How to Afford the High Costs of a Last-Minute Move

Moving isn’t always something that’s well planned out. Sometimes, you have to move for means beyond your control. As you probably know, moving is stressful and costly. When you add to that the limited timeframe you have, it only gets worse. If you’re going to survive this last-minute move financially, you’re going to need to come up with a quick plan. Here are some suggestions.

Rent a Truck

Hiring professional movers to pack and relocate your items in a short time period will cost you a ton of money. Availability can be limited and depending on when you have to leave, it could be during a peak time that costs you more. It’s best to rent a moving truck and have friends and family to pitch in to help you get your things moved. If you can’t afford the rental there are loan companies that give a payroll advance. This is a short-term loan for people in varying financial circumstances that can be deposited into your account within one business day.

Get Rid of Unwanted Items

The more you have to pack the bigger the truck you’ll need to rent. Not to mention, the weight from your belongings will increase the cost of gas. So, do your best to get rid of anything you don’t need to take with you. Since you likely don’t have time to sell it, you can bag everything up and have someone from a secondhand store to come and pick them up.

Use Free Boxes and Linens

Don’t go overboard on paying for moving supplies. At best you’ll need to pay for packing tape. However, things like boxes and bubble wrap can be acquired for free. Take free boxes from nearby dumpsters, old appliances, and devices, or from your office (like printer paper boxes). You can use linens like towels and blankets to wrap your fragile items in to eliminate the need for bubble wrap.

Stay with Family

If you’re moving a further distance, instead of stopping at a hotel and incurring more costs, stay at a family member’s house. Chances are you have a loved one in route to your new place that wouldn’t mind you and your family crashing for the night.

Don’t Be Tempted to Eat Out

When you’re trying to move in a hurry, cooking is likely the last thing you want to be doing. However, eating takeout for the next few weeks will rack up quite a bill. As tempting and convenient as it may sound, it is best that you not eat out. Instead, keep an appliance like the microwave, toaster oven, or crockpot out so that you can prepare meals easily for your family.

Whether you’re relocating for a job, to care for an ill or aging family member, or due to extreme financial circumstances, you can get it done with just a few weeks to prepare. If you want to keep the cost of moving from ripping too deeply into your budget, you should consider using the ideas like those listed above. Now you can get settled into your new place with a few bucks still in your pocket.