How To Plan A moving Budget
Local moving can get pricey, no matter how careful you are, and unfortunately, it is not enough to hire affordable movers, there is much more to consider when moving. One of the common mistakes is not preparing financially and that can lead to shock when the moving day goes by and you realize how much money you spent. Don’t worry, with our help, you will be able to wrap your head around what you can expect to spend money on before you start with your move. And of course, it is important to have affordable movers, but we will talk about that further. Now, let’s talk about setting a moving budget and the cost of all the necessary parts. Grab a pen and a paper, better yet that notebook you have dedicated for moving, and let’s start!
Do research on affordable movers
The first decision you will encounter when it comes to your local move is whether you would like to hire affordable movers or to move on your own. Before making that decision, we recommend doing research because sometimes there are such cheap movers on the market, but quality. This depends on a moving season as well, but you are not losing anything to check. When we say do research, we don’t think you should type cheap movers near me and that is research done, it is much more than that. Here are some expenses, and questions to ask your affordable movers.
Hourly price
Affordable movers are charging the base, usually hourly price where the time depends on the size of your move. The final price may vary depending on the size of your move because that will determine the time needed to perform the move. You can always ask your local movers what they think about the time of the move, so you can have a general idea, just bear in mind that they will know how much time it will be needed when they get to your location, not before.
Moving insurance
Always check with your affordable movers if they have moving insurance included, and what is the insurance plan, so you can know whether you should purchase the additional. If you have something too valuable, don’t forget to buy additional insurance at least for those pieces.
Packing help
If you want to hire not only someone to help you relocate but pack, your cheap movers might become a bit more expensive. Take into consideration if you would like to pack up on your own or to have your affordable movers helping you.
How much do you tip the movers?
This is the common question, and you should be prepared to tip your movers in case they perform a good job. You are not obligated to tip the movers, but tipping became a part of our culture, so you should think of this expense in advance. How much to tip the movers is completely up to you, there is not a standard expense for that.
Are there any items that require special handly?
Affordable movers have their own policies when it comes to the weight of particular items. For example, here in Folsom Movers, we are not moving anything heavier than 450 lbs. In case you have something that requires special handly, that might lead to some additional expenses. In case you have a piano, there is a big chance that your affordable movers won’t be able to move it, and you will have to hire specialized piano movers to help you out with this. Or, if you are moving from a smaller home, and you have something extra heavy, there is a big chance that instead of hiring 2 cheap movers, you will have to go with more than that in order to keep your items safe and sound.
Consider moving on your own
If you are not sure that you would like to use affordable movers, no matter the price, you can always consider moving on your own. Now, let’s see what expenses you will have in this case.
Truck rental
When moving on your own, you will have to rent a truck in order to move everything in one trip. If you don’t have a lot of furniture, you can consider renting a van. But it is definitely an expense. If you hire affordable movers, this is included in the price. The price for this depends on the size of the moving truck.
Gas
Truck rental companies have special rules about how much gas you need to return the truck with, so don’t forget this expense. Again, this is something that cheap movers are usually including in their price, but to be on the safe side, ask your affordable movers if there are any charges for gas, fuel, or mileage.
Additional insurance
When moving on your own, you should always purchase some sort of insurance. Affordable movers have at least basic coverage insurance if they are licensed, but when moving on your own, there is none, so make sure to purchase that.
Equipment
The main reason why many people do decide to hire cheap movers is the reason they have included moving equipment. When moving on your own, you should buy at least basic equipment: tools, plastic wrap, moving blankets, dollies, etc. When hiring affordable movers such as Folsom Movers, you will get tools, plastic wrap, moving blankets, wardrobe boxes, etc.
Travel to your new home
Depending on your new location for a local move, your own travel might vary. If you are moving down the street, you can forget about this expense, but if you are moving 100 miles away, this cost will make a difference. This is a petit expense, but it is something that is not included even when hiring affordable movers.
If you need to use storage, consider that
There are various reasons why you might use a storage unit, such as your homes not closing at the same time, downsizing, or just want to get rid of some items. If you are hiring affordable movers to move you in or out of a storage unit, the price of the move will probably be lower. However, there will appear other expenses, such as storage expenses. That is definitely the storage unit cost, and that one depends on the size of the unit you want to rent.
Don’t forget to consider the distance between your home and storage unit. Most of the affordable movers are recommending finding the unit that is close to your current or your new location. When you see how many tips and tricks good local movers should share with you, you are realizing why you need to dig deeper than typing cheap movers near me when hiring someone to deal with your possessions.
If you find a storage unit that is far from your current location, you should count on a higher price for your affordable movers because they will need more time to get to your unit.
Even though affordable movers are offering free of charge moving supplies when it comes to moving into the storage unit, they cannot leave you their blankets, and if you are planning to keep your items inside for a longer period of time, your affordable movers will recommend you buying some extra wrapping protection. You can purchase blankets either from affordable movers or elsewhere.
Don’t forget to factor in potential additional costs like a required security deposit for your storage unit rental and the price of a heavy-duty lock. Some units might be charging additionally for using 24 hours of access features, and this is important when calling your affordable movers to move you out.
Packing expenses
No matter if you are packing on your own or your affordable movers are helping you with packing, this will bring some additional expenses. It is tricky to predict exactly how much money you should spend on packing supplies, so the calculation will vary based on the size of your home and the number of miscellaneous belongings. Don’t worry, there are many packing calculators you can find online, and that will help you determine how many boxes you might need based on different factors. Affordable movers are usually charging boxes per item used, and those are usually more expensive than buying them in Home Depot or Walmart. If you opt to use cheap movers for packing assistance, you can always purchase boxes elsewhere and they will use them to pack up your home.
These are some supplies you will definitely need: packing boxes of various sizes, packing paper, packing wrap, packing tape, plastic wrap, markers or labels, specialty dividers. To save some money on packing, you can use kitchen towels instead of packing paper, for dishes for example. Or you can always try to find some free boxes. It is possible to save, you just have to be creative.
Decide the moving day
You probably know this already, but some affordable movers might be charging less on weekdays or if you are moving during the less busy moving season, for example, winter. This is why you should wisely choose the moving day, and ask your cheap movers if there is any price difference between days. If you are flexible, and you are not in the rush to move in or out, be patient, and save some money. Also, no one likes rescheduling or canceling at the last minute, it is the same for your affordable movers. Don’t cancel or reschedule at the last second because they will have some additional charges for that as well. This is why it is very important to plan everything in detail and to try to stick to that plan as much as possible.
Other costs
When it comes to other costs, there are some that are not related to your affordable movers, and they kinda depend on your personal life. Let’s mention some that are common.
Cleaning cost
When leaving your home, you should make sure it is clean before you leave for good. Unless you want to do this on your own, you should consider hiring a professional cleaning company to help you out.
Babysitter or pet care
If you have kids or pets, you might consider asking someone to help. The moving site can be a dangerous place for little kids or pets. If you don’t have someone who will help you for free when it comes to this, count on this expense.
Real estate cost
This is not directly connected with affordable movers, but it is a big expense that will determine the overall cost of your move. Include things like realtor and lawyer fees, rental deposits and first and/or last month’s rent, home inspection and appraisal fees, down payments, and cleaning and repair fees.
Time off of work
Need to take a day or two off for packing and moving? Unless you work for a company that provides paid time off, you’ll need to account for the cost of staying home. If your budget is already tight, try to see if you can arrange your moving schedule in such a way that you don’t need to miss any work.
Transferring utilities
Once you’re in your new place you’re almost done with moving-related spending, but not quite. Be sure to remember that you’ll probably have additional costs after move-in, too.
New furniture
No matter how cheap movers you find, if you have to buy new furniture for your new home, the moving budget will go fairly up. If you are already on a tight budget, but only the most important furniture pieces, and leave everything else to buy step by step.
Emergency fund
No matter how careful you are, and how well you plan all the expenses before hiring affordable movers, you should always have some money in your emergency fund. Moving is stressful, and you want to prevent that stress by being prepared for any situation that is ahead of you. Depending on your financial situation, it can be difficult to create an emergency fund. If you’re in the position to have one, it’s smart to have some amount of money set aside for the unexpected. Moving comes with some curveballs. This is why it is important to plan out your relocation at least a few months before you jump into the whole process.
Instead of searching for cheap movers near me, reach out to Folsom Movers and let us help you have a smooth move with our affordable movers, that are more than excited to help you out with any moving request you might have!