More and more people are deciding to move cross country. One area that’s on the up is Houston, Texas because of low house prices and favorable tax rates. If you’re heading to one of these housing hubs, you may find you have to move cross country. It’s costly to conduct cross country moves. We’re going to show you some of the ways you can save money on cross country moves.
Budgeting Tips For Cross Country Moves
1. Hire Professional Movers
Not only is it safer to hire professionals to handle moving, but it’s also cheaper. Hiring your own truck, if you want to do it alone, will cost you more than simply getting someone else to handle the job. The trick to making this work is to shop around until you get the right local movers. Most of them will have different quotes, but the best companies for long distance moving will stand out from the rest.
2. Move in the Winter
The cheapest time to move is in the winter. The worst time to move is in the summer. The reality is this is when everyone decides to move, so movers can charge whatever they feel like.
Moving in the wintertime will open up more affordable choices for you since companies are competing for business. It may not be pleasant to move at this time of year, but it can save you hundreds of dollars.
3. Don’t Buy Packaging
Never try to buy packaging when you can get it for free. If you can prepare in advance, save all the packaging you can from birthdays and Christmas. This will allow you to reuse it again for wrapping items and boxing everything up. Don’t underestimate how much it can cost to buy packaging from scratch. It can really start to add up.
4. Sell Your Stuff
If you’re willing to take a more radical approach, consider selling your stuff. It’s becoming more common to opt for this because of the high costs of moving heavy items across the country. Unless the item has sentimental value, you have no reason to try to take it all with you on cross country moves.
It’s not unheard of to make a profit off of this venture, either. Many people have bought new furniture in a cheaper location while selling their old furniture for a higher price. You can find great deals and bargains by browsing the catalogs of Online Furniture stores.
5. Enlist Your Friends
If you don’t want to hire professional movers or even hire a truck, see if you can get some help from your friends. They may not have a truck, but they may have a few spare hours available during the weekend and some extra packaging hidden in the garage. This is the ultimate DIY option and the easiest way to cut down on your costs.
Bear in mind that there are some costs that will become absolutely unavoidable. For example, you will still need to cover gas and any motels you need to stay along the way. It’s always better to opt for quality over cost, though. Don’t try to have an amateur pack.
