In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the tactics you can take to limit the cost of moving. Making a significant move will come with a few unavoidable costs, to be sure, but there are ways you can limit these fairly significantly depending on your budget.
At Utah Money Center, our title loans and signature loans are great formats for those who need a little bit of extra cash for a move or a variety of other purposes. We’ve been providing Utahns with these valuable pieces of assistance since 2005, and we’ll do the same for you. Here are some additional tips on how to limit your moving costs to stay within your budget.
DIY Packing
While some choose to hire professional movers for their project, you can save significant funds by doing your own packing if this is a realistic option. Movers will charge for not only their time but also the materials being moved – you can search for the best packing rates, something we went over in part one, but even the lowest rates still come with a cost.
In some cases, those moving choose to do the packing on their own, then hire movers just for the purpose of carrying and transporting the boxes. This is a middle-ground option that will be more affordable than full-on moving services.
Friend or Neighbor Assistance
Another great way to get some of the labor involved in your move covered at a cheap cost is asking for assistance from friends, family or even your neighbors. Even if you just involve these folks for a few big-item movement needs, you can save a significant sum you would have otherwise paid to movers. Don’t be a jerk and force a friend or family member to perform your entire move for you, but feel free to lean on this kind of assistance here and there.
Selling Unused Items
A move is a perfect time to go through your belongings and figure out if there are unused or unwanted items you can sell for some additional cash. Whether you choose to sell these using a yard sale on your property or through an online service like Craigslist, this can be a major boon to your budget if you have many such items sitting around. You also reduce the weight and number of items involved in the move, saving you time and costs there as well.
Receipts and Tax Deductions
Finally, did you realize that many or all moving expenses can be deducted from your taxes? When you fill out a Form 1040 during tax season, many moving costs are eligible for full deductions from taxable income, so be sure to save all your moving receipts and document any additional costs.
For more on how to save money during a move, or to learn about any of our short-term loans and how they might assist you, speak to the staff at Utah Money Center today.