Budget Interstate Moving with Three Movers | Tips & Tricks
Published by Chris Townsend
How to Move Interstate on a Budget
Whether you’re planning to relocate for work, retirement, family, or some other reason, an interstate move is a major milestone one’s life. These types of moves can often be stressful and time-consuming endeavors, making it absolutely crucial that you plan out all the details ahead of time. That way, you can avoid unexpected delays and stay within your moving budget.
When it comes to moving across town, or even within the same state, the process is often much easier than moving interstate. You’ll often find that moving costs are higher with interstate moves because of the distance that must be traveled to delivery your belongings. However, this does not mean that it’s impossible to stick to what you’ve budgeted for your relocation. If you’re unsure about what it takes to move interstate cheaply, our budget movers near you are here to help!
We’ve outlined many of the biggest factors to consider when determining the cost of an interstate move, including some unexpected occurrences that might come up along the way. Also, we’ve provided some helpful tips for budgeting your interstate move. Continue reading for our full guide on ‘How to Move Interstate on a Budget.’
Planning Your Interstate Move
The first step in moving across the country is to begin the planning process as early as possible. By planning ahead, you can minimize wasted time and help to keep costs low. Make sure that you give yourself ample time to research, plan out the logistics of your move, and schedule moving services. Generally speaking, the earlier you book moving services, the best deal you’re going to get.
However, every move is unique. Therefore, the average cost to move interstate will vary based on individual circumstances. Factors that impact interstate moving costs include the distance covered, goods being transported, time of year, and whether or not you hire professional movers to assist you.
DIY vs. Professional Movers?
The choice between hiring professional movers or DIYing your interstate move is going to have a major impact on the overall cost of your relocation. While securing a rental truck and doing the hauling and driving yourself may cost less upfront, it comes with a lot of drawbacks. For example, you may be limited on time prior to starting your new job. Aside from time, it’s important that you keep in mind all of the additional costs involved with handling your own move, such as lodging on the road, food, gas, and more. These extra costs can really start to add up – especially during an interstate move – to the point that it might actually be more cost-effective to hire professional interstate movers.
If you are moving because of a new job or promotion, make sure that you check with your employer about what moving costs they plan to cover. Oftentimes, employers cover most, if not all, of your relocation costs. Find out how much they will take care of, then use the number to make a financial decision based on whether DIY or professional movers makes the most sense.
The Cost of an Interstate Move
The cost of an interstate relocation largely depends on where you’re moving to and how much stuff you’re bringing with. According to moving.com, the average cost to move interstate is roughly $4,900, with an average distance of 1,225 miles and an average weight of approximately 7,400 pounds. As opposed to charging by the hour with a local move, interstate movers charge based on the total weight of your shipment.
In fact, the cost of an interstate move varies based on three pertinent factors:
- The weight of your shipment. Or, all of the household belongings that you plan to move. The more stuff you have to be transported, the more expensive your interstate move is going to be.
- The distance between your current location and your destination. For example, if you’re moving to a state nearby, you can expect to may much less than if you were to move from one side of the country to the other.
- Labor costs. These can often be unpredictable, as they will vary based on your movers and from state to state.
The best way to know exactly how much your interstate move is going to cost is to obtain a free quote from a reliable and reputable moving company.
Decide What to Take with You
One of the best ways to move interstate on a budget is to downsize your belongings. By doing this you can significantly cut the costs of your move, whether it’s using a smaller rental truck or receiving a better quote from your movers. Most professional moving companies charge interstate moves based on the total weight of the items being moved. Therefore, if you have less stuff to move, you’ll pay less money to move it. Selling some ( or all ) large furniture instead of moving all of your furniture can result in a major dip in your moving costs and also add money to your relocation fund.
When you’re collecting quotes from moving companies, play around with factoring in and not factoring in your large items to see how much the price shifts. If you’re trying to move interstate on a budget, this can often make a big difference.
Choosing the Right Moving Date
Believe it or not, the date that you choose to move can make a huge impact on how much your interstate relocation is going to cost. If you’re blessed with flexibility, moving during the week is your best bet for saving the most money. In fact, opting for a mid-week and mid-month relocation is a great way to move interstate on a budget. Since moving on weekends and at the beginning and end of the month are the most popular times to move, you can expect demand to be at a low during the middle of the month and on a weekday. The low demand also results in low costs.
While it might be more convenient to move on the weekend, it’s important to understand that there are a limited number of weekends in a year and customers will be competing to get those dates. Also, if possible, try to avoid moving during peak moving season. This tends to take place during the summer months – from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Additional Considerations
When moving interstate on a budget, the following are some other considerations that you’ll need to make:
- Packing: Do you plan on packing yourself or hiring a professional moving company to handle it for you? While leaving the packing to the professionals will save you valuable time and energy, it’s not going to save you money.
- Insurance Coverage: Generally speaking, interstate movers must offer you two different valuation coverage options: Released Value Protection and Full Value Protection. The former is considered the most economical choice, but only offers the bare minimum protection for your items.
- Third-Party Insurance: If you are worried about your possessions – especially if you have some high-valued items – you might want to consider purchasing third-party insurance in addition to the insurance provided by your moving company.
- Storage Solutions: Will you need temporary storage before, during, or after your interstate move? Make sure you factor this additional cost into your moving budget.
To find out how much your next interstate move is going to cost and help you budget accordingly, fill out our convenient online request form and receive your free, no-obligation moving quote. Get in touch with one of our moving experts today to find out how you could save up to 20% when you move with Three Movers!
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