Moving House on a Tight Budget

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It’s common for us Singaporeans to move from one house to another from time to time. And if you have a large enough budget, house moving is usually a breeze; with enough money, you can easily get a professional mover to take care of everything, including the tedious task of packing and unpacking, each time you move. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys a fat salary and can afford to set aside a princely sum just for moving. If you find yourself needing to save on moving cost, this guide on how to move on a tight budget may help.

Get at Least 3 Quotes

Do not hire a mover without first doing some cost comparison research. Shortlist at least 3 different movers and call for quotes. When comparing quotes, don’t be taken in by the lowest. If one quote is much lower than the rest, don’t jump on the deal immediately. Instead make an extra effort to check if there are hidden charges omitted from the quote. Movers may charge a premium for moving items that are exceptionally heavy, especially if they need to be carried over stairs. They may also charge more if you move outside of normal work hours. Hence, you’ll need to check if their quote is all encompassing to avoid a bill shock later.

Research the Internet

Once you have shortlisted the mover based on cost, you’ll also want to check if he has got any negative reviews online. If he is unscrupulous or unreliable, bad reviews may surface in local online forums.

When checking for reviews, do note that even the best companies will get a negative review or two from time to time. Hence, a few bad reviews may be okay if most the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. What may smell trouble and should be avoided like the plague are cheap moving companies with an overwhelming amount of poor reviews. If your cheapest quote is from such a company, you are likely better off choosing the next cheapest option.

Start Planning and Packing Early

A good singapore house mover will always recommend that you begin your relocation planning and packing early. Beside adding to your stress level, a last-minute move will unnecessarily increase your moving cost. Movers may impose a surcharge for short notice bookings, especially during peak season. You may also incur additional charges for packing services, if you are unable to pack all your belongings in time. And if you need extra moving boxes, you’ll probably end up buying them, when you could easily have gotten them for free with ample planning ahead of time.

Get Your Moving Boxes for Free

Things like moving boxes can easily add to your moving cost. Rather than pay for them, you should always attempt to get them for free. First negotiate with your mover for as many boxes as possible. If the boxes they provide are insufficient, visit your neighbourhood supermarket or grocery store and see if they can spare you some. It’s important to ensure that the boxes you collect are of good quality before using them. If they give way during the relocation process and your items break, the resultant damages will likely cost more than the savings garnered from this exercise.

Note too that you will need sufficient time to collect enough boxes. Hence, don’t relegate the task of collecting boxes to the last minute.

Pack Everything Yourself

If you are moving on a tight budget, packing is a task you’ll have to DIY. Besides saving on packing services, during the self-packing process, you’ll be able to decide which items to bring along and which to discard. Bringing unwanted items to your new home is a bad idea. Other than unnecessarily cluttering up your new place, you’ll also have to pay significantly more, if you end up needing more than one truckload to shift all your belongings.

To lighten the load, all family members should help with packing.

Minimize the Items to Move

People can sometimes get sentimental when deciding on items to discard. Please don’t! Instead follow this simple rule when deciding on items to leave behind: if you have not used them for a full year, they are probably not needed.

Obvious items that you will want to do away with includes all bulky furniture and appliances nearing the end of their useful life. They add the most to your moving cost and you are probably better off having them replaced now.

Host a Garage Sale

One man’s junk is another’s treasure. After packing and finalizing the things to leave behind, rather than just disposing them, why not attempt to sell them off via a garage sale if they are in good condition? The proceeds from such sales can then be used to offset your mover’s fees.

No experience in holding one? Then this guide will help.

As can be seen, there’s a lot you can do to cut your moving cost. All it takes is some planning and work on your part but the savings gained is well worth the effort.
 

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3 Comments

  1. Informative post. f you are imagining that you have securely achieved your goal and you are done at that point, you are mixing up. There is one thing that is yet to be done and that is a standout amongst the most monotonous and time-taking periods of the shifting/Moving procedure and that is unloading.
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  2. You are ready to move only if you fully understand all the responsibility and are ready to go beyond the usual comfort. A new home is never easy, but the process can be simplified with the help of residential movers Calgary. They will do everything much better and save you from unnecessary headaches.

  3. Moving house on a tight budget can be challenging, but with some careful planning and creative thinking, it’s definitely possible! By prioritizing and making smart choices, you can successfully navigate the process without breaking the bank. Floating Stairs

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