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Originally Posted On: http://iquanti.com/

Moving into a new home is an exciting time, but it can also get really expensive quickly. The cost of simply getting your things there can be more than you bargained for. Luckily, there’s plenty of room for savings when it comes to getting your belongings from your current home to the new one. Here are 5 moving tips to save on costs that are simple and effective.

Don’t Pack Everything

Depending on how long you’ve been in your current place, you might have accumulated a lot of junk. And much of it probably doesn’t need to follow you to your new home.

Take it one room at a time and split items up into various piles for packing, selling, trashing, and donating. You might be surprised at how much you can get rid of and how much you can make by selling old items you don’t want anymore. And those sales might even be able to offset some of your other moving costs.

Borrow Packing Supplies and Boxes 

Instead of rushing out to the store to buy new storage bins, ask neighbors and friends if they have old shipping boxes or storage bins they aren’t using. Craigslist and other online resources can also be great for finding people who are giving away boxes for free. Or check local big box stores to see if you can take some empty boxes off their hands.

You can also forego typical packing supplies and use things you already have. Since you’ll already need to move all of your old t-shirts, why not use them to wrap the dishes for safe passage?

Do the Packing Yourself

Paying someone else to do your packing can be one of the most expensive parts of moving. It may seem like a menial task, but packing boxes yourself only costs as much as your time. And it also means that you can prioritize which items you’ll need to wrap (glassware, knick-knacks, etc.) vs. those that you can throw into a box without a thought (books, clothes, etc.), whereas a mover might have wrapped everything, and charged you to do so!

Opt for Inexpensive Movers or Use Family and Friends

Hiring a team of movers can also be a large moving expense. If you’re only heading up the street or a short distance away, see if you can get help from those you love for less. Often, you can enlist the help of family and friends (preferably ones with trucks and other large vehicles) for a short move at only the price of a few pizzas.

If you’re moving farther away and know you’ll need a team of people to get you there, you can try to cut costs by:

• Moving during the off-season:  Typical “moving season” is May through November. If it works out timing-wise, or you can request the dates of your move, opting for the winter or early spring can result in much lower prices.
• Moving mid-week:  Most people want to move on Saturdays, meaning the rates are often highest on weekends. If you can take time from work to coordinate a mid-week move, it means a lot of savings.
• Having movers do the bare minimum:  Since you’ve already packed smaller items yourself, you can save money by having the movers take only the most oversized items.

Wait Until You Unpack to Make Any Purchases

One of the unanticipated expenses of moving is furnishing your new home. But it’s critical to wait until you fully unpack before you hop online to buy everything you want for the new space. When you see an empty wall, it’s easy to let your mind wander to how you’d decorate it in an ideal world. By unpacking and setting up your existing furniture and items, it means you can choose to buy new for only those items that you don’t already have or would add a lot of value to the space.

The Bottom Line

Moving doesn’t need to be a costly endeavor if you do it right. There are plenty of places to save before, during, and after a move that will put more money in your pocket when it comes time to furnish your new digs.

Notice: Information provided in this article is for information purposes only. Consult your financial advisor about your financial circumstances.