No one enjoys moving, let alone paying for it, but the reality is that upping sticks is a drain on the bank balance. Follow these tips for moving house to save money on moving - and spend more on making your new digs awesome.
Take some time to budget how much money you need for the move. Consider things such as: removalists, van hire, boxes and even how you’ll feed your army of helpers on the day. Do you have enough in your pocket? Or do you need a cash advance? Removalists make sense when you have heavy or difficult items, or if you live up 20 flights of stairs. Budget-wise, they make less sense if you’re paying them to pack for you. This is one area in which you can immediately cut back.
However you are still going to need bodies to shift stuff, which means it's is the time to call in the favours! The biggest moving house tip? Get some friends to help for free. Ask your nearest and dearest and mates to see if they can help to shift the small items, and perhaps lend you a ute or even help you with the entire move. Be prepared to repay the favour some day.
If you and your mates can handle the heavy lifting, a van service can be cost effective to get your bigger belongings from A to B. There are a number of services in every major city and town. Some of the big van hire names include Thrifty, Budget and Avis. There are also a bunch of local van hire services in most metro areas that offer competitive prices, so shop around to compare prices and don't be afraid to negotiate the best deal you can.
If you decide to get professional removalists to do the heavy lifting, get quotes first. Simply search for “removalist quote” on the internet and you’ll find plenty of sites that allow you to compare. Removalists often ask for a rough list of 'rooms' to be moved for the quote and then provide a single figure based on an hourly or half-hourly estimate. Remember a quote is just that. If they quote you five hours and your move actually takes 10, that's what you will be charged.
Some removalists offer a lower rate if you’re flexible with your date and time. While this won’t suit a lot of movers, if you are happy to go down this route it's a good way to pare back costs reduce your moving budget.
A big tip for moving house is that - if you’re using a removalist - preparation will save you money. Prior to moving day, divvy up your house into things you can pack and move yourself and things you can’t. Have as much ready as possible before the move. This ensures your removalists aren’t waiting or packing for you which will reduce the number of hours they're on the job - and the cost to you.
Removalists charge a premium for boxes, so look elsewhere. A few texts to friends and family could net you enough cardboard to cover your basics. Box specialists are cheap, but they usually only sell in bundles. If you only need a few boxes, Bunnings sells them for as little as $2.
Think of bubble wrap as expensive air. Avoid buying it and protect your breakables with blankets, cushions, clothing and newspaper.
Make sure you don’t pay more than you have to – organise to have your utilities cut off immediately after moving day.
Who is Eligible?
Even if you have a less than perfect credit history, you may still be eligible for a loan.
Check Now
Cash Loans Online
With a fixed term and manageable repayments, what are you waiting for?
Apply onlineWith over 150 stores across Australia, we're always here to help. Find your local Cashies today
