How To Save Money When You Are Buying And Moving Into A New Home

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Moving can be a major expense, especially when it directly follows the purchase of a home.  On top of all of the costs associated with your down payment and any closing costs charged by your realtor, you have the expense of moving and then dealing the cost of any unexpected things that need to be repaired or replaced once you move in. Yikes!

A lot is going to happen so it’s best to make sure that you are prepared for it and that you know how to save money during this process. You don’t want to go into your new home already upside down or underwater with debt.

Hire A Moving Company

Too many people assume hiring a moving company is the worst thing to do. They think that doing so will cost them a lot more money than simply conducting the move on their own. While there might be those rare cases when someone can save money by moving everything on their own, it is usually the other way around.

The reason for this is because you might have a lot of stuff that will require multiple trips in multiple vehicles to get it all done. This will put a lot of wear and tear on those vehicles, especially with their suspension systems because of all of the extra weight being transported. Then you have the cost of gasoline for all of the vehicles as well. All of that can add up to a lot of money. Then you’ll want to calculate what your time is worth. Instead of using the few days off of work to move and unpack, you might have to spend all of your time moving. You’ll then be back to work before you have a chance to even get started on organizing anything in your new home. As you can imagine, hiring a professional moving company such as Allied Van Lines may be the more affordable choice. They will also save you a lot of time as well.

Get What You Can For Free

If you are still a little nervous about the cost of moving into your new home, you can always take the time to find used packing materials that you can make use of. Stop by your local grocery or department stores on their delivery days and ask if you can have their boxes. They should be willing to give them to you for free and then all you have to purchase is the packing tape and maybe some bubble wrap.

Once you are done with the boxes, you can recycle them or pass them on to another person who might have a need for them. As long as they are still sturdy, they can be tapped up again and again for future use.

You might also want to take some time to talk with friends and family who have just recently moved. Ask what they did to cut back on the cost or what they wish they would’ve done differently. This way, you can learn from their experiences and mistakes in order to ensure that you are saving as much cash as possible.

These are just a few tips that you can use to reduce the cost of your next move. Trust us: you will be glad that you did since you never know when an unexpected expense is going to pop up once you’re in the new house.

Reducing the Cost of Your Move

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While moving is certainly something that most people prefer not to do, it is something you will do several times throughout your life. A new job in another city, the birth of a child or a retirement, are just a few of the reasons people move. Regardless of the reason, moving is expensive, hectic and stressful. However, there are ways to reduce the overall cost of your move and make the process a bit easier for you and your budget.

Create a Plan and Establish a Budget

Planning your move in advance will allow you to complete all the necessary things for a successful, uneventful move. Try to schedule movers at least a month or two in advance so you know roughly the cost up front. make sure that you factor in everything such as your travel expenses, packing supplies and cleaning supplies. This way when you arrive at your new home you'll have money available to make the improvements you want like upgrading or remodeling your kitchen.

Finding Reliable Movers

Everything you own will reside on the truck so it's important that you take your time and research companies ahead of time. Get at least two to three quotes and then check their record of service from testimonials of actual people who used them. You can acquire names of companies like North American Van Lines through family, friends, and co-workers of look online. Once you have the estimates in front of you, you can then make a decision based on the fees and service records. Additionally, make sure to ask about larger items you may have like a piano or appliances to see what the additional cost will be.

Consolidate Before You Pack

The last thing you want is to move into your new home and have a lot of things you either don't need or don't want. Before starting the packing process, declutter. This may take you a few days to achieve, but in the end, it will save you space in your new place to add new things. It will also save you money on the cost of the moving company by using less room on the truck. With the items you don't want to take along you have several options. You can have an estate sale and make some extra cash to apply towards the move, give things away to family and friends or donate the furnishings and clothing to a local charity.

Time to Pack

Now that you have things sorted out it's time to start the packing process. Here's where you can save a lot of money. The moving company is going to offer to supply the boxes in the allotted qualities and sizes you agreed to, however, they come with a pretty hefty price tag. Instead, a better option is to check with the local businesses in your area to see if they can save boxes for you. Even if you need to go to several places and make more than one trip they are "Free". Additionally, you can use linens, towels, newspaper and even coffee filters to wrap up fragile items, adding more to your savings. You will need to purchase packing tape but this will not cost you a few dollars versus several hundred dollars.

Schedule Your Move During the Off Season

In addition to packing your own boxes and acquiring them for free, you can save even more money by scheduling your move during the off-season. The months of September through February will give you the best rates. If you are unable to do that, then at least make the move the second or third week of the month and try if at all possible to avoid the weekend.

Moving doesn't have to cost you your entire savings. With a willingness to do some of the work yourself, decluttering and acquiring the boxes for free, you are well on your way to having a successful, stress-free move.