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Moving
certainly taps your bank account. How much depends
on a number of factors: whether your employer is
helping with the cost, how much 'stuff' you have,
and how far you are moving.
To get an idea of how much your move will cost,
start calling service providers for estimates and
list your expenses, which may include:
Housing:
_______ Home Repairs
_______ Cleaning supplies/services
_______ Rental expenses new city
_______ Application fees (varies - estimate $15
to $35 per application)
_______ First and last month's rent
_______ Damage/security deposit
_______ Pet deposit
_______ Utility deposits
_______ Storage unit rental
Moving:
_______ Professional moving services or truck rental
_______ Moving supplies
_______ Food and beverage for volunteers
_______ Tips for professional movers/Gifts for volunteers
Moving travel:
_______ Airline Tickets
_______ Fuel
_______ Tolls
_______ Meals: per meal $______ x ______ meals
_______ Hotels: per night $______ x ______ nights
Other:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
If you don't have the money saved, start saving
as soon as you can. Other potential sources of money
include:
- Income
from the sale of your spare car, furniture,
or other belongings (hold a garage or yard sale).
- The
cleaning/damage deposit on your current rental
and any utility deposits. You probably won't
be reimbursed until AFTER your move, though,
so you'll need to pay moving expenses up front
some other way.
- Your
employer: payout for vacation time not taken.
Moving
without breaking the bank
You
can save money on your move by following these suggestions:
Saving on moving supplies
- Obtain
boxes in the cheapest way possible.
- Ask
a friend or colleague who has recently moved
to give or sell you their boxes.
- Check
the classified ads; people sometimes sell all
their moving boxes for a flat rate.
- Ask
your local grocery or department store for their
empty boxes.
- Borrow
a tape dispenser instead of buying one.
- Instead
of buying bubble wrap, crumple newspaper, plain
unused newsprint, or tissue paper to pad breakables.
- Shop
around for the cheapest deal on packing tape
and other supplies.
- Instead
of renting padding blankets from the truck rental
company, use your own blankets, linens, and
area rugs for padding. But bear in mind that
you may have to launder them when you arrive,
which is an expense itself.
Saving
on labor
- If
you use professional movers, consider a "you
pack, we drive" arrangement, in which you pack
boxes, and the moving company loads, moves,
and unloads your belongings.
- Call
around and compare moving cost estimates.
- If
you can live without all your stuff for a while
at your new or old location, moving companies
sometimes give significant cost reductions if
they can short-term-store and consolidate your
moving items with other customers' items.
- If
you move yourself, round up "volunteers" to
help you load and clean on moving day. It's
still customary to reward them with moving-day
food and beverages (and maybe a small cash gift).
You may also have to "volunteer" to help them
move some day. But you may still save some money
compared to hiring professionals.
- Save
on child and pet care. Ask family or friends
to watch your young children and pets on moving
day.
Saving
on trip expenses:
Overnight
the night before you depart
- Where
will you stay the night before you depart? A
hotel or motel might be most comfortable and
convenient, but you could save a little money
if you stay the night with a friend or relative.
- If
you have the gear, maybe you'd enjoy unrolling
your sleeping bag and "roughing it" on your
own floor the night before you leave town. If
you do this, try to get hold of a camping sleeping
pad or air mattress, which will help you get
a good night's sleep and start your move rested
and refreshed.
Overnight on the Road
- Look
into motel discounts along your route. Your
automobile club membership may qualify you for
a better rate.
- When
you call about rates, ask if the hotel or motel
includes a breakfast with your stay.
- If
your move travel involves an overnight stay
and you're game for camping, check into campgrounds
and RV parks along your route. Be sure to ask
whether a moving truck is allowed. Some parks
have size restrictions; some RV parks may not
welcome moving trucks; and some limit the number
of vehicles allowed in a campsite.
Food While Traveling
Food is one of those comfort factors that can help
make the upsetting aspects of moving and traveling
more acceptable. Eating also give you a reason to
stop and rest, which may be exactly what you or
your family needs if you're rushing to get there.
Here are a few pointers to consider.
- Try
to balance your need to save money with your
(and your family's) health and comfort needs.
- Try
to have at least one solid, nutritious, sit-down
meal each day.
- Breakfast
can be a budget - and schedule - friendly meal
purchased at a grocery or convenience store
and eaten on the road: fruit, muffins, and juice,
for example.
- Lunch
prices at sit-down restaurants are typically
cheaper than dinner prices. Consider having
a hot lunch and then picnicking in your hotel
or motel on supplies from a grocery store.
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