days on each end of the trip to pack and unpack. Also, ask friends to save their used padded mailing envelopes and packing materials if you have some time in advance. Use an online community bulletin board such as nextdoor.com to find boxes for free. Put books in small boxes, no bigger than the boxes a case of paper comes in. I've moved probably 15 or more times, only had a mover pack breakables once, and have had maybe 2 or 3 dishes break. It can be done. And I've finally realized the value of hiring a piano mover.
My husband and I have made a cross country move. Research all possible ways and costs of moving. Consider getting rid of furniture if it costs more to move it than the furniture is worth. It may be cheaper to replace it via Craiglist rather than moving it across country. Keep of course if family heirlooms, etc. Research and really think things out. Have fun with your new adventure. Wish you all the best.
Grocery stores and wine shope are good sources for free cardboard boxes. Craigslist also helped me find free packing materials like bubble paper. I use clothes to pack and cushion delicates to reduce need for packing materials. Uhaul brand paper tale is the best, can be torn with one hand, and you can use a marker on it- so that’s something I’m willing to pay more for (vs plastic tape). Start packing early so you can recognize which items you might want to sell. Good luck!
I came here to say the same - packing your coffee cups and dishes in your fluffy sweatshirts or towels cuts down on packing material, cuts down on overall volume, prevents boxes from getting too heavy. I also combined half full book boxes with puffy jackets to keep the weight manageable.
If you are going to hire a large van while using a moving company you may be able to pack your car and have it loaded into the van. I have seen this done but I don't know what current regulations may be regarding doing this.
I pack a "first box". It has paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, hand towel, light bulbs, etc.--all those things you may well want before you even start unpacking. I label it "first box" and ask the movers to load it last if it doesn't go in our car.
I have owned eight homes and lived in at least five apartments. For three of the long distance moves I used PODS, packed everything myself and used a local mover to load/pack the PODS. This is essential for a long distance move with a container because they have the expertise to pack tightly. Buy standard size moving boxes, plenty of wrapping paper and use blankets and cushioning on all furniture to prevent gouging. If you have family at your destination maybe they can help you unload the PODS. For the last move I also used PODS storage. This enabled me to move and live with relatives while I searched for a new home to buy. Perhaps you could consider caravaning your two vehicles cross country.
Good Luck!
So weirdly enough, I moved about fifteen years ago, priced both a rental truck and movers (this was before PODS were really a thing), and found that the movers were not that much more expensive. (This was a one-bedroom apartment, I was taking a lot of kitchen stuff, etc but not much furniture.) It's worth getting some estimates. I was in really tight financial circumstances at the time and told the moving company rep that, and he was able to make some suggestions. In my case, I ended up leaving earlier than I planned because that put me in the off-season before the kids get out of school and moving rates go up over the summer. It also saved a lot of money that the big cross-country truck was able to pull right up to my home. If they have to transfer everything from a smaller truck, it raises the cost (and is risky to your stuff).
But yes, the absolutely best thing you can do is weed ruthlessly. I found out from the movers how much it cost per pound to move something, and did the math on everything that wasn't sentimental or difficult to replace.
Oh fascinating! Do you remember how much it was per pound? Or a rough ballpark number?
PODS are the most expensive pod-style service, so I would definitely suggest looking into ABF boxes (which I've used) and alternatives. The ABF trailer option (where you pack a portion of a huge trailer) is cheap, but the dimensions are intimidating and I wouldn't recommend unless you have professional moving help.
Consider hiring help selectively, e.g., loading/unloading. If the movers are any good, this can be highly efficient, and your stuff will likely be better secured. I would hire help from a professional moving company, not "Hire a Helper," though the quality of the help probably matters more on the loading end.
My parents moved from Seattle to Indiana 3 years ago with PODs. We packed everything and loaded the PODs (1 larger, 1 smaller). They got rid of most furniture, W/D etc but moved a chest freezer, TONS of books, large ceramic planters, some antiques, office furniture, and a lot of woodworking equipment. We packed it ourselves, used blankets around breakables, packed snugly, and tied off sections. We even put a garage shelving unit in there and filled the shelves (a great way to keep weight off of more fragile or odd shaped items) and when it was unpacked, not one thing was broken! When they moved last year from Indiana to New Hampshire, they used PODs again, but had to have them delivered to Portland Maine and UHaul from there - totally not convenient or easy in December!
All the above are good ideas! I would add that I have moved many many times and have helped others pack to move. LABEL EVERY BOX. I have a notebook to write detailed lists, but I label the boxes K for kitchen, BA1 for master bath, etc. And then I number them: K1, K2, etc. That way when people unload at the new place, they know where to put the boxes.
Wholeheartedly agree with labeling every box. Have done 2 cross-contintental moves (one with a 13 mth old--babywearing saved me during packing) with the military, and the moving company's ability to label our boxes was...less than accurate and thorough. And some of the boxes were completely random stuff from several different rooms, which was annoying.
I keep a masterbook of everything move related, from packing plans, to lists of friends who have offered to help, to travel schedule (hotels, phone numbers for out of country portions, snack lists etc.). Having it all in one place makes it so much easier than having loose lists everywhere. I also made lists of ways people could help as I thougth of them, that way I was ready to suggest something when someone asked. On that note, if friends have offered to help, use them. Packing other people's stuff is less "work" than packing your own home. Let them help carry you through these moving weeks, and enjoy the fellowship you get with them. And enjoy food together. Feeding friends is still cheaper than paying for a moving company.
My sister sold all of her stuff and they drove the two cars ( a relative drove one and the family drove the other) to their new home. Then, they went shopping for furniture. The relative flew back home.
We rented a u-haul (for our stuff) and it pulled one vehicle( DH drove that) and a cousin drove the other car with me, a newborn and toddler in it.. The cousin flew back home.
Once, we rented a company to take all of our stuff and a vehicle. The vehicle sustained damage and needed repairs while our boxes of stuff (which were labelled) were torn open. We didn't notice anything taken from the boxes but a lesson is to label the boxes by numbers or letters and you keep the record of what's in each box. Do not write the box's contents on the box due to thievery!
We travelled about 800 miles each time. Good luck to you.
We get emails to join the alumni association of a major university, and one of the perks is discounts for one of the major moving companies. Look at organizations you belong to, or could belong to, and see if anything is offered that applies. Or do the reverse, and ask the companies if they have any discounts that would specifically apply to you, such as because of your profession.
I hired a local moving company to move my daughter across town last year. They really put the move on me. When they arrived, they made it clear they were the ones that did the paper work and could adjust the times so that our bill was less. Of course they needed motivation to do that. Make sure any services you hire are all in writing. I also would check refrences. Some time ago, I drove a uhaul with a car towed behind it. I had a newborn and two small children. We drove at night, split the trip up overnight and went slow. We did just fine. Was my least expensive move.
Pack lightly, in the spirit of a true minimalist. Then when you arrive at your destination, get stuff for free. There are many sites (and groups on facebook) where people post stuff they don't need (everything from furniture to food). If you need something right away, try a flee market first before you buy a brand new item for market prize. Packing lightly makes it easier to move around everywhere, it is just so practical!
One thing to add to all the wisdom here:
Consider going through your things to pack what you need and can't live without first. Then give away the rest. I find that you get more focus if you pack with identifying what you want, rather than what you don't want and you end up with less stuff to move.
I've lived in 9 different countries and I've moved way too many times and sometimes I just want to throw a match at it all and start totally fresh. Instead, just take what is either emotionally very valuable, very difficult to replace, or that you need in your stage in life.
Oh, and ask for help! your friends will feel good to do something for you.
Oh, yeah. This is a very thoughtful view on it. Reminds me on my last purge(s), when I was using the KonMari-Method. I got rid of loads of stuff (even though, if I moved I should do it again) and never missed a single item.
Right now, I am long-term-traveling and renting my room out. It was fascinating to see I only have a very small box of items I find irreplaceable and would be heartbroken if I lost them. So this box stays with a friend. And in order to rent out my room I purged again so the girl living there right now, has some room for her stuff.
Unless you really love it don't take it with you. Do not pay to shift fridges and washing machines cross country, seriously, sell them.
Stuff you do want label the boxes well - I moved twice this year & have REALLY appreciated that I took the time.
I got some boxes from a wholesale lolly factory - they have small solid boxes suitable for books & other small heavy items.
Friends of mine sent 2 MG cars to Europe by shipping container & it was cheaper than car hire for their trip, other relatives moved from one side of the country to the other & packed their stuff in 40L drums taken by a shipping container.
All the best for your move.
We’ve moved several times and my mother-in-law is a military wife so she passed down several tips that are and were lifesavers.
#1 have a bathroom, coffee (or whatever you drink in the morning), and breakfast kit set up in your car so when you get there you have a comforting routine and no need to spend money or go out to get that first cup haha.
#2 I saw another military mom recommend a kit for the kids and I’ll echo that, along with having books on tape/music (downloaded if you’ll be going through dead zones).
#3 if you have a lot of books go to stores and ask for their torn-down boxes and mail them in there via media mail. We paid for box tape and maybe $100 to ship 15 boxes of books to ourselves (and while they got tossed around nothing was irrevocably damaged).
I think that’s it. We’ve always had our moves paid for so (except for one move where we gave away everything and took only what would fit in our minivan) I have no experience on the packing/unloading end ... just the bits in between
1) Boxes.
It's much easier to load boxes that are the same size/shape. One way to get identical cheap boxes, is to get them from a supermarket or liquor store particularly when there's a sale. I once got fantastic boxes when eggs were on sale. The person to talk with is the shipping manager. Promise to take away the boxes that day, and keep the promise! Stores don't have space to hold on to extra boxes and they won't help you if you make their lives harder.
2) Specialized Boxes.
There are a few specialized boxes that may be worth spending the extra money on (if you can't get them free via Craigslist/church/etc). For me, it's glasses boxes and wardrobe boxes; I'm on the fence about dishes boxes. You may want to buy plain newsprint rather than collecting newspapers for things that get dirty (lamps, dishes). Newspapers leave ink on the things they're wrapping.
3) Packing.
Heavy things go in small boxes, light things in big boxes. So books go in small boxes, pillows in big ones. But even better, use soft things to cushion breakables: anything made of fabric or pillows can be used to cushion other stuff. Use generous amounts of shipping tape (paper is easier to use, shipping plastic tape is sturdier), consider using two strips for the bottoms of boxes.
4) Unpacking.
If you can, identify which room each box should be unloaded to. Even if you can't, put signs on each room in your new place for the unloading. Much easier to say "kid’s room" than "down that hall, turn left, second room on the left."
MOST IMPORTANTLY: LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!!!
Every box should list what's in it. Don't just write "books", write "hardback science fiction". Ideally write this on every side of the box[1]. If you don't write it on the box, then number the box (on every side, natch) and keep a good list "Box 1: hardback science fiction books." (With small kids around, maybe you can write your list via voice recognition.) It's more work up front that saves 10 times the effort/time on the other end, plus you can appropriately prioritize your unpacking.
[1] OK, maybe not the bottom. Maybe.
Here are the most helpful "ingredients" in our (very recent) move "recipe":
1. Purge Before Packing - get rid of everything you haven't used in the past year.
2. Find Used Materials - community facebook groups / military families / friends. Avoid grocery store boxes which attract bugs.
3. If you are not driving the truck, this is where your money will go. Get creative. Pods / Shipping containers / Friends. We had two friends help us drive a total of four vehicles 14 hours. We gave them a nice gift card and paid for a rental to get them home, along with food. You just might know someone who would be willing to help!
4. Hire College Hunks Hauling Junk to load / unload the truck. You will save big here, and they work fast! Remember to always ALWAYS feed your movers - pizza for everyone when the job is done!
5. Make a plan. Then revisit that plan over and over. How can you make things cheaper? More efficient? Be willing to pivot if needed. Moving is done best with a flexible plan and tons of communication. Time is on your side.
And even with giving friends a gift card/feeding them, you probably still save tons over hiring a moving company. A win for everyone.
A while ago, I did a move from Denver to Washington, DC. Look into freight shipping via AmTrack or Greyhound. Back in the day, shipping with AmTrack was done by pound and was very affordable. The only thing is that things had to be dropped off and picked up at a train station (so, no door to door service). There were restrictions on what could be shipped, though, and everything had to be boxed up.
Also, because it looks like you will need to have car transport, most transport companies will allow you to pack your car full, as long as the view from the windows is not obscured and the car can still be driven. I hauled a car from Pittsburgh to New Mexico and it cost about $2000 (door to door service). This was about 10 years ago, though.
We moved 3 times in the first 3 years of our retirement and it was really hard and also expensive. I thought I had purged but there was still so much stuff.I would have NOT moved some of our larger furniture if I had it to do again— could have bought new. When I even HEAR of someone moving I get the Heebie jeebies. My most frugal advice is STAY PUT! LOL! The less you move the more money you save. We made a coup;le of “mistakes” in choosing our living arrangements for retirement but it all worked out in the long run.We just spent a bit on The moving and it was exhausting!! S00– why do Americans move on the average of once every 7 years ?? (I think here in Az. It is every 4 years..) Usesd to be we bought a home, lived it in for our entire married lives,Paid it off!!!! That’s where we’re at now,thank goodness!! I know some have to move for work. But the less you move, the more money you keep in the bank! ANd CERTAINLY less stress!!!
If weather is different from current location, pack some changes of clothing accordingly for your arrival to new city. Definitely empty trash cans, we had to dump "packed trash" upon arrival in new state. I packed us on our first military move, numbered every box, and kept a corresponding list with me. Helped to prioritize unpacking only essentials until other boxes were needed. And it helped when movers arrived with our shipment to be able to direct them as to which rooms got specific boxes, or garage for boxes not needing opening immediately. Labor intensive job up front, but paid off on the back side of the move. Skip frugal tips while packing kitchen and use paper and plasticware so you can pack your dishes, etc. I, too, packed a box of necessities for use before truck arrived. Alarm clock, a skillet and cooking spoon, paper products (toilet paper, paper towel roll, all purpose-cleaner, mop/bucket/vacuum), whatever you need to get new house up and running before furniture covers it. And accept help from friends who offer meals while you pack. Just request they bring it in something disposable. Not frugal, I know, but sometimes there just isn't time or energy to be frugal. You will get back to it in the new town. Enjoy the transition to a new area. Creating new memories for a lifetime.
I feel like the easiest way to save money is to be prepared for when you get to the new house. Pack up your basic kitchen supplies in a box that you keep with you or that you will unpack first. This way you can use your kitchen right away and not have to eat out. Taking a trip to the grocery store the first day and getting the bare essentials will help too. Get everything squared away with the new house so that you will have electricity and running water when you move in, so you don't unexpectedly have to stay in a hotel or live without water. If you need something like the carpets cleaned by a professional, schedule it before you move your stuff in. Something you can get an empty house discount as it makes their job easier. I guess what it really comes down to is being prepared so you can save money on expenses you could plan for.
Think about the car situation. Could you sell one before you move and purchase one on the other end? Anything you can let go will save you tons!
What an exciting time in your life! Moving is awesome, stressful, freeing, scary, and all of the feelings. You've got this.
Frequent mover here. Until moving to Illinois almost 4 years ago, DH and I had never lived longer than 2.5 years in any one city, and sometimes multiple locations within the same city. Minnesota, Cincinnati, Seattle, then the greater Chicago area. We paid for all of our moves, except the last one that got us from Seattle to Chicago. Our move out to Seattle was by far our furthest move, and our most expensive. Between shipping boxes freight, buying furniture for the new place (it was cheaper than shipping our old furniture, plus we were majorly downsizing, so what we had wouldn't work in the new place), and taking the Empire Builder train (awesome, highly recommend as an experience!), that move cost us about $6000.
First piece of advice: Declutter, Declutter, DECLUTTER!!
Every single object you move costs money.
Sell, donate, give away as much as humanly possible. If it's something you can easily replace in your new location, get rid of it. If you haven't used it in the past 12 months, forgot you had it, or it's something your youngest has grown out of and doesn't have major, major sentimental value, get rid of it. This includes furniture. And cars.
A big move like this is like a fire, only you get to choose what survives!
When we moved from Cincinnati to Seattle, I got rid of over 50% of the stuff in our 1400-sqft 4-BR 1952 Cape Cod, and it was glorious.
We didn't move any furniture, either sold, donated, or gave it to my parents to use in their new house.
We sold our only car, and then chose an apartment that allowed us to live without a car for 2.5 years to save money.
Second piece of advice: Get multiple quotes, including traditional movers, pod-style movers, and freight. Some moving companies (I'm look at you, Two Men and a Truck) are set up more for local moves, so their long-distance quotes may be much higher than a company that specializes in long-distance moving.
Third piece of advice: Check into move-related tax deductions. Certain moving expenses can be written off as a tax deduction, depending on the reason for the move, and some other factors. If you have a tax expert, use him/her, and if not, check out Turbo Tax. Keep your receipts!