Moving is a common and often unavoidable part of all our lives, but one thing that is avoidable is paying out more than you have to on moving expenses. There can be a lot of seemingly minor expenses that can make you end up having to pay out a lot more money than you were expecting.
The average cost of an intrastate relocation is $1,170 and moving interstate is likely to cost you $5,630, according to the US News & World Report: “Worldwide ERC, an association for professionals who work with worldwide transfers, places the number even higher: it says the cost of the average move within the US is $12,459,” the report claims. One thing is certain – moving is a very expensive business; however, you can save money and avoid a number of charges by being aware of some of the hidden costs.
Be very wary if you hear about a moving company offering its services at a surprisingly low fee. Put on your skeptic’s hat and be sure to take a good long look at all the details of an offer such as this. Does the company charge by the hour? How many staff members does the moving company have to assist with your move? If the company only has one member of staff, you will end up paying for considerably more hours than you anticipated and the low rate will wind up costing you a lot more. There is also the risk that a disreputable moving company could end up damaging your items, costing you even more money to replace them.
Some people think that moving themselves will save a lot of money that they would otherwise spend hiring the services of a professional moving company, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. When you hire a moving vehicle, make sure that you have read the contract’s fine print. If you are responsible for tolls and fuel, as is sometimes the case, you can end up paying a lot more than you would to get a professional moving company to do the job for you, while also having the hassle of having to do all the work yourself.
Packing supplies and packing labor are expenses that many people do not even give a second thought to. These are often included with a full moving service; however, they are not always included in the final estimate for your relocation. On other occasions your moving company might insist that you have to pay more for specific items that require special packing materials. Be sure to check your contract and find out how much this will cost; if you do not see a figure, ask the company. You need to know how much money you are going to be paying in total. You will also need to think about the cost of transferring services such as electricity, with fees often applying even if you are just moving a couple of blocks away.
