Just in time for the busy summer moving season, a new article from U.S. News offers new homeowners six ideas on how to slash your costs for the big move. Read on to find out how applying these six strategies could help you get settled into your new home…with money to spare.
Summer is a great season to move into a new home. Kids are out of school, offices tend to be more flexible with granting vacation time and most importantly, the weather is nice. (Who wants to move boxes in the snow?)
If you’re moving this summer, you’ve probably noticed how quickly costs add up. From renting a truck to purchasing cardboard boxes and bubble wrap, there’s no shortage of moving-related costs, designed to bust your budget. Here are some strategies to help you save on moving expenses.
Around a month prior to moving, start minimizing purchases of perishable food, drinks, coffee, shampoo, soap, moisturizer and other consumables. These types of items tend to get thrown away during a move.
You can reduce this waste by “shopping your pantry,” or eating whatever is in your cupboard, and using whatever bathroom products are already on your shelves. Don’t continue with your normal consumer habits, only to throw away these items on moving day.
You should also try to reduce clutter before the move. The more stuff you need to pack, the more expensive your move will be. More items require more boxes, packing materials, hours on the clock for movers, a bigger truck, more fuel to power that truck and more hours on the other end when the movers unpack those boxes.
That’s a good reason to conduct a massive cleaning of your home before you move. Donate unused clothes, games, appliances, kitchen gadgets and anything else you haven’t used in the past six months to a year. Unless an item is an heirloom or otherwise highly sentimental, remember that you’re not going to miss the items that you don’t use, and you’ll be glad when there’s less to unpack.
