How can I save on moving expenses?

[skylovessea]

Due to the lack of jobs here in Tennessee, and the fact that my parents don't live here anymore (which really is what kept us here), we have decided to move to Ohio where his family lives to try to get a new start for ourselves. He has found a lot of possible jobs and his parents are going to help us out a little in between until we get settled in.

We are using part of our tax return to cover expenses but I wanted to know some good ways to cut them as much as possible. I want to put a lot of this money into savings and I don't want to jeopardize that by spending too much in the move.

What have you all done in the past when moving to keep it as cheap as possible?

(Also, any general moving tips that aren't money related would be appreciated too, as we have never moved more than 30 miles away. This is a 400 mile move, it's a little more intimidating.)

[kork13]

Pack and move yourselves--don't hire movers. You save alot that way. Also, keep receipts for boxes, packing materials, truck/trailer, gas, food, and any overnight stops, as all of these things can be deducted on your taxes next year as moving expenses.

If you are okay with selling some of your furniture and other stuff, you can do that in order to decrease the amount of stuff to pack. That allows you to rent a smaller truck/trailer for moving. Along the same lines, compress as much as possible, to save space.

[skylovessea]

Pack and move yourselves--don't hire movers. You save alot that way. Also, keep receipts for boxes, packing materials, truck/trailer, gas, food, and any overnight stops, as all of these things can be deducted on your taxes next year as moving expenses.

If you are okay with selling some of your furniture and other stuff, you can do that in order to decrease the amount of stuff to pack. That allows you to rent a smaller truck/trailer for moving. Along the same lines, compress as much as possible, to save space.

Thank you for the tips!

We won't be able to write off the moving expenses because we aren't moving FOR a job. We are moving to find a job. I don't know the difference but when I looked at the qualification list, it made it sound like it's only if you are relocating or moving AFTER being offered a job. Does that make sense? It seems to confuse me, haha.

EDIT:

I just looked at the Pub. 521 for moving expenses and the reason we won't qualify is because you have to receive reimbursement from your employer. Because we are moving there to FIND a job (and he hasn't been offered one) we won't receive any type of reimbursement.

[wincrasher]

Expenses to find a job are deductible. I'd claim it.

You need to take a quick accounting of your stuff to see if it's even worth moving it. A one-way truck can be expensive to some places. You may be better off selling off your stuff and starting over in your new place - rent a trailer, or a van and put your personal stuff in it - much cheaper.

[wincrasher]

Here's another thought.....

Ohio isn't exactly a hotbed of employment these days. Maybe your husband should live with his folks for a few weeks, find a job and then send for you when he has something.

That might be a much lower cost approach overall.

[RefinanceRight]

Get free moving boxes from your local grocery store and free twine from your local lumber store... That will save a few bucks

[cicy33]

Here's another thought.....

Ohio isn't exactly a hotbed of employment these days. Maybe your husband should live with his folks for a few weeks, find a job and then send for you when he has something.

That might be a much lower cost approach overall.

But then they are still paying rent where she is at. By moving together they don't. Can you stay at his parents for a while? and paying expenses for both spouses seperately. Also if they are towing the car then they will save the fuel she would have had to spend. Either way the uhaul has to go. or whatever they are driving.

[scfr]

1. Spend a little money to save a lot of money. I recommend buying 2 things specifically:

A. Buy this book and put it to good use:
Amazon.com: 29 Days to a Smooth Move, 2nd Edition: Donna Kozik, Tara Maras: Books

There are a lot of moving books out there. This one is the best, hands down. Normally I advocate checking out books from the library, but this is one you will want to buy, because you will want to write in it and hang on to it for a long time.

B. Buy one of the clipboards that has an inside compartment where you can put a few things. Tape your old and new addresses and phone numbers on the outside (you'll be asked for them about a gazillion times and they will start to blur in your mind), and put inside pens, a calculator, cell phone (if you have one), and all of the critical information and documents such as rental truck contract, pediatrician phone number, etc. Carry it with you everywhere.

What those 2 things (the book and the clipboard) will do is help you stay super-organized and on top of everything. That way, you won't waste time or money needlessly. You won't end up paying rent or utility bills a day longer than you need to, you won't fall behind schedule and end up eating out a lot at the end, etc.

Please just trust me on this one. I've moved more times than I care to think about. My last move was over 2,000 miles, to an area I had only visited once. The book was a Godsend, and the clipboard was my lifeline to sanity.

2. Take the opportunity to purge anything you don't really need. Sell things to raise some cash. Donate things that you can't sell. Seriously think about selling the car; try to figure out if you can get by without one after the move.

3. Do it in a day: 400 miles in one day should be "easy." Load the truck up the day before you move. Just keep some disposable cups and a suitcase with clothes and toiletries and baby stuff and your mattress (w/ sheets) in your apartment for the final night. After loading the truck, take your shower and go to sleep. In the morning, get up, get dressed, load the mattress in the back of the truck and head out! Be on the road by 6am. That way you'll get to your new place in time to unload before it gets dark, and if you live in a busy area you'll be out of town before traffic gets heavy.

Good luck.

[skylovessea]

Here's another thought.....

Ohio isn't exactly a hotbed of employment these days. Maybe your husband should live with his folks for a few weeks, find a job and then send for you when he has something.

That might be a much lower cost approach overall.

We have a child. Him and I can't exactly live in a different state than my husband. We only have one car, no income, and we have already told our landlord about the move.

We can't afford rent here anymore, so we are finding something better elsewhere (and it is working quite well, actually.) Plus, we already plan on staying with my in-laws until we have an apartment available to us.

And I don't know where you got your information about Ohio not being great for employment. Maybe in comparison to somewhere larger? I just know it's much better than here. He already has two or three possible job offerings.

Not to be rude but that wasn't good advice at all.

[skylovessea]

1. Spend a little money to save a lot of money. I recommend buying 2 things specifically:

A. Buy this book and put it to good use:
Amazon.com: 29 Days to a Smooth Move, 2nd Edition: Donna Kozik, Tara Maras: Books

There are a lot of moving books out there. This one is the best, hands down. Normally I advocate checking out books from the library, but this is one you will want to buy, because you will want to write in it and hang on to it for a long time.

B. Buy one of the clipboards that has an inside compartment where you can put a few things. Tape your old and new addresses and phone numbers on the outside (you'll be asked for them about a gazillion times and they will start to blur in your mind), and put inside pens, a calculator, cell phone (if you have one), and all of the critical information and documents such as rental truck contract, pediatrician phone number, etc. Carry it with you everywhere.

What those 2 things (the book and the clipboard) will do is help you stay super-organized and on top of everything. That way, you won't waste time or money needlessly. You won't end up paying rent or utility bills a day longer than you need to, you won't fall behind schedule and end up eating out a lot at the end, etc.

Please just trust me on this one. I've moved more times than I care to think about. My last move was over 2,000 miles, to an area I had only visited once. The book was a Godsend, and the clipboard was my lifeline to sanity.

2. Take the opportunity to purge anything you don't really need. Sell things to raise some cash. Donate things that you can't sell. Seriously think about selling the car; try to figure out if you can get by without one after the move.

3. Do it in a day: 400 miles in one day should be "easy." Load the truck up the day before you move. Just keep some disposable cups and a suitcase with clothes and toiletries and baby stuff and your mattress (w/ sheets) in your apartment for the final night. After loading the truck, take your shower and go to sleep. In the morning, get up, get dressed, load the mattress in the back of the truck and head out! Be on the road by 6am. That way you'll get to your new place in time to unload before it gets dark, and if you live in a busy area you'll be out of town before traffic gets heavy.

Good luck.

Thank you so much! That is all great advice.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I've moved A LOT. Saying that is an understatement. My DH arrived with 1 suitcase in this country.

Sell everything not essential. Trust me, what you think is expensive might not be as difficult to replace for free or cheap. Consider just moving the absolute essentials.

[cptacek]

Make sure you schedule ahead when the utility companies can turn off the utilities. Sometimes it takes a few days for them to come around, and you don't want to pay any more than you have to.

Have one box at the back of the truck (or inside the truck with you) with toiletries, sheets, bath towels, one change of clothing for everyone, and a shower curtain so that when you get there, you can bring everything in and not have to dig around for that stuff when you get there. You can then shower and go to bed without having to think about unpacking for a day if something goes wrong.

Keep important papers with you in the vehicle and not in some random box. Things like marriage certificate, birth certificates, bank account numbers, passport, social security card, etc. You probably don't need them right away, but you don't want them stolen or dropping off the back of the van if something happens.

Also pack a lunch and snacks and drinks for the heavy lifting part and the driving part. Some people would be tempted to eat out because everything to prepare food is packed.

[whitestripe]

one tip that i have:
write on the boxes pretty much EVERYTHING that is in the box. trust me on this one. you will be packing and go 'oh, i am putting plates and stuff in here, so obviously its kitchen stuff, so i will just put the toaster in here and remember where i put it'. you will NOT remember that lol!

ummm... what else.
you probably will do this anyway, but clean the apartment yourselves, dont pay someone to do it. if you have to have the carpets cleaned and a pest spray, find the cheapest person to do it. (obviously)
all my other dvice has already been said lol

[skylovessea]

Quick update and information:

We talked to DH's parents and they are going to drive down here and help out. We are getting a one way moving truck that my father in law will drive (then mother in law will drive their van back) so that we may drive our car (because of the little one with the car seat we can't all go in a truck)

Also, when we got our apartment, we paid a mandatory cleaning fee along with our deposit because our landlord likes the apartments cleaned a certain way as to not damage anything. So all we have to do is the basic cleaning when we leave (which makes it a lot less stressful)

We haven't set a date yet but it will probably be mid-March, or whenever someone else leases this apartment.

Your ideas have been great and I look forward to hearing more!

[jIM_Ohio]

I have moved often and live in Ohio now- exactly where do you think you can find work? Just curious.

When I moved the first 7 or 8 times I rented a u-haul and did it myself. My last move I was 30+ and decided that hiring movers would let me live longer and earn more money (I have a bad back). A few of the moves friends let me borrow pick up trucks to save me the cost of the moving truck. Look at renting a pick up vs cost of a u-haul as a HUGE cost savings. A case of beer for use of a pickup truck will save you big time $$.

BOX everything. Start looking for rectangular shaped boxes and BOX everything. No "what not" allowed. Boxes allow things to sit on top of one another (and save space).

If something does not fit in a box, it is either furniture, packed last, or left behind. What you load first is unpacked last... remember that.

If you get a moving truck here is what I would do:

1) have EVERYTHING boxed beforehand
1a) have all boxes labeled
1b) the suggestion for clothes before was a good one
2) put the largest objects (couches, mattresses) in first.
3) set light boxes on top of couches and over the driver (if truck has overhang).
4) then load the largest boxes towards the back and bottom, stacking them before you move towards back of truck.
5) the boxes/stuff at the very back of the truck will be the things which come out first (think about where things go before packing). For example if you will not be lifting during the move, you might want to have a dresser at very back, with the clothes which go in it in the back- that way the dresser is unloaded first, you can then carry the boxes of clothes to go into the dresser in, and load the dresser while the men unpack the rest.

For me the big thing with moving is to make it happen in a day- I don't like living out of boxes... so I want to spend 3-5 days getting anything not needed in boxes before the move, labeling as I go... then the night before packing up the rest. A day to load the truck, then unload the whole truck and all boxes in a day.