Money Saving Tips For Moving House
There's many costs to consider when you're moving house, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Many of these costs can be easily tackled with planning in advance. By doing this, you'll avoid any unexpected bills at the last minute.
We've compiled the 10 best money saving tips for when you're moving house. From the cheapest day to book moving companies to how to get your hands on free cardboard boxes and packing materials, this guide will cover everything you should do to save money when you move house.
- Money Saving Tips
- 1. Plan Ahead
- 2. Declutter
- 3. Compare Moving House Services
- 4. Book Off-Peak Season to Move
- 5. Book Cheapest Day to Move House
- 6. Get Free Packing Materials
- 7. Get Help with Packing
- 8. Don't Waste Food
- 9. Compare Utility Providers
- 10. Redirect Mail
- Save Even More Money With Compare My Move
Money Saving Tips
From decluttering your belongings to knowing when the cheapest day to move house is, here's the 10 best money saving tips for moving house.
1. Plan Ahead
To save money when moving house, you should take time to plan ahead and consider every cost. By planning ahead, you're more likely to factor in every expense, and less likely to have to spend money on things you forgot about at the last minute.
You should plan everything you need to do in the months, weeks and days building up to the move, making sure you focus on the most important deadlines as priorities.
We've created the ultimate checklist featuring everything you need to do in the months, weeks and days building up to your move. Download our free moving house checklist.
2. Declutter
Before attempting to pack your items, you should have a thorough declutter before moving house. Trying to pack everything including items you're not even sure you still want to keep will only make packing stressful.
Not only will decluttering your belongings make things easier when it comes to packing, but it'll make the cost of your removal cheaper. The price of your home removal will depend on how many items you're taking with you, therefore, fewer items means you'll be paying less.
You'll also earn some extra cash along the way by selling your unwanted clothes and accessories after you've decluttered. The money you make from selling your personal belongings could be set aside to pay for your moving costs.
3. Compare Moving House Services
Using comparison websites is a great way to find the best prices for most things. Booking your house removal through an online comparison website will help you choose a professional removals company at a fraction of the price. You should also compare conveyancing quotes and surveyors for the best deal for your move.
You'll also save valuable time by looking at comparison websites, as most of them will compare up to several professional companies for you. The majority of comparison websites will only work with trusted, verified and fully insured companies to give you peace of mind when moving house.
4. Book Off-Peak Season to Move
It goes without saying that you should book your removal company in advance, but some companies may offer special deals if you book far enough in advance. Knowing the best time to move house will help to save a huge amount on your home removal costs.
The summer months always prove to be the most popular season to move house due to lighter and longer days, however, this means removal companies will put their prices up to compete with the high demand. If you're able to, then leave moving house until after the summer holidays and try to move in the autumn months.
5. Book Cheapest Day to Move House
Often, booking your removal company in plenty of time means getting a better deal. It can also mean that you are less likely to be blindsided by unexpected, added costs. Now that you know not to book your home removal during the summer months, you should be aware of the cheapest day to move.
The best day to move house varies depending on your location, but Sunday is the cheapest day to move according to Compare My Move's data. Friday is the most popular day to move house as people will have the whole weekend to settle in, avoiding moving house during the working week. However, this means removal companies will put their prices up to match the high demand.
6. Get Free Packing Materials
You can save money on a packing service by knowing where to find free cardboard boxes when moving house. Start by asking friends and family if they have spare boxes as they will more than likely have left over ones from their move.
After you've set a moving date, start to save any boxes and packaging materials that come with deliveries you have sent to your house. Additionally, local shops, cafes and supermarkets will have a variety of sizes of cardboard boxes every week from deliveries. They'll be more than willing to let you have the cardboard boxes for free as they'd only be recycling them anyway.
Alternatively, make use of what you're already bringing with you, for example, pack delicate items such as a mirror or a photo frame in towels or bed sheets that you'll be taking with you anyway. This will save on any packing material costs, and reduce waste. You have no luck with finding boxes, you can specify that you need them when requesting removal quotes from our trusted house moving companies.
7. Get Help with Packing
Moving house costs tend to add up quickly, even more so if you opt for a packing service from your removal company. Whilst this service can be extremely useful, especially if you have specialist items that require a packing service, it can quickly become an expensive service.
However, to keep costs down and save money, packing your items yourself can be easily done. Ask your friends or family to help you with the packing. To make it fair, you could offer to cook them a meal in return for their help. The more helpers you have, the easier the packing will be. Don't forget to label your moving boxes to make it easier for yourself when it comes to unpacking in your new house.
8. Don't Waste Food
You should try to use up all the food in your fridge, freezer and cupboards before the move. If this isn't possible, you can always donate unopened tins and cans of food to food banks or homeless shelters.
Don't do a huge food shop in the few weeks before your move, instead order a small food shop to be delivered to your new house for a slot after you've moved in. By doing this, you'll be more likely to cook instead of spending money on a takeaway or eating food out in the first few days of moving in.
9. Compare Utility Providers
Moving house is the best opportunity to compare electric, gas and water suppliers in your new area. You may find that the location you'll be moving to might offer better deals on your energy bill. By comparing the different providers in your new area, you could potentially save a substantial amount of money. Make sure to check your account after you've left your old provider, as you may also be due a refund if your account is in credit.
When you move in, don't forget to take water, gas and electric meter readings to make sure that the company won't charge you for the previous owner's usage. Similarly, you should also take meter readings at your old property, just for peace of mind.
10. Redirect Mail
It's extremely important to remember to redirect your mail when you move house. You'll have to pay a small charge, but it'll certainly cost you less than if your mail fell into the wrong hands after you've moved house, potentially making you victim to identity theft. If you don't redirect your mail and you rely on receiving bills via the post, you could end up with an increasing fee from missing important bills.
Alternatively, you could do it yourself for free. You'll need to change your address for your car insurance, electoral role, energy suppliers and your employer, just to name a few. By doing this manually, you will be saving even more money.
Save Even More Money With Compare My Move
Save even more money on your home removal costs by comparing removal companies with us. We'll connect you with up to 6 removal companies in your area in your area, saving you up to 70% on removal costs.
