Written by: Kate Becker
Date:

Moving is usually considered to be a tough and expensive ordeal. It doesn’t have to be that way, because there are ways of making it easier for you. On the other hand, you may think that there are fewer things you can do to make it cheaper. Don’t be in despair though! Verified Movers has a guide on how to move on a low-income budget, and your next relocation will be super cheap! Just follow our tips and you’re in for a treat! Minimize your expenses while maximizing your relocation potential!

It is possible to move on a low-income budget

It is true that you need to have your budget carefully planned before you start organizing your move. If you have enough time to prepare, it may not be that much of a problem. On the other hand, if you are tight on your schedule, it might get complicated and you might start feeling anxious and get the feeling that it won’t be possible to move. Don’t worry! Moving on a low-income budget is possible, all you have to do is learn some tips and start using them. Those tips include:

  • planning your move early;
  • scheduling early
  • organizing a move yourself;
  • decluttering;
  • researching moving companies and comparing estimates;
  • opting for storage services;
  • deducting from your taxes.
A person making a plan for a move on low-income budget
Planning is crucial when you need to move on a low-income budget

When we have in mind that the cost of a local move on average can be between $300 and $1500 and that long distance moves cost $2,500 to $5,000, knowing how to implement these tips into your moving process will bring you many benefits.

Plan your move in advance

One of the best ways to move on a low-income budget is to give yourself enough time to save up. You can do this by planning your move well in advance. The easiest way to achieve this is to divide your relocation into small tasks. Give yourself the challenge to do one of those tasks every month or week. You can adjust the period according to your budget. This way you’ll never be overcome with your relocation obligations, too. So, a good way to start planning your move is to make a moving checklist. This will help you better organize your relocation from choosing a date to packing.

A woman surrounded with money and papers scheduling a moving date
Choose the moving date in advance

Planning a short-notice move

The tips about planning we have mentioned so far are much easier when you have enough time to prepare. When it comes to a short notice move, the situation might be different. However, the first step is always the same, and it is crucial. Having a low-income budget and not enough time can be a significant obstacle. Nevertheless, even in that case (maybe even more so), you must dedicate some time to planning. Two things are crucial for this type of move: you need to transfer as fewer things as possible, and you need to ask for help from everyone, from friends and family to professionals. When you are well-organized, nothing is impossible.

Schedule early

There are many advantages to scheduling your relocation well in advance! First of all, you can get the moving day you want and make sure it stays yours. Reserving a day a few months in advance will practically guarantee the movers will have an open slot. Apart from this, you’ll give yourself enough time to prepare your moving budget and get everything ready. By starting early you’ll make sure you start your relocation well-prepared. In addition to this, if you reserve your day earlier you might get a better price for your relocation.

Finally, if you schedule early enough you might get the date you want for a lot less money. This will go a long way toward improving your moving budget. Also, when moving far away it’s a good idea to start planning your relocation as soon as possible. So, if you live on the West Coast and you’re planning on hiring the services of interstate movers in California, you’ll need to schedule your moving day at least a month in advance, probably even earlier if you want to get it cheaper.

Move off-season

One of the best parts of scheduling a move earlier is the fact that you can decide to avoid moving during the season. Namely, off-season moving in the US is not unusual. Normally, summer is the busiest time for movers, which means it is more expensive. Depending on the place where you want to move to, fall is probably the ideal part of the year for relocation, but in some states, spring and winter are also great. So, if you have time, and need to organize moving on a low-income budget, choose the time of the year when movers are not that busy.

A person holding money
To save up, move off-season

Do the work yourself

Another awesome way to move on a low-income budget is to the most of the work yourself. Find the perfect moving company which will allow you to choose the services you’d like to hire them for. Choose the services you’d like to do yourself and the services you’d like the movers to take care of:

  • packing – pack by yourself to save money for packers. You’ll need to get the right packing supplies and take special care. Damaging your items can turn out much more expensive than hiring movers.
  • loading/unloading – loading and unloading the moving truck can be a dangerous task. It is definitely hard. We don’t suggest you take care of the loading yourself unless you are extremely sure and have a lot of help. Even so, this is the hardest part of the relocation and should probably be left to the professionals.
  • driving – choose to drive the moving truck yourself. We don’t suggest this for long distance relocations, but you can opt for it if you’re moving locally. However, take care whenever you’re driving a truck, especially when it’s full of your possessions.

Pay attention to your health! Don’t do any of these activities unless you’re absolutely sure you’ll come out unharmed. If you’re not sure how to handle your stuff, especially if you need to disassemble furniture when preparing for a move, you can check it up online. However, make sure you always put your safety first.

Don’t buy moving supplies

One of the best ways to save up before you move on a low-budget is to use the things you already own as your packing supplies. This may be easier said than done, and of course that the most convenient option is to buy exactly what you need. However, it is not the cheapest one. You will need a lot of moving boxes of different sizes and materials, as well as the things that would protect your items, such as bubble wrap, packing peanuts, foam sheets, etc. All this costs money. Even though having these items would truly protect your furniture and belongings, you can use some materials you already own.

Black and colorful boxes
Use the things you already have and don’t buy moving supplies

For instance, you can protect fragile items by wrapping them in towels, pillowcases, scarves, and other similar pieces of clothing. This way you also get some additional space, because you pack different items together. As for boxes, you can always gather them around shops, ask people if they have any, or use your old shopping boxes. Of course, you need to be extra careful with packing and transport. You don’t want to end up having to replace some valuable belongings, especially not when you are tight on your budget already.

Get rid of some of your stuff

The best way to move on a low-income budget is to reduce the cost of them as much as possible. Since the biggest proportion of your moving costs consists of the weight of your items and the distance of the move, you can lower it by reducing one of these factors. You probably won’t be able to do much about the distance of your relocation, but you can always reduce the number of things you’ll relocate. Getting rid of some stuff will decrease your moving costs a lot, especially if you’re moving far away.

A lot of clothes and a box that says
Donate some of the things you don’t need

Having fewer boxes means loading and unloading will last shorter, so it will probably be less expensive. Decluttering is important for that, but also for a few other reasons. First of all, you can organize a garage or an online sale, where you can earn some extra money to add to your moving budget. Secondly, you can always donate your stuff. That way you save yourself some space and money while helping someone who needs it.

Compare moving estimates when you move on a low-income budget

You can save a lot of money by comparing the prices of a couple of different state-to-state movers. A lot of moving companies will offer a free estimate of your moving costs. You can use their estimates to decide which movers will be the best choice for you. Your choice should depend on a number of factors. You’ll need to make sure your company offers the services you require. Whether it’s packing, loading or transport, you need to know you can count on your relocation specialists. The good news is that you can often get a discount if you opt for a full-service package. Of course, that doesn’t mean it is a must. It is okay to use only transport, or only packing services, if that is what would really satisfy your needs, especially when it comes to time and finances.

Pay special attention when comparing moving estimates. This is an important task and you shouldn’t gloss over it! If you want to move on a low-income budget, you’ll need to put in the time and do the research. Make sure you don’t go for the cheapest movers at the first glance. Many of the movers which may appear perfect are actually scams that will try to rip you off. Instead of saving up this way, you will end up spending much more money than you intended to, because you will have to look for alternative ways to have your relocation conducted nevertheless. Choosing a more affordable moving company is fine. However, the difference in moving costs between the companies that offer similar services cannot be great. If that is the case, it is a big moving red flag.

Money and a word
Be careful to avoid fraudulent companies

Opt for storage services when preparing for your low-income budget relocation

Having a storage unit at your disposal is a great way of reducing your moving costs. It may be contradictory since it is also a service you need to pay for. However, depending on the size and type of storage unit, you can find some that are quite affordable. When you know the right ways for packing and organizing a storage unit, you won’t need much space. This way you can save up on transport of some of your items, or you can pay for a smaller living place if you are renting. These alternatives save money, and using a storage unit is especially convenient if you need to move on short notice and don’t have a lot of money in your budget.

Deduct from your taxes

The most rewarding way to move on a low-income budget is to get some of your money back. You can do that by deducting the relocation from your taxes. If you meet certain criteria when moving for work you can get most of the money you spent on your relocation back. To be able to deduct your move from your taxes, you’ll need to move far away from your current workplace. So, if you’re moving to LA, make sure you claim all your moving expenses on your tax return form. You’ll need to do this after you hire the services of long distance movers California, and after you’ve already moved.

Moving on a low-income budget can be easily done

Now you know all the most important tips you need to prepare for a move on a low-income budget. The starting point is a good organization. From there, you can go step by step and find many ways to save up or reduce costs.