Moving Cross-Country Affordably
Planning a move cross-country will go a lot more smoothly if you understand your options. Whether you want to do it yourself with a rental truck or hire a professional moving company, consider these tips for moving cross-country affordably.
Inventory your possessions
Evaluate your heavy furniture and any vehicles you would like to move. Then assign them a dollar value. An affordable cross-country move doesn't drag items along that are more expensive to relocate than they are to replace. Big items take up a lot of space in a moving truck.
Get quotes
If you want to rent a truck or trailer, you need bids from at least three reputable companies. Use a weight and volume calculator to determine the size of truck you will need based upon the possessions to be moved. The size of the rental truck and the duration needed to make your move will determine the cost.
Next, compare these do-it-yourself costs to quotes from a few professional moving companies. Depending upon your situation, it might be worth the difference in price to let professionals handle your possessions and do all the physical labor.
Decide how to move your car
Based upon the number of items you want to move, you'll have to decide if you want to pull your vehicle behind your rental truck or drive your car and pull a trailer. After you get costs for both options, decide how many of your possessions you can actually afford to move. Estimate gas consumption, your car's fuel efficiency and the wear and tear on your vehicle.
Consider shipping books
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) can be an affordable option for students moving cross-country. Books are heavy to move in a car or truck but can be shipped via the USPS media-mail rate. Another commonly forgotten option is the Greyhound bus line's shipping service, which usually offers student discounts. These are both good possibilities, especially if you don't have your new address, because these shippers will hold your boxes for pickup for up to two weeks.
Estimate road-trip costs
After you have your truck/trailer rental estimates, figure out how long it will take you to get to your final destination. How many meals will you eat? For how many nights will you need a hotel? If you plan to make any side trips, how much will they add to your moving budget? If you know how many miles you can drive in a day and the route you will be taking, you can make reservations ahead at budget motels and even take advantage of any online discounts for advance reservations.
Think creatively
Cross-country moving tips include developing affordable solutions for your unique situation. Consider asking a friend or family member to drive one of your vehicles in a caravan behind your rental truck or trailer. Paying for his or her food and lodging and an inexpensive plane flight home might be more affordable than using a car-shipping service.
Moving cross-country affordably really means evaluating your possessions and their true value. If you don't have much to begin with, the smartest thing might be to sell most of your possessions and then travel by bus or train to your destination.http://www.life123.com/career-money/real-estate/moving-tips/moving-cross-country-affordably.shtml
Inventory your possessions
Evaluate your heavy furniture and any vehicles you would like to move. Then assign them a dollar value. An affordable cross-country move doesn't drag items along that are more expensive to relocate than they are to replace. Big items take up a lot of space in a moving truck.
Get quotes
If you want to rent a truck or trailer, you need bids from at least three reputable companies. Use a weight and volume calculator to determine the size of truck you will need based upon the possessions to be moved. The size of the rental truck and the duration needed to make your move will determine the cost.
Next, compare these do-it-yourself costs to quotes from a few professional moving companies. Depending upon your situation, it might be worth the difference in price to let professionals handle your possessions and do all the physical labor.
Decide how to move your car
Based upon the number of items you want to move, you'll have to decide if you want to pull your vehicle behind your rental truck or drive your car and pull a trailer. After you get costs for both options, decide how many of your possessions you can actually afford to move. Estimate gas consumption, your car's fuel efficiency and the wear and tear on your vehicle.
Consider shipping books
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) can be an affordable option for students moving cross-country. Books are heavy to move in a car or truck but can be shipped via the USPS media-mail rate. Another commonly forgotten option is the Greyhound bus line's shipping service, which usually offers student discounts. These are both good possibilities, especially if you don't have your new address, because these shippers will hold your boxes for pickup for up to two weeks.
Estimate road-trip costs
After you have your truck/trailer rental estimates, figure out how long it will take you to get to your final destination. How many meals will you eat? For how many nights will you need a hotel? If you plan to make any side trips, how much will they add to your moving budget? If you know how many miles you can drive in a day and the route you will be taking, you can make reservations ahead at budget motels and even take advantage of any online discounts for advance reservations.
Think creatively
Cross-country moving tips include developing affordable solutions for your unique situation. Consider asking a friend or family member to drive one of your vehicles in a caravan behind your rental truck or trailer. Paying for his or her food and lodging and an inexpensive plane flight home might be more affordable than using a car-shipping service.
Moving cross-country affordably really means evaluating your possessions and their true value. If you don't have much to begin with, the smartest thing might be to sell most of your possessions and then travel by bus or train to your destination.http://www.life123.com/career-money/real-estate/moving-tips/moving-cross-country-affordably.shtml
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