How to Save on Your Local, Long-Distance, or Interstate Move
If you are considering hiring movers for an upcoming move, here are some great ways to save money by preparing in advance:
- Reserve early: Like planes, trains, buses, and other transportation services, moving companies typically have off-peak and peak rates. During peak times like weekends, or at the beginning or end of a month, demand spikes and moving companies do not have enough resources to move everyone at the same time: there are only so many trucks and crews at a time. So, they drop pricing on off peak days, and this encourages some customers to change their move dates in favor of a lower price. If your move date is flexible, this is a fantastic way to save money.
- Choose wisely: you must consider what really needs to be moved, and what needs to be discarded. The volume or weight of the items you intend to move is the primary factor in the price when you are moving locally in California. If you are moving long distance, the volume and weight remain key factors, but distance also becomes a key price driver for interstate, cross country, and long-distance moves. Removing items speeds up the move, so if you are being billed hourly, fewer items means fewer minutes. If the move is long distance, the cutting back on volume can mean substantial savings, so use your best judgment. With tools like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and good old fashioned yard sales, you can even subsidize some of your moving costs by selling items you’re not in love with.
- Donations & Junk: Some items are not meant to be moved, such as low quality, particle board furniture often sold at IKEA or other discount furniture stores. Don’t get us wrong, we love IKEA, but light weight furniture is often not designed to be moved.
We’ll have more tips and tricks coming in other posts. Hope this helps!