5 Ways to Reduce Your Moving Costs Using Cheap Removalists
A recent survey stated that 43% of Australians had moved house within the last five years. When you factor in how expensive it is to buy and sell a house, adding relocation costs could add thousands of dollars more to an already expensive exercise.
More than ever before, Australians have been looking for ways to save money. Cheap interstate removalists, and in particular self service moving is a rapidly growing industry. No longer, are people willing to pay top dollar for full service removalists when you can put in a little more work yourself and in return, potentially save thousands of dollars.
Cheap interstate removalists still need to be researched to ensure you are saving the maximum amount of money. The last thing you want is to be hit with hidden costs that you were not expecting. Backload removals may seem an attractive option if you’re looking to save money but you need to be sure it’s the right option for you. If you are moving one item and are happy to share truck space with others then it could be the way to go. However, if you are moving the entire contents of your home, then a self pack moving container (where an entire 20ft moving container is yours to load with your belongings) is the smart way to go.
Here are my top 5 ways to save even more money when moving interstate in Australia using a self pack container.
1. When booking your cheap removalist, check the fine print for any hidden costs.
What is the weight allowance of your moving container? The average household contents packed in a 20ft moving container is 7 tonne however many removalists charge for excess weight above 5 tonne.
Is insurance included in your quote price? Check for both transit insurance and public liability insurance - both essential.
Storage - if you are needing storage at either end of your move, have you been advised of the costs?
Packing materials - are they included in the cost of your quote?
2. Donate / sell unwanted items.
Moving house is an ideal time to take stock of all your possessions. For items of little value that you no longer need - consider donating to charity, many will even come and pick up donations from your home. To raise extra cash, ebay and Gumtree are excellent ways to list items for free, or you could go old-school and hold a garage sale - you’ll be amazed what people will buy, that you consider junk!
3. Pack it yourself.
Yes, you can pay someone else to do the hard work of transferring your belongings into boxes, but if you’re looking to save money - this is where you will make big savings. For handy hints, check our previous blogs for all the information you need.
4. Source packing supplies in advance.
With a little fore-thought and pre-planning, you can potentially get all of your packaging supplies for free. Contact local stores and enquire about packing boxes, many will be glad to get rid of them. Another excellent resource is Gumtree - check the ‘freebies’ catagory, every time I’ve looked, there has been free packing supplies from people who have just moved - you even get to feel great about recycling!
5. Maximise your load.
This is about being smart when it comes to loading your moving container to maximise the amount you can fit inside. Think of it like a Tetris puzzle, packing things securely and so they fit well together will not only maximise space but also ensure less movement of the contents during transit. Pack anything like drawers, suitcases, laundry hampers or bins with smaller things so every space is utilized. Keep bulky, light or oddly shaped items until last, to stack on top.
For further information on our moving containers and how we can help you move to your new home, please call us on 1300 659 221 or request a free quote online.