Are you relocating to a new home on a budget? Then you’d probably like to know what the cheapest time of year to move is. If that’s the case, then we’ve got the answer. Read on to find out when you should move to save the most money on your relocation, as well as what to do if you have to move during peak months after all.
Youcan save up if you choose the right season
The Cheapest Time of Year to Move – Winter Holiday Season
In general, the best period to relocate to a new home if you’re working on a tight moving budget and looking for the cheapest way to move out of state is to pick the cold winter months. That is, to go house-hunting between the months of November and January. Most movers have very little work during this period, due to the simple fact that people don’t want to move during the Christmas season, it is cold, and chances are higher to experience symptoms of relocation depression. In addition to this, it’s the middle of the school year, which only makes the relocation with children more complicated. On the other hand, that leaves more dates available for those moving alone to another state. In short, due to the scarcity of work, most movers significantly lower their prices in winter.
How to Save Money When Moving in Summer
Unlike wintertime, summer is the peak season for international, long-distance, and local movers. This means that movers are pretty busy, there are few free days, and the prices soar up, so even if you’re relocating to the suburbs nearby, you’ll have to be flexible with your dates. However, while being the most expensive, it also happens to be the most convenient season to move. It’s best to transfer schools at the end of the academic year because that’s the best time of the year to move. The weather is more stable, and people generally have more free time to pack, create a photo inventory after you donate unwanted items, and prepare for the relocation.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t fit a relocation during the winter months into your schedule, or you simply don’t want to do it in cold weather, you might have to opt for a peak season move after all. But don’t worry, just because you’ll be paying more for the overall moving services, that doesn’t mean there still aren’t ways to save some money.
Pick a Cheaper Time and Day for Moving
When you are trying to reduce moving expenses know that even during the summer months, prices tend to fluctuate a little. If you managed to find a job before moving to another state and you have a fixed date in the middle of the summer, it is not all lost. For example, choosing a moving day in the middle of the week is somewhat cheaper than doing it on the weekend. Likewise, moving in the middle of the month will cost you less than doing it within the first or last five days. In other words, there are still ways in which you can receive the same services at the best possible prices and reduce the costs of moving in warm weather.
Summers are more expensive overall
Save Money in Other Ways
Aside from figuring out the best relocation dates, there are other ways in which you can save some money during your relocation to a new home:
- Sell the things you don’t need. If you have any belongings such as electronics or clothes lying around your home collecting dust, consider organizing a garage sale or selling them online. In this way, you will not only make some extra cash, but you will also reduce the overall volume of your cargo, and therefore the price of the service. This is especially convenient if you’re moving into a smaller home or if you are moving in together with a partner and you have more than a few double items.
- Choose cheaper services. Most relocation companies offer several types of all their services. For example, if you are deciding to learn how car shipping works because you want to transport your car across the country and to purchase auto transport services from your chosen company, it’s best to opt for a terminal-to-terminal delivery instead of door-to-door and save some money.
- Use free services. Some relocation companies offer certain services for free for all their clients. For example, you may be able to use a storage unit for a month completely free of charge.
- Don’t get the services you don’t need. A full relocation service includes things such as packing, transportation, supplies and materials, and so on. However, you are not required to get absolutely every service a company offers. Simply pick and choose those you know you can’t do on your own. For example, most people are perfectly capable of packing their glassware, books, and other household items on their own and rely on movers only for packing tips and tricks for heavier items such as furniture. Also, unpack on your own, and save up some cash.
- Reuse packing supplies. When it comes to most objects in a common household, there is no reason to buy brand new boxes and other materials, that’s one of the common moving mistakes. Instead, visit your nearest grocery store and ask if they have any cardboard boxes they could give you. You could also use towels and rags for protection instead of packing paper or bubble wrap.
- Meal prep. This one might not seem as obvious, but during the hectic relocation days, it’s all too easy to go out to eat in order to save time. However, doing this repeatedly for every meal can amount to a lot of money, so it’s a good idea to prepare your meals in advance.
The Best Times to Move Based on Other Factors
Money is usually not the only factor people take into account when deciding when and where to move. We all lead busy lives and have to figure out a way to fit a relocation into our schedules. This is precisely why most people move during the summer months.
On the other hand, when it comes to weather conditions, usually the best times to move are either fall or spring. They are neither too hot nor too cold for a relocation. This, of course, highly depends on where exactly you live and where your new home is going to be.
Lastly, sometimes we simply can’t choose when to move and might not have enough time to check the safety of your future neighborhood, but don’t let that give you moving stress. For example, if your reason to move is education and you’re moving for school, you will only have a short window of time to get the relocation process over with. You have to finish it before school starts, which pretty much leaves you with no option but to move during the last month of the summer. Likewise, if you have been offered a job in another state, there is likely a specified date when you’re supposed to start working, and you have to move no later than that month.
