I recently mentioned that we are now house hunting! I’m a “have to be prepared” kinda girl, and I cannot go into such a big purchase without fully covering all of my basis and knowing what I’m up against before we make the move. When we moved five years ago, we hired a moving company to do all of the work for us. Before researching moving companies, I was expecting the price to be astronomical. In fact, my preconceived notions led me to nearly deem myself the moving company!
Moving companies do not have to be pricey. There are things that you can do right now to save yourself money with movers. Below you will find a few suggestions on how to save big…
Be Prepared – this sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Many movers charge by the hour and that means that if you are not packed and ready to go when they arrive, you will be the one to pay, quite literally. Ensure that all of your boxes are packed the night before the movers arrive, ensuring that there will be no delays.
Organize Ahead – this goes hand in hand with being prepared and will save you a bundle when you get hit with the bill! Labeling your boxes with sharpies will ensure that the workers know exactly what rooms you would like the boxes to be placed. This will not only save you time and money, but your voice as well! Where does this go again?
Reduce – Weight equals money, so holding a garage sale or making large donations before moving day, could save you a bundle. Attempt to take many of the small items yourself, and allow the movers to take the large objects that you cannot lift on your own.
Ask for a Price Break – Many long distance movers charge based on a Tariff 400, which is really just a fancy word for “suggested retail price” based upon weight and distance. Many moving companies automatically discount their price to be competitive, however asking for a discount (especially on long distance moves) off of their current rate can land you an even better deal. If the company won’t budge, then find a company who will.
Don’t Forget your Taxes – Many of the expenses associated with moving are tax deductible, such as cost of transportation, packing, unpacking, shipping your car, moving pets, and even the cost of the trip, including lodging. Of course, these numbers must not be in excessive amounts, and you must meet certain criteria, such as moving for the purpose employment, a new job, a self employed individual employed for a certain amount of time, and/or moving to a foreign country for military service. Do your homework, and your move could be a great write off!
Visit Uship to find out more about moving and movers. Uship is the online shipping marketplace that connects people with customer-reviewed transport companies, in an effort to bring down delivery costs and make shipping and moving more affordable and efficient.