Are you moving and looking for a way to save on your long-distance moving costs? Of course, you are! No matter what your budget is, you are looking to find the best bang for your buck.
But there is a caveat. We want low-cost movers but don't want to sacrifice the quality of service. You are in luck as there is a trick to finding a great long-distance moving price from reputable moving companies all over the country. Read on to find some insider secrets on how to save on your long-distance moving costs.
Secret # 1: Move During Off-Season
If you can choose the time of year you are moving, avoid peak seasons as prices can often be significantly higher. Moving during the off-season can help you save on your long-distance moving costs.
The off-season is from August-April, with the slowest months being November and December, as kids are in school, and most people don't want to move during the holidays. Also, if you live in Canada, these tend to be cold and snowy months in most of the country. Not the most ideal conditions to move. Moving before it snows and gets too cold would be a prime time to hire low-cost movers.
Don’t be afraid to call up moving companies and ask them about their moving costs. They may have a dead time in their schedule and can offer you a cheaper rate on that particular day. You never know until you ask. Calling around different companies, you can find different dead times, perhaps a date that works perfectly with your plans and you can book it for a better long-distance moving price.
Secret # 2: Move During the Week
Most people want to move on the weekends when they are not working. It's also a great time to be able to ask friends and family for help moving. But because this is the norm, weekend moving dates tend to be pricier.
So, if you are looking to save on long-distance moving costs, try booking a day mid-week. Monday-Thursday tends to be a lot slower for low-cost movers. You may be surprised how much lower of a long-distance moving price you could get by moving during the week.
Secret # 3: Hire Professional Packers
This may seem counterintuitive, but the truth is, hiring packers along with your moving service can help you save on your long-distance moving costs. There are several reasons for it.
First of all, some low-cost movers will offer you a better long-distance moving price when you bundle services. Most professional movers offer multiple services for their customers to take advantage of while moving. Services such as packing and unpacking, garbage removal, recycle removal, furniture disassembly and reassembly, piano or pool table moving, and other such moving services.
Secondly, having professionals pack your items guarantees you won’t have any damaged items during your move. And if something does get damaged, the moving company will usually replace it. Most moving companies won’t ensure things packed by customers so if you pack your own things and something gets damaged, you will have to fork out the cash to replace it. So, taking advantage of their extra services is a great way to get that additional security while moving.
Secret # 4: Consolidate Your Move
If you don’t have a lot of things to move, a consolidated move may be a great option for you to lower your long-distance moving costs. If you are moving out of an apartment, are a student moving to a dorm, or going through a divorce and only taking a few select things, you may not need a huge moving truck to move all your belongings.
A consolidated move is a move where you are sharing a moving truck, and the costs associated with it, with other people moving to the same location as you. This option can save you big-time on your long-distance moving costs.
The only thing to be aware of with a consolidated move is that you have to wait until the moving truck is full before it will make its way to your desired destination. Sometimes that is a few days or a few weeks depending on the location you are headed to as well as how many customers are looking to move that way too.
Professional moving companies, like Total Distance Solutions, offer storage for your items while you wait for a moving truck to fill up. So, if you are able to afford some flexibility in your dates for moving out and in, a consolidated move is an excellent way to cut down on your long-distance moving costs.
Secret # 5: Keep Moving Receipts to Claim During Tax Time
Not everyone realizes that you can deduct your moving expenses on your taxes. You will have to pay the long-distance moving costs upfront, but you get to save when it comes to tax time. Things like moving transportation and storage costs can be claimed, as well as packing costs and moving insurance.
You can even claim expenses to your new destination, gas, meals, as well as hotel and motel costs for you and your family along the way. You may even be able to claim temporary living expenses for up to two weeks as well. So, if you time out your move just right, you can cut down on initial long-distance moving costs as well as claim the costs on your taxes.
Hiring Low-Cost Movers Doesn’t Mean Sacrificing Quality Services
If you’re trying to find a long-distance moving price, don’t assume you have to hire some cheap service off on Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji. In fact, doing so could end up costing you more in the long run.
In case you skipped to the end of this blog, here's a recap of our top secrets to saving on long-distance moving costs:
- Move During Off-Season
- Move During the Week
- Hire Professional Packers
- Consolidate Your Move
- Keep Moving Receipt to Claim During Tax Time
If you play your cards right and use some of the insider secrets we’ve shared, you can save on your long-distance moving costs and also hire a high-quality moving service. You get the best of both worlds! There’s nothing better than that!
