When you're moving across state lines, you'll need to hire a moving company that specializes in long-distance moves. These companies work with freight carriers to ship your items from your home to a warehouse in another state. Unlike in-state moves, long-distance moves are priced by the weight of the items you are shipping. Heavy shipments can be very expensive – thankfully, there are ways to reduce the cost. Here are three ways that you can save money when you're moving across state lines.
1. Move During the Winter Off-Season
If you have the luxury of deciding what time of the year to move, choose to move in winter instead of summer. You may have to suffer through snow and ice if you're moving to a state in a cold climate, but you'll save money on your move. Most people move during the summer – the weather is nice and children are out of school, making it a convenient time for a move. Fewer people move during the winter, so moving companies lower their prices in order to draw in business. By moving in the winter, you take advantage of these lower prices and save money on your move.
2. Eliminate Unneeded Items, Especially Heavy Furniture
Long-distance moving companies price your move by distance and the weight of the items that you are shipping, so it's important to reduce your load as much as possible in order to save money. Eliminate unneeded items from your home before the move – you can either donate them to charity or sell them to help finance your move. When you're deciding what to donate or sell, use the weight of the item as your primary guide. Moving many heavy items will increase the cost of your long-distance move.
For example, if your furniture is old and needs to be replaced, a better option may be to get rid of all your old furniture and purchase new furniture for your new home. Mattresses are another good candidate for leaving behind, as it's recommended to replace the mattress on your bed at least every ten years. By eliminating items that need to be replaced soon or that you're not attached to, you'll save money on moving fees due to the reduced weight of your shipment.
3. Purchase Moving Insurance to Protect Yourself Financially
When you're trying to save money on your move, it may seem strange to pay more for moving insurance. However, moving insurance will protect you financially if any of your items are damaged during the move. This includes both damages caused by the moving company and damage caused by extreme weather events such as tornadoes and floods. A long-distance move typically involves loading all of your items in a semi-trailer truck to be shipped across state lines – the additional packing and unpacking creates more opportunities for your items to be damaged compared to in-state moves.
By law, moving companies are required to reimburse you for any damaged items. However, the amount of money you'll be reimbursed is quite low and depends only on the weight of the item instead of what its true value is. Moving insurance, on the other hand, will pay the full value of the item if it is damaged during the move. If expensive electronics or jewelry are damaged during your move, you'll end up saving money by avoiding the need to dip into your bank account to replace them.
It's best to shop around to see which long-distance movers give you the lowest rate. Contact a number of different moving companies for an estimate of your moving costs – a moving company will send a representative to your home and estimate the cost of the move based on the number and weight of the items you are moving. This gives you a good idea of which company will offer you the least expensive moving rates. To learn more, visit a website like http://www.palmierimoversandstorage.com/.