Moving can be described as one of the hardest, most expensive things to do. Many people can feel anxiety and stress from the minute that the decision has been made to move. Everything has to be packed and you have to decide on things like whether you will hire a moving company or if you will do everything yourself. There is so much to do and think about, that it can quickly get overwhelming. You will find that many of the things that will save you money, will also save you a bit of stress.
To Do It Yourself Or To Not Do It Yourself?
Many people might be of the opinion that hiring a cross country moving company can be expensive and they would be right. The question is: would it be more expensive to do it yourself? Aside from the actual loading and unloading of the truck, and the drive, if you did this yourself, you would have to pay for many other things. Those can include things like gas, tolls, snacks, and food for the trip, and even hotel stays. All of that will be on top of having to rent a truck for the move.
If you have a professional do it, you can actually save quite a bit of money, as well as relieving yourself of the stress of having to drive a big bulky truck on highways that you are unfamiliar with. The movers can even come in and do the packing for you and the unpacking once you reach your new destination. This can allow you to be at work and earning money instead of being stuck at home trying to shove everything into the nearest boxes.
Visit Your New City
If you are going to be moving to a new city, it can help to visit the new city before you move there. This is for many reasons. You will be able to find out where your new job is if you will be moving for work. You can find out which areas would be nice to move to. You can find out if you will have access to good schools and public transportation (this can save you money when you move there, by not having to spend so much on gas). There are many more things that you can find out by visiting your new city before you move there. Learning all of this beforehand can also mean less stress and trepidation before the move.
Cut It Down
It does not matter if you are moving across town or across the country, use this experience as the optimal time to cut down on your belongings. Aside from easing the stress of moving, this can also save you a lot of money. Consider this, as we go through the process of living, we tend to collect stuff. It might be clothes, books, furniture, hobby supplies, etc. We can probably all stand to get rid of the things that we no longer use or need. When it comes time to pack for a move, you literally go through everything that you own. What better time to make piles of stuff that you don’t need?
Most movers will either charge by the hour or by the weight. Only taking what you need and use, means that there is less to pack (and fewer packing supplies used), and that the total weight will be less. No matter which way you look at it, that will save you money.
Beyond that, you can sell the things you will not be taking. You might have a yard sale, list your items on eBay or Craigslist, or use apps like 5Miles or LetGo. The money that you make from whatever you sell can be used to offset some of the cost of the move. What you do not sell can be given to charity. Make sure that you get a receipt for it, so that you will be able to write it off on your taxes — saving you even more.
