2023 Best Moving Tips For Seniors To Reduce Moving Costs
Moving to a new home can be very exciting, but it is usually also a very stressful and expensive undertaking. While these dynamics apply to most people including seniors, seniors have special ways that they can save significant money on their move that younger households don’t.
Related Topics (Sponsored Ads):
Many seniors who are moving are often doing so after retiring and have become “empty nesters”. This means that they don’t need to, and often can’t, move all their various belongings from their current home, which is usually much larger than the new one they’re moving to. This automatically will make their move less expensive, because they have less stuff to move. This reducing of stuff is known as downsizing, and is the key way to greatly reduce moving expenses, as will be discussed below.
Seniors also usually have much more flexibility regarding their move, especially the timing elements. This also allows reduction of cost, by taking advantage of this flexibility. Then, just by being seniors, certain deals and discounts are available to them, if they seek out and use them. Below are the best tips for seniors to use to lower their moving costs in 2023.
Downsizing
As mentioned above, this is perhaps the single most major factor in allowing reduction of moving costs. It’s simply a matter of the less things you have to move, the lower your moving cost will be. For seniors, this is also a physical imperative – because usually they will be moving into a smaller home. By significantly downsizing, it may be possible to totally skip using a moving company and do the move yourself, as will be discussed in some of the tips that follow.
Tips to Downsize:
– Since most moving costs are based on weight, eliminate as much heavy items as possible, including unnecessary winter clothing; unused sporting and recreation equipment; appliances; large wooden furniture; outdoor furniture and equipment and tools; and especially books.
– It is often less expensive to buy new kitchenware, appliances and other furniture at your new location versus paying to move your old ones.
– If you’re renting a new home, consider renting one that is furnished – including appliances.
– Try to store items that you want to keep but don’t often need to use in your current locale.
Self Packing
By downsizing sufficiently, you will have a manageable amount of things to package. One of the biggest moving expenses is where you pay for the moving company to pack for you. Companies like U-Haul sell all sorts of moving supplies, including those very necessary moving boxes. They even have self help guides to assist you with this process. So, DIY (Do It Yourself) and save money.
DIY Moving
This may sound very scary and impractical to many seniors, but again if you have done a good job at downsizing, it is doable and will save you money. Here are some ways you can do this:
– If you are driving yourself and your car to your new home, pack as much as you can into the car and perhaps even rent and use a one-way moving trailer.
– If you are not taking a car with you and are a good driver, consider renting a small one-way moving truck rental. You can often affordably hire young people to help you load and unload.
– Ship as many of your moving boxes as possible via UPS ground service or USPS parcel service. If you can wait for an extended delivery time, you can ship a lot of boxes for a good price.
– Use a moving service that provides you with a truck container that you load and then unload yourself. They usually will give you many days to both load and unload and this will be less expensive than using a traditional moving truck service.
Shop Around
If you want or need to move with a traditional moving truck company, then you should shop around fully and carefully. Only consider movers who are reputable and have good references and reviews. They should be properly licensed and insured and their employees should be fully bonded to protect you from theft or harm. Also, get a number of estimates – and these estimates should be done by a legitimate estimator who physically comes to your current home. Try to avoid estimates done only by phone or online. Also, remember the moving business is very competitive – so always negotiate for the best deal.
Discounts
Most major moving companies have various senior discounts available, such as AARP member discounts. However, the only way to make sure you get such discounts is to ask for them, upfront. Also, timing can affect your cost. For example, by moving during off-season times, such as in the fall and spring, you usually can get a reduced price. The same holds true if you allow the moving company to delay your delivery time, which allows them to move additional families on the way to your new home’s location. As mentioned earlier, the more flexible you are, the more money you can save.
