7 Tips for Moving Interstate on a Budget

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Any move, whether to the next town over or to a house that is just across the street, can be tricky, costly, and laborious. It could be even more challenging when it is an interstate move, especially when you are on a budget. But you probably have no choice but to move to another state for various reasons.

Some reasons why you could be moving interstate include; a job, school, relationship, neighborhood, family, or perhaps just because you want a change of scenery, to meet new people, and to have new experiences.

The cost of moving interstate varies for different people. For instance, the cost of moving the belongings of a big family interstate would most likely be much more than that of moving those of a person who lives alone.

The cost of moving the belongings of a hoarder or a rich person would definitely be more than the cost of moving those of a minimalist or a poor person.

Nevertheless, moving interstate does not have to be expensive. If you are on a budget, you can find cheap options for moving houses to help you avoid spending all your savings on relocating to another state. Read on for some tips for moving interstate on a budget.

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How to Move Interstate on a Budget

1. Downsize

The cost of moving house is usually based on the size of your baggage, the timing, and the distance you intend to transport your stuff. Since you probably have no control over the destination distance, you should control the number of belongings you bring along as much as possible.

The more things you want to move interstate with, the more expensive the relocation will be, and vice versa. Therefore, the first thing you should do when moving interstate on a budget is to downsize.

You can reduce the amount of stuff to bring to your new home by selling or giving out some of the things you are not attached to or those that are unnecessary. For example, you could get rid of some pieces of furniture, clothes, shoes, utensils, art, etc.

Selling the items you rarely or no longer use will help you downsize and raise more money to assist in the interstate move. Downsizing is especially good if you plan on living alone and you own too much stuff for one person.

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2. Move during the off-peak seasons

Summer and winter are usually the peak seasons for moving house. The weather is great (in summer) and schools are closed, thus making it easier for most people to plan and relocate to a house in another state.

While this is the most convenient time, moving interstate during the peak seasons may be too expensive due to the high demand for removalist services.

If you want to move interstate on a budget and you have control over when to do it, the best time of year for moving house would be during the off-peak seasons, i.e., spring and fall.

Moving companies will be less busy during this time; hence you will enjoy lower costs, better deals, and better services. You could also get low rates when moving house during winter sometimes. So look out for those offers if that is when you want to move.

As for the best time of the month to move house, it would be ideal to do it during mid-month. Most people usually move at the beginning and end of the month as part of their new-month-new-beginning goals, and some because they have received their salaries.

When you decide to move interstate in the middle of the month, you will not have to scramble with others for moving dates. If you can, move houses in the middle of the week too.

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3. Rent a moving truck or trailer

Since you are moving interstate on a budget, you probably want to save as much money as possible. Why not move your stuff by yourself?

Renting a moving truck or trailer is the cheapest way to transport your things across state lines. You can pack all your belongings into it and drive all the way to your new home. 

This method of moving interstate is especially fun for those who love driving on wide-open roads and traveling long distances by road. Some rental companies may even spare you from having to drive all the way back to your old town to return the truck by letting you leave it at their branch in the new location.

However, it is important to note that renting a truck and transporting your stuff yourself is the most accident-prone and most exhausting method of moving interstate. So, if you have some extra cash, it would be wise to find an interstate moving company to do the work for you. Speaking of…

4. Get quotes from interstate moving companies

When looking for a removalist company to help you move interstate on a budget, try to look for ways to reduce the cost of relocation as much as possible.

Since there are many options to choose from, start by researching to find out which are the best interstate moving companies based on services offered, reviews, recommendations, and reputation.

Create a list of the best long-distance movers and request price estimates. Ensure you get as many quotes as possible. You can then compare quotes from different interstate moving companies and choose the one with the best rates and additional services.

Some removalist companies could do everything for you. They can pack your stuff at your old house, load them into the truck, transport them across state lines, and unpack them for you at the destination.

Since you are on a budget, you should go for an interstate moving company with a relatively lower price but still offers the services you need and more.

The most important questions to ask a removalist company before choosing them include the costs, insurance, the time it will take to move, hidden and surcharges, and their referrals, among many others. Ensure you understand all the details of the services offered.

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5. Rent a portable moving container

Sometimes, you may not want to transport your stuff by yourself, but you also don’t want to pay an interstate moving company to do everything for you.

The next best option for moving interstate on a budget is to rent a portable moving container from companies such as PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, U-Box, SMARTBOX, U-Pack, and Zippy Shell.

Portable moving containers are among the best ways to move interstate nowadays, especially if the distance is far. The rental company will deliver the container at your house on the agreed-upon day, then pick it up when you are through packing your belongings at your own pace. The slogan is “you pack, we drive”.

If you are okay with doing all the heavy lifting involved, i.e., packing and loading, renting a portable moving container is one of the best and cheapest ways to move interstate on a budget.

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6. Make the moving companies compete for the job

You are probably short on cash because you already spent a lot of money buying or self-building your new home. When moving interstate on a budget, you could get the best deals from removalists and truck or portable container rental companies by letting them know you have options.

Show them the various companies and modes of transport you are considering and tell them you have gotten better deals from another company.

The aim of making the companies compete is to get your ideal one to beat or price-match their competitors. You will get a better deal and save money when you negotiate.

7. Save money on packing materials

Most moving companies provide packing boxes at an additional cost or as part of their services. However, you may have to buy some if needed and when you are the one doing the packing or driving your belongings to your new home.

Since you are moving interstate on a budget, you should not waste money on overpriced packaging materials. There are many places where you can get moving boxes and packing papers for free.

For example, you can get free packaging supplies at bookstores, office supply stores, liquor stores, department stores, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

You can also cut moving costs by reusing old packaging materials and repurposing items you already have to use as containers to pack in and others to use as padding. For example, you can repurpose your bags, clothes, furniture covers, trash can, newspapers, blankets, and bed sheets.

Additionally, you can reduce the cost of moving houses by borrowing packing boxes from some of your friends or people who recently relocated to your current neighborhood. 

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Wrapping Up

Relocating to another state doesn’t have to be such a grueling and expensive task.

Now that you know how to move interstate on a budget, you can use any of the above tips to make relocating easier and cheaper.

The one thing you should remember when moving interstate on a tight budget is that you must choose the best, inexpensive option that will enable you to save money but still ensure the safe delivery of your belongings to your new home.

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