How to save on moving expenses

As I mentioned in a previous post, we are going to be moving into a rental home (that we really, really love) in less than a week! To say I’m excited would be an understatement. As much as I hate to complain, living in this apartment has been tough. Our furniture is way too big for the space, the layout isn’t open and there are no windows except for in the bedrooms. While it’s cozy, I sort of feel cut off from the rest of the world when I’m in here. I can’t wait to open up the blinds in our new home, give the girls and our dogs space to run around in, have a microwave (a small luxury I’ve missed), grill outside on our deck and just feel “settled.” I’ve loved living in North Carolina and while it already feels like home, I know living in a house will make it feel even more like home.

That being said, moving can be expensive. While this is nothing compared to when we moved across the country, I still want to save as much money as possible during this move.

How to save on moving expenses

While I’m definitely no expert, I have moved twice now in the past 5 months so I do have a few tips to share. When we moved across the country, we had very little furniture items we were taking so we were able to do EVERYTHING by ourselves. This time, we have a few very heavy items that I’m not able to lift, so we decided to hire a few of John’s employees to help with the big stuff. In addition, we will need to rent a Uhaul truck for the morning. We’re guestimating that will cost us around $250 for both (but I haven’t looked at prices for the Uhaul yet so this could be way under or over).

Get rid of junk! One of the things I really like about moving is it forces you to go through all your stuff and toss out, donate or sell what you no longer want. This time around, we aren’t getting rid of anything really. We already did a major cleanse 5 months ago and haven’t added anything to our stash other than items we will keep (dining room table, box springs, toys for the girls and a desk). You can save money by getting rid of items you no longer use because you don’t need to pack them in boxes or make room for them in your truck. If you can sell the items, even better!

Work fast. Time is money when it comes to moving, especially if you are hiring people like we are. John and I both plan on working right alongside our employees that way we can get everything done as quickly as possible. The sooner we get it done, the less we have to spend on labor. On a similar note, pack the moving truck tight. If you have to make multiple trips, you’re using both time and gas. Our goal is to get everything moved in one trip!

Deduct your expenses. Did you know that some of your moving expenses can be deducted on your taxes assuming you qualify? That’s right – moving is expensive, but if it saves you on your taxes, the cost may not be as high as you think. Click here to see the types of expenses you can deduct and make sure to save all of your receipts from the move.

Also, keep a receipt for any items you donate, as those can be deducted from you taxes, too!

Transfer your utilities in plenty of time. I’m so glad I called and set up our utilities to be cancelled/transferred last week. Some of the companies are closed this week and next, meaning we would have been stuck either paying utilities on two places for a little while or even worse, we may not have had power at the new place (we’re moving over the holidays). Call your electric company, water company, gas company, cable/internet company and insurance company as soon as your moving date is set in stone.

Hopefully, this will be the last time we move for a while. Moving is fun, but it’s so much work. Our plan is to stay in this rental home until we can buy our dream home – whether that’s two years or ten.

Any tips for saving money while moving?! I’d love to know 🙂

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