Author Topic: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?  (Read 5497 times)

Beef Rindly

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How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« on: September 22, 2015, 09:47:42 AM »

I live in TX, and am contemplating moving.  I've searched the forums to the extent that I could, so hopefully I'm not dragging up anything that's already been exhausted.  If so, please share a link.

*What is the best (financially conservative) way to move across multiple states?
*Do you sell as much as you can before hand, and then repurchase furniture etc at the new location?
*Do you Uhaul it?
*Have you compared Uhuals to the moving/shipping pods?
*Aside from the equipment rental and gasoline prices, what other costs are commonly overlooked that I should make sure to factor into my estimate?
*When you make a move like this do you rent before buying, or move straight into a newly purchased home? Pros vs Cons?

Really appreciate any experienced feedback on this!

Easye418

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2015, 10:00:00 AM »
First of all, why are you moving from our great state of Texas!?  I moved from Chicago and Dallas and it was the greatest choice of my life so far (26).

Here is the best way to move on the cheap.......Let your new company pay for it and fulfill their agreed upon contract. :)

Obviously, not a given, but thats how I did it.  Unforunately, I left the company for more money and ended up paying $24k.

*What is the best (financially conservative) way to move across multiple states?  Have a job pay for it.
*Do you sell as much as you can before hand, and then repurchase furniture etc at the new location?  Furniture is heavy.  Typically moving companies charge on weight.  Repurchasing is an option if you can make a decent amount back.
*Do you Uhaul it?  Nope.  Corporate Move.  Uhaul is probably best bet. 
*Have you compared Uhuals to the moving/shipping pods?  Pods are just as expensive.
*Aside from the equipment rental and gasoline prices, what other costs are commonly overlooked that I should make sure to factor into my estimate?  Time.  Moving takes a few days.  And you need strong people to help.
*When you make a move like this do you rent before buying, or move straight into a newly purchased home? Pros vs Cons?  I would recommend renting into a new area.  We did it for 4 months and broke our lease.  You could stay at a motel.

tvan

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2015, 10:11:58 AM »
I moved from Iowa to California recently.  After assessing all the costs of moving it didnt make much sense to move the stuff we had.

We sold as much as we could on craigslist.  Gave a lot to family. Gave a lot to the goodwill.  And threw away a lot.

We packed everything into a Jeep Cherokee including two dogs and drove to California.  It was actually kind of a great feeling. 

I got a 10k moving bonus (6k after taxes).  So that generally covered new furniture and essentials when we arrived.

Easye418

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2015, 10:14:46 AM »
I moved from Iowa to California recently.  After assessing all the costs of moving it didnt make much sense to move the stuff we had.

We sold as much as we could on craigslist.  Gave a lot to family. Gave a lot to the goodwill.  And threw away a lot.

We packed everything into a Jeep Cherokee including two dogs and drove to California.  It was actually kind of a great feeling. 

I got a 10k moving bonus (6k after taxes).  So that generally covered new furniture and essentials when we arrived.

Almost exactly what I did.... I packed up everything in a rented Dodge Durango with 3 dogs and drove to Texas.  It was a horrible feeling because we literally had no room, like none.

tvan

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2015, 10:18:20 AM »
I moved from Iowa to California recently.  After assessing all the costs of moving it didnt make much sense to move the stuff we had.

We sold as much as we could on craigslist.  Gave a lot to family. Gave a lot to the goodwill.  And threw away a lot.

We packed everything into a Jeep Cherokee including two dogs and drove to California.  It was actually kind of a great feeling. 

I got a 10k moving bonus (6k after taxes).  So that generally covered new furniture and essentials when we arrived.

Almost exactly what I did.... I packed up everything in a rented Dodge Durango with 3 dogs and drove to Texas.  It was a horrible feeling because we literally had no room, like none.

3 dogs and just you?  or was there another person?  I had my fiance' along to control the dogs lol.  I would have wrecked with them being crazy.

bacchi

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2015, 10:23:16 AM »
We moved 2000 miles for school (and back).

UHaul with a car trailer on the way there. On the return trip, we got a pod. It's about 2x as expensive but, obviously, much more convenient. The pod people hold it at the destination so we took a week to make the drive and see the sights.

If you're going one way, get rid of the furniture. Look at craigslist -- there is a ton of it out there.

tvan

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2015, 10:54:17 AM »
I would also consider the terrain you need to travel.

People towing uHauls and or driving a uHaul over the Rockies is not fun at all. 

We drove through the Rockies in mid-may and on the way through them it started raining, then turning into ice.  I was white knuckling it down those 7% grade declines.  I couldnt imaging trying to pull a trailer down those mountains. 

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2015, 04:45:47 PM »
We drove a Penske truck for 1700 miles, but we stopped BEFORE the Rockies.

It was by far the cheapest--cheaper than Pods, cheaper than UPack (a good option if you don't want to drive the truck, although parking the trailer can be an issue), MUCH cheaper than a van line.

Our costs were as expected--gas, meals, lodging. We did have a five-hour delay when the truck blew out a tire, but they refunded us $800 for our trouble. So for the four of us, that's like $40 per hour each. Not bad. It was a super-grueling trip--me in the car throwing Cheerios at the two toddlers wailing in the backseat, Mr. FP in the truck with the cat riding shotgun--but no regrets. We needed to save that money.

We did not sell all our stuff. We would not have been able to fit everything in our Accord anyway, and with four people, just our personal items (clothes, the children's toys, etc.) would have taken up a lot of space. And we bought a house 10 months later, so THAT'S when we unloaded the old dining room table and whatnot. We rented only a 16-foot truck, which is small for our number of people and square footage--we did pare down a lot of nonessentials (eg, our blanket trunk).

We did, however, have a CouchSurfing couple stay with us who had sold all their stuff and were moving in a station wagon. She was 8 months pregnant. They were from India, so presumably they had moved with a handful of suitcases once before!

Rosy

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2015, 07:59:28 PM »
We moved 11 times in 25 years, some were crosstown, some were overseas and several interstate moves within the US.

1, Don't bring your furniture - it never fits into the new space anyway, too big, too small, too something:) If all you own is cheap, basic stuff, it is a waste of money to even bother with U-haul. Sell everything and pack up your car.
Make a fresh new start and take the opportunity to let go of all your clutter.

For one of our moves a friend came along in his van, packed with our things and stayed with us at the new rental for a week or two, cheap vacation for him and zero cost for us to bring extra stuff.

2. If you have truly fine furniture, art and oriental rugs etc - engage a professional moving company. Remember that while companies have their own policies as to whether they will pay for your move and how much - you can still always negotiate something extra or different or even get them to lower or delete the time clause. (in case you hate the new place/company).

3. Do rent for at least six months before you commit to anything - give yourself time to find the best neighborhoods that suit your lifestyle and pocketbook.

4. The cost is really totally up to you - you can stay at the cheapest place in town on the way there - book Air BnBs or stay at the Hilton Inn. You can pack plenty of food to eat on the road in your ice chest or eat at markets and food trucks or the coolest eatery in town.

5. Give yourself an extra day just in case you run into trouble, take plenty of cash and at least one credit card with a decent balance so you can get your car fixed or stay an extra day or two at a hotel due to unexpected severe weather conditions.

6. Don't rent your new place sight unseen, even if it means paying for a few more days at a hotel while you search or perhaps fly up one weekend prior to your move to scope out the area.

7. Here is one last suggestion and true story:
 if you have plenty of time to make your move, why not make it a mini vacay. Pick a state park, stay three days to go swiming in icy lakes and hike up the mountain or attend an annual music festival or check out a really cool car museum or art exhibit or whatever floats your boat:)

We once took a 30 day roadtrip moving with a car and tent - clear across the US from Washington State to New Jersey, stayed at some real nice state parks along the way and met this nice older couple with an RV and a boat.
It was the summer my son was 9 months old and slept in a pup tent with us:), we were military and dirt poor.

Anyway, the old man invited DH to come along with him and his two buddies to go fishing with them. In the middle of the lake the boat suddenly sprung a leak and sank.
Well, the old guy couldn't swim at all and his two old friends barely swam well enough to make it to shore on their own. So DH rescued him in that lifeguard grip you always see on TV.

Turns out the old man was a senator and his wife was so grateful that DH saved his life that she invited us to stay at their (beautiful) home for a week. Not just free food - they had a guest house and a dining room with Meissen china. Food service meant you could order what you wanted for breakfast and the maid would serve it to you freshly prepared. 
They were lovely people and we enjoyed this little detour before we moved overseas.

Hope it turns out to be a wonderful opportunity for you and the best move ever:)




 
« Last Edit: September 22, 2015, 08:04:45 PM by Rosy »

letired

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2015, 08:26:55 PM »
When I did a big move many moons ago, I did the pod thing. It was the best option for me for a few reasons.

- I had a lag of ~1.5 months between leaving the old place and arriving at the new place
- When I arrived at the new place, I was starting work IMMEDIATELY, and I didn't want the stress/expense of buying all new crap as I was taking a pay cut as well
- Financially, it was about a wash between renting the pod (including storage time) and selling and buying.
- Everything I owned fit in one (small) pod, and it was just me

Mileage varies, but no matter what, have instant access to the shower curtain, shower rings, and toilet paper!  You can do pretty much anything if you can take a shower and wipe your butt :)

bryan995

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2015, 09:16:53 PM »
We are hoping to move from the east coast to the west coast very soon (for jobs).

Current plan is to sell almost everything we own (minus some clothes, expensive items etc).
Both cars will be sold.

We are flying via virgin america.
Virgin has the best checked bag fees.

$25 / checked bag (50lbs).
Up to 10 bags per person!

For $250 each, we can move 500lbs of items across the country!
WAY cheaper and much much faster than renting a truck and driving.

p.s. plan ahead and sign up for a virgin america CC.  Spend 1K and get 10/15K points.  Then your flight is just about free! :)

« Last Edit: September 22, 2015, 09:18:32 PM by bryan995 »

Sailor Sam

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2015, 10:26:50 PM »
Oh lord above save and protect me, I have moved so goddamn many times. I used to love the process, but this last go-round was my 17th move and the shine has definitely worn off. 

One ideal I haven't seen mentioned is to freight ship some of your boxes on Amtrak. I used their Express Service back in ought-three during a x-country move and found it very handy. It doesn't really work for furniture, but it worked well for general stuff, particularly books.

For driving, I recommend pre-cooking some meals and sticking them in a cooler. Ziplock bags work pretty well for space, and pouring control. Truck stops (Loves, Gear Jammer's, etc) have microwaves and they don't care if you buy anything before using them. They also have little galley sinks you can wash the dishes in.  If you're going to take your time driving, you might want to make the meals vegan, just to reduce any potential for horrifically poisoning yourself.

For gasoline, I recommend buying discount gift cards from cardpool.com or cardnanny.com. That little gem of pre-planning saved me a surprising amount of money on my last cross country trek.

tvan

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2015, 09:36:55 AM »
We are hoping to move from the east coast to the west coast very soon (for jobs).

Current plan is to sell almost everything we own (minus some clothes, expensive items etc).
Both cars will be sold.

We are flying via virgin america.
Virgin has the best checked bag fees.

$25 / checked bag (50lbs).
Up to 10 bags per person!

For $250 each, we can move 500lbs of items across the country!
WAY cheaper and much much faster than renting a truck and driving.

p.s. plan ahead and sign up for a virgin america CC.  Spend 1K and get 10/15K points.  Then your flight is just about free! :)

That's actually a great idea.

When we moved we shipped 5-6 boxes each weighing around 50lbs via Fedex.  On average it was about $1 per pound.  So the Virgin deal is better (although it is pry a pain carrying those around the airport ha)

A related tip is to use heavy duty boxes if you are shipping things that can break.  We mostly did clothes but the boxes looked like they had been through a war when they arrived. 

monstermonster

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #13 on: September 24, 2015, 12:10:50 PM »
When I moved to Oregon from Ohio 10 years ago, I did it on a one-way $87 flight on southwest where they give you 3 checked bags. 2 maximum-sized bags and a bike. But that was a long time ago.

Ever since I moved then, I've been moving in-state and have moved by bike, which is a very mustachian way to move, though not very practical for non in-town moves. Check out the video!

I've moved via Amtrak a few times, and if the route works out in your favor, it can be an AWESOME way to move and very affordable. http://www.amtrak.com/express-shipping

Regarding furniture, I agree with what people say above. Look around. What in your room is not from a thrift store or a big-box store (particularly ikea)? Nothing from your great-grandmother? Well then, it doesn't need to move with you.

Axecleaver

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #14 on: September 24, 2015, 02:38:54 PM »
Great thread. Loved Rosy's story about saving a Senator, that's karma in action right there.

Our last move was a significant downsize, and I generally agree with the advice to sell as much stuff as possible before you move. So many people don't think about the hideous expense of a cross-country move before they pack up their furniture.

If you do decide to move yourself, and you have a tow vehicle, consider buying a trailer rather than renting. You might be surprised how much cheaper it is to buy a used trailer and sell it at your destination, and you don't have any stress about loading and unloading it quickly.

hyla

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Re: How to move on the cheap? Relocation tips?
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2015, 11:44:10 AM »
Sell or donate furniture before moving and repurchase, unless it's something really nice or with sentimental value (last time I moved I took a desk and chest that I made myself and could fit in a passenger car, everything else was left with roommates or sold). 

I think the best housing situation in a new area is actually to line up either a short term rental or stay with friends before you arrive, then search for apartments in person once you get there.  Some rental agencies are reluctant to do business with people out of town, and if you don't actually see a place before moving in you might get burned signing a lease on a place with major issues you are unaware of.  It might cost a bit of money to stay in a short term airnb or something while you apartment search, but you will probably be able to find a better apartment and save money in the long run. 

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!