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How to Move on a Budget

Posted: August 16, 2023
A couple works together on how to move on a budget while sitting on the couch.

With inflation higher than normal and an uneven economy, people are trying to save money within their moving budget. People will still need to move but move on a budget. You can hire experts for only the items you need help with — such as moving heavy furniture or appliances — with Moving Help®

How to Save Money While Moving 

Whether you’re moving locally or long distance, everyone can use at least one of the tips listed below. These are simple ways to save money while moving. 

  • Purge your items and then sell, donate, or throw them away. If you sell your items, you can put that money toward your budget fund, emergency fund, or save it.
  • Plan for an emergency fund in your budget. This will be especially helpful for a long-distance move because sometimes the unexpected can happen, and it’s better to have the extra money than to not have it. 
  • Move Monday through Thursday vs. Friday through Sunday. People want to move when they’re off work on the weekends. If you can take some time off to move during the week, this will help you to potentially avoid peak rates for a rental truck and moving labor provider. 
  • Move between October through April vs. May through September. More people move during the summer months than winter months, so it’ll save you money to move during a less busy period. 
  • Hiring movers? It could be less expensive to book them two months out vs. two days or two weeks out. 
  • Pack your belongings vs. hiring someone to pack them. You can even have friends or family members help you. 
  • If you’re in the military, you could receive a moving expense deduction on your taxes. 
  • Check out what U-Haul truck rental size you need, so you don’t reserve one that’s too small or too large.
  • You can compare U-Haul + Moving Help and Two Men and a Truck costs. 

Other Moving on a Budget Tips 

Here are some other quick tips to help you move on a budget. 

  1. How early you need to pack will depend on how many items you own. The less items you own, the less moving boxes and packing supplies you’ll need to move. 
  2. Use clothes, towels, and sheets to wrap or protect fragile items
  3. Plan for part of your moving budget to include an emergency fund. 
  4. Can’t buy new moving boxes? Then use the U-Haul “Take a Box, Leave a Box” program

Can I Hire Movers on a Budget? 

Yes, you can hire movers while sticking to your budget. If you stuck to your budget and found ways to save money, you also might be able to hire moving labor for part of your move. 

In fact, the average cost for two moving labor providers for two hours at Moving Help is $251.25. Many moving factors might even make hiring two moving labor providers for two hours even less expensive for your area. 

When you’re hiring moving labor, you can choose what items you only need help with for your move. You might need help with moving heavy furniture or appliances. You might need help with carrying your mattress through a tight hallway or doorway. 

Most people have friends or family to help them on their loading origin. If you’re moving to a new city or state with no friends or family members on the final destination side, this will be helpful for you because the experts can quickly unload your items.

A couple looks at their budget to see what they can afford while moving.

How Can I DIY With Moving Help? 

Everyone knows when you’re trying to save money while moving that it’s less expensive to have a DIY move vs. a full-service move. U-Haul powers Moving Help, so if you get a U-Haul truck rental and add Moving Help to your order, it’ll be less expensive than hiring a full-service company. 

Why Should I Hire Moving Labor for Loading or Unloading? 

You should hire professional moving labor providers because they’re experts in moving. It’ll be easier to hire a professional who can move your heaviest or most fragile items. Rather than relying on friends and family to load and unload for you, you can use Moving Help Service Providers to do the job for you. 

Friends and family members aren’t experts in moving couches, vanity mirrors, dressers, family China, desks, or entertainment units. Moving Help moving labor providers are experts in knowing how to move those items for load or unload. 

The bonus part is you won’t hurt your back or need to bribe your friends or family members to help you on moving day. If you have your labor providers move everything that you absolutely needed help with then they can start loading some moving boxes as well. 

You Choose What Help You Need 

Let’s say your moving budget will allow you to hire moving labor providers to help you pack, load, unload, and unpack for you, or it’ll allow you to hire moving labor providers to load and unload for you, or it’ll only allow unloading help, that’s great because whatever your budget is, Moving Help can be there for you no matter what. 

Have Friends and Family Members Help You With Other Costs 

Sometimes friends and family members would rather pay for your moving expenses than physically help you out and possibly injure themselves or break your belongings. If a friend or family member wants to help you by paying for part of your moving expenses, ask them to pay for your movers, to buy moving boxes, or to buy packing supplies. 

Moving on a Budget Is Possible 

Before you automatically think you can’t hire professional moving labor just because you’ll move on a budget, check out our Moving Help Marketplace with labor-only Service Providers. You’ll be surprised by how many Service Providers can fit your budget and needs. No matter what part of your move that you need help with now or in the future, Moving Help will be there for you.