Whether you and your family are heading across the country or just down the street, movers can make the journey to a new house or apartment cheaper than you might think. Here are a few great tips to help save you money on your next move. The simplest tricks involve keeping your hourly usage down.
Pack before the movers come
This one should be obvious, right? But some homeowners think they can wait until the last minute or underestimate how long it will take to pack.
Often, customers aren’t fully ready to go, and it’ll add an hour or two onto their move. It’s not realistic to assume that you can pack the house while movers get started moving. You can save a lot of money if you pack your own belongings, but make sure that you pack them well so they do not get damaged in transit.
Move when it’s least convenient
You may not want to hear this, but you want to save money, right? Move during the winter and during the middle of the week, which are off-peak times. Summer months and Fridays through Monday tend to be the busiest, and therefore the most expensive, times to move.
Get rid of your junk
Moving companies base their fees on factors such as cargo weight and the number of vehicles provided. So, an upcoming move is a great excuse to get rid of unused items. By lightening the load, you may wind up with more money in your pocket. You are likely to save some money simply because you have less to move.
Ask your employer, or Uncle Sam, for help
If you are moving for business purposes, ask your employer to cover some of the moving costs. We are seeing a trend toward lump-sum payments by the employer that the employee can spend as they like toward their moving expenses.
If the boss says no, you may still be able to get help from Uncle Sam. That is, even if your employer will not pay for any of your relocation expenses, you can still deduct some of these expenses on your income tax return.
