How to get cheap moving help

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

We are driving our own moving truck to a new city (Denver). We will need help unloading it, but we don't really want to cough up what "real" movers charge. (On this end, we'll probably just rope in some local teenagers for $20 and pizza--we live at a boarding school.) We don't know anybody in our destination city. Is there a reasonably safe and cheap way to find this kind of help?

[Prairie Stash]

How much stuff? When I was a student I was able to move it all myself.  Then as I got older I'd ask friends (beer and food).  It helps to reciprocate, its easiest to call in favours. Farthest move I helped with was 350 miles, it was a great weekend of moving and drinking with a terrible hangover on the bus ride home. I drove the friends car there for him.

[CommonCents]

I think if you want safe and cheap, but don't have friends in the city, you may be out of luck.  My take:
- Friends (cheap & safe)
- Craigslist (cheap, but not guaranteed on safe)
- Professional (safe generally, but not necessarily cheap)

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[Angie55]

I live in Denver, but sorry I won't be willing to help you move! I'm the one who coughs up for the movers and drives their own trucks.

Anyway, there's a few groupons for movers right now in Denver. At least then you are getting half price. Have them come after you unloaded the easy stuff. And keep track of them so they don't waste your time. I've had 2 really good experience with paid movers and 1 really bad experience. I would still do it again if I have the money.

[Ottawa]

Then as I got older I'd ask friends (beer and food). 

Offer this...and the Mustachians will unite ;-)

[JPinDC]

You can also check out movinghelp.com. It's connected with UHaul, and you can see all the price quotes laid out per hour on their site. Good luck!

[Ottawa]

How about an advertisement on Craigslist?  Give the general area of where the unload will occur...then post free beer to the first X people that respond with "I'll help you unload"?  You might make some friends along the way...you will certainly get help!

[Milspecstache]

One time when I moved I saw about 5 high school guys walking by after leaving football training.  2 hours and $200 later we had moved everything into the house.  Much of it was upstairs or downstairs to a basement  They were rough with some of it but I try not to value material things more than my back, anyway.  Probably my favorite move!

[ethilo]

One time when I moved I saw about 5 high school guys walking by after leaving football training.  2 hours and $200 later we had moved everything into the house.  Much of it was upstairs or downstairs to a basement  They were rough with some of it but I try not to value material things more than my back, anyway.  Probably my favorite move!

That's actually not a half-bad idea that I'm gonna run with here... try this on for size: Call up the local high school's football coach and ask if he'll ask his players to move for you (name a price and whatnot).

[netskyblue]

My worry with strangers would be that they'd somehow injure themselves and take you/your insurance for all they can get.  Less likely (though still a possibility) with friends.  Think carrying something heavy up the stairs, fall and break a bone.  I just broke my femur 5 weeks ago, and the hospital bill for surgery and 3 days' stay was over $44k.  That's not including the ambulance ride to the first hospital I went to, the drugs and x-rays there, and the second ambulance ride to the bigger hospital where they took me, 70 miles away.  Haven't got that bill yet.

I put it through my health insurance and my mom offered to put my out of pocket deductible through her homeowner's insurance (though I wouldn't have asked).  Will your new insurance be in effect at move-in time?

[ryanthequark]

I'm not a Mormon, but my understanding (from a good friend who is) is that the local Mormons are often happy to help. Helping you move (even if you're not Mormon yourself) counts against their service time in the same way that door-to-door proselytizing does. And wouldn't you rather help someone move then go door-to-door? If you look up the local temple and give a call, there's a possibility they can supply your labor, for free.

See (e.g.) http://www.nextdoormormon.com/2011/03/10/moving-call-a-mormon/

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

That's really interesting! I had some missionaries to my door once and let them come in to fill up their water bottles (it was like 90 degrees). My husband was out of town for the summer and I remember them asking if I needed any help around the help--heavy things moved around or whatever :-).

We wound up hiring through movinghelp.com. We got two guys for two hours (the minimum, and all we needed anyway) for I think $85.

[curler]

I'm not a Mormon, but my understanding (from a good friend who is) is that the local Mormons are often happy to help. Helping you move (even if you're not Mormon yourself) counts against their service time in the same way that door-to-door proselytizing does. And wouldn't you rather help someone move then go door-to-door? If you look up the local temple and give a call, there's a possibility they can supply your labor, for free.

See (e.g.) http://www.nextdoormormon.com/2011/03/10/moving-call-a-mormon/

I can verify this.  I was walking home from work one day with a couple of Mormon missionaries.  When I mentioned that I had moved recently, they told me that next time they would be willing to help.

[MandalayVA]

I'm not a Mormon, but my understanding (from a good friend who is) is that the local Mormons are often happy to help. Helping you move (even if you're not Mormon yourself) counts against their service time in the same way that door-to-door proselytizing does. And wouldn't you rather help someone move then go door-to-door? If you look up the local temple and give a call, there's a possibility they can supply your labor, for free.

See (e.g.) http://www.nextdoormormon.com/2011/03/10/moving-call-a-mormon/

I can verify this.  I was walking home from work one day with a couple of Mormon missionaries.  When I mentioned that I had moved recently, they told me that next time they would be willing to help.

Me too.  I had a pair of missionaries spot our cat boxes through the window and ask if they could clean them out.  Mr. Mandalay and a neighbor had just done them or else I would have taken them up on it.     

[FoundPeace]

Mormon missionaries or just regular Mormons might be happy to help. It doesn't

count against [our] service time in the same way that door-to-door proselytizing does

(as there is no such requirement, service hours aren't recorded anywhere, and only our full-time missionaries do door-to-door proselyting). We tend to be a helpful bunch, so you could go ahead and ask. However, I would be puzzled if a random guy called me up to ask me to help him move. Although we do often help people move, we are regular people and are not movers. Pizza might help the situation, but if you call the missionaries be prepared to be talked to about religion (worst case scenario it is a bit awkward). If you want help getting into contact with the missionaries to set something up, you could PM me or just Google it.

I also know that college students will do just about anything for food. When I moved I asked my brother to round up a bunch of his college buddies. They were excited about free pizza and ice cream. I'm sure if you get creative you could get something to work. Just be warned though, if they aren't pro movers, they might break your stuff because they won't necessarily be careful with your stuff.

[Spork]

Around here there is generally a place where day laborers gather (often an officially sanctioned by the city place).  If you show up with a truck and some cash (and maybe a bonus six pack), they are usually very happy to help.