Moving for Cheapskates

Moving can be very costly. A recent move caused a major shift in my budget as I juggled to meet all of my moving expenses. Here are a few lessons I learned to try and save cash while you’re moving.

Pack It In

I know people who purchase those nice, sturdy boxes from U-Haul for moving. Yes, they are wonderful, but they are expensive and let’s face it, are you really going to use them again anytime soon?

Call around to every grocery store, convenience store, liquor store and retailer to get some free boxes. Don’t forget about stores in the mall, either. Lots of places unload freight daily and trash their boxes. You’ll end up with way more than you need. Conserve gas by calling before you head over and get an exact time you can pick boxes up. Don’t buy expensive packing peanuts, either. Get recycled newspapers to wrap breakables in.

Turn It On

I’m a frugal single parent that is never high on cash. So when I called to get my utilities turned on, I was shocked to find out how much the deposits were. Once I told the customer service rep that I was low income and on a tight budget, those prices became magically reduced, and I even got to pay out one of my deposits on an installment plan over a few months. That was a huge burden lifted off my shoulders! Ask for all of your options when you’re ordering new service, even if you’re just switching or transferring service to your new home.

Maybe while you’re on the phone with your Internet provider, they could tell you about a way you can cut costs with your existing service. I always do and I’ve stumbled on to some great deals that way.

Move It Out

Finally, it’s moving day and you’ve planned on forking over a few hundred bucks to hire movers. That’s going to seriously eat up your budget, so call, Facebook and Twitter everyone you know and you will most likely find a few friends that have a truck or have access to one, and can offer their hands to help you move. Buy pizza for everyone at the end of the day, and you’ll still come out cheaper than if you’d hired a moving company or moving van.

Decorate It

Decorating a new place makes it feel like home, but it gets expensive too. Check the sale ads and sign up for e-mail and text alerts from your favorite stores so you can buy things you need for your home on a budget. Also, check your new area for cool antique or vintage shops, which often have inexpensive artwork, coffee tables, lamps and other small items you can use to add some pizzazz to your place without breaking the bank.