Long Distance Moving Tips For Budget-Conscious Singles
As a single person moving a long distance, whether it's across the state or across the country, you may not have access to moving help at your destination. Yet, it may also be important to find ways to maximize your moving budget. The following are a few things you can do to save money, even if you don't have friends and family to help.
Tip #1: Secure low-cost packing materials
Most movers will recommend against using free boxes, such as from grocery stores, due to their irregular sizes and questionable structural integrity. While this may be wise advice, you can still find reliable second-hand moving boxes. Many moving companies sell gently used boxes at a steep discount. These boxes are made specifically for moving, so they come in uniform sizes and shapes for easy stacking and handling. You may also be able to rent some materials, like moving boxes, to save cash. At the end of your move, you can return the rented items and sell back items like boxes to recoup some of your investment.
Tip #2: Consider a pod service
If you don't know where you will be living yet at your destination, you may have the conundrum of where to put your belongings until you find a home. There won't be a friend or family member to provide a garage for temporary storage, after all. Pod moving services can help with this. This type of mover provides you with either a shipping crate or a truck trailer, which you or the movers load with your items. You then lock it with your own personal lock. The movers transport the pod to your new city, where it can then be stored by the moving company until you find a new home. There may be a small storage fee, although many movers include a short storage period as part of the pod rental.
Tip #3: Use loaders on only one end
Piecing out some of the moving services is another way to save money. Chances are you will have friends or family that may be able to lend a hand loading up the boxes -- it's at your new home that you will need help. Fortunately, you can hire loaders for only one leg of your move, which will save you money. Just check with the moving company to make sure this is really a deal. Sometimes hiring loaders just to unpack the truck saves money, but at other times there could be a package deal available that is less expensive and makes it more cost-effective to have loaders at both ends of your move.
For more help in planning your move, contact a residential moving company.