Creating a Relocation Budget – How to Save Money to Move

How Much Money Should You Save Up Before Moving?

This is probably the first question you are going to ask yourself after researching cities and deciding where to live. At the same time, it is intertwined with all the other decisions about the relocation process and depends on your preferable options. Questions like whether you’ll opt for local moving or relocation across the country, hire long-distance moving service or do everything by yourself if you are relocating to another state alone or with your family will all affect the needed size of your savings fund.

Keep in mind that, depending on your relocation choices, you will need to store somewhere between $600 and $12,000, and that is without housing or renting costs. It would be best to put some funds aside in case you are faced with some unpredictable circumstances – opening a savings account would be a good solution in general. However, don’t forget that finding out the cheapest ways to move out of state can also positively affect your financial situation prior to relocation.

First Things First – Make Some Limits for Yourself

Do you love going out with your friends for a fun night out or just to get a meal in your favorite restaurant? Well, if you are determined to store aside as much as you can, those days would not be a part of your future. Instead of visiting a fancy restaurant or even ordering a meal, try to go through stuff in your fridge and pantry – start eating what you already have stored.

If you are a young professional who can’t wait to move across the country for the first time and have a personal space, note that it is not the time to get ashamed of living with your parents – it is a much better option than renting an apartment a few blocks away. It would allow you to store funds that you’ll otherwise spend on rent, utility bills, and the like.

It would also be beneficial to keep track of your spending, so you could know of everyday expenses you should cut loose in order to improve your moving budget. For example, try to distinguish your wants from your needs – yes, weekly visits to your beautician are excellent, but you should consider reducing them. Instead, look for the best ways of home edition self-care treatments.

Finally, there is no better time than today to become more physically active – instead of using your car, opt for walking, if possible, or use some means of public transportation. Not only will you spare the environment, but spending less on your gas bills would also do wonders for your health and your wallet.

Decluttering – Saving Money to Move By Deciding What to Do With Items You Don’t Use

Deciding which belongings you want to keep should be on every relocation to-do list, but few people know the extent of its usefulness to your finances. Keep in mind that every trustworthy long-distance moving company charges its services according to the weight of your inventory. Getting rid of unnecessary belongings, especially if they are heavy, could result in having more banknotes in your relocation savings fund.

There are several choices on what to get rid of when relocating – you could throw away, gift, sell or donate unwanted items. The first option is reserved for those belongings that are too old, damaged, and unusable anymore, so reserve old boxes just for them. However, those that still have some value but you do not use, need or want anymore could be sold, resulting in you having a few more dollars in your pocket. You could either organize a garage sale or post your belongings for sale online – choose the option that suits you the best and learn some tips on making your selling successful.

Make sure to transfer to a digital format when it’s possible – by digitizing books and magazines, for example, you could store some dollars aside just because of the weight they would add to your inventory. However, if you are in love with old pages and hate digital editions, we have another solution for you – packing your books in boxes and shipping them by USPS could be a cheaper solution than adding books to your relocation inventory.

How Could Donating Items You Rarely Use Positively Impact Your Finances?

If you think that your wallet couldn’t benefit if you decide just to give away unwanted things, you couldn’t be more wrong. Of course, your reason for charity shouldn’t be connected to advantages you could gain, but it’s hurting no one to be well informed. When creating your relocation budget, keep in mind that you could get some tax deductions if you have proof of your donations. It may be paradoxical, but donating your furniture as well as donating clothes could be some of the answers on how to save money on moving.

Impulsive Buying – Avoid Cluttering Your New Home

One of the most important things people forget when relocating to a new home is not to buy items for a new living space without thinking it through. It would represent a severe temptation, especially if you are looking for things you’ll need for your first apartment, but ensure to restrain your shopping impulses. That is particularly important when it comes to decorative items – it is better to wait a couple of months after you moved in to search for decoration that will fit your new home the best – leave it as one of the things to do after relocation.

How to Save Money to Move – Choosing the Right Packing Materials

Preparing boxing up materials would most certainly be on the list of your relocation expenses – some part of your savings is bound to take a hit for this purpose. However, that cost could be reduced by organizing and planning your relocation in advance. If you have enough room to search for cheap or even free supplies, your savings account could get heavier than you initially thought.

Make your search both physical and virtual – ask your family and friends, visit your favorite local stores and restaurants that would be willing to give you boxes they do not need, but also search websites like Freecycle. Social platforms and online groups for people who want to get rid of boxes they no longer need for free could also be a good choice.

Pack For Less – Packing Materials You Could Find In Your Home

When wanting to store funds for relocation, it would be wise to go through your home and look for anything that will be of help. So you could pack your belongings for a lesser cost, you must think outside of the box – gather your towels, rugs, linens, and pillowcases and utilize them as you would packing paper. One of the cheap possibilities is newspapers too, but not for boxing up your valuable belongings – remember that ink could leave permanent damage on them. Either way, don’t overlook these options when saving for a move.

If you are interested in finding out some other creative boxing up tips, ensure to watch the video below.

What Is the Least Expensive Way to Move – DIY Options for Relocating to the New Place

It is not a secret that you will secure the most funds and cut most expenses if you opt for doing every relocation task by yourself. However, you are bound to experience a lot more relocation stress if you decide against the comfort that could be given by cross-country moving services. Not only that, but if you don’t want to hire professional packing services, you need to learn how to pack fragile items all by yourself and find out some boxing up tips so your belongings could survive relocation to a new state. Be prepared to lose a lot of hours and energy on handling the move by yourself.

Relocation Truck and Relocation Container – Affordable Moving Options

If you are determined not to hire a relocation company, renting a relocation truck or container could be the cheapest choice for reducing relocation costs. For those who are not fond of driving long-distance, the second option would be more appropriate – you would just need to load your boxes and furniture in the container and contact the company that will relocate it to the desired location.

Ask Your Friends for Help During the Relocation Process

Relocation is a period where good friendships could really pay off, so don’t hesitate to call your friend to come to your aid if you decide that a DIY option is more suitable for you. There are several tasks in which your loved ones could be helpful:

• They could watch your children on the relocation day if you are relocating with kids or take care of your furry friends if you are relocating with pets.
• If you are driving and need a place to stay overnight, try to remember if some of your friends and family live on your route. If so, do not waste funds on booking a hotel – ask them if it is possible to land you a room for a night or two.
• If you require a workforce that will assist you with boxing up, cleaning, and loading, cash in a few favors your friends owe you – your spine will be grateful.

Saving While Hiring Cross-Country Movers – Is It Possible?

When you try to find the cheapest way to ship a car or the cheapest storage options, keep in mind that movers can offer you additional services for more affordable costs or even free of charge if you decide to relocate with their help. If you require more than basic relocation services and could use auto shipping, we suggest you reconsider your initial decision about hiring a relocation company. You could even look for companies that could offer some pretty good deals, like storage services that offer free storage options for a limited period.

However, ensure not to fall into the trap of relocation scams when trying to store funds for the move – a company that offers a very low cost of their services doesn’t do it from the goodness of its heart. Remember to always research the company’s background and ensure that you are working with legitimate long-distance movers. It is the only way to protect everything that you’ve been saving before the relocation day.

Could the Specific Date of Relocation Affect the Cost of Hiring Movers?

If you are still indecisive about which option you should choose, it would help to be informed about one more important but often neglected fact – the cost of hiring movers could vary depending on the time of the year or even the week. So, when trying to get as many funds as possible before relocation, consider relocation from October to April and ensure to move during the workdays.

How to Save Money on Moving and Not Overstress Yourself?

The most important thing you need to remember is not to let worries about your savings eat you – it can have a very negative impact on your mental health even after everything is over. Instead, make sure to form a plan on creating savings for a move, on the relocation expenses that could be reduced, and on the most affordable relocation options concerning your needs and wishes. When you determine that, all you are left to do is stick to your plan and try to think about future times and everything you have to look forward to.