Moving from one place to another is very challenging, not to mention the cost. What more if you are making a cross-country move. The money involved can be potentially cringe-worthy. There are ways to make your move enjoyable for your family, and not to mention affordable. In this article we will discuss how you can save money when making a cross-country move, we will tell you the best and cheapest ways to do it no matter where in the country you want to go.
Find a portable moving container you can rent
For $2,000, renting a portable moving container can save you money rather than hire a moving company. You can keep the container in-site for a period while you are loading and unloading your items. There is no last-minute scramble because the moving company has a tight schedule, you can take your time and pack your belongings properly. You can also arrange your things safely when you arrive, giving you more time to settle familiarize your new space. All you need to do is pack your items tightly and carefully, load them in the container, and the moving company will drive it wherever you want to go. When you arrive at the destination, they will unload the stuff and you can unpack it yourself. Expect to pay from $2,000 to $3,000 for one month, and this includes the move.
(Click here to know more about portable moving container)
Rent moving truck
If you want a cheaper alternative and a more do-It-yourself kind of cross-country move, you can rent a moving vehicle, do the packing and unpacking of your belongings and drive the truck yourself to your destination. You will save money on manpower cost for transport. You can start budgeting with a price for the rental truck and insurance. The money you spend on movers, you can spend on gas and food while you are travelling. Look for tips and suggestion on how to properly budget your money on moving trucks. But rest assured, this will be a lot cheaper and more fun since you will be doing all the driving. It will be like your first road trip during your college years.
(Visit http://hdmoving.com to know how to calculate the moving costs)
Use freight trailer
Freight trailers are like a poor man’s moving company, but cheaper. The company will drop off the trailer to your house for three days, and you load it up with your belongings using rules they set like balanced weight, fasten the freight securely, etc., and they will pick it up and drive it across the country. The cost of using a freight trailer for a long-distance move varies from company to company. It is somewhere from $1,000 to $3,000 range.
Ship your items
You can also use a shipping company to move your belongings from one state to another. You can find shippers online who will be willing to ship your items if you identify the number of boxes and the items to be sent. If you have the luxury of time waiting on bids or expect to bundle your things, it is an option that can help you save money because you are sharing all the cost of the shipment with other people. This option is perfect for people who don’t have a lot of items to move like furniture, refrigerators, or breakable items like plates, glasses, mirrors, etc. You can ship it through UPS, USPS or FedEx. It is much cheaper, but safety can’t be assured since other items are sent together with your belongings, and there is no assurance that it will arrive at its destination on time. There are some recent issues regarding missing items or wrong boxes delivered. Make sure you write the address correctly, and you track your items using the company’s tracking software.
Avoid at all cost peak moving dates
If you are planning to move to another state or another country and you have a lot of items with you, avoid peak moving dates like college move-in days or Christmas holidays. The cost of moving from these dates will be a lot higher for renting moving containers and moving trucks. Hiring a moving company for full service will also be a lot higher because their schedules are fully loaded. A simple tip when doing cross country moving? Do it during the off-season if you can, from February to August. Simple as that. If you combine all our suggestions above, you can find a cheap way to do long distance moving that suits your needs.
