March 29, 2024

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Guide to Moving on a Budget

Man and Van blog post

Moving home can be an expensive process – whether you have to find a new bond for a new rental property, or you’re trying to scrape a deposit and solicitors fees together for your first mortgage. So for many of us, it’s essential that the actual moving process costs as little as possible. This can be difficult when you put together the time in lost wages so you can dedicate the time you need to move home, or the cost of expensive removals companies, storage or hiring a van.   

Follow our tips below to help you make your move more cost effective!

No matter whether you’re moving across the country or around the corner, using an independent solicitor and estate or letting agent, local to your area, could prove to be a very cost efficient move. Large national agencies often have higher prices based on their success and standards, but this doesn’t mean that you will get any more from their services. Smaller, local firms, who are looking to retain clients and build lasting relationships, are likely to charge a lot less for the same services. 

It makes much more sense to move house during a time you would normally be off work, rather than booking holidays or taking leave. People who are paid by the hour will lose wages, especially at such an expensive time, and even salaried workers will lose valuable free time. So whether you’re a Monday to Friday worker, or a shift worker – meticulous planning will ensure you achieve your move in the time you allocate. 

Moving home presents the perfect opportunity to get rid of all the stuff you no longer need. Send old clothes to a charity shop and throw out broken appliances and furniture. But don’t throw away everything, anything that is still in decent condition can be sold online to help boost your finances. Not only will this help you feel more organised as the big moving day approaches, but will mean fewer trips to the new home and more efficient packing for a quicker move!

This might seem like common sense, but it you pack everything in a logical way and label every box with which room it needs to go to, it will help with the transportation and unpacking of your belongings. Also make sure you label the contents of the box to ensure nothing is stacked on top of valuable or easily damaged items, limiting breakages during transport! 

  • Hire a removals company 

This might seem like an unnecessary expense if you’re moving on a budget, but a professional removals company can save you time, effort and stress which can be hugely valuable if you have restricted time as well as money.  Here’re just a few ways you’ll benefit:

  1. They’re fast – although enlisting family and friends may seem like the most cost effective option, they can make the whole removals process much longer than it needs to be. Professionals know how to quickly and efficiently organise a move and will manage it all without any stress to you!  
  1. They’re punctual it can be difficult to arrange family and friends to turn up at the right time – they have their own busy schedules too, and it may mean you have to move in shifts, dragging out the entire process.
  1. They have a truck – whether you’re moving out of a small flat or a huge home full of belongings, a removals company will bring the right size truck, saving you from hiring one, or making lots of car trips back and forth!
  1. They have all the tools – whether you need them to help you uninstall your appliances or take furniture apart, they’ll have all the equipment and skills to get the job done quickly.
  1. They won’t break your things family and friends might mean well, but don’t have the specialist packing and moving knowledge of a professional, so are likely to drop or damage your things during the move. If a professional does damage to any of your belongings, they will have insurance to replace them. 

Moving on a budget needn’t be a stressful task; with careful planning and organisation you can ensure everything goes smoothly and your move happens quickly and efficiently, saving you time and money! 

Moving on a budget checklist:

Research local agencies 

  • Ask around for the best value solicitors, estate agents, removals companies and mortgage advisors. 
  • Ask your friends and family for recommendations.

Schedule your move

  • Before you decide on a moving date, check your calendar and find a few alternative days. 
  • Ring around some van hire companies for quotes – some offer cheaper rates on different days.  

Reduce your move 

  • Throw away all the stuff you no longer need.
  • Recycle or gift things you don’t use to charity shops. 
  • Sell anything you’re reluctant to give anyway – try sites like Gumtree and Ebay. 

Packaging supplies

  • Make sure you stock up on labels, tape and boxes to limit stress and breakages.

Removals Company 

  • Time is valuable – Hire a removals company to speed up the whole process! 
  • Check the company you choose are members of BAR.