Kurt Woock
Beth Buczynski
I just finished moving for the fourth time in five years … and the twelfth time in 15 years.
While I wouldn’t recommend doing that, all the practice has allowed me to optimize my process a bit.
I’ve learned where to save, but also where spending extra is worth it. Of course, the biggest money-saving move might be to just stay put. But I can’t speak to that.
Here are my money dos and don’ts for your next move.
Pay for movers, but stage your own move
I once moved to a new apartment by hauling load after load of items across town in a large suitcase. That was before I had furniture, or money.
Later I made a few frugal moves with the timeless moving tactic: recruiting friends and family as the laborers. But, as our collective back muscles age, I’m generally happy to hire movers. At around $200 an hour, though, ‘happy’ might be stretching it.
To speed things up, I troubleshoot any bottlenecks before the expensive help arrives. Too many moves grind to a halt while one or two people sort out some kind of logistical issue. I want movers to be hauling and hoisting the whole time.
In my most recent move, that meant waking up early, taking nearly everything I could carry by myself from my fifth-floor apartment downstairs and stacking it neatly in the loading zone.
Would the movers have done that? Sure. But I’d rather wait by the elevator instead of paying someone else $200 an hour to do it.
💰By being prepared, I trimmed nearly two hours off my quote’s estimated move time.
Get multiple quotes for more negotiating power
I’ve driven a moving truck 1,000 miles. I’ve paid someone to drive two. I’ve loaded things into a wooden box that was whisked away by a forklift and onto a semi-truck.
In each instance, circumstances dictated which moving service made the most sense. But each time, I went through the same chore beforehand: getting multiple quotes over the phone instead of through an online form.
💰It wasn’t fun. But, on more than one occasion, simply telling a moving company that their price was higher than the other quotes I received caused them to drop their price. If you plan to buy a home, it’s also good practice for negotiating your mortgage rate.
Buy moving boxes
In prior moves, my brigade of boxes was drafted from discarded Amazon deliveries. I saved a few bucks, but loading the truck required a PhD in Tetris.
In my last two moves, I avoided those teetering towers by going to the hardware store and buying a uniform set of cardboard cubes (after I made sure I could return any unused ones).
💰The brand new boxes stacked neatly, didn’t break and were definitely worth the $100.
Time household upgrades strategically
Thinking about getting a large item, like a piece of furniture? If you’ve already saved up for it but a potential move lurks in your future, hold off until you know where you’ll be.
Not only can you confirm your purchase will work well in your new space, it’ll also be one less thing to move, saving time, space and avoiding potential damage in transit.
In my case, I had wanted a king-size bed for a while, but I’m glad I didn’t buy it only to then move it across the country.
💰When I moved, I discarded my old queen-size mattress, opted for a smaller truck (keeping the bed would have required a larger truck) and bought the new bed upon arrival.
Make a plan for incoming cash
Checking my bank account in the weeks leading up to and following any move is like watching a huge storm roll in, wreak havoc and move on.
Following the initial shock, however, there’s often a welcome surprise. If you left a rental, you may receive your deposit back. If you sold a house, you might receive funds over and above the check you got when you closed.
In my case, I received a good-sized chunk from an escrow account I had forgotten about. This is great news, but it wasn’t new, free money; it was old money that I was finally being reunited with.
💰If you also get a surprise infusion of cash after relocating, make a strategic decision with it. Consider replenishing your savings account instead of going wild with new purchases.
About the Author
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