Cut the expense and hassle of your next local or long-distance move.
Money Girl
298 MG How to Save Money (and Stress) When Moving
In Colorado, our freedoms are everything. Gabe Evans would rip them away. Just like Lauren Boebert, he'd ban abortion without exceptions for rape or incest, and overturn the right to marry for same-sex couples. Don't let him take our freedoms. Paid for by DCCC, www.dccc.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. "Is man up or here?" After investing billions to light up our network, T-Mobile is America's largest 5G network. Plus, right now, you can switch, keep your phone, and we'll pay it off up to $800. See how you can save on every plan for Verizon and AT&T at tmobile.com/keepandswitch. Up to four lines via virtual prepaid card, a left 15 days qualifying unlocked device credit, service, ported, 90-plus days, with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. Hi, friends. Thanks for downloading the Money Girl podcast. I'm Laura Adams, the author of Money Girl Smart Moves to Grow Rich. Get the paperback or ebook from your favorite bookstore. No matter if you're moving into a new home across the street or across country, relocating is stressful, time-consuming and costly. I'll give you five great moving tips to save money and cut the stress of getting settled in your new place. There's no getting around the fact that planning is the key to having a successful move. The earlier you start thinking about what must happen and begin making necessary preparations, the happier you'll be before, during, and after relocation. Though moving out of state requires more administrative work, you know, like switching auto insurance, dealing with vehicle registrations, and perhaps changing banks, local moves can also be very taxing when you wait until the last minute to get organized. Here are five moving tips to make your next move easier and less expensive. Tip number one, move fewer items. Moving is a great time to reevaluate what you own and why you own it. If you haven't used that second set of dishes or your gardening tools within the past year or so, how likely are you really to use them in your new place? Don't get into the habit of moving the same unused stuff from place to place. I did that for years, and believe me, it costs money and time to pack, move, and store each item that you take with you. Set a move in date that gives you plenty of time to purge unwanted items from your home, garage, or storage unit. Donate them to a tax-deductible charity, sell them online, or have a yard sale. Be sure to listen to my previous podcast called Yard Sale Tips to earn more money, which is episode number 297. Also, consider selling valuable items like furniture and sporting goods on consignment with a retail store or a local auction house. Tip number two, get multiple estimates. The cost of moving depends on several factors, such as how far you're going, the total weight of your possessions, the amount of moving insurance you purchase, and how much packing and loading is done for you. Don't assume that moving yourself is the best option. Get several estimates so you can compare the cost and benefit of various alternatives. There's a range of moving services available for every budget. For instance, the most expensive and stress-free option is drawer-to-drawer service, where a company packs, moves, and unpacks every single item that you own. But to save money, you can pack yourself and have a mover load and unload your boxes and furniture. Portable storage units are a popular do-it-yourself option. These big weatherproof boxes are delivered to your home so you can load them with your possessions as you have time. Then, the mover delivers the units to your new location where you unload them. Typically, the least expensive, but certainly the most demanding moving option is to rent a moving truck that you load, drive, and unload. September is a great month for planning. We start thinking about the rest of the year, whether it's back to school, big year-end work projects, holiday plans or travel. Planning ahead is crucial in life, especially when it comes to what happens when you're gone. Getting life insurance may sound daunting, but policy genius makes the process a breeze. With policy genius, you can find insurance policies that start at just $292 a year for a million dollars of coverage. Some options offer same-day approval and avoid unnecessary medical exams. Policy genius's technology lets you compare quotes from America's top insurers in just a few clicks to find your lowest price. It's the country's leading online insurance marketplace. 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That's at ixl.com/moneygirl to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Tip number three, pack properly. When packing your own belongings, especially the fragile ones, don't do a shoddy job. You'll be really upset if your favorite china or pottery arrives in broken pieces. Professional movers know the right way to move and protect heavy furniture, pack fragile stemware and box up sensitive electronics so they arrive without damage. If something they pack gets broken, well, the moving company is responsible up to the amount of your insurance. However, if you pack something and it breaks, you're out of luck. Unless a box UPAC has visible damage that indicates it was crushed during a moving company transit, you won't be covered by moving insurance. So protect your belongings by using specially designed moving boxes and supplies. For instance, dish packs or dish barrels have thicker cardboard walls that give fragile items more protection than regular boxes. Mirror boxes are designed for framed artwork and mirrors. You can even use wardrobe boxes that come with a metal hanging rod at the top to easily move clothes without even having to take them off their hangers. Tip number four, get free supplies. Getting the proper moving supplies to protect your belongings isn't cheap, so don't forget to factor in the cost of moving boxes, packing tape, newsprint or packing paper, bubble wrap, and moving blankets. Supplies for a typical move can easily cost over $500. Apartment communities are great places to snag free boxes. Call a few in your area and ask what residents do with their empty boxes, or visit stores that are likely to have strong, clean boxes such as bookstores, coffee shops, and liquor stores. Here are five great websites to search for free moving boxes and supplies. Craigslist.com, freecycle.org, movingboxesmart.com, freecardboardboxes.com, and the U-Haul Moving Exchange. Don't worry, I'll put these links in the show transcript on the Money Girl page at quickanddirtytips.com. Tip number five, negotiate expenses. If you plan to use a moving company but to pack yourself, negotiate for the mover to provide boxes and packing materials free of charge. They buy me supplies in bulk so it costs them much less. And if you're relocating for work, always negotiate for your employer to pay your estimated moving expenses upfront or as quickly as possible after you start a new job. Taking the time to carefully plan what you want to move, getting several estimates, and negotiating expenses when possible will save you a bundle in the process of relocating as enjoyable as possible. Want more money advice? Well, be sure to connect with me on Facebook or Twitter, or sign up for the free Money Girl newsletter. I love to hear from listeners, so submit your money question or show topic suggestion on social media or email money@quickanddirtytips.com. You'll find all this information on the Money Girl page at quickanddirtytips.com. I'm glad you're listening to Ching. That's all for now, courtesy of Money Girl, your guide to our richer life. In Colorado, our freedoms are everything. Gabe Evans would rip them away. Just like Lauren Boebert, he'd ban abortion without exceptions for rape or incest, and overturn the right to marry for same-sex couples. Don't let him take our freedoms. Paid for by DCCC, www.dccc.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Is it time to reimagine your future? The right business skills may make a difference in your career. At Capella University, we offer a relevant education that's designed to focus on what you need to know in the business world. We'll teach professional skills to help you pursue your goals, like business management, strategic planning, and effective communication, and you can apply these skills right away. 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