7 Key Ways To Reduce Moving Costs, According To My Mom

Are you moving home soon?

Well, if you’re buying make sure to get your free credit report before you go – it’ll help you make sensible financial decisions during the move.

Also, make sure you follow these simple processes to get your move done as cheaply as possible.

Have a plan. It should be obvious, but planning lets you think about the ins and outs of moving and lets you estimate the costs. You can find a removal checklist online easily. Grab one and use that as the basis of your plan.
Have a clear out. The less you have to move, the cheaper your move is going to be. This is common sense, right? So, make sure you take a day or two before you call the removal people to go through your current home and get rid of all the things you don’t need. I guarantee there’s a lot of stuff you’ve accumulated over the years that you never use. Sell it or junk it.
Have many quotes. Moving is expensive but it can be dramatically more expensive with some services than with others. If you shop around for different quotes, you’ll be better positioned to negotiate with your preferred service provider and to save some serious coin. Last time we moved, the difference between the highest and lowest quote was over $1,000! So, seriously, check it out carefully.
Have boxes, don’t buy boxes. Boxes from moving services cost a fortune. This is outrageous as the service often takes them away once they unpack. Go to your nearest store, hunt around your office, and ask for boxes. People constantly have more boxes than they need and giving them away is better than throwing them away. If that doesn’t work, ask for them on Facebook… you’ll have friends with boxes. Everyone does.
Have the right date in mind. Summer moves cost more money. Everybody wants to get in on the nice weather and that means moving companies are busy. When companies are busy, they charge more money. Consider shifting home in Winter or Spring and see how much fat falls off the quotes for shifting your home around.
Have help at hand. You can always ask friends and relatives to pitch in with a little help to get things moved, particularly if you don’t have a huge amount of stuff to haul. When we moved home the first time, we used a convoy of friend’s cars to get the job done. We paid for pizza and beer for everyone involved. It was way cheaper than hiring a service.
Have utilities done on time. You don’t want to unpack in the dark. Make sure the utilities are connected on time and that meter readings have been done just before you move. This will make sure your first bill isn’t a nasty surprise.