Moving involves a lot of time and energy. It can also hurt your financial situation if you’re not careful. However, there are ways you can move without exhausting all your savings. Here are some helpful insights for a successful move that will help you finance your move.
1. Have a Yard Sale
While it might be hard to part with certain items, once you go through everything you have, you’ll probably have many items you can part with. Depending on where you’re going, it may also be cheaper to buy new items as opposed to paying for shipment or transport costs. For example, do you still have some good mattresses? Since 1857, spring mattresses have been popular with homeowners who want restful sleep. If you still have mattresses in good condition, you could sell them for a discounted price or donate them to people who need them. Go through your closet and find clothes that you haven’t worn in years to give away or sell at a local consignment shop.
2. Store Items With Loved Ones
Do you have close friends and family that have a garage? If they’re one of the 11% of homeowners who love their garage, they may be able to allot a small area for your items. See if somebody can hold a box or two for you that you can get at a later time. That can reduce the cost of your moving fee, whether you’re using a moving truck or shipping things across the country.
3. Hire Some Local Kids
What is the school district like in your area? Are there kids who sell lemonade and do chores on the weekends? If you live in an area with private schools, you may be in luck. Over 5 million PK-12 students attend private schools that makeup 25% of America’s educational facilities. You may be able to find well-mannered kids from these schools who don’t mind helping you move for a few dollars or even to volunteer. Since private schools often do different activities and charity work in the area, helping a nice adult move might be up their alley.
4. Move In Low Season
The time of year can have a huge effect on your moving budget. Summer is an ideal time for people to move, since kids are out of school, adults have vacation time, and the weather is nicer. However, everyone else seems to have the same idea and is moving at that time! Therefore, there’s major competition for moving services that have a chance to charge higher fees. Plus if you’re in an area with colleges and universities, you may encounter other college kids moving to or from their dorms. Try to schedule your move for the other seasons when there’s less competition and fewer moving trucks on the road.
5. Use Recycled Packing Items
You’ll need boxes, bubble tape, and other items to pack your items. That could be an added expense to buy all those brand-new things. Trying to find some recycled boxes at places like corner stores, schools, friends, family, etc. Instead of bubble tape, you can also wrap certain items around blankets and towels. You can also go to the Facebook or Craigslist marketplace to see if anybody is giving away those items or is willing to sell them for a reduced rate.
Moving locally or cross country doesn’t have to kill your finance situation. There are ways that you can save if you plan properly and follow the above guide. Use recycled items, sell things you don’t need, and don’t move in the middle of summer when everyone else is doing the same thing. Follow these rules and you can have a cost-effective move to your new home.
