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How much does it cost to move across country?

Category: Cross Country Moving
 
Posted By:
Jeremy
12/20/2012
3:36:14 PM

Typically we just do “Flashbacks” on Fridays. But since we’ll be away for a few days over the holidays, I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and bring back some other reader favorites. The “How much does it cost to move across country” post is hands-down the most read post on the blog. And it makes sense because cost is such a big deal to people moving in this economy. After you finish reading, be sure to check out the comments section for even more valuable moving advice. Happy Holidays!!

How much does it cost to move across the country?
It’s the question we get asked most often. And since everyone has different stuff to move and is likely moving to/from different parts of the country, it’s the question that’s the most difficult to answer generically. But, U-Pack can provide a quick, free moving quote with your specific move details so that you'll know the price to figure into your moving budget.

Here are some factors used to determine the cost of your cross country move:

What moving service you use
Full service movers typically cost more than self-moving services. So if saving money is your ultimate goal, you’re better off with a self-move. Even if you add moving help separately to provide help loading the large items, it’s still normally MUCH cheaper. And, if you choose a service like U-Pack, you can pay self-move prices without having to drive the moving truck. I call that a win, win.

Where you’re moving from and to
Location, location, location. If your move is 3,000 miles, common sense tells you that it’s going to cost more than an 800 mile move. But, did you know that if you’re moving out of a location with an excess of equipment or into an area that needs more equipment, companies like U-Pack may be able to offer discounted rates? You can find that out by getting an instant moving quote.

How much you’re moving
Again, common sense tells us that if you’re moving a 4-bedroom home the price will be higher than you would expect to move a studio-size apartment. The less you move, the less you pay. And you know what that means... it’s time to pare down. You’ll find that leaving behind the stuff you don’t use or need is a huge money-saver in the long-run. Whether you donate it, have a garage sale, or throw it away, your cost to move cross country is definitely impacted by how much you’re moving—especially with U-Pack since you only pay for the space you use.  

When you’re moving
Similar to hotels and airlines, moving services also offer peak and off-peak days. The best days to move with U-Pack are typically Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the beginning of the month (excluding holidays). Ask your U-Pack representative what the lowest price day is for your move.

So, you can see that the cost to move cross country is dependent on just a few factors. If you would like to see the price for your move, getting an online moving quote is easy—there’s no risk or obligation. No one has to come to your residence for an in-home estimate, so you don’t have to worry about high-pressure sales tactics. It’s a simple process—just enter some basic information about your move and you can see the price instantly. Have questions? We’ll be happy to help. Just leave a comment below.



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Comments
Name: Erin Lampa
Date: 1-18-2010
As a moving consultant, I often recommend ABF Upack to my customers, especially if they are on a budget and are willing and able to do the move labor on their own. However, when all is said and done, the price difference between a full service move and a self move is really starting to become smaller and smaller as the van lines lower their prices to meet the needs and demand of this economy.
Name: Lori
Date: 1-18-2010
While I think you're right that during a recession van lines begin lowering prices, historically they raise them as the economy begins to recover. You'll find that self-moving services like U-Pack are consistently the most affordable way to move long distance. Of course, not everyone can do their own packing and loading. When that's the case, services like MoveBuilder with packing and loading assistance are a good alternative.
Name: Alice
Date: 3-8-2010
how do you decide what days are peak days and what days are off peak days?
Name: Lori
Date: 3-9-2010
Alice,
What a great question! Peak days are historically days that our local service centers are the busiest - normally Monday, Friday, the days surrounding holidays (and weekends if the service center is open on the weekend). Typically Tuesday and Wednesday at the beginning of the month is the least expensive time to move. The moving calendar tool will show you the best days to move.
Name: Butch Smith
Date: 5-30-2010
Why do all the moving sites pretend to give an instant quote, start you down the process by filling out a form and then need email and phone info before actually giving you information. I leave those sites immediately. If you were honest and didn’t say instant quote I might be willing to get more info, but when my first interaction with you is a lie or a trick, I simply move on.

You wonder why moving companies have a bad reputation? It is because you earn it.
Name: Kay Lynn Clay
Date: 6-1-2010
Butch, actually you can receive a U-Pack free quote without providing personal contact information. The exception would be if our auto-quote system can't calculate charges for your move (moving to a remote area, extremely large shipment size, outside the continental U.S., etc) and then we do ask for an email address to send your quote. If you are uncomfortable doing that, you can always call our 800 number and receive a price without giving your personal information. Thanks for bringing this up. There may be other customers out there who are uncomfortable with this as well.
Name: Norman
Date: 10-12-2010
I agree with Butch Smith. I attempted to get a rough quote but didn’t want to supply my info either--don’t want e-mails/phone calls so I just exited the site. Very frustrating.
Name: Autumnn
Date: 10-12-2010
Hi Norman,
It sounds like you may have experienced getting a quote with a moving aggregator--someone who supplies your info to several companies. I can certainly understand your frustration with that! The good news is that U-Pack is a single company that never distributes your personal information and does not practice unsolicited calling/emailing. When our automated system is unable to calculate the charges for your move (caused by some remote areas, very large shipments, offshore locations, etc.), we do ask for an email to send your quote once it is manually calculated. As mentioned earlier, you're able to call our 800 line to receive a free quote without giving any personal info.
Name: Diana
Date: 6-18-2011
I am cntemplating a move from NY to SC with ABF....When I moved from SD to NY I used United Movers for a few items.....EVERY item had damage...the truck I had & loaded & unloaded had NO damages! Then when I put a claim in they didn’t want to pay it! Also when I checked the listof items they had left my grandfather’s clock off the list! There were only 3 items to pick up & they left one off! Glad I didn’t use them for my same move. What type of insurance does ABF have incase of an accident etc?
Name: Autumnn
Date: 6-20-2011
Diana--it sounds like your last move was awful! I think you'll find a much different experience with U-Pack. Here's a link to more info: U-Pack Moving Liability Coverage. I hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.
Name: Jusitn
Date: 6-23-2011
Does U-Pack offer a military discount? I am currently on deployment and my wife and daughter moved to Washington state to be closer to family. Now they are wanting to move back to Mississippi for my return home. It is not a PCS move im paying it out of my won pocket!
Name: Autumnn
Date: 6-23-2011
Justin, we do offer a military discount! Just mention it when you call for a quote. I think you'll find that U-Pack rates are very competitive and a good option for your wife and daughter. Let me know if you would like me to get a quick quote for you!
Name: Mehowto
Date: 6-28-2011
Hello, thanks for the useful info. I will have to start adding up all my costs. Oh dear, I bet it will be expensive :(. I know how costs to live alone but the moving costs never offured to me. I can be silly sometimes lol. Thanks for the article.
Name: Natasha
Date: 7-16-2011
Great Article. Before contacting the moving company for a quote I like to get a ballpark estimate of what I should be expecting to pay. I can then negotiate with the mover.
Name: James Trent
Date: 7-20-2011
Economic cost is indeed a big factor in moving to a new country. But I also found the emotional cost to be higher in some respects. I think it’s a consideration that some people don’t often give much time. My children found it hard and any reassurance about moving to a new country is very helpful.
Name: Autumnn
Date: 7-20-2011
James, you make an excellent point!
Name: Melisa
Date: 8-9-2011
Erin Lampa pointed it correctly. they are on a budget and are willing and able to do the move labor on their own.
Name: Carlos
Date: 9-26-2011
We used U-Pack last summer, it cost $1707 to move my mom’s stuff from Seattle, WA to St. Louis, MO (2100 miles). That was on 7/23/10. Right now, on 9/26/11, they are quoting me $3108 to move my mom’s stuff from St. Louis back to Seattle. So they are charging 1.8x as much, for the exact same service. I just cannot afford that. So I will have to use a competitor.
Name: Autumnn
Date: 9-26-2011
Hi Carlos--I'm so sorry to hear this; we would love to help you move again. Do you recall how much space was used in your move last year? It's important to keep that in mind when comparing rates. Due to the efficient linehaul system utilized by ABF Freight (U-Pack's transportation), the direction which your items are travelling affects current moving rates. I do apologize for any confusion and would like to help if I can. Please feel free to email me directly at publicrelations@upack.com.

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