As I mentioned in the beginning of this series, moving on a budget can be quite difficult, and many times it results in financial disaster. Any way you look at it, moving can take a huge hit on the budget, but there are ways to keep our costs down. I now see why my earliest moves were such a drain on my wallet and wish I had thought it out a little more beforehand. With that being said, here are some of our top tips for keeping the seemingly endless costs under control while moving on a budget.
1. PLAN AHEAD
It’s a simple fact of life: The more rushed you are, the more you will have to pay. If you have the luxury of planning out your move, you can choose the time of year and even day of week that you will move (weekends and summer are more expensive; weekdays and colder weather are slower times for moving companies).
By planning, you can also build in time to shop around and compare prices on everything from grocery stores to UHauls. Get at least three quotes on everything, and don’t assume that the lowest price is the biggest bargain. Examine line items to ensure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Planning will also keep you from making costly mistakes, like forgetting to find a sitter for your pet or to give 30 days’ notice on your gym membership to avoid paying for an additional month. These small fees and expenses add up — and most can be avoided with proper notice.
2. NEGOTIATE OR BARTER
Just because your new landlord quotes you $100 for an extra parking space doesn’t mean you have to pay $100. Always, always, ALWAYS ask for a better deal. You won’t lose anything by asking, and you could just score a lower price. The same goes for your moving company, the furniture store, and your new gym. 30 seconds now can save you hundreds of dollars.
Think about bartering for services, too. If you have mad graphic design skillz, maybe you can swap your talents for a break on your moving expenses. Swap personal training services for a haircut. Whatever your skills and talents, someone else wants them!
3. LOOK FOR DISCOUNTS
Many communities welcome newcomers with open arms — and plenty of discounts. Check in with the post office, your real estate or rental agent, the city’s newcomers club, or the Chamber of Commerce for a welcome packet. A typical haul might include coupons to local restaurants, a discount at the housewares store, and more. Ask for discounts when approaching membership-type organizations like gyms, kids’ programs, and the like. They may be dying for members and be willing to cut you a deal.
The key here is to ask. Ask to barter, ask for a discount, ask for a better price. You won’t always get one, but it’ll work enough to make it worth the effort.
Maybe you know someone who is about to move, or maybe you just found this material useful. Either way, I really want to help everyone that I can, so feel free to share this post via social media or any other way you can. Please leave a comment below with comments and tips you have about moving on a budget.
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“5 Ways Do It Yourself Moving Will Save You Money”
This post will go live May 18, 2012 @ 8am EST
Photo of Woman and Boxes by UberCulture
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You’re definitely right that we can save on all kinds of things just by asking for a lower price. I think most of us are just too proud to risk being considered cheap, even by some random salesperson that we don’t know. Once you push aside that foolish sense of pride, you’d be surprised at who is willing to lower their prices for you.
As for planning ahead, I’m always to cheap to pay extra money on rent. So I’m always moving on either the very end of the month or the 1st of the month, depending on when the current landlord needs me out and when the new one can let me move in.
You couldn’t have said it any better Jeremy. We can apply this technique to anything we do whether it is getting work done for your car (save major here) or at the flea market… you never know until you ask. That is very smart of you about timing your move… another thing people seem to overlook. Thanks for the input Jeremy!
Sometimes I find myself helpless in this situation. Thanks man, for publishing such a great article.
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