As we have told you before, moving for the first time will come with many hidden costs that you might not have planned for. Luckily, with proper research and advance planning you can save a lot of money on everything related to the actual move.
Follow these 5 money saving tips for your move into your first apartment and stay within your budget.
1. Eliminate excess belongings before move
If you’re moving into your first apartment, chances are you have lived in your current home for a while and have probably accumulated a lot of stuff, most of which you probably don’t need.
Take time to go through everything you have so you can eliminate stuff you no longer need or use. Also, consider how much space you will have in your new apartment to determine what you need to keep and what you need to eliminate. For example, maybe you currently have a full bedroom set but in your new apartment only have room for one set of drawers and one side table. Sell what you can and use that money to help with the moving costs. If you can’t sell everything, donate the extra items.
Ed. comment: And while you are deciding what to take, take measurements of any large items to make sure they fit into your apartment. Nothing is more frustrating than paying to move a hand-me-down sofa and then finding out that it does not fit through the door. Yes, it did happen to one of our bloggers!
2. Move during the off-season
Spring – summer is the most popular time to move. If possible, plan to move in the off-season, especially if you plan to hire a moving company. This way, you have better chances of finding a reasonable moving rate, and you may be able to talk a moving company down in price if you have competing bids. For winter moves, follow these tips. (Another benefit of moving in off-season is that you might get a break in rent, because there is less competition for apartments.)
3. Get multiple quotes
Before hiring a moving company, call multiple companies for quotes to ensure you get the best deal. Research the companies online, looking for customer reviews to help ensure you hire a fair, reliable company.
4. Find free moving supplies
Why pay for moving boxes when you can find free boxes? Ask around at different stores for empty cardboard boxes. Some stores recycle the empty boxes that held their stock, but many stores simply throw the boxes in the trash. You may have a variety of sizes, but you will save a lot of money. Liquor stores are usually good places to get sturdy boxes that are less likely to be infested with vermin.
5. Create a realistic moving budget
If you have a firm, set budget of how much you can afford to spend on moving costs, chances are you can keep your costs low. Better yet, if you have a set amount of money to spend on a moving company, use that amount to bargain for a lower price.
