Source
r/Frugal•
lostsweboy

Frugal moving halfway x-country, is it possible?

My family, wife + 3 kids needs to move across the country. We are currently close to where we are moving and need to "pick up" our furniture and other stuff that are currently in a storage unit (not POD/etc.). So in essence we have twice the distance to travel, 1 car there, return trip moving truck + personal car.

Our van lacks a hitch, but is an option($350+ $600 + $750 + $750= $2450) I have considered. It would be possible for us to do it in 2 trips. 20' U-haul trucks($1210 + $525 + $70 + $250 + $250= $2305), U-haul pods ($2850), POD services (don't have a quote here) don't seem very frugal.

What would be some advice to reduce cost as much as possible when moving? or any options I have missed? Any help is appreciated as I just see a tunnel and at the end is a big hole in the ground, next to it a sign that says: Feed me $$$$!!!!

Posted May 22, 2013, 2:18 PM UTC

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lilfunky1T.O. Canada•

Is the furniture honestly near & dear to you & the kids?

I'm always a fan of "sell & give away all the big bulky stuff at place of origin, buy 'new' stuff at destination"

It's just so much easier!

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lostsweboyOP•

There are definitely things of sentimental value. Furniture from my wife's mother, and things like that. Ideally would be to take everything but it that is not possible, we would consider it. We have been on the road and moved around alot and have already had to do this, every few months or so. My wife is a travel nurse.

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lilfunky1T.O. Canada•

If the Mrs is uprooting the family every few months or every year for her employment, it might be the most frugal thing to see if anyone else in the family can keep the sentimental pieces (so they stay in the family) and get rid of everything that can be easily replaced.

And then just get the good/sentimental stuff back once there's a job with more stability.

Either way, good luck!

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lostsweboyOP•

We are settling down and that is the reason why we are now wanting to move our things. Thanks! We will have to discuss, and crunch numbers too.

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twistedfork•

I think a better plan would be to hire movers to do it. I'm not sure how much stuff you have but if it fits into ONE storage unit (even a garage sized one) it is going to take up LESS than one moving truck so you will probably get a discount.

I would personally call some moving companies to get some quotes (they will want to see how much stuff you have/weigh it) and fly back for the move to supervise.

I moved from Wisconsin to Oklahoma and had Allied move all my stuff. Boxed, packed, and shipped it was $1200, Uhaul couldn't even come close to match.

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lostsweboyOP•

Thanks, I appreciate it. I will do some calling around and see what I found out. It is a 10 x 20 storage unit (single car garage sized). It is not super full, but not far from it.

1
calcium•

If you're looking to go with a mover, make certain you use one that's reputable! A friend of mine hired one and they told her that they'd do it for $800 and after it was all said and done, they tried to charge her $4500 and held her items ransom until she could pay. It's a long story, but these were her take aways from hiring movers...

-First off, if you must hire movers, do not use internet searches. I've learned, after the fact, that the majority of moving scams occur with movers that were found through internet searches or moving quote websites. Considering the busy world we live in & our dependence on the internet, this makes scams more frequent.

-It's better to search for the movers the old fashioned way--through word of mouth or use your local yellow pages book.

-Whatever way you do find a moving company, take the time to visit their office in person. In their office the movers are required to provide information regarding the maximum amount they are allowed to charge by law for supplies and moving costs. If you ask to see these items they must accomodate the request--if they do not, then do not use these movers.

-By law, you are allowed to request the movers come to your home for a free inventory moving cost estimate prior to the moving day. A reputable company will do this--if they are not willing to arrange this, do not use those movers.

-As you choose movers, research them throughouly! Do searches on Google & Yelp to see if any other consumers have complaints with the company. Also, conduct your search on the company using all known names, addresses & phone numbers. When I searched using one of the phone numbers in the first e-mail I recieved I found the previous company name & found the 87 complaints filed against the company with the BBB (again unfortunately, after the fact).

-Call the Public Utility Commision at 1-800-366-4782 to verify the company's liscence number--the company must provide their license number both on their website & especially if asked.

-Also, check with the Better Business Buerau at www.bbb.org to verify if the company has any complaints filed against them.

-Ensure that you recieve a copy of the contract before the movers depart with your belongings! California law states that the movers must provide a contract within 3 days prior to the scheduled moving date if possible--insist on this.

-Carefully read over all Federal & state regulations regarding laws the moving company must abide by. Be informed & prepared prior to dealing with the company. These things can be found on internet.

-One of the most important tips I can offer is to be sure to move the most important items with you, even if you have to rent a small truck or moving van to do so. These items should definately include any & all personal paperwork, especially ones that have any personal information on them that could later be used to commit identity fraud. Also, any personal & sentimental items that you feel you simply could never lose: computers with files, photo albums, etc.

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jonliz80•

This is helpful. We may be making a move from Illinois to Oklahoma in the next year.

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twistedfork•

I should point out that if you have a whole house full of things this may not be the cheapest option. They bill by weight/size of your stuff so I moved 1 bedroom, 1 living room, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen (minus appliances). That is why I said if it is just one storage unit it might be feasible for him.

I loved our moving company and they didn't lose or break anything (except for a light cover in the bedroom when they were bringing in the box spring). I had to pay extra because my apartment wasn't accessible with a big truck (they had to use a small one and transfer) but I got a discount because I was able to fill up a trailer for someone else that didn't have a full load.

It took about a week to get my stuff (delivered on Memorial day 2010!) and I would definitely use the company again.

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EnigmaticeEnigma•

U-pack buddy. Thank me later. Sell everything on Craigslist. Then buy someone else's stuff when you move.

Just did this from FL to CA 2 months ago.

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lostsweboyOP•

This one seems hard to do due to being attached to "stuff".

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starlilyth•

I am moving from DAL to SEA. Penske truck rental was the cheapest by far, literally half the price on some things. ~$1200 for Penske 26ft truck vs 20ft Uhaul. Penske is a diesel, UHaul is a gasser, making fuel cost lower too (better mileage). UHaul is a rip off. http://www.pensketruckrental.com/

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menageafoie•

I made the same move (DFW to SEA) in 2005 from a 3 bed house to 1 bed condo. I sold everything and took only what I could pack in my car. That's when I learned to detach from my "stuff" - it can always be replaced. But being debt free and having peace of mind, as well as new "stuff" for new "digs" is a real liberator.

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starlilyth•

Oh, I know all about not having stuff; Ive been homeless for long periods. We have pared down our collection of possessions quite a bit. Im comfy with what we are keeping.

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thelastknowngod•

Why are you attached to stuff?

Stuff holds you down. It restricts your movements, gets in the way, and ultimately serves no purpose. You are a slave to stuff. The less you have, the less you want. There are more important things in the world that you could be focused on than a couch. You may think a couch gives you a sense of comfort but it doesn't.. it's just a place you put your ass. Tear off the bandaid of sentimentality and you will realize you never needed it in the first place.

By your own estimate, it would cost roughly $2500 to move everything. If you sold the furniture and (not including the cash you made on the furniture sale) it would probably cost less than half that amount minimum.

Unclutter your life and you will be a happier, richer person.

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[deleted]•

Mounting a hitch yourself is not terribly difficult if you have access to the right tools. We did it once. So if you could minimize to the point of moving it all with a van/trailer once.

And if your kids are older than you have free labor.

Another possible option, which you may or may not be comfortable (or lucky enough) with is I use craigslist and couchsurfing.org for ridesharing on trips and often people post that they have empty trailers going to and fro and will haul for a fee. If they can provide references and such it could be an option.

Or do you have friends/family you could hire to haul it out for you? Might save time and money doing that.

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HotwaxNinjaPanther•

Pack up as much shit as possible into boxes weighing no more than 60lbs a piece, and send these through the US postal service. You can get quotes for that through their website. With only the furniture left, you'll be able to hitch a smaller trailer to your van and then you can probably make it in just one trip.

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Tenchiro•

Look into using Amtrak freight. I moved a good portion or my apartment from the weat to east coast for a couple of hundred bucks. I sold the furniture and stuffed as much as my acar would hold and shipped the rest.

The trick is they won't let you do it if it is obvious you are moving, so just make it look like you are shipping non household goods.

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lol_squared•

Putting a hitch on my Camry was one of the best investments I've ever made but I only used it to tow small-medium trailers.

At the end of the day, moving large heavy stuff across country won't be cheap no matter what you do. A moving service may cost more but it may save you a lot of time and frustration.

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menageafoie•

Sorry, but I don't think there is such a thing as a frugal move. I've lived all over the country, from coast to coast to coast. Moved 3000 miles, 1500 miles and as little as 200 miles. No matter the distance, the $$$ always seemed out of whack and exorbitantly high. If your things have that kind of sentimental value to you, I would think cost would be the least of your concerns. You know, you get what you pay for.

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