Moving on a tight budget?

With the economic crisis constantly affecting all aspects of our lives, household budgets tend to be getting tighter and smaller. As a result, funds for major relocations can get affected as well. Sometimes, it’s the economic crisis itself (job loss or constant unemployment) that necessitates a move.

But don’t you worry, even with a tight budget, moving can still be possible and successful. All you need is some creativity, patience and a little guidance.

Here are our tips for moving on a tight budget:

• Lessen the load

  The more things you need to move, the higher your costs will be. To avoid this, carefully analyze your belongings and find out which ones you really need to bring with you and which ones need to go. Create classifications for your things and separate the things you always use from the ones that you no longer do. You can donate old clothes to charity or even sell some of them.

• Sell

  Once you’ve sorted your belongings check which items can be found useful by other people. You can hold a garage sale in front of your house, or even use eBay or Craigslist as a platform to sell your things online. The beauty of this is that not only will you save money by lessening your cargo, you can also earn some extra cash!

• Save up on packing materials

  You can save on material by using old newspapers, flyers and catalogs. Bubble wrap is the most common material for packing but it can be very expensive in large quantities.

• Consider renting a truck

  If you’re not going to move too far from your home, you may want to consider doing a self-move. This can help you save on hiring full-service movers. This is a good option if you have friends or family who can help you load things into the truck or if you do know someone who owns a truck.

• Indicate the move on your taxes

  For relocations that are job-related, the cost of your move can be deducted from your taxes. This is applicable for new jobs and for moves that occur within one year of starting with the company.

• Book early and avoid peak season

  Summer is the peak season for the moving industry. From May to September, prices can go higher by 30%. So to save up on a costly bill, book your move during off-peak months. You should also avoid rush moves because that can also cause a higher charges.

Our last and most important piece of advice is to create a moving budget. This is essential to see just how much you will allot for the move. It will help you control your decisions and expenses as well.