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How To

How to Save Money for a Big Move

Contributor
By Lucinda Gunnin
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

Planning to move across the country or even across the street can take lots of time and energy and lots of money. To save money when you are planning a big move, the key, as with almost everything, is to start early and make a plan for it.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Paper
  • Writing utensil
  • Boxes
  • Packing materials
  • Trash bags
  1. Step 1

    Tell everyone you know to start saving boxes and packing materials. Good quality boxes are hard to come by and expensive to buy, but if you let friends know well in advance, they may be able to help you out with boxes from their purchases. Using old newspapers or shredded paper for packing is a lot cheaper than buying packing peanuts.

  2. Step 2

    Reduce, reuse and recycle. Start reducing what you buy. Sure that laundry soap may be a great buy, but if you have to move it, will you still be saving money? Reuse boxes, newspaper and other packing materials. Recycle the things you have too much of. Do you actually use that exercise equipment? If not, recycle it through Freecycle.org or another community recycling plan or sell it off via Craigslist.com or other free want ads.

  3. Step 3

    Set the money aside. When you don't buy that extra gallon of laundry soap, put the money in a vacation fund or Christmas fund at the bank. The money will be there in a true emergency, but harder to access for frivilous spending.

  4. Step 4

    Sell off your extra stuff. Have a huge yard sale and put all the proceeds into your moving fund. The more you get rid of, the less it will cost to move as moving things is expensive. Take stock of furniture, dishes and other stuff around the house. Will it be worth it to pay to have the stuff moved or cheaper to sell it and buy it new at your new location?

  5. Step 5

    Remind friends and family of your moving plans at birthdays and holidays. A gentle reminder that you are moving can prompt them to give more appropriate gifts like a gas card for the move or a few hours of help packing moving boxes.

Tips & Warnings
  • Packing your things yourself can save money, but be sure to check for breakage insurance. Sometimes, the cost of a moving company guarantee not to break your stuff might be worth it.
  • Keep your moving fund separate from your living expenses or day-to-day expenses ould severly eat in to your moving money.
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