How to SAVE money while Moving
Let me guess…you’ve reached the inevitable milestone where a case of beer and free pizza no longer does the trick in getting your friends to help you move. Or you may just be at the age and income level where personally moving your possessions is no longer a necessity. Whatever the case…here is a list of tips and tricks for getting around paying top dollar for a moving company:
Shop. Shop. Shop.
Always shop around and get at least three quotes. If the estimates are general, ask for a representative to stop so they can prepare a detailed or itemized quote or if you can send pics of your rooms. General estimates have a way of getting out of hand very quickly. It’s best to rip the band aid off up front and make sure the quote is as accurate as possible in order to budget accordingly. Ask if your time starts when they head your way or when they arrive at your home. Are breaks included and, if so, how many? Are they providing any boxes, blankets or protective wrapping or is that on you? Are there extra charges to disassembly/reassembly furniture? What are the typical overages they see in their moves? ASK all of the questions.
See what you can do to reduce costs.
Can you move on a Wednesday instead of Saturday? Peak days and hours will cost you more no matter the month.
Are you able to transport large fragile items yourself such as tv’s and artwork?
Is your washer and dryer almost on the fritz? It may be more cost efficient to sell those and buy new instead of moving.
Do you have a ton of boxes or lots of stairs? Look into hiring 4 movers instead of 2 to save time and help ease the physical workload and inevitable exhaustion.
Purge as you pack! If you never used it to begin with or can’t envision using it in the near future…just say hasta la vista baby. Less stuff to pack…less boxes to move.
Just Ask.
If there is one statement that is drilled in an entrepreneur’s head it is this: you won’t know until you ask. If your budget is X and the estimate is XX…ask for a discount. Be honest and up front. See if there are any discounts for your situation such as active-duty, a student, in healthcare, veteran, etc. The worst outcome is a “no” but the best outcome is a “yes”! Take your chances.