How to Move Across the Country Cheaply
Here are 10 ways to make the cost of a long-distance move more affordable.
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Cross-country moving typically costs $2,500 to $10,000 or more. You can reduce the cost of moving by timing your move, finding discounts, getting your employer to pay, moving less stuff, going DIY or hybrid, using freight-trailer transport, finding free moving supplies, avoiding moving scams or just leaving it all behind.
1. Schedule your move when rates are cheaper
The very least expensive months to move are January and February, when rates can be as much as 30% cheaper than summertime rates. You’ll also save if you can book your move when demand is lowest: mid-month on a Monday through Thursday, between mid-September and April. Moving company rates can increase during peak times, which include weekends, the first and last weeks of each month, and all days from late spring to mid-to-late September.
2. Check discount availability
Movers often reduce their rates for teachers, students, military service members and seniors, and sometimes they offer general promotional coupons. Be sure to visit the mover’s website to check for discounts, and ask your moving coordinator if you qualify for any discounts.
3. See if your employer will pay for the move
Many employers pay some or all moving expenses if the move is job-related. If you’re moving for your job, ask your employer about your company’s relocation policies. Your employer may also have a list of preferred cross-country movers that they work with, and they may even pay for extras such as packing or unpacking. Be sure to save all your receipts so reimbursement goes smoothly.
4. Get rid of stuff you don’t need or want
Most professional movers charge by weight as well as mileage, so you can save a lot of money by literally lightening your load. Some fun and easy ways to part with items you no longer need include having a yard sale, gifting to friends and family, donating to a good cause or putting items up for sale on online marketplaces. Your donations may be tax-deductible, which can also help offset some of your moving expenses.
A number of nonprofits may offer free pick-up services, including:
The Salvation Army.
PickUpMyDonation.
Goodwill.
AMVETS.
Habitat for Humanity.
Visit each organization’s website to see what types of donations they accept and if they offer free pickup in your area.
5. Go DIY
If you have the strength and stamina to do all the moving labor and transportation yourself, a DIY move can save you a significant amount of money over a full-service professional cross-country move. Your individual costs will depend on factors including:
The size and type of the truck you rent.
Trip mileage.
Origin/destination.
Time of year.
How long you keep the truck.
6. Consider a hybrid approach
If a professional move seems too pricey and a DIY move is just too strenuous, a hybrid cross-country move might be a good compromise. For example, you might want to ship some items ahead of time, do your own packing and rent a truck — but hire professionals to do all the heavy loading and unloading. Another hybrid strategy would be to rent a container from a company such as PODS or 1-800-PACK-RAT, load and unload it yourself, and have the container company transport the container to your new address.
7. Use a freight trailer instead of a traditional moving company
If you’re comfortable sharing truck space with other people’s stuff, consider hiring a freight trailer. This option is less expensive than a full-service mover because you only pay for the linear footage on the truck that you actually use, rather than an entire moving truck. The company typically drops off a 28-foot trailer at your home and gives you three days to load it. You get a partition to separate your possessions from other people’s belongings. The freight company then picks up the trailer and drives it cross-country to your new home.
» MORE: Check out our review of U-Pack
8. Find free or cheap moving boxes
There may be no need pay retail price. Here are a few ways you may be able to get moving boxes for free or close to it:
Start saving delivery boxes a few months prior to your move.
Ask friends and family if they have boxes they don’t need.
Check out online resources such as Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Nextdoor and Buy Nothing groups.
Ask local businesses, banks, schools, apartment complexes and libraries if they have boxes to spare. Your employer may also be a great source of boxes.
See if your local recycling center has clean, intact boxes you can take.
Check out U-Haul Customer Connect to see if anyone in your area is giving away or selling boxes.
9. Avoid scams
Falling prey to moving scams can sharply increase the money you spend on a long-distance move. It can also cause delays, financial losses, confusion, heartache and shame. To protect yourself, check out the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Registered Mover Database to make sure the mover is registered as required by law and to see complaints lodged against them.
Additionally, watch out for these red flags when hiring a mover:
Receiving a very low estimate over the phone without viewing your home or the items to move.
Not receiving a written estimate.
A large required cash deposit.
Being asked to sign blank documents.
Not receiving these documents which are required by federal law and inform you of your rights and responsibilities: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” booklet and its “Ready to Move” brochure.
A company website that has no information about the mover’s address or insurance.
A blanket claim that the mover’s insurance “covers all of your items.”
When you call the phone number provided, the company’s name isn’t stated by the person who answers.
10. Leave it all (or most of it) behind
One of the most affordable ways to move cross-country is to move nothing (or next to nothing) at all. If you sell or donate your furniture, other large items and nonessential possessions, you may eliminate the need for a moving truck — as well as the bulk of the packing materials and labor. Even if you have to have a few treasured possessions shipped, that will cost much less than moving everything else too.