It’s Flashback Friday! Each week, U-Pack revisits a blog topic that’s been helpful to our readers in the past. Today’s flashback is: Moving Rates Cross Country. If you’re curious about how much it costs to move long distance, this post provides some great information. Happy Friday!
Free, Instant Moving Rates for your Cross-Country Move
From New York City to LA is about 2,800 miles (or 42 hours by land). From Miami to Seattle, is about 3,400 miles (or 50 hours by land)—even further. Have you determined how many miles (and hours) to expect for your move? I used the Rand McNally Mileage Calculator to figure it out.
I have to admit...looking at those numbers makes me cringe. Fifty hours is a long time to be in a vehicle, much less moving cross country in a rental truck.
When I look at it from that perspective, it makes even more sense why so many people use U-Pack for their cross country move. The moving rates compare to truck rental—but U-Pack does the driving!
If you haven’t gotten one already, U-Pack makes it easy to get free moving rates for your cross-country move. Just enter your “moving from” and “moving to” locations, an estimated move date and the approximate size of your home in the form to the right, to see your quote instantly.
If you have questions about your cross-country rate, we’re here to answer them! Just leave a comment below.
Moving cubes, what a great idea! That’s exactly what U-Pack thought when we designed the ReloCube®, a 6’ x 7’ x 8’ portable moving and storage container that sits flat on the ground.
What makes it even more perfect is that you can rent as many as you think you’ll need, and pay only for what you actually use. That’s right. Let’s say you’re moving a one-bedroom apartment and you’ve got a lot of stuff. You’ve completed every space estimator you can find and you really think you need three moving cubes. ABF drops three cubes off at your apartment, you start loading. Half-way through, you decide you don’t want the raggedy old couch and matching chair, or the five boxes of clothes you don’t wear anymore—donate. Now it looks like you can fit everything into TWO cubes! When the ABF driver comes to pick up the cubes, you simply tell the driver you only used two (and he will notate it on the Bill of Lading by writing in the cube numbers). When it’s billed, you’re only charged for two! Customer’s love the flexibility.
So, if you’re moving a larger home, a small apartment or you need to safely ship items like motorcycles, U-Pack has you covered.
The Moving Cube’s Construction The ReloCube is a custom-built, weatherproof container. It’s equipped with logistics tracking for tie rings to secure your items in place. It sits flat on the ground for convenient loading and unloading, and fits easily into a standard-size parking space. Just place your own padlock on the Cube for added security and you’re ready to go. They can be used for moving, storage or both.
Reserving a Moving Cube It’s easy. Once you get a free moving quote, you can reserve online or by phone—800-413-4799. No down payment or deposit is required!
Since 1790 the U.S. census has been tracking the mean center of the U.S. population. According to this infographic, titled How Moving Companies are Changing the U.S. Landscape, at first count it was 23 miles east of Baltimore, but over the years it has moved steadily west, and more recently south. I’m certain I would have never guessed the current population center (as of the 2010 census). Plato, Missouri — an incorporated village in Texas County, Missouri with a population of only around 2,000.
The infographic also depicts the “30 Best Cities for Starting Over,” the “Top 10 cities in the U.S. by Population,” and “The Most Common State-to-State Moves.” It’s definitely worth checking out.
If you’re on Twitter and you’re U.S. military family, there are some fantastic resources at your fingertips. Because U-Pack is involved in so many PCS moves, we try to stay on top of the leading military resources. Check out our list of the 15 Military Tweeters You Should Be Following—I think you’ll find some of the best. @ABFUPackMoving follows all of them, and we think you should too!
@Militarymommy01 I’m not sure where she finds all of these great deals, but there’s no doubt the folks following her love them!
@MilAve_Leanne If you’re passionate about supporting the military, you’ll enjoy these tweets.
@MilitaryAvenue Great support for the American military family – information on relocation, travel and lifestyle.
@Armywives101 She shares awesome deals and provides great support for military wives.
@Mildutystations These tweets offer a wealth of information. From recipes to relocation to travel—you’ll love it!
@MyMission2Save If you’re a bargain shopper (and who isn’t these days), you definitely want to follow these tweets. Great place to find deals at the military px and bx, commissary deals and more!
@troopswap This is where you’ll find a ton of awesome exclusively military deals.
@ArmyWifeNetwork If you’re looking for a great resource for connecting with other military spouses or getting support through blogs, podcasts and columns, you’ll find it here.
@FrugalNavyWife The Frugal Navy Wife knows how to save. You’ll get several tweets a day with some great, too-good-to-pass-up deals.
@spouseBUZZ They are very active tweeters at @spouseBUZZ. You’ll love all of the great info they share. Definitely worth following.
@marriedtoarmy There’s absolutely a reason they made our top 15 list—you’ll find very active tweeters who are fantastic at interacting with their followers. If you need questions answered about a new duty station—follow @marriedtoarmy.
@OpWeAreHere They are all about supporting the military family at @OpWeAreHere. You’ll find more helpful resources than you can imagine—and lots of opportunities for free stuff.
@FrugalArmyWife Another fabulous place to find tons of deals. It seems like the tweets some kind of deal literally every two hours. Love that!
@ChristianMWs This is a Bible-based organization that is designed to provide support to military wives and their families. If you’re looking for support, you’ll positively find it here.
@MilitaryChild If you’re a military family with children, www.militarychild.org is a great resource. It’s designed to support the children of men and women serving in the armed forces.
Any other Tweets you think we should be following? We would love for you to share!
If you reserve a moving trailer, this is what will be delivered right to your door:
A nice, clean, empty ABF tractor and trailer.
Moving Trailer Delivery
The ABF driver will detach the tractor from the moving trailer and leave just the trailer behind. Simply advise him where you would like it parked. The trailer is 28' long, 8.5' wide and 13' tall (from the ground), so you'll want to verify there is a space that's at least 42' long, 10' wide and 14' high for delivery and pick-up. It needs a space that's approximately the length of two full-size SUV's end-to-end for parking.
You have up to three business days to load (so if we deliver on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, the weekend gives you two extra days!). If you need it picked up sooner, just let us know. We recommend checking with your local parking authority, HOA, storage unit, or apartment management to determine how long the moving trailer can be left at your location. There are some locations were parking restrictions won't allow overnight parking. When this is the case, we can normally accommodate a same day drop-off and pick-up or a live-load/unload-please speak with your U-Pack representative for details.
Inside the Moving Trailer
The space inside a U-Pack trailer is actually equivalent in size to a 26' rental truck plus a 10' rental truck. Its capacity is 825 lbs. per linear foot (which is a total of 24,000 lbs.). An empty ABF trailer is estimated to weigh between 7,400-8,000 lbs. Considering this, we recommend parking it only on pavement or packed gravel.
Loading the Moving Trailer
All ABF moving trailers are rear-loading. Some are equipped with swing doors and some with roll-up doors. In most trailers you'll find the footage pre-marked in two-foot increments. I still like to recommend that customers use a measuring tape to mark off the footage in one-foot increments (chalk or tape works perfectly for this). Then you'll know your exact price as you're loading; a benefit our customers love!
Feel free to use blocks and braces while you're loading; they're helpful in preventing shifting in transit. You can nail them to the floor of the trailer. If the trailer doesn't have tie points where you need them, you can use screw hooks and eyes to assist in securing your shipment. Some moving trailers are equipped with logistical points (slots up and down the walls), some have tie rings high on the trailer wall, and some only the wooden floor which allows for the use of blocks and braces. You're welcome to request the type of trailer you prefer-the local ABF terminal will do their best to accommodate your needs.
The Ramp
Your moving trailer comes equipped with a ramp for loading and a ramp for unloading. I say it this way because the ramp doesn't travel with the trailer-it stays with the local terminal. That means instead of packing it in with your belongings, you'll simply place it in front of the bulkhead when you finish loading, and we'll remove it before the trailer begins to travel. Then we'll provide one at the destination for unloading. In most circumstances, if you need use of the entire trailer and there's no room for the ramp, it's no problem. Just notify the local ABF terminal and we'll send another truck to retrieve it. Though it is extremely rare, there are occasional exceptions to ramp availability (in areas not serviced direct by ABF)-your U-Pack representative will notify you of any issues. Click here to view the ramp set up instructions.
The Secure Shipment Divider
Every U-Pack moving trailer comes equipped with a Secure Shipment Divider. You will install it after all of your belongings are loaded. It consists of two identical 4' x 8' plywood panels. The purpose of this secure shipment divider is to separate your belongings from other goods on the moving trailer. Keep in mind that your belongings will never be co-mingled with other household goods (another benefit U-Pack customers love). If your shipment doesn't occupy the entire moving trailer, the remaining space is loaded with boxed, palletized or crated commercial goods. Click here for more information about the Secure Shipment Divider.
Wow! This is a lot of information. But hopefully you'll find it very helpful if you're considering a trailer move. If you have any questions about moving in an ABF trailer, or to get a free moving quote, let us know! We'll be happy to help!
You’re moving, right? Does it sometimes feel like there’s no end to your “to do” list? I hate to add to your already hectic day, but if you’re considering a rental truck for your move, there’s one more thing you’ll need to think about (if you haven’t already)—INSURANCE. Ugh. Not really what you want to deal with on top of everything else, but it’s definitely necessary. If you haven’t talked to your agent in a while, now’s the time.
But before you pick up the phone, keep in mind that you don’t have to worry about insurance when you move with U-Pack—ABF does all the driving—alleviating any worries of having an accident in a rental truck. And it definitely helps that the cost of moving long-distance with U-Pack compares to the cost of moving in a rental truck. If you haven’t gotten a free moving quote yet, I highly recommend it!
Let’s break down how rental truck insurance works:
To help make your decision, it’s important to understand how rental truck insurance works, and what you can expect to pay for it.
First, never assume you’re insured without checking first. Ask your auto insurance provider this question: “Does my personal auto insurance coverage extend to rental trucks with a gross vehicle weight that exceeds 9,000 lbs.?” Likely it will not.
If it doesn’t, it’s wise to add it through the rental truck company. If the unexpected happens (and we all know it occasionally does), the cost to repair or replace a rental truck can be significant. In fact, U-Haul says it would cost around $38,000 to replace a 26’ rental truck! OUCH!
According to U-Haul’s website, they offer two levels of coverage for rental truck customers: Safemove® and Super Safemove®. Both of these provide protection if the rental truck is damaged while in your possession. Including this coverage adds from $75 to $135 to your rental truck price.
According to Budget’s website, they offer four plans: Plan 1 - Damage Waivers; Plan 2 - Supplemental Liability Insurance; Plan 3 – Personal; Plan 4 - Cargo and Auto Tow Protection. The rates for these service plans vary state to state, so only the local agent can tell you how much your price will increase by adding this coverage—something else to add to your “to do” list.
U-Pack liability coverage:
Like I mentioned before, since ABF drives the moving truck, you don’t have to worry about insuring the equipment. You simply load your belongings into the truck, secure them tightly for safe transit and install a secure divider wall. U-Pack will drive it to your new home. Each U-Pack move includes standard liability coverage for the contents of the trailer. You can read more about U-Pack’s liability coverage here: http://www.upack.com/about/liability.asp. And if you have questions about it, make sure to ask a helpful U-Pack moving coordinator at 800-413-4799. They’ll be happy to explain it to you!
If you’re a Culinary Entrepreneur, hoping to open a restaurant, here are some cities you may want to look into: Top 5 Cities to Open a Restaurant.
This infographic looks at the country’s top spots to open a restaurant calculated by business-friendliness and the strength of the local restaurant scene—and there are a few surprises!
If you’re from one of these areas (or a frequent visitor), our readers would love to know your recommendations!
There’s no better time to save a dime! Since the economy has every savvy shopper in an ultra-frugal mindset, discounts and coupons are truly considered a godsend. And you can find them everywhere—the Sunday paper, your mailbox, your email inbox and quite possibly the most prevalent place—online on coupon websites. Much to the penny-pincher’s delight, coupon websites have popped up everywhere. It’s the new craze, and folks all over the country are stocking up on all kinds of products and saving tons of money while they’re at it. In fact, some stores have even come up with new couponing policies thanks to a “backlash” from “Extreme Couponing”. Here’s one such story on MSN Money.
I think that means people love coupons. And if you’re moving, they’re especially good to have. Check out our list of the 10 Best Coupon Websites and tell us what you think:
1. Retailmenot.com. The convenience of online shopping can almost be addicting. If you do it often, you know it can get expensive. If you’re at the online checkout and see a field for “coupon code”, the chances are good that this site could save you a surprising amount. Before you click the “order” button, check here for a discount code!
2. Couponcabin.com. Another great source for online coupons. At Coupon Cabin they work with merchant partners to create exclusive online coupon codes. Just search the product, service or store you’re purchasing from and you’re likely to find a discount.
3. Fatwallet.com. Extra discounts on your purchases are offered by fatwallet.com via a variety of sources. Thousands of people may be looking for the same discounts, and this is the site where penny pinchers can come together and share information on how to save a few bucks.
4. Coupons.com. This site is great for bargain hunting on things like groceries and household items. They even offer local coupons to places right in your neighborhood.
5. Dropdowndeals.com. This is actually a free downloadable plug-in that recognizes what website you’re on and delivers deals. Basically, it’s designed to prevent you from having to search online for coupon codes. You can get coupons, daily deals, local deals and free shipping deals.
6. Techbargains.com. This is a coupon website that caters to tech geeks. If you’re looking to buy a computer or any tech accessories, you’ll want to surf through their plethora of bargains first.
7. Dealcatcher.com. You won’t just find grocery store deals at this coupon website. It’s updated daily with online coupons from some of the most popular online stores on the web. You can also find great consumer reviews and rebates.
8. Coolsavings.com. Get printable coupons, coupon codes and free samples. Enter your zip code and you’ll get local deals too.
9. Shopathome.com. Here you’ll find restaurant coupons, cash back rewards, grocery coupons and free samples—and who doesn’t love free samples? It’s a good place to check for Good Friday sale info too!
10. Couponmom.com. Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom and she’ll give you great tips on couponing, along with tons of grocery coupons. If you’re ready to get in to couponing seriously, this is the site for you.
Are there other couponing websites you love? Share them with us! Oh, and since we’re talking coupons, we can’t go without letting you in on a deal from U-Pack. Mention coupon code “Blog11” to save $25.
It’s Flashback Friday! Today we’re looking back at a post that will definitely come in handy if you’re trying to decide whether it’s more economical to drive a Budget rental truck or go another route. This post focuses on the gas mileage you can expect from a Budget truck and provides some very helpful information. Happy Friday!
According to Budget truck rental’s website, this is the gas mileage you can expect from their trucks:
10-foot Budget Truck – 6-10 mpg with a 35 gallon tank
16-foot Budget Truck – 6-10 mpg with a 35 gallon tank
24-foot Budget Truck – 8-10 mpg with a 55 gallon tank (uses Diesel fuel)
Now, to figure out how much the gas mileage actually impacts your moving budget, U-Pack’s Rental Truck Fuel Calculator is an extremely useful tool. Just enter the city and state (or zips) you’re moving from and to, then click “calculate.” You’ll get an instant view of what you can expect to pay. Calculations are based on current national fuel prices.
How to move WITHOUT paying for fuel
U-Pack is a great solution for moving cross country without the additional cost of fuel. ABF delivers a moving trailer or moving container right to your door. You load it, and ABF delivers it to your new home. Customers love that fuel, taxes AND the driver are included in the price. If you compare your truck rental quote + fuel to your U-Pack quote, you’ll likely see that your U-Pack price is lower! I’m a big fan of paying less, especially when it’s easier, too!
Here’s a great example of how Budget truck rental’s gas mileage can impact your price:
Based on the current national average, fuel for a 1,400 mile move (Denver to Atlanta) in a Budget rental truck will be around $655; fuel for a 2,700 mile move (New York to San Diego) will likely be around $1,300.
Now, let’s look at those same moves going U-Pack and driving your own vehicle.
If your car gets at least 26 mpg on the highway (many vehicles these days get better than that), fuel for your1,400 mile move will cost about $180.00. Fuel for your 2,700 mile move will cost around $350.00. Wow! That’s almost a $1,000 difference on the cross-country move!
So instead of paying to fuel a rental truck, Go U-Pack! We drive. You save.
If you have questions about moving with U-Pack, we’ll gladly help. And getting a free, no-obligation moving quote is easy. Just call or click – 800-413-4799.
What's the hardest thing about moving across the country? Besides figuring out how to keep your plants alive and remembering where you packed the bottle opener (keep it in your purse – you'll thank me later).
Some might say that packing sends them into a frenzy, or maybe it's figuring out the logistics – apartment hunting from 2,000 miles away is kind of a pain. But for me, the hardest part is always the first step: getting quotes from movers.
In-home estimates kind of make me nervous (partly because I watch too much Lifetime) but mostly because I'm not sure what the protocol is. Should I clean up first? I feel that the estimator will get a better sense of my kitchen if the dishes are piled up in the sink rather than tucked away inside cabinets.
I found that the best way is just to call the company directly. I thought I could save time with an online quote, but in most cases, I've just given my phone number and email address to 12+ moving companies that are very persistent callers. And more times than none, the online quote can't be completed and you're asked to call in to answer more questions. Why those questions aren't on the form to begin with is beyond me, but I digress.
After a rather aggressive call with a similar company I decided to call U-Pack. I had used their service when I moved to Los Angeles, but I was hesitant because I didn't want to load the ReloCube myself. Despite my 23 moves, I'm still not a very good packer and I wasn't sure I could convince friends to do the heavy lifting.
I spoke with Daniel who was the most calming moving rep I've ever dealt with. I was so impressed with our conversation that I even told Twitter. He listened to me as I rambled on about my move from LA to Chicago and how I wasn't sure if I'd be able to move everything on my own and oh my god how am I going to fit my couch into a ReloCube?! Sensing my impending panic he told me about MoveBuilder, a service that would help with the labor-intensive portions of my move. I. Was. Sold. From there, everything seemed to fall into place.
Leading up to my move I worked with Angie from MoveBuilder who made sure that I had everything I needed (except for her to fly out to help me pack – I asked). With my apartment full of U-Pack boxes I was ready to go. On the day of my move, MoveBuilder had sent out a team of movers to help load the truck that would take my belongings to the ABF terminal – unfortunately ReloCubes couldn't be left on my street and I didn't have an above-ground parking lot. The team was super friendly and surprisingly fast. And anything that wasn't packed in a box was wrapped in protective paper. That was an unexpected touch that was much appreciated.
I was able to track my ReloCubes along the way and at one point I saw that we were in the same city. Of course, I assumed that every ABF truck I saw during our drive had my stuff in it. My belongings arrived in Chicago a day ahead of schedule, which is something that impressed me the first time I used U-Pack as well. I met the next moving team that MoveBuilder arranged and they were even more impressive! Instead of two guys there were five and everyone introduced themselves and engaged in conversation with me.
Once we arrived at my apartment, they managed to get everything upstairs and unwrapped (remember all that protective paper?) in about an hour. They even bagged up all the paper and brought it to the dumpster for me. After I thought I couldn’t ask for a better move-in process, they offered to help me assemble my furniture, as most of it was taken apart to free up space in the ReloCubes.
It goes without saying that I was once again impressed with the service I received from the very first phone call all the way until the last check-in email from Angie and Autumnn. Thanks for laughing at my jokes, preparing me for this crazy cross-country move, and enabling me to have fun during my road trip!
