How to Save Money on Your Next NJ Move
Moving to a new home can be exciting, but it’s also expensive. In addition to the money you spent securing your new home, moving comes with its own set of costs. Luckily, there are ways you can bring down the cost of moving, but it will take a bit more planning and effort on your side. Is it worth it? That’s up to you and how much time and energy you have. With that said, the money saved during the move might mean you can splurge on new decor or a nice dinner out once you’re settled in.
If you’re looking to save some money, try out the methods below for your next NJ move.
Declutter and Sell Your Less Useful Old Items
Decluttering is one of the best ways to save money on your move especially if you’re using professional NJ movers. After all, the less boxes and furniture you have, the less time it will take them to load and unload your belongings from the truck. It also means less time you need to spend packing and wrapping.
Of course, deciding what to get rid of can be difficult especially if you have an emotional connection to certain items. However, moving is the perfect time to unburden yourself. Take some time to look at everything you own and think about the last time you used that item. If you haven’t used it in the past year, chances are you don’t need it, but there’s someone out there who might get great use out of it.
One of the best ways to make a little extra cash is to have a garage or yard sale. While you won’t recoup the original cost of the item, whatever money you do make from it you can put towards your moving expenses. If you have items like camera lenses or vintage clothes, you might be able to put these up on eBay for a decent profit.
Of course, there will be items you might not be able to sell. If they’re still in decent condition, you can donate them to your local Goodwill store. While you won’t get any upfront payment, you can write off your donations in your taxes at the end of the year. So make sure you get an itemized receipt after donating! Otherwise, you can post on your local neighborhood Facebook group letting people know they can take the items away for free. Either way, the goal is to reduce the amount of stuff you need to move.
Avoid Buying New Supplies Right Now
The cost of moving supplies adds up quickly – some tape here, bubble wrap there, and all of sudden you’ve spent a couple hundred dollars and you still need more for the rest of your stuff. While there might be times where you have to buy supplies, there are plenty of ways you can avoid it with a little planning.
Besides hiring movers, the biggest moving expense is the boxes. Thanks to online shopping, almost everyone likely has some empty boxes lying around. Consider asking neighbors, friends, and family members for any boxes they might have. You can also go to your local grocery store or liquor store and see if they have any.
If you work in an office, check with the mailroom to see if they have any empty boxes that they plan on tossing. Chances are, you’ll end up with more boxes than you need. If you don’t have any luck with friends and family, you might be able to find some options online via Facebook, Nextdoor, or Freecycle.
You can also reuse some of your own items for packing. Instead of using bubble wrap, why not wrap fragile items in t-shirts, towels, newspaper, or sheets? They’re an excellent option as they will still protect your valuables without costing any extra money. Just make sure that the movers are extra careful as you don’t want to deal with broken glass in your clothes!
Consider Self-Packing Everything to Save Money
Sure, hiring professional packers might make your job easier, but it comes at a pretty hefty cost especially if you do full-service packing. While it might be a time-consuming task, it’s a lot cheaper to pack everything yourself. If the money you save isn’t enough motivation, then consider this: you can pack your boxes in the way that makes sense to you.
While professional packers will generally do a good job, sometimes they’ll group items together that don’t necessarily make sense. You have complete control over what item goes into which box. That will make it a lot easier when you need to unpack as you’ll know exactly where everything is.
If you need the extra help, instead of springing for the full-service packing consider a partial packing option. This allows you to pack the majority of your items while leaving certain rooms to the pros. So maybe you don’t want to deal with packing all the fragile items in the kitchen.
Hire the pros! It’ll save you some time and, while more expensive than packing yourself, will still be cheaper than if they packed everything. Just make sure to ask the movers how much they charge and how long the packing services will take before you agree to this option.
Hire the Most Affordable NJ Movers
Yes, you can go the DIY route, but doing everything yourself is not just stressful, but can be dangerous! Even if you’ve moved multiple times in your life, you won’t have as much experience as professional movers who move almost every day of the week.
The pros know exactly how to stack the boxes in a truck to avoid damage, navigate tight corridors and corners, and lift heavy items properly. Many people have injured themselves trying to move furniture or even heavy boxes and there’s nothing worse than having to move with a strained back or ankle.
There are plenty of NJ movers to choose from, but that doesn’t mean they’re all equal. While it might be tempting to go with the cheapest option, chances are they won’t be very professional and could end up damaging your belongings during transport. In the worst case scenario, they might be a scam and hold your belongings for ransom until you pay a higher fee.
To avoid this, you’ll need to do plenty of research online and by directly calling each company. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always look up their Department of Transportation number to make sure they are properly licensed. You should also look up online reviews to see what their customers think. Once you’ve done all that, you should be able to find movers NJ residents trust.
Once you’ve found the right movers, make sure to read the contract carefully. Are there any fees you weren’t expecting? Most local movers charge an hourly rate, which ends up being cheaper than volume pricing. However, if there’s inclement weather or you haven’t finished packing yet, your final price might end up higher than what you expected.
Also, don’t forget to check what kind of insurance and liability options they offer. If you own a lot of valuable items, you might want to get full liability coverage. If the company doesn’t offer it, you can always get a third-party option.
Easily Save Money on Your Next NJ Move
By following these tips, you should be able to save yourself a few hundred dollars. What you do with that money is up to you! These tips only work if you start planning your move at least a month in advance, so make sure to start as soon as possible. When it comes to finding reliable NJ movers, you can always give NJ Great Movers a call for a free quote.
FAQ
How do I get rid of bulky furniture/items?
You should contact your local sanitation department to see if they have specific days for bulk trash removal. Otherwise, you should reach out to junk removers to schedule a pick-up.
How much should I budget for a local move?
The answer varies based on thesize of your move and extra services you’d like to add. However, a typical NJ local move costs between $200-$600
Do I need to hire a pro mover or can I DIY?
You should bring on pro movers if you have a lot of heavy furniture or bulky items you need to move. If you only need to move clothes and a few boxes, you can definitely opt for a DIY move.
