A long-range relocation with your family can be a very stressful process. While you can’t do much about the move itself, you may be able to take some of the monetary stress off your shoulders. If you are willing to put in a little extra work, you can embrace some of the following strategies to reduce your costs.
One of the greatest luxuries in life is hiring someone else to do the work of moving for you. If you’re pinching pennies, though, it’s better to look at ways to do it yourself. If you can safely drive the moving truck on your own and have other drivers for your vehicles, you can save hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of dollars by renting a U-Haul. If you can’t drive the truck, make sure you are at least responsible for your own packing. This will help you to cut down on your overall moving costs and give you the bonus of knowing exactly how all of your things are packed.
If you’ve got kids, moving in the summer is usually a good idea. You can take the kids out of day care or other activities during the summer, allowing you to save a bit on those expenses. You can also put the kids to work helping you pack if only to keep them busy. With the whole family pitching in, you can get things done quickly without incurring extra costs. The whole family is going to be moving away, so it’s best to make sure you are all involved in the process.
Another good way to save money on your move is to minimize the amount of stuff that you take with you. When you start picking up, separate everything into one of four piles – things you should take, things you can sell, things that you can donate, and trash. When you minimize the amount you take with you, you’ll be able to spend less time loading, use a smaller truck to move, and even save on the amount of time you spend unpacking. This is a great way to make your move easier and declutter your life.
When time is an issue, or the stress is too much, hiring a professional moving company is one of the easiest options available. While it does carry a cost, it can significantly reduce the amount of time and energy you have to personally sink into moving and free you up to handle work, kids, and everything else that goes with getting a new place. Companies like Bekins Van Lines, Inc. are especially good when moving across the country because it’s much easier to pack your family into your own vehicles than a moving truck. Also, this can turn the miles between the old house and the new into a road trip instead of a chore.
There are always ways to make your move a little bit cheaper. If you time it right, do the work yourself and minimize what you bring with you, you will be able to bring costs down. This can give you more freedom to embrace what’s really important – your family.
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