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Moving home is an exciting feeling. But stress comes alongside excitement. A major factor that worries us is the cost involved in moving. It may need you to shell out between $1,500 to $15,000, based on the distance, the home size, date of moving, and many other factors.
Are there cheap ways to move cross-country?
This is one of the most common questions related to moving and while reading this, I assume you too have the same query.
Do not worry as we have got many cheap ways to move cross-country.
Before we see some of the cheap ways to move cross-country, let’s take a quick look at some average moving cost data.
What is the average cross-country moving cost?
Every move is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all moving quote. Estimating moving costs is a complex process as it needs to consider various factors like distance, the volume of household items, fuel cost, type of truck, and the season of moving.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t give you a good idea of what average cross-country moving costs look like.
As of 2021, the average cost to move a house long-distance is approximately $4,300, which is based on 7,400 pounds as the average moving weight for a 2-3 bedroom house.
To help you understand the cost factor in a better way, here’s a table with some rough estimates of your moving costs based on the size of your home and the distance you’re moving. You need to remember that these are very rough estimates and your specific cost could look very different.
| 1 bedroom | 2 – 3 bedrooms | 4 – 5 bedrooms | |
| 1,000 miles+ | $950 – $2,900 | $2,100 – $7,800 | $4,900 – $8,100 |
| 2,500 miles+ | $1,300 – $3,800 | $3,400 – $7,900 | $8,400+ |
Do not completely rely upon these figures as the moving company quotes greatly differ from one company to another.
As now you’ve got a rough idea about the cross-country moving cost, we are back to question one.
What are the cheap ways to move cross country?
Let’s not waste much time.
Do It Yourself
What is cheaper than ‘Do It Yourself’ or DIY? You hire a truck, pack your belongings, load it to the truck, drive to the new home, and unload the stuff. You are responsible for every activity, starting from scratch. There’s no third person involved and everything will be based on your decision.
You take the stock of the household belongings that are to be shipped, prepare an estimate, decide the truck size, buy the packing materials, pack the household belongings, load the truck, unload them, and unwrap and organize the new home.
Trucks ranging from 9-foot cargo vans to 26-foot trucks are available and you can pick one based on your need. While a 9-foot cargo van can fit the content of a studio apartment, a 26-foot truck is perfect enough to carry a whole more than 4-bedroom household stuff.
While you pick the truck, confirm its size is apt for your belongings. The truck you hire shouldn’t be too big or too small as it may impact the rent. When your truck is small, your belongings will not fit into it and when your truck is larger in size, the items may slide around and break in the extra space during the shipment.
How much does a moving truck cost?
Normally, a 16-foot moving truck that can carry items from a 2 bedroom apartment will cost around $30 per day plus $0.72 per mile while moving locally. The cost can go high if you have a big home and more stuff. And a 26-foot truck may charge about $47 per day plus $0.77 per mile.
While you hire a moving truck, it is important to consider the duration you would need it and the distance it may need to cover along with other surcharges.
You also need to note that if you want collision coverage and/or liability insurance for your truck rental, it will cost you extra, which may range from less than $100 to almost $200.
If you think moving trucks are expensive, you also need to know that truck rental companies have different quotes and just as you pick a moving company quote, you need to approach a minimum of 4 truck rental companies and negotiate hard for a better deal.
Can you drive a truck cross country?
This is a million dollar question. Normally, moving trucks are hired when you are moving locally, which means less than 100 miles. However, people also go for DIY when they are relocating to the next state or somewhere just more than 100 miles. But driving a truck thousands of miles is a serious challenge and you need to have a great patience considering the effort, physical toll, and on the road expenses plus other challenges.
Maybe this is a major reason why fewer people prefer the DIY process while moving cross-country.
| Pros | Cons |
| Convenient for local moving | Not recommended for cross-country |
| The process is cheaper | No professional help is available |
| You decide things here | Chances of injuries are high |
| Quality of materials based on your choice | Driving through multiple states is tiresome |
| Assurance of security of the items | Lodging, food, toll taxes, and other expenses on road are extra |
Hire a portable moving container
If time is on your side and you’ve got only a limited volume of stuff, hire a portable moving container. This gives you the freedom to disassemble the home at your own pace.
After you evaluate the size of your belongings, approach a portable container provider in your area and pick a container that fits your needs. In a few days, mostly a day before the moving date, the professional company will deliver the container to your driveway. As you’ve got the time, you can fill it at a convenient pace and once you’re done, the company will deliver the container to your new address.
A portable container is a good option when you have just a limited volume of stuff. Mostly portable containers are selected by bachelors, students, or those who are moving alone for official purposes. A big drawback of portable containers is that they have specific points where your belongings will be delivered and you need to pick your items from that point. This means most portable containers do not provide home delivery of your stuff.
However, portable moving containers are much cheaper than professional movers. In addition, you can also affordably store your belongings without having to move anything in and out of a stationary storage unit.
Portable moving containers became popular with PODS but several other companies have also come up with this mode of service.
How much does it cost for a cross-country move?
There is no fixed cost and the rentals are greatly based on movers. Normally, long-distance portable containers charge somewhere between $1,400 and $8,000. However, the rentals are based on different factors including the volume of the items, the moving time, and distance. The company’s brand name also has got a say in the rental.
Just like a professional moving company, a storage container can also be availed at a discount.
An easy way is to collect a minimum of 4 quotes from several places and deeply analyze each one. Once you are done, negotiate hard and you’ll see how much a container company will slash its quote.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cheaper than professional movers | Suitable for local moving or moving to the next state |
| Available in different sizes | Suitable for small homes and limited volume |
| You can pack as per your convenience | Needs space to park at home |
| Negotiations are possible | Home delivery mostly not available |
Hire a moving labor service company
Yes, it is possible to load your belongings into the truck with the help of friends but you also need to consider the challenges and risks involved. As neither you nor your friends are professionals, you guys lack the expertise and the entire process may end up as a fiasco. The chances of physical injuries are high and some of the heavy or fragile items may also get damaged during the process.
Are you willing to take up the risk just to save a few hundred dollars? If not, consider hiring a moving labor service company.
When you have got a professional company to take up the task to load the truck, you get relieved as utmost security of the belongings is assured. You pack the stuff and hand them over to the local moving labor company which will load the truck in a short span. Once the moving truck reaches the new home, the laborers will unload the truck. This way, you ensure the safety of your belongings and also give the moving a professional touch.
How much does a moving labor service cost?
Cost is a major factor that stops most people from roping in moving professionals. However, when you call a moving labor service, you don’t need to fear that you would need to rob a bank. Moving helpers are highly affordable and the charges are reasons in comparison to full-service moving companies. Normally, they charge $100 to $200 to help you either load or unload a rental truck. The moving labor company quote is based on the quantity of the stuff loaded and the type of items included.
Based on the special items at home, a moving labor company will charge you high but that greatly depends upon how good you negotiate. Usually, a special item like a piano will cost $200 just to load the truck and if there is more than one item, expect to pay more.
Will moving labor help you pack the household items?
Packing is a tedious task and it requires extreme patience. In addition, you need to collect the suitable packing materials including cardboard boxes, ropes, gum, and many other items. The items might be of different sizes and it is important you have boxes of suitable sizes. When you ask the moving labor company to take up the packing part, you can breathe easy. However, it is important to discuss this part while you hire a company as the packing service cost will be added extra to the moving labor service quote.
Always note that when packing is not a part of the agreement, the worker will not take it up on the moving day. Everything needs to be clearly and precisely mentioned in the moving labor quote.
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable than full-service movers | Costlier than DIY method |
| Handle loading and unloading the truck | Packing services are charged extra |
| Gives moving a professional touch | Special items are charged extra |
| The process becomes faster | No truck rental is available |
| Safety of items while loading & unloading |
Is a full-service moving company an affordable option?
When you are on a tight deadline to relocate the home, pull in a full-service moving company where professionals handle every moving-related task including packing, loading the truck, driving the truck to the new home, unloading, and unpacking the belongings.
Most movers also provide a storage facility and this means when your belongings arrive before you, they will be safely kept. Hiring a moving company is the best way to relieve every stress and pain related to house relocation. You give it the charge to relocate the home and sit back watching professionals safely transferring your household items, both small and big. All you need is to come to an agreement with it over the cost.
Is a full-service moving company a pricey option? Then how will it be a cheap way to move cross country?
A full-service mover is not always an expensive option. While it may seem to be costlier than other moving options, you can always negotiate to trim the charges. Also, you need to consider that packing, loading, truck rental, unloading, and unpacking services are included in the moving company quote.
How much does a full-service moving company charge?
Normally, a full-service moving quote will be anything from $1,200 to $13,000. However, there is no fixed menu and the cost is greatly influenced by many factors including distance, the services you prefer, moving season, home size, and type of moving truck.
| Pros | Cons |
| Handle every moving-related task | Costlier than other ways of moving |
| The process becomes professional | Additional insurance is charged extra |
| Ensures safe and fast-moving | Multiple service types make selection difficult |
| Handles all types of items | The final cost is based on negotiation skills |
| Ships the item to anywhere in the country |
As we all love to relocate within a budget, you would be keen to know how to bring down the moving cost.
Since we are moving pros, we’ve got a few tips to cut down the cost to the minimum. Just try and see whether it will reduce the stress on the wallet.
The top 6 ways to cut moving costs and expenses
Set up a personal moving budget
Prepare a moving budget. Analyze what you need to move and see how much you can spend on a mover. The budget needs to be reasonable and should be too low. You need to have the guts to not cross the budget.
Find a low moving quote
If you are not for the DIY process or portable container rental, hiring a moving company is the best bet. But before you jump to finalize a mover, analyze the costs and services of multiple movers in your area. You should compare a minimum of 4 moving company quotes to finalize the cheap one. However, during the process, confirm that no compromise is made on the quality of service.
Schedule the moving in the offseason
Normally, moving company quotes are expensive in summer as most people prefer relocating during this season. Choose winter as your moving time when most movers will be having low business and would be ready to give a decent cut on the quote. If you are lucky, you would be able to grab even up to a 30% cut in the price.
Save time to cut costs
Plan everything. Create a checklist and ensure every major task is done a week before the moving day. Ensure every requirement is met in advance and this makes the moving process smooth and hassle-free.
Get free packing boxes
Moving boxes form a major part of the cost and when you could get them free, the cost will go down naturally. Get them from multiple options, such as supermarkets, office supply stores, bookstores, specialized liquor stores. Check to know where to find free moving boxes.
Purge your belongings
Start decluttering the home a month in advance. You’ll be surprised to know that about half of the household belongings are not required at the new home. Sell them off through a yard sale or online stores. You can also give them charity.
While this saves the space in the moving truck and brings down the moving cost, the money you get by selling the unwanted stuff can be used for moving purposes.
Are there any more ways to move cheaply?
There are two more ways but they may not be suitable for cross-country moving but are mostly preferred for local moving.
- Rent a tow behind cargo or utility trailer
- Move the stuff in your vehicle if the volume is less
Rent a tow behind cargo or utility trailer
Here, you hire a cargo or utility trailer and connect it to your car or SUV. After you fill your belongings in the trailer, drive the car to the new home. This is the cheapest mode of moving but is normally preferred for local moving. However, you can try while moving cross-country when you have just a limited volume of stuff and the goal is to relocate on a minimum amount. Both cargo and utility trailers are available for a low price. Once you are done with the moving process, you can also sell it for a good amount.
Move the stuff in your vehicle if the volume is less
You can also stash your belongings into your car and drive to the new home when you have less volume of belongings. You can pack the items in boxes of different sizes and squeeze them into the car. You will be shell-shocked to know how many moving boxes you can squeeze into a car with open seats, floors, and a trunk.
Though these modes of moving are mostly preferred for local moving, you can try them for cross-country moving if you are adventurous.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Should you pay before or after the move?
Make the payment only after you receive the household items at the new home. No mover will demand payment in advance and if someone is asking, beware as you are dealing with a rogue moving company. However, a few movers may demand a token amount which will not be anything more than 10% of the total cost.
Which is the best day to move cheap?
Moving on weekdays is cheaper in comparison to weekends. Similarly, skip public holidays and the first week of the month as most people travel during this time and moving quotes will be too high.
Should you tip a mover?
There is no law related to tipping but you can do that as a good gesture for the service received. Normally, a range of $10-20 per mover for a standard, the one-day move is a good one. For moves that take longer than eight hours, $30-40 is considered appropriate.
Check ultimate checklist to moving to another state
