Relocating when you’re broke is a difficult proposition because moving can cost a lot of money. Hiring professional movers will always lead to the best results, but the reality is they cost money. If you’re flat broke, you have to look for alternative options. We’re going to show you some DIY ways to move when you have no money to move with.
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Use the People Around You
In terms of protecting your belongings, getting your friends to help isn’t the best option. They’re not professionals and they don’t know how to move things the right way. But if you have no money for anything better they’re your greatest resource. Use them to do the work and you can save a lot of money; although they’ll probably want a beer afterwards.
Sell the Items You Don’t Need
But if this is unacceptable you can always make some quick bucks the old-fashioned way. Take the items you don’t absolutely need and sell them. You can hold a yard sale, or put the more expensive items up on eBay and Craigslist. This requires some advance planning, but it should raise enough to pay for gas at the very least.
Avoid Hotels
It may not be glamorous, but you can avoid handing out hundreds of dollars on nights in hotels by sleeping in your car. There’s nothing in the law that states you can’t do this. Stop at truck stops or pull over at a rest area and catch a few hours of sleep. Hotels tend to be your biggest expense when making long distance moves, so this is a great way to save money.
Understand Moving In Costs Ahead of Time
There’s more to moving than just hiring local movers and getting to your new destination. You must take into account the utility bills, any deposits you have to put down, and any miscellaneous costs you may be confronted with. This should be understood ahead of time so there are no nasty surprises when you arrive. Feel free to start shopping around various utility companies far in advance.
Buying New Items
The chances are you’re not going to take every little thing to your new home. This is where you have to think about how you’re going to afford all the new furniture. Yes, you can sell the old furniture, but there are no guarantees you’re going to raise enough. When buying new items, you need to shop around to get the best deals on essentials. Here are our top tips for buying new furniture affordably:
- Go on Craigslist. There are many people offering items for free as long as you can haul them away.
- Local thrift stores are great for finding good quality items at low-quality prices. Mark them on your map and go on a field trip.
- Don’t buy during prime moving time. The summer months and the start of autumn is the worst time for buying new items because this is what everyone is doing. Avoid it if you can.
These tips should get you well on your way to moving, even if you happen to be broke. What are your top moving tips?
