Effectively spending your money while moving takes knowledge and time. A short move doesn't have to cost much and there aren't many ways in which you can reduce the cost. But a long distance one can end up costing you a fortune if you don't know what you are doing. Luckily there are ways in which you can save money on a long distance move, while not reducing the quality of the move itself. Here is all you need to know.

Doing it yourself in order to save money on a long distance move

Moving long distances is a big project. Whatever professional company you hire to help you, you will have to pay. For some things, like moving a piano or an aquarium, you are much better off hiring professional services. The risk of not doing it properly and equipment required to move such an object heavily outweigh the cost of professional service. Even though you might need to hire professionals to help you, there are a lot of things you can do on your own. A little elbow grease can save you a lot of money.

With a little elbow grease, you can save money on a long distance move

Get free moving boxes

For your move, you will need to find moving boxes NYC. You can find cheap ones, but there is nothing cheaper than free. Visit your local supermarkets and warehouses in order to get free moving boxes. You will need a lot of them, and you'll be much better off having more than you need than less. Go and ask for them at least a month before the move. That way you are making sure that the people that work there will have enough time to save you some boxes. Don't shy away from giving them a couple of bucks. They are doing you a big favor after all.

Pack properly

Whatever you pack you will have to transport. And the more things you transport the more you will have to pay. Sort your things into three groups. Things you are certain you want to transport, things you are certain you don't want to transport and the things you are not certain about. For the certain things, you already know what to do. But for the uncertain group, consider not packing. 99% of the time you'll be packing something that you think might be necessary but either isn't or is easily replaceable. When you pack remember to bring your Tetris a-game. Your free moving estimate will be calculated on the volume of your things and the more densely they are packed the less you will have to pay.

Do your homework and hire a truck

Using a truck to move is not impossible. If it was, services like UHaul wouldn't exist. But to do it properly and cost-efficiently you need to do your homework. Get informed on moving truck rental services. Figure out what is the most efficient route. Be careful about the hidden costs regarding your truck, like insurance or gas. A lot of things seem cheap, but turn out no to be when it is too late. Make sure you are properly informed and that you have a solid plan when trying to save money on a long distance move by doing it yourself.

Organize your friends

If you are not having professionals help you, you are probably going to invite some friends. If you do that, just make sure that they are efficient. Inexperienced friend will think of your relocation as a friendly get together, not a serious project. You are much better off inviting a couple of capable friends and having a solid plan with them. Just remember to get them some pizza and beers afterward.

Properly organized friends will make your move efficient and accident-free

How to work with movers

Some things are just better done by professionals. You might want to take a crack at it since on paper it looks cheaper. But more often than not, the price of you doing it alone and some professional company helping you will have no financial difference. The only difference will be the risk of mistakes and the stress that goes along with it. You need to be smart when trying to save money on a long distance move.

Start planning on time

The moment you know where you want to move, start planning. The more time you give yourself the more room you have to avoid costly mistakes. Also, your future moving company will be more than grateful for the generous time you gave them to plan. A lot of costs regarding the move are influenced by timing. By having weeks to plan you can make sure that you and your company figure out the most cost-effective way to move to your desired location. Time is money. Rember that if you want to save money on a long distance move.

Time impacts your moving costs in different ways

Get informed about the possibilities

If you have enough time, you can afford to get all the information. The cheapest period to move is during the weekdays. You also want to avoid peak moving season which is summer and early autumn. Talk with your movers about different options of moving. Those can differ in timing and vehicle. Maybe there will be even discounts if you move in a particular way or particular period. The only way to know is to ask.

Final financial advice

You want your move to be cost-effective, not cheap. People are much easily exploited when they are in a tight spot. Be it with time or with money. And you don't want some bad moving company exploiting the fact that you are trying to save a couple of bucks. Bad professional practices or even scams are known to happen. Things that may seem cheap at first can end up costing you a lot. Be sure to get multiple estimates of your move in order to know what is fair to expect. If something is too good to be true, it probably is.