How to Keep Moving Costs Low

Buying a new house usually means spending a lot, and not just on a down payment and closing fees. Moving the contents of your live from one place to another can get expensive, especially if you don’t know where to start. If you need to move on the cheap, consider these tips: Plan ahead. This is just common sense. There’s a reason last minute costs are always the most expensive. When you wait until days before the move to call a moving company, not only are you missing out on an opportunity to gather quotes, you can end up paying a premium for speed. Do it yourself. This is always an option, and depending on your individual situation, it may even make more sense than hiring movers. If you’re moving a short distance or with limited belongings, odds are you can manage it on your own for a reasonable price. Try taking it in stages, and remember to be gracious to the friends and family members who pitch in. If you’re on the fence about moving on your own, there are also some middle ground options, where you pack yourself, and a service or movers ship your belongings to your new location. This is where all that planning comes in handy. Avoid high moving season. If doing it yourself isn’t an option thanks to a cross-country move or a tight deadline, there are still some things you can do to minimize costs. Waiting to move the bulk of your possessions until fall and winter can make a big difference, for instance. Because these seasons are slow for movers, many companies cut rates, giving you the chance to save. Some moving services are also willing to haggle with you, especially in the off season. Check for free packing materials. If you’ve ever worked retail, then you know just how many cardboard boxes get broken down and trashed (or recycled) daily. Many stores will have no problem unloading their unneeded boxes on you. One of the best places to ask? The liquor store. Their boxes have to be extra strong to carry glass bottles. Sell, give away, or pitch everything you can. There’s no sense in paying to pack or move something (especially a large something) that you don’t need, or may not even like.  Moving is the perfect time to turn a critical eye to your junk drawers and closets with that old rule of thumb in mind—if you haven’t used it, worn it, or needed it in over a year, you might as well get rid of it. Some even advocate selling everything. That’s not quite as crazy as it might sound—it allows you to make money off the things you don’t like anymore or need and save on moving so you can buy what suits you in your new place.