Moving all your possessions to another location is notoriously expensive. But not all residential moves are equally costly. Moving across town, for instance, gives you plenty of opportunities to cut down the moving costs. You can move on your own, pack and transport most of your belongings by making several trips with your car, and you can always ask friends and relatives to help. Moving long-distance, however, is an entirely different ballgame. You’ll have to pack your earthly possessions safely enough to survive a trip of several days or even a few weeks. You will need professional moving help, and you will have very few opportunities to reduce the moving expenses. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. We’ve consulted experts on family finances and gathered practical tips for saving money on a long-distance family relocation.
Organize a cost-effective long-distance family relocation with our tips for saving money
A long-distance family relocation is an exciting yet very stressful and challenging experience for everyone involved. It’s also an expensive endeavor, and it can be exceptionally hard to find ways to save money.
However, it’s not impossible to have a budget-friendly family move, no matter how far you’re moving. If you start planning on time and follow the five tips listed below, we guarantee you’ll succeed.
#1 Earn Money While Decluttering
Why settle on saving money when you can earn money when moving? A long-distance family relocation gives you a perfect excuse to declutter your belongings. After all, there are plenty of items that are not worth time, money, and effort to move. Why not sell those items and earn some money you can put towards your move? It’s living frugally 101!
However, decluttering can be challenging as we all tend to get sentimental. For example, you may adore the piano you learned to play as a child, but it may be a good idea to sell if you rarely use it. You aim to save money, and transporting your piano long-distance can be pretty expensive.
Nowadays, there are plenty of easy ways to sell unwanted possessions:
- Organize a garage or yard sale.
- Research apps and websites designed to sell used goods.
- List goods on a neighborhood Facebook group or other social media page.
#2 Don’t Buy Packing Supplies
One of the simplest ways of saving money is to cut expenses for your family relocation. Instead of wasting money on packing supplies, get creative and look for everyday items around your home you can use as alternatives.
For example, you can use socks to wrap glassware or towels to separate plates and other dishes. Use the factory packaging to move what was originally in the box or find a way to safeguard more delicate items with these boxes. Most importantly, avoid purchasing moving boxes at all costs. If you do a little digging online, you’ll find many people are willing to give them away.
#3 Find Cheap Movers
You’ve probably heard that you’ll make it cheaper if you DIY your move. This is true, but only if you’re in for a quick move down the street. You can make a few trips with your car and have your friends help unload. It can be as simple as that!
Nn the other hand, moving long-distance with your family, is when finding assistance is a good call. Hiring long-distance movers can help you save money because of various aspects you won’t find during your local residential move. The distance is one of them. It’s undoubtedly cheaper to hire professionals than to make several long-distance trips.
However, this doesn’t mean you should hire the first movers you find. Instead, make sure to:
- Get a sense of what is reasonable in the moving industry for long-distance relocation nowadays by getting quotes from several moving companies.
- Request three or four affordable movers to provide binding in-home estimates.
- Compare these offers, paying attention to the price and the included services and special terms. However, don’t be tempted to accept the lowest estimate you receive. This way, you could pay enormous fees if you fall prey to moving scams or entrust your belongings to inexperienced movers.
- Research movers by checking the movers’ licensing and insurance details, asking for references, reading internet reviews posted by former customers, analyzing the company’s papers, etc.
- Keep an eye out for potential discounts – inquire about ongoing promotions, special deals, coupons, etc.
#4 Travel Cheap
Travel expenses are an enormous part of your moving costs when moving long-distance. Investigate all available modes of transportation to your final destination to decide on the most convenient, cost-effective, and advantageous one.
Therefore, consider the advantages and disadvantages of driving your car across the country. Also, obtain quotes from several reputable auto transport companies to determine the cost of shipping your vehicle to your new state and whether it is a good solution. Then, search for cheap plane tickets (consider taking the train or bus to your new city), and so on. Only when comparing the pros and cons of your specific trip, will you be able to decide what the most budget-friendly option for your family is.
#5 Consolidate your shipment
One of the easiest ways to save money on long-distance family relocations is by sharing moving truck space with other customers. By consolidating your shipment, you’ll save a lot of money. However, you’ll have to wait patiently for your belongings for a while.
The moving truck will make multiple stops to pick up and/or deliver other people’s cargo, so the trip will take longer. This means you’ll probably have to wait a few weeks for your items to arrive. However, if you’re moving to your new house in your car and can bring all your belongings, this may not be an issue.
Good luck saving money on a long-distance family relocation
As you can see, saving money on a long-distance family relocation isn’t difficult if you carefully organize every step. And if you think outside the box, we’re sure you’ll think of plenty more ways to make your relocation cheaper. Hopefully, our tips and advice were able to inspire you!
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