How to Save Money on Your Move
One of the greatest questions of economics will forever stand with the answer “nobody!” That question happens to be the same our Charlotte movers will pose to you right now: Who does not like to save money?
We’re confident that you, along with everyone else, like to save a couple bucks here and there when you can. Why should moving cost you an arm and a leg, when it doesn’t really have to? You should be able to save some money on your move, right? Right. Nobody likes to have their hard-earned money go to waste, and your Charlotte movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage understand.
First and foremost, you’ll want to look into the cost of moving, the expenses for before and after the move, and then you should be able to come up with a budget. Remember, there is an ideal range for your budget: what you want to spend, what you reasonably should be spending, and then your contingency budget, also known as emergency funds, overflow, or what you may be spending in excess to your budget. Just because you may have contingency funds does not mean that you’ll be spending it—it’s purely there for those “just in case” instances.
Now that we’ve got the budget stuff out of the way, let’s have a look at some ways you can save yourself some cabbage on a move so that you can spend it on things you enjoy!
Great Ways to Reduce the Expense
Acquiring Boxes.
Go to your local grocery or liquor store and ask them for boxes. Seriously! Most of the time, after these stores have stocked their goods, they’ve got no reason to really use the boxes anymore, so they’ll typically just throw them out. Normally, if you ask if they’ve got any boxes they’re throwing away, they’ll give them to you, free of charge. Likewise, you can ask friends, family, co-workers, even neighbors who may have just completed a move—they may have a few boxes lying around that they’ll be happy to give you.
Side note:
You can even re-sell or buy boxes through companies like Container Exchanger or Box Cycle, which essentially recycle your boxes for those who may need them. You should be able to earn back between 50-cents and $1.50 per box, which is always great!
Shut-Off Utilities.
Great chance are you don’t want to be charged for an extra month’s use of your utilities—as a matter of fact, it’s a great way to save some extra money. Cut-off your cable service, maybe even your internet service, lawncare services, and other regular non-essential services. You probably don’t want to do this with your electricity or water, but you should be able to call your utility service providers and ask them for a cut-off date that will line-up with your departure date and not result in an extraneous billing cycle.
Get Rid of Stuff!
This may be the most difficult part of the moving process. You do not need everything! If you have clothes you hardly wear, donate them. If you have a team of knick-knacks that just sit in a corner and collect dust, consider selling them. The same can go for electronics, kitchenware, furniture, toys, sporting equipment, jewelry, and much, much more! If you don’t use it, get rid of it somehow.
Donating stuff can help out others, selling stuff could make you back a couple dollars, throwing stuff out can save you extra hassle, and, the overall riddance of things can save you space, which is valuable in a move. Those extra few inches or objects can cost you more money in moving supplies or services!
Go Through Your Stuff.
Instead of getting a fresh start, buying all the supplies you need brand new, go through everything you have. There’s a good chance you may have tape, scissors, packing materials, and a bunch of other useful items for your move, so you’ll either have to buy fewer supplies or you won’t have to buy any at all!
Re-Purpose Your Stuff.
This one can be a little bit of a challenge, but it is absolutely doable, and can save you plenty of money and hassle. Use jars, Ziploc bags, an otherwise unused beverage cooler, backpacks, filing cabinets, clothing hampers, and anything else you can think of to pack and store other items. You can even use a series of items to store one-inside-another like a set of nesting dolls! Consider using old newspapers, magazine pages, blankets, comforters, lesser-used clothes or towels, pillows and pillowcases, or sheets to cover and protect your furniture or fragile belongings. This could save you wads of cash in the whole process.
Do Whatever Work You Can.
Don’t mistake this for doing all the work yourself. Skimping on the proper help can end up costing you more money in the long-run than you may like. You don’t want to have yourself and a few friends try to carry the Baby Grand piano down stairs—that could be both dangerous and potentially very costly. Sometimes it’s best to enlist a group of Charlotte movers.
If you can fit a few things in your car and make a trip or two, then by all means, go for it. However, don’t sacrifice great quality just to save every single dollar. Sometimes you need an expert or a moving truck!
Get a Free, No Obligation Quote NOW!
When you do need the experts or a truck, perhaps some supplies, the Charlotte movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage are here to help! Give us a call today, get a free quote, and save yourself the hassle and, of course, some valuable money.