Adding Up The Cost of Moving
Let's face it, moving is expensive. It's exciting, too, but there can be a lot of cost involved in the process. From moving companies to boxes and tape, packing materials and moving insurance, there are a number of things that will cost you some of your hard-earned cash. There are several things you can do to count the costs and cut out the ones that you don't really need. If you plan ahead, you'll avoid most of the incidental costs and only pay for the things that you really need.
Make a list of what you need and check it off as you acquire it, that way you don't spend money on things you've already gotten. Let's run down a list of the most frequent expenses. Being informed of the costs ahead of time will help prepare you for the expense, as well as find ways to save costs.
In the Beginning
You're going to need packing supplies. This includes boxes, tape, bubble wrap, newspaper; anything that you're going to need to pack your stuff up. You should include at least a couple of box cutters in there and a packing tape dispenser. These dispensers will add a little cost to your move, but they'll save you valuable time and cut out a headache or two.
Boxes can be bought, but who wants to pay $2 for a box? You can get them free by asking local businesses if they have any extras. Grocery stores, shoe stores and liquor stores are great places to find boxes.
Buy your bubble wrap and tape at a bulk distributor; it'll save you cash over regular department stores and if you have extra left, you can always save it for another move or donate it to a friend in need.
If you're going to use a moving company, there are many things to take into consideration. You may need to purchase moving insurance and even then, you may need to purchase additional insurance if the company requires it to cover your items in transit. If you pack your own stuff, many times the moving company will not cover the contents of boxes damaged during the move. Know their policies ahead of time.
Check out the moving company's reputation before deciding on one. Ask friends, neighbors, check the Internet; whatever you have to do to make sure the company is on the up and up. Check out their moving fees for local and interstate moving. Even if you're not moving out of state, trips over a certain mileage can still be billed at interstate rates.
Knowing beforehand what you're up against is the best way to make sure you're not paying to much.
