7 Moving Money Saving Tips

Moving can be a stressful and expensive experience, but with these simple tricks and tips, we will hopefully help make the process a bit less hectic and a whole lot cheaper. We have to warn you though, some of these ideas are pretty original and will require you to think outside the box a little bit.

1- Don’t Hire Movers: While this isn’t necessarily realistic for all moving scenarios since hiring movers is the number expense when moving, it is worth taking a minute to consider applying some good old DIY and taking care of the move yourself –with the help of some of your friends and/or relatives of course.

The tricky part here is getting everyone to actually show up on moving day. Two elements that will determine whether you can get a lot of help or not are the following:

– your level of participation when your help was needed for a move;
– how ready you were last time you asked your friends for a hand.

Granted, people don’t necessarily help others just to get something in return, but on moving day when it’s sunny and warm out, people tend to be more motivated if they feel like they owe you one or if they trust that the moving process will be an efficient one.

2- Book Your Truck Before June 21st: Another considerable expense when moving is transportation. A good way to cut down on this consists in getting your friends or relatives to bring their vehicle for the move. If you know someone with a pick-up truck or a trailer, now is the time to pick up the phone and ring in a favour.

This is another option that may not necessarily work for everyone, but for those for whom renting a truck sounds like a viable option, then make sure to do it before the summer rush and book it by June 21st at the latest. If possible, try to either move early in the morning or late in the afternoon for a discounted rate. Also, spending a little bit of time comparing rates can be worth your while and don’t forget to take into consideration any extra fees companies may be charging before making your choice. Finally, if you completed your reservation online, make sure to have your receipt on hand when picking up the vehicle since online discounts will not necessarily always be automatically applied.

3- Don’t Buy Boxes: Another expense that can add up rapidly is the purchase of boxes and packing supplies. To avoid any over-spending, make a list of everything you will need and stick to it. There’s no point in going out to buy everything before you have sorted out what you are going to keep or not.

There really isn’t any need for you to buy cardboard boxes especially when some merchants give them away entirely for free. From personal experience, grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores are great places to get these. Just make sure to go there a couple weeks prior to moving day, be friendly and potentially ask for when the best moment would be to pick up some boxes. Usually, the perfect moment is the night or morning before recycling. Just make sure that they are in decent condition. Please note that you will most likely need to strengthen some boxes with some duct or masking tape.

4- Don’t Move Unnecessary Items: Most people tend to accumulate all sorts of old stuff over the years. For some reason, it is tough for the most us to get rid of goods even if we don’t use them anymore and we end up filing our wardrobes with impressive quantities of old clothes and random items we don’t even need. So, one of the first things to do before moving is making a list of what you are going to keep and throw out. Although some decisions will be tough, the idea of donating these objects and giving them a second life should make the process easier. Also, making a few bucks by preparing a yard sale can also be a great way to get rid of old unwanted stuff and potentially balance your moving expenses a little bit.

5- Work properly and Avoid Getting Hurt: This may sound like a no-brainer, but there’s no point in saving money on the cost of hiring movers only to get hurt. Not being careful when lifting/carrying heavy items is a great way to get injured and needing to pay your chiropractor or physiotherapist a visit.

Watch this short video for proper lifting techniques. The three main points to keep in mind when lifting objects are as follows:
– Bend to lift the object;
– Keep your back straight by tucking in your chin;
– Lift with your strong leg muscles instead of the weaker back muscles.

6- Hire Bike Movers: You have been warned that some of the ideas in this list are pretty original. Well, this specific one probably crowns them all. More and more Canadian companies have started offering this type of service, giving movers a frugal alternative for short distances. Keep in mind that this eco-friendly option is said to be suitable for distances of 10 kilometres or less.

7- If Painting, Use a Paint Tester App. Moving also often rhymes with painting and to help you get a better idea of what a specific room would look like painted in a certain colour, use this practical app from Luminant Software.

Available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, it will enable you to rapidly and easily run a few tests, potentially saving you some time and money. No one wants to paint a room only to restart the whole process the next year.

The Bottom Lime

These tips are not necessarily for everyone and all situations; as with most frugal options, a little bit of imagination and good will can go a long way. Moving doesn’t have to be an unpleasant and expensive experience. Instead, it can be a good opportunity to spend some time with close ones and even share a laugh. Just make sure to plan properly and to have snacks and cool beverages for everyone.

Do you have another tip that we forgot to mention? Let us know and we’ll make sure to add it.