Moving? Save Money With These Simple Tips

By Pammy McGrath


Buying a new home is always a momentous occasion, but there is also a lot of stress and expense involved in the equation. While you might be comfortable with the price you paid for your home, you might be a bit worried about the actual cost of moving. Here are a few ways that you can reduce the amount you spend on moving expenses.

When it comes to moving, every pound counts, especially if you are moving far away. The more you have, the more it costs to move. So get rid of everything and anything that you don't want or need. Not only does this help cut costs, it also means there is less for you to unpack. You can even sell some items, which can help you cover some of the moving costs.

Another cost that can be quite prohibitive is the cost of packing supplies. You need boxes, packing tape and packing paper. For a typical three-bedroom house, this might mean you need as many as 100 boxes of varying sizes, which could easily cost around $400. To lower this cost, look for free boxes on Craigslist and Freecycle or ask friends to save any boxes they have. Also ask friends to save their newspaper to use for packing materials. You can also use towels and clothing to wrap up fragile items.

When planning a move, you have two basic options, renting a truck or hiring a moving company. For a move of just a few miles or so, renting a moving truck can be a cost-effective. Of course, you probably will need to enlist the help of some friends or family members to help you carry large items. If you are moving a longer distance, hiring movers makes a good deal of sense. It can be quite expensive to rent a truck for several days, and you probably won't have anyone to help you unload in a faraway city or another state.

Another tip that can help you save money is to plan your move for mid-month or midweek if you can. Most moves take place around the end or first of the month and many people have no choice but to move on weekends. So if you can set your move for a Wednesday in the middle of the month, you could save a bundle.

If your house search has not yet begun, but you are interested in finding Fredericksburg real estate, Kerrville real estate or homes for sale anywhere in Texas Hill Country, the realtors at Nixon Real Estate are ready to help. For more than 30 years, they have located amazing homes and properties for their clients wishing to settle in this popular Texas region.




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