Managing your relocation costs: tips and tricks Let's face it. Relocation can be expensive— especially if you're moving cross country. Here are some tips for managing your relocation costs so they're kept within your moving budget:
Choose a reputable mover. If at the get-go, the price seems too good to be true, it may be. Sometimes the best mover is the cheapest, but sometimes they're not. An unscrupulous or inexperienced mover could end up costing you more in the long run— from increased prices to damaged items.
Figure out what your requirements are. Can you do everything on your own, or do you need help with driving, packing, loading and unloading? While moving services like U-Pack typically cost the same as rental trucks for long distances, adding labor services like packing, loading and unloading will increase your moving price. If you're willing to provide the labor on your own, you'll see a savings.
Does your shipment require door delivery? If not, consider a "terminal to terminal" move, which means you bring your belongings to a local service center to load and unload at a local service center at the destination. You'll often see a $300-$400 savings for a terminal to terminal move. This is ideal for small shipments.
Is your move date flexible? If it is, choose an off-peak moving day. Typically, the best days to move are Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the beginning of the month. You can expect Mondays, Fridays, the end of the month and days surrounding holidays to be more expensive— avoiding these days should lower your relocation costs.
Do you really need everything you're moving? Remember, with U-Pack, you only pay for the space you use. So, while you're packing, if you discover things that you haven't used in a while, and you're not sure if you ever will— throw it out, sell it, or give it away. If you only move what you truly need and want, you can chisel a little more off of your relocation costs.
It's all about how you're moving, where you're moving, when you're moving, and what you're moving. If you can get a handle on all of these, I think you'll also have a handle on managing your relocation costs. If you have questions about managing your relocation costs, give us a call at 800-413-4799, leave a comment or click on the "Ask the Experts" tool.
