Save Money When Hiring Movers with These Simple Cost-Cutting Ideas

The moving spirits of the moving industry know it: hiring professional movers takes a huge load off your mind (not to mention your back). You won’t have to run around begging friends for help, you’ll save tons of time, you don’t risk pulling a muscle or ruining your back – and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Check out how you can manage your moving costs effectively and save money when hiring movers.

Purge your home and reduce the load.

As moving costs are determined based on the total weight of the things that need to be moved, reducing that load also means making your move more affordable.

Here are a few ideas to reduce the load in order to minimize the costs when hiring moving companies:

• Give clean clothes you no longer wear to a local charity. They get new things, and you get more space. Win-win! However, make sure to keep all the receipts to claim a tax deduction afterwards.
• Reduce your load and save money when hiring movers by previously selling things you no longer need online;
• Get rid of things you no longer need by organizing a yard sale. It can be fun and increase your moving budget;
• Leave items you no longer use with friends who can use them.

The early bird catches the worm.

Last-minute and short-notice bookings make it almost impossible to save money when hiring movers, as such cases are usually much more expensive.

Make this a top priority on your moving to-do list and inform the moving company as soon as possible. Booking early in advance might get you a sweet early bird discount and can help you save a lot of money when hiring movers!

Scheduling wisely = affordable moving.

Another important factor moving cost calculators take into account is the time frame resp. the month you chose for your move.

Like travel agencies, moving companies have low seasons and peak seasons. Peak seasons are usually June and July, which makes these months a no-go if you’re looking to save a few bucks.

Rule of thumb: the earlier you book, the more money you’ll be able to save on your move.

Ask the moving company about additional costs that may come up.

Professional moving companies keep their offers and services simple and transparent. Making your move more affordable simply isn’t possible if you don’t know what and how much the moving company is charging for their services.

Such additional fees can include flight charges, long carry charges, or special packing services. Contact your moving experts to find out more about their fees and make sure all these services are included in your moving budget.

Don’t forget the bigger picture.

Moving to a new place can include several larger expenses you might not have considered before, especially if you’re moving for the first time.

If you’re not up-to-date regarding the extra costs that come with moving, you should check out this very helpful video guide about the true cost of moving to a new space, where this is explained in more detail.

An important point that they recommend in this video guide is to make use of free moving cost calculators offered by many moving companies, which can definitely help you save money when hiring movers and during the move itself.

Being aware of these costs can not only help you manage your moving costs, you’ll also be able to avoid the unpleasant surprise of unforeseen costs that can heavily damage your budget and mess up your moving plans.

Good planning is the key!

Consider playing it safe.

Ask your moving experts about moving insurances or coverage. Even though this is extra spent money, it can turn out to be a great investment if anything gets damaged or breaks, which, in such a case, usually leads to even bigger expenses.

Save money when hiring movers by eliminating the most expensive services.

Some of the most expensive services moving companies offer include moving large or fragile/delicate items, or packing appliances and items that require special packing and care.

Ask your moving company whether they charge extra for services like that. If they do, think about how you could cut down on these costs. Sometimes it can even pay out to hire specialized moves (for pianos, for instance), as this could cost less than having it done by a non-specialized moving company.

Another great way to reduce the amount of work the movers do and therefore save some money is to move some of the hard-to-move items yourself, either by car or by renting a trailer.  

Pick their brain and get valuable moving tips.

Professional movers know how it’s done and what it takes to make a more efficient and successful.

One possible way of minimizing the moving company’s effort (and time spent) is to disassemble large items yourself before they show up, such as shelves, bed frames, tables, etc.

Ask about tips that could help you save time, as well as what you could do on your own. Advice on how to pack large or bulky items is also very welcome, and could definitely be a great way to reduce their work.
Give it a try and use a few of our tips to save money when hiring movers and make your move much more affordable!