How to Relocate With Limited Money

Ask your friends if they can help you move.

Relocating to a new area is an expensive business. If you're due to move and are short on funds, the whole process can seem almost impossible. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help meet the costs without taking out a loan. Setting the time aside to properly plan your move and making sure you're taking advantage of all the available resources can save you a small fortune.

Instructions

1. Choose when to move carefully. If you can, try to avoid relocating over the summer months. House sales tend to go up in June, July and August, which means moving companies can raise their prices as demand for their services increases. It's also a good idea to try to time your move in the middle of the month. Most lease agreements expire at month's end, which can also add upward pressure to the price of moving at that time.

2. Cut all of your spending down to a bare minimum as soon as you've made the decision to move. Stop going out to bars and clubs, cancel your cable package and switch to cheaper brands when you do your grocery shopping.

3. Apply for work in the area to which you're relocating. At the very least you may be able to set up a few interviews for when you arrive. If you're lucky, you might land a job before you leave. Make it clear you're happy to be interviewed by phone or by video conference online. The ability to start earning as soon as you arrive will be a big boost financially and psychologically.

4. Look up old friends in the area to which you're moving. You may be able to arrange to sleep on a few couches while you're getting yourself on your feet. If this isn't possible, look for cheap shared accommodations.

5. Sell your unwanted belongings. Take a good look through your stuff and get rid of what you don't need. You can put unwanted items up for sale on auction sites or in classified listings, and donate anything that doesn't sell to charity shops. As transporting your belongings to your new home may be based on weight, throw out any unnecessary items that you can't sell or give away.

6. Shop around. Take the time to find the cheapest way of moving yourself and your belongings. If you have a friend with a large truck that will accommodate your stuff, offer her a few hundred dollars to help you out. If not, get quotes from as many different removal firms as you can. If you can't travel with your belongings, book a bus ticket instead of flying. Also, make sure you do all your own packing. Adding a packing service to the costs of transporting your stuff can increase the total price of your move by as much as 25 percent.

Tips & Warnings

• if you're staying with friends or moving into shared accommodations while you're getting settled, consider putting your belongings into storage until you can find a permanent home.

References

• Smart Money; Seven Ways to Cut Moving Costs; Kelli B. Grant; June 2010
• Relocation; 13 Lucky Ways to Cut Your Moving Costs; May 2010
• Matador Network; How to Move to Paris with No Money; Tom Dibblee; January 2009