It’s moving time, and you are elbow-deep in boxes and packing tape. You’re relocating on a budget, and it’s important to save time and money and reduce stress along the way. Here are cheap moving tips for a safe and easy move on a budget.
1. Use Coupons
The post office’s change of address packet comes with great coupons from moving companies such as Budget Truck Rental. Coupons often offer up to 30 percent off and are helpful, cheap ways to move. Some coupons include great deals on self-storage units, too. Coupon sites such as Groupon offer coupon deals on a variety of moving necessities, including boxes, furniture dollies, and padded moving blankets. Shop around: If your moving dates are flexible, use a coupon to rent your truck on a weekday and save an extra few bucks.
2. Free Moving Boxes
All big box stores have gently used boxes on hand that can save budget-friendly families a few bucks. Most managers will happily set aside boxes if you just ask. Try driving around your local apartment complex and checking the dumpsters for like-new moving boxes that residents have recently used themselves.
Scan the free section of online buy-sell-trade sites such as Craigslist for free boxes. If you do have to buy a few, self-storage unit facilities often have new and gently used boxes for sale. If you plan to make another move in the near future, save your boxes for the next trip. Once flattened, it’s worth the space they take up to have boxes on-hand for the next move.
3. Recycled Packing Paper
You’re planning your budget-friendly move, you’re cleaning out your closets full of odds and ends, and those old file boxes are a treasure trove of packing materials. Old magazines, school papers, phone books, and junk mail are perfect materials to recycle and protect all your breakables. Just avoid using documents such as bank statements that have sensitive information. Shred those papers before the big move.
Don’t forget all your towels, too. They have to come along, as well, and what better way than by doing double-duty? Wrap precious vases, picture frames, and heirloom knick-knacks with hand towels for an extra-thick buffer while on the road.
4. Host a Garage Sale
A garage sale is a perfect medium for rehoming the stuff that isn’t coming along to the new house. It’s a hassle to move unwanted items, plus it’s expensive to rent a bigger truck than you need. A garage sale is a fun, classic way to earn extra cash that can go directly into your moving fund. Don’t forget to clean out your storage units, as they are likely hot spots for lost treasures that could bring top dollar at the sale.
5. Shop the Dollar Store
You’re moving, and you want to do everything on the cheap, so shopping the dollar store can add up in savings. The dollar store sells little things you might not have thought about, such as bungee cords, drop cloths, and space-saving vacuum-seal storage bags to make packing bulky comforters, sweaters, and pillows a breeze. Plus, you can usually find cheap, sample-sized cleaning products you can use to spruce up your new home on arrival.
6. Guard Your Nest Egg
A penny saved is another cheap way to move. No matter how hard you work to control your expenses, relocating always comes with unexpected costs. Besides the traditional cost of relocating, you’ll likely have to miss some work, so keep an eye on your spending. When you’re moving on a tight budget, you’ll want to minimize your financial stress as much as possible, so a worthy goal is to have at least one month’s salary set aside for your emergency fund.
7. Open Me First Box
The Open Me First box is extremely useful for when you arrive at your new community. Include in this box all the essentials you will need within the first few hours; this will ease your transition into your new home. Use a clear, plastic bin with a lid and handles, so it’s easy to keep your Open Me First box separate from the rest of your cardboard boxes.
Pack in this box time- and money-saving items such as bathroom essentials like toilet paper, kitchen items like paper plates and plastic utensils, and a toolbox with at least a hammer, both kinds of screwdrivers, and fasteners. You should also pack basic cleaning products, including that paper towel roll you picked up at the dollar store, and trash bags.
Moving to a new home is a thrilling and challenging time. Regardless of the expense and stress of moving on a budget, it’s easier with these helpful, cheap moving tips. By paying close attention to your tight moving budget and using these simple steps to help reduce costs, your move will be easy and enjoyable.
