First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes newlywed pushing a moving dolly. That’s the modern day version of the popular nursery rhyme.
More people are co-habitating before marriage, but a fair number of couples still wait until tying the knot before moving in together. Many other newlyweds buy a first home together shortly after marriage.
After maxing out your wedding budget, and possibly paying a hefty closing cost on a new home, every penny saved on the move counts. Below are three pieces of advice for making a move more affordable and a whole lot of extra tips.
1. Don’t Settle for Less on Moving Services
If you need to hire a helping hand during your move it can be tempting to select the mover with the cheapest quote. But that could end up costing you in the end.
Reputable moving companies like North American are fully bonded and insured. It gives you assurance that your possessions are protected since the federal government requires professional moving companies to provide 30 cents coverage for every pound they transport in-state (double for out-of-state). Professional interstate movers also have to register with the DoT and receive an identification number that can be verified online.
It’s important to ask moving companies for referrals and read their online reviews. The Better Business Bureau is another good resource for gauging a moving company’s reputation. Steer clear of companies that have received a number of complaints within the last year or two.
2. Plan Well in Advance
Newlyweds are active planners. After planning a wedding, over a third of newlyweds then plan to buy a home within two years of tying the knot. As soon as the purchase agreement is official, you should then start planning the move.
The more time you give yourself to plan a move the less stressful and expensive it will be. You’ll have more time to compare rates and look for deals. You have more time to line up schedules and take off work if needed. You’re also less likely to make costly mistakes when you aren’t forced to rush everything.
3. Be Very, Very Careful
DIY moving can help you save money, that’s for sure. But if you or your spouse were to get injured, it could end up being a long-term cost. Any time you’re moving and lifting heavy boxes or furniture you have to be extremely careful. People have been known to break fingers and toes, throw out backs, twist ankles and fall down stairs during a move.
Anytime there’s a concern about whether you can physically move heavy items it may be best to hire a mover strictly for the loading, transport and unloading. They’ll handle all the heavy lifting and if a mover gets hurt, worker’s comp has them covered. Money saving tip: Get the smaller items moved first and you can save by downsizing the truck.
16 Quick Money-Saving Moving Tips
- Use clothing, sheet and towels to pad boxes in place of moving paper.
- Use old newspapers instead of packing paper.
- Get boxes for free from local businesses – try bookstores, liquor stores and grocery stores.
- Keep all those wedding gift boxes. It’s best to box items up in their original packaging.
- Look in the free section of your local Craigslist. But act fast because free moving boxes don’t last long.
- Get rid of stuff before packing up to minimize the number of boxes needed.
- Move during the middle of the week. It’s often cheaper than the weekend.
- Move in the winter if possible. This is the cheapest season because it has the lowest demand.
- Get moving insurance, especially if you have items that are expensive to replace.
- Check with your homeowners or renters insurance to see if your plan covers a move.
- Use your own blankets instead of moving blankets.
- Use the nesting technique when packing. Put smaller items in larger items before packing.
- Try to get everything in one trip.
- Strategically choose service shut down dates so you don’t get hit with high per diem fees or pay for services you won’t use.
- Start eating what you have and buyer fewer groceries so there’s less to move out of the pantry.
- See if your mover can help you get discounts on related services like storage units.