The process of moving can bring a lot of stress, but it can also be stimulating. After all, you are headed to a new place, which gives you the chance to look through your belongings and clear away what you don’t need, if necessary.
However, the whole thing requires a moving company, packing material, and other overhead costs, which can quickly stack up. Fortunately, you can take a few steps to ensure that you are not overspending as you move.
Implementing a checklist system and keeping track of hidden costs allows you to control what you are spending.
Your Moving Checklist
Some essential things must be taken into consideration during your move. If you need monetary assistance with these necessities, Upstart can take care of it with its bond loans specially tailored to attend to customers’ needs.
Get yourself a reputable moving company – Word of mouth is one of the most reliable, safe, and efficient way to find one near you. You can use Google to see what previous customers have to say, or you can inquire about your friends who have used the services before. The idea is to find out how much help you will be getting on moving day and how carefully they’re going to handle your stuff.
Locate some packing boxes – Moving companies sell packing boxes, but they do so expensively. It would be best if you tried to get the boxes from somewhere else. Online community groups, malls, or supermarkets are great places for you to ask or look around.
Handle your final utility payments – Your Internet connection, landline, electricity, water, and gas fall under this category. Clear outstanding balances and disconnect them after that.
Set up an appointment with cleaners – After your packing is finished, it’s a great time to get a professional clean done for the property. That’s one of the best ways to ensure your bond is returned to you.
Expected Costs (Including Hidden Ones)
First, Should You Move on Your Own or Should You Hire a Moving company?
People tend to hire moving companies for the sake of convenience. The staff members have a professional background. They can effortlessly handle and load your prized possessions onto a truck, transport them, and then conveniently place them at your new location. Moving companies are very reliable and very good at transporting items safely and conveniently, speeding up the process for you.
However, you can hire a vehicle and complete the move yourself, which will save you quite a bit of cash. This method is best suited to those who have a small property and a limited amount of items to move. After all, you are handling the packing and much of the effort yourself and only hiring a truck for transportation purposes. You even purchase the packing materials on your own. There is no denying that the process will be a strain on your body, and it’s going to require more time, considering you must pack everything, muster up the mental energy, lift everything, and put it all in the truck.
What Costs Should I Expect to Be a Part of My Move?
A study completed recently pointed out that Texas’s average moving cost is $4,618. The study took cleaning, reconnecting utilities, and moving company cost into consideration. Of course, this figure can vary depending on your unique needs.
The study broke down the total average costs into the following:
- A move that is completely handled by moving companies, including the packing and unpacking functions, costs $3,955.
- A move that is handled by moving companies where the owners do the packing and unpacking costs $3,099.
- A DIY move with a hired truck or trailer costs $2,082
- A DIY move using an owned truck or trailer is $1,524, as it does not include a hiring fee.
It’s not hard to see the variation in moving costs depending on how you choose to complete your move and the number of things you own. Moving companies tend to either have a flat or hourly rate in place. There are ups and downs to each method. The main considerations are that a flat fee makes budgeting easier, but an hourly rate means a potentially lower payment if a move happens quicker than projected.
Other considerations include how large your home is (based on the number of bedrooms in the property) and your move’s distance (Are you making a local or Interstate move?)
Additionally, it would be best to think about potential maintenance costs associated with the new property to get it to a livable state. Immediate renovations need to find a place in your budget.
All these factors come together to determine the total cost of moving. Clear communication with your moving company before making a final arrangement is essential so that you can understand the implications of hidden fees, such as piano, wrapping, and extra labor expenses. Try to stick to Texas moving companies that are part of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and long-distance moving out of state the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Tips For moving on a budget
if you’re moving to a new house on a budget, here are a couple of proven ways to save yourself some cash:
- Remember the adage that time is money – if a moving company has an hourly rate for local moves, be ready to go before they show up. Ensure that your furniture is properly wrapped, your boxes are prepared to move, and that any other required preparations are made. If not, you could end up paying them to wait for you!
- Rid yourself of all unnecessary possessions before moving – You don’t get a better opportunity to go through all your belongings than you do when moving to a new house. It’s the best time to toss anything weighing you down. Don’t carry new stuff that you are never going to use in your new home. At Nimble, we think you can get great tidying inspiration from Marie Kondo on Netflix.
- Don’t move during peak hours and rent the right truck size – Try to choose a truck size that is best suited to your needs, as you don’t want to overpay by using a vehicle that will have a lot of extra space remaining. Additionally, don’t move during peak hours, especially for moving companies who have an hourly rate (it also keeps your stress levels down!)
