Suppose you are looking for ways to save money while embarking on your journey to a new place? We understand that a move out of state can attract a hefty price, sometimes averaging up to $2,000-8,000 per load. We believe budgeting can help ease the burden and out-of-state moving costs that come with the experience.
It would be so easy to save money if all your belongings could fit into the back of your truck. However, even if the house you live in is packed with many stuff, you do not need to worry about overbearing expenses. There are still ways to save money and minimize moving expenses.
12 Cheap Ways to Move Out of State
You can enhance the excitement around this new voyage by uncovering cheap and creative tips and tricks in your mission of finding the most inexpensive way to move out of state.
Save Up for Long Distance Moving Expenses
The cheapest way you can move out of state is to pay in cash. That way, you do not have a situation where you incur an additional cost when you use your credit card. Using the card can result in unexpected charges, and you will be left battling expenses you were not even aware of in the first place. You can minimize the chance of a situation like that when you opt to pay upfront and use cash.
You can also draft up a moving budget and plan your way to the big day. It’s possible to achieve your goal faster if you seek ways to save money, such as cutting back on monthly spending, prioritizing your needs and wants, and buying cheaper items when shopping.
Declutter So You Have Less to Move With Houston Movers
Another great way to lower your expenses is to get rid of the things you do not need. There are always things lying around in your house you have not used in a while or have not gotten around to throwing away. These often include old DVDs, broken appliances, gadgets, books, crates, or even one half of a sock.
Other items you may want to bring with you, such as your treadmill, pool table, and couch, can attract an enormous additional moving cost. A pro tip is to sell heavy or large items at a yard sale or on the internet to save that money for the move and to replace them after your move. You could also opt to give away some of the items to lighten your load.
Pack Your Stuff with Free Supplies
Visit your local supermarket, shopping center, or shipping company and find free packing boxes. These places are bound to have plenty of containers that are either unused or recycled. Ask if you can have them, and you have yourself a surplus of free packing supplies.
Packing supplies are crucial tools in the moving process. To ensure your belongings’ safety, especially when packing fragile stuff, you can use pillows, towels, crumpled newspapers, or bubble wrap as padding. In doing that, you could safeguard your fragile things and pack your towels and cushions too.
Another idea is to get yourself a permanent black marker, which you can use to label your boxes instead of buying a fancy label maker. Knowing where to find your stuff makes for a seamless unpacking process.
For an even more effortless experience, you can disassemble some of your furniture, such as your computer desk, fan, and table. This makes them easy to transport and can reduce and damages.
Seek assistance from Your Friends and Family
Your close friends and family members can help with the loading and unloading aspect of the moving process or even the packing. Asking them to come by and help you move while handling lunch and refreshments is a cheaper alternative to hiring professional movers.
You can enjoy a great last day with them, capture one last memory of laughing, crying, taking pictures, and reminiscing on all the good times you have had in that house.
Negotiate a Relocation Package
This may be the cheapest way to move out of state. In some cases, it can be free of cost for you. A relocation package is when your employer covers a reasonable amount of your moving and other work-related expenses.
While this benefit is not guaranteed, many employers offer this package to recruit the best person for the job. So, if you are moving because of work, ensure you speak to your employer about a relocation package, if it is available, and how you can take advantage of it. The package may cover the following:
- Some costs associated with buying and selling homes
- Temporary housing
- Travel expenses for the moving day
- Shipping costs related to moving all your belongings, such as unpacking and packing
- Trips for house hunting in the new location
Typically, the relocation package is a type of reimbursement for the cost incurred while moving. Upon discussions with your employer, if you are not satisfied with what is offered, try negotiating a better package.
This is where your research and planning skills come in handy. You could do cost research by comparing other packages and see if your employer is willing to match a better one. It may be a long shot, but it does not hurt to ask since the rates cross country movers offer are not always the easiest to deal with.
Try Moving During Weekdays or Winter
It is best to plan your move around the off-season, which means moving at unpopular travel times. Examples include when school is in session or when the weather is terrible. Local and long-distance moving companies tend to be willing to provide better rates, too, since business is slower.
Weekends and holidays are a no-go. It might feel like an inconvenience moving on a regular, gloomy business day, but that could reduce the cost tremendously since the demand for equipment is not high.
Consider Using Public Transport
You are going to need the right mindset for this one. Imagine that you live in a city, you do not own a car, and you are moving out of a small apartment. You can sell your furniture, replace it afterward, and declutter the rest of the items.
You are now down to a few compact boxes, and this could be a cheap way to move because you can take public transportation options, such as a bus or train. This can see you spending only a few hundred dollars.
To ensure none of your stuff gets left behind, you can check your items’ weight and dimensions. Greyhound allows storage of up to 150 pounds of luggage under the bus, while Amtrak allows shipping of up to 500 pounds. Bear in mind both services have shipping size limitations, so pack accordingly.
If you are moving to remote states, you might have to consider freighting your belongings by air or water.
Tow a Cargo Trailer
This can only work based on how much stuff you are moving with and if you can fit all your things inside a cargo trailer. These refer to the rectangular containers you often pass hooked up to the back of vehicles with towing capacity.
This may be a good choice if you already drive a pickup truck or you can borrow your friends’, which could save you some cash. You do not always need to rely on interstate moving companies when it is time to relocate.
You Can Hire Affordable Moving Truck
Renting a truck or a van can cost between $900 and $3,000 on average. The prices go up depending on the truck size and travel distance, which means if you are moving out of state, it may be more expensive.
If you can get a moving truck that supports towing, you can tow your car and move all your stuff at once, saving on gas and mileage. Since you are not hiring a moving company and doing it yourself with some friends, prepare for challenges and enjoy the experience.
Try a Moving Container
Renting a moving container could be between $1600 and $5,000. It may be a cheaper alternative to renting a moving truck. This service sees a company drop off a large storage unit for a few days, you load it up, and then they haul it to a new state for you to unload.
Hire Inexpensive Houston Movers
Hiring a moving company in Houston, TX, may not be the cheapest option, but it can come in handy. If your friends and family are unavailable, they can help you pack, load, and unpack, so you do not have to handle the moving process yourself. Remember, you are on a budget, so you should shop around and ask for price quotes to find the most reasonable option.
Do Not Pay for Insurance That You Already Have
Prepare yourself for plenty of questions regarding insuring your move, whether for insurance or protection in the event of damages or theft to rental/owned equipment. Before you sign anything, check your home and auto insurance to see if you are already covered.
What’s the Cheapest Way to Move Out of State?
Suppose you are looking for ways to save money while embarking on your journey to a new place? We understand that a move out of state can attract a hefty price, sometimes averaging up to $2,000-8,000 per load. We believe budgeting can help ease the burden and out-of-state moving costs that come with the experience.
It would be so easy to save money if all your belongings could fit into the back of your truck. However, even if the house you live in is packed with many stuff, you do not need to worry about overbearing expenses. There are still ways to save money and minimize moving expenses.
