Moving on a low budget will most likely add an extra dose of stress to a stressful event that’s already one of life’s most stressful experiences. Moving house on a tight budget will soon turn into an exhausting battle to stretch your limited funds beyond their breaking point.

It has become increasingly apparent that moving home is an expensive affair, which often poses a problem for those moving on a limited budget. Even so, people have continually found ways to cut moving costs using their ingenuity and resourcefulness. This enabled them to move out on a budget, and ultimately, their relocation adventures ended successfully.

Mr Relokate offers affordable interprovincial moving as well as within-province moving services from our office in Ontario. So, if you’re moving then contact us today for a free moving quote!

Spend as little money as possible on your move! If you have a tight budget for your family, you can still move using the following 10 cost-saving tips.

#1: Finding yourself a low-cost mover

The best way of affordable moving is to move by yourself – that is, without hiring professional movers. The cost of moving yourself can actually be less expensive than hiring a mover, provided that certain factors are met: a short drive to the new house (local moving), no special items to move, guaranteed help from friends when packing and during the move, and previous move experience.

If you’re moving long distances across the country and you haven’t had to rent a moving truck before, then you should find yourself an affordable moving company to assist you. There are many factors that affect your finances during the process of moving, so it’s not always true that using a mover will always be more expensive than moving on your own.

Finding an affordable mover requires you to request three to four moving cost estimates from different professional movers so that you can actually compare quotes based on pricing, additional services, and other factors.

#2: Take only what you will need

If you have a limited budget, moving will be a difficult experience for you – the constant struggle for savings on every relocation aspect can be exhausting and will stress you out in a variety of ways. Here’s a relatively easy way to save even more on your local or cross-country move.

The idea behind this suggestion is simple – carefully choose what items you desire to move to your new home in order to reduce costs. Why? A major factor affecting the moving cost is the total weight of the shipment, which means the more items you transport, the more money you will need to cover the costs of transportation.

Check each item carefully, one by one, and ask yourself if you really need to move it. Don’t let unnecessary items clutter up your living space because that will only eat away at your savings in the long run.

#3: Sell all your unwanted stuff

We just learned that the best way to have affordable moving is to first hire cheap movers then move with as little as possible. When you’re trying to find cheap ways to move out, the process of taking inventory of your belongings and paring down your stuff is crucial for the success of your move.

Moving across the country is not only about saving money, but also about earning some cash in the process. Remember all the items you have decided not to take with you for one reason or another? Sell some of those belongings now so that money can be transferred to a relocated family’s limited budget.

Prepare a yard sale for the household items you’re leaving behind, especially the heavier and larger items, such as furniture. If you have unwanted items, you can sell them online, but remember that online transactions can take a while to finalize. Getting rid of some of your belongings through gifts to friends or donations is a better alternative than selling them.

 

 

#4: Pack up your things by yourself

The most expensive method of moving is hiring a full-service moving company, which provides packing as part of the package price. It’s obvious that you shouldn’t rely solely on professional packers when you have little money to move out, even though you may find a better deal than that.

Unless you have a lot of special things that need packing services that are customized or unless you’re out of time, pack your own things if you’re moving on a budget. Is it really necessary to pay professional movers to pack your books, clothes, shoes, and priceless collection of action figures?

Make sure you do what’s right for your budget, as well as what’s right for your possessions. It is easy to pack books (almost), but packing the grandfather clock your grandmother left you is a job for professionals because it is too risky to do by yourself.

 

 

#5: Don’t pay for your moving boxes

When it comes to money-saving moves, packing your own belongings is a great option. You’re in control and you save money. To reduce the cost even further, see if you can find cardboard boxes to pack without paying for them.

You can ask around your circle of friends – maybe they have a few boxes they don’t need anymore. Also, take a quick walk around the biggest businesses in your area to ask them about free cardboard boxes. Almost every retailer recycles their excess cardboard at the end of the day, so that is where you can help.

#6: Don’t pay for other packing supplies either

Here’s one tip for saving money when moving house that may not seem worth the effort at first… but it is worth trying. Having learned how free moving boxes can easily save you hundreds of dollars worth of packing supplies, you may wish to play it really frugally and not buy any other packing supplies either.

You’d be surprised at how many packing materials you already have. Just look around. All kinds of suitcases, travel bags, briefcases, shopping bags, tote bags, and garbage bags (that’s right!) are excellent containers, and you probably have them in your home. Use at least some of them when packing up your things to move.

Additionally, ordinary bedding, bath towels, bed sheets, socks, and other pieces of clothing make excellent wrapping materials and cushioning materials. It goes without saying that newspapers are perfect for filling in empty spaces in moving boxes – just be careful not to use newsprint directly on delicate surfaces, as this may leave nasty ink stains.

 

 

#7: Choose a cheaper period to move out

What is the best way to have an affordable moving? When moving, it is usually the little things that will help you save money – the cost-saving techniques you won’t think of at the start but that will surely make your move more affordable in the end. Strategic planning allows you to save this time.

You should schedule the exact move-out date well in advance. If your departure date is flexible, you have a great opportunity to save money by reducing the move-out costs. Moving during the summer can be more expensive than moving in the winter, including later fall and early spring, because the warmer months of the year are the busiest for the moving industry during that time.

Additionally, moving during the weekend is more expensive than moving during the week, and professional movers tend to charge a higher rate during the first and last week of each month. It is typically more expensive to move during the first and last day of every month, as well as during national holidays.

#8: Ask your friends for help

If you need help with a task you cannot possibly do yourself, hire professional movers to do it for you. As we mentioned above, you will save money if you pack whatever you can yourself rather than hiring a professional mover. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to enlist the assistance of your friends for not only packing, but also moving and unpacking tasks.

Get in touch with your helpers as early as you can to avoid interrupting their own plans in the future. Even better is if a friend of yours owns a pickup truck and would be willing to lend it to you while you move locally.

Consider making moving fun for your friends, providing snacks and refreshing beverages, playing background music, as well as sharing old memories. You don’t have to suffer when moving on a budget, do you?

 

 

#9: Don’t make costly moving mistakes

It sounds like science fiction to have the perfect house move. It’s understandable to make mistakes during a period filled with so many things to think about and so many activities to do, so the best thing you can do is to minimize both the frequency and severity of your mistakes to ensure your moving budget survives the move relatively unscathed.

As we continue with our tips for moving on a budget, we issue a warning shot – do not make any mistakes that will be costly in the end. You must make sure

• For precise cost estimates, request an in-home visual survey;
• Compare well the written estimates instead of accepting the first offer;
• Don’t fall for the oldest trick in the book – an estimate that sounds too good to be true usually ends up being false;
• Do not sign incomplete or blank (!) documents;
• If you own really valuable items, be aware of your insurance options;
• Always keep your smaller valuables with you;
• Whenever you pack up your items or move heavy objects outside your home, take precautions to ensure your safety;
• Make sure to use the right moving equipment and lift properly. Keep in mind that home repair bills and medical expenses will make your tight budget even tighter.

 

#10: Stay protected from dishonest moving companies

Moving on a budget is a difficult task as it is, so there is no need to make things worse. An example of a complication that can really hurt your budget is getting scammed by a dishonest mover.

Unwary customers are targeted by moving scams, which involve so-called rogue moving companies who are engaging in fraudulent activities to steal their money. As long as you follow a few basic prevention rules, you should be able to stay safe and out of trouble.

• Always research your potential movers – read genuine customer reviews about the corresponding moving companies, check their records at the Canadian Association of Movers (CAM) and their profile at the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
• Watch out for low-ball quotes – estimates that are intentionally too low so that they can entice unsuspecting clients to take the bait. Whenever in doubt, demand specific answers and try to understand the logic behind the pricing.
• Ask for in-home estimates so that you can meet the movers and ask them all the questions that concern you. As such, do not accept quotes obtained via telephone or e-mail because they cannot accurately represent the final bill.

Last Words

No matter where you’re moving to – Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, etc. – moving on a budget is never easy. Spending money you do not have is never a good idea. You’ll also need to take advantage of every opportunity to cut the moving costs even more. While following the tips for moving on a budget above is essential, you are also going to need to take advantage of any discounts you can get.

Oh, and don’t be afraid of asking your moving company about discounts or other ongoing promotions. Asking never hurts, right?

Moving is both an exciting and daunting experience. Using a reputable moving company will prevent the stress of moving from keeping you from achieving your goals.

If you are looking for professional movers, you have come to the right place! Mr. Relokate is a moving company based in Toronto that offers packing and moving services for residential and commercial customers.

Book a move right now and get your moving job done, in a quick, safe, and hassle-free manner by the best movers in Toronto.