If you want to move but your finances are low and you cannot afford to spend much on a move, here are some great ideas on how to do it and also on how to save money from moving. You can relocate on a small budget, but it is going to cost you preparation, time and effort. Having a larger budget for a move could allow you to hire movers and save from your time. You could consider postponing the move, if possible, in order to save some more money. Otherwise, don’t get desperate, there is a way out of this situation! Below you will find some great suggestions on how to move out on a low budget.
How To Move On A Tight Budget
- Do you have any savings you could use? Even if you want to move on a small budget, having some savings is always a good idea. The reason is that almost always the move comes up to cost more than planned. In this case consider that you need to have at least 10 to 20% more to the moving budget you wish to spend. If there is no way to do that, decrease your moving budget more to make a reserve.
- Consider what extra costs you may have when moving on a tight budget. When moving on a small budget it is important to have in mind that you may encounter having to make extra spendings. Talk to the movers about all the details of your relocation, if you will be hiring a moving company, because after signing the moving contract you automatically allow them with it to charge you extra without informing you, like for example if the movers have to walk up the stairs or if the driveway that leads to your home is too narrow and a smaller than the truck vehicle has to be used to carry the boxes to/ from your house/ apartment.
- You can read about the other hidden moving costs on this link.
Make some savings if moving on a tight budget! Even if you don’t have much money to move, there are a few simple ways to help you with that. You can make a garage sale, for example, or put up ads online for things you wish to sell. Just consider that you need to estimate technically the time before selling an item and getting the money from it, i.e. the bidding period. A garage sale is a good idea, because you get the money right away, and you get rid of things you won’t be moving. - If you are relocating on a small budget, use the tips in this article to find free packing materials!
- Start as early as possible. This will give you time to develop a low-cost moving strategy that will suit your budget and the time you have available. That is start packing as soon as possible, too. If you go to work every day full time like most people, just do a little bit every day. Start by packing things which you won’t need until after the move like sports equipment or clothes for another season.
- Separate trash and things that won’t be relocated. While checking out what to pack, you may notice things that you won’t use any more and you can decide whether to sell them or throw them away. If there is an item that’s good to use but you don’t want to take it on your move and you are low on moving finances, why not sell it and make some money out of it? You still have a choice how to use those money – for the move or for something else. Alternatively, you can hire a discount moving company.
- Follow practical state-to-state moving tips form a real-life moving company. Long distance relocation prove to be really cost-intensive and each handy tip towards lowering the expenses may introduce huge improvement in your moving budget. Consult your mover on every cost-related question that you have doubts upon. Each uncertainty about the financial parameters of your upcoming move may lead to an unexpected growth of your total moving expenses.
- Look for free sources of packing materials. Here are some ideas on where to get free or cheap moving boxes. You can use the same for supplying yourself with more packing materials – at websites like craigslist, from friends, colleagues and neighbours who have recently moved, you may be able to find some boxes from your own basement or attic, too. Alternatively, you can use items from your own household like blankets and sheets to wrap up larger items; you can store soft and light clothes in drawers; you can place more items at the bottom of wardrobe boxes, if there is some space left. In other words, try to make the best of the boxes, furniture and bags you have by filling them in as much as possible, appropriately of course. Remember not to overload boxes or bags otherwise they would break and you’d have to repack them.
- Look for free moving labor. Think about people you can count on who would care enough to come and assist you. Perhaps these are friends you’ve helped move or with something else, those could be relatives, neighbors and colleagues as well. If you can’t or don’t want to spend money on paying for people to pack and move your boxes, you could get helpers. Make sure you distribute the tasks to be done properly like getting strong men to carry the larger, heavier boxes and women to sign them and carry lighter objects.
