Moving is an event that most individuals must go through at one point or another. There are a lot of reasons why people move homes, and most of them occur for good reasons, and ultimately have positive effects. People often move for new job opportunities, which may provide only exciting career advancements, but often offer higher salaries as well. Others move to be in different regions or cities, while some move to simply be in a house more equipped for their specific needs.

With that being said, even when you’re moving for positive reasons and making good life changes, you may discover that moving is much more financially taxing than you initially imagined it would be. When people move due to a job change, this can be especially aggravating, as new jobs often come with an initial, temporary wait for the first paycheck. No matter what, everyone is looking for a way to make the moving process somewhat more affordable.

At the same time, it can be risky to try to handle the moving process on your own, or through amateur movers. Amateur movers can present the risks of broken items, or in some cases even stolen items. Furthermore, a move can easily be sent off-track in terms of time management if non-professional movers are hired. Therefore, if handling your move on your is not an option when it comes to saving money, those moving must look for alternatives. Moving on a budget is easier than it might initially seem.

1. Compare Moving Companies Competitively

Choosing a moving company should be viewed similarly to forming a business partnership; essentially, this what is happening throughout the process. Of course, as 70% of all business partnerships fail, those moving must be careful when selecting the movers that they work with. It’s all too easy to come into conflict with those in charge of the move, and therefore a good rapport is crucial.

But during the vetting process, it’s fair to be explicit about your expectations regarding your budget, and to essentially take bids from different moving companies, comparing them to one another. While it may initially seem a bit awkward, professional movers will understand that you are under a budget. Some may be willing to compete with others to earn your business, which may result in you spending less money in the long term.

2. Try Getting A Referral

There are several benefits to getting a referral for the moving company that you ultimately end up working with. For one thing, a referral gives you a genuine, authentic idea of how a moving company conducts its business. While online reviews can be reputable, some are formulaic and indeed certain companies have been known to pay for reviews, making them less reliable.

However, referrals are more trustworthy. It’s estimated that about 70% of online referrals come from user-to-user social networking, and they include various messaging apps as well as email and private browsing. But referrals do not simply offer you a good idea of the company’s trustworthiness.

They also often come with discounts. Particularly in this day and age, referrals are a great way of getting the word out about small businesses, which is why these discounts are worth it for a lot of moving companies. Before selecting a moving company, clients should look into their social networks to see if they can get any referrals and save money that way.

3. Pack Ahead Of The Move

There are a wide variety of ways through which you can save money on your moving process. It’s important to pay attention to the different packages offered by moving companies. Some packages are completely inclusive, allowing people to simply have the movers complete every part of the process for them.

But with that being said, there is a lot to be said for other packages, which still leave some part of the moving process up to you. Some moving packages will simply handle the actual loading and moving of the boxes, meaning that you’ll do the packing process on your own.

The loading process is really where you’ll need the most help; after all, when a human lifts a 10-kilogram box, they experience about 180 kilograms of force weighing down upon their spine. With that being said, you can save money by packing on your own, which will also allow you to mark your boxes as you like.

4. Use Materials that You Have On Hand

Saving money is easier than you might think when you handle part of the packing process on your own. But if you end up ordering a lot of packing materials, that saved money can disappear very quickly. This is why you should use rags and excess paper products that you have lying around to cushion your more delicate items in their boxes. When it comes to the boxes themselves, you can save money by going to your local grocery stores and asking for boxes that they’re finished with. You can pick those up free of cost, and save money that way.

5. Ship Certain Items Separately

Some moving companies will charge more depending on how many items you need to move. This is understandable, as it can affect the size of the vehicle needed to move all of your items. Therefore, you may want to move some of your items, particularly those that are less big or delicate, on your own.

You may be able to simply move them in your car if you’re moving a shorter distance. However, you can also use the U.S. Postal Service to move them. For example, you can bundle all of the books you own together and have them shipped in a few small boxes. This is inexpensive and will ensure that your items are being moved safely.

While the moving process can get out of hand rather quickly, resulting in you spending more money than you must, if you keep track of it and stick your budget, it doesn’t have to be financially crippling.