This is a post by MPFJ staff writer, Jeff. Jeff writes about Sustainable living and finances at his website, Sustainable Life Blog. Jeff really enjoys traveling with his wife as much as he can, to wherever he can.
The time in your life that you have been waiting for is finally here – you’ve just finished college, and you have secured what you hope to be an awesome job in your field.
You’re going to start not long after graduation, but there is just one catch. You’re still living in your university town, and the new job you just accepted is quite a ways away. This move isn’t going to be too much like the ones that you’ve done recently. You’re probably not going to be able to cram all your possessions into a Honda fit and drive the 800+ miles to the location of your new job.
You need to move, and it needs to be done on the cheap. Here are our best tips to help you get the most out of your new move for the lowest possible cost.
1. Get Rid of that JUNK
You will most likely be shocked at the amount of stuff that you have managed to accumulate since you started college, and it is probably worse if you were not moving to a new house or apartment ever year. If you are anything like most of the people in the US, you probably have many things that you have not used in quite some time. Get rid of the things that you don’t want to take with you. Sell or give away all that old furniture that you got from other college friends Toss that costume that you wore to that one party one time. The more stuff you have, the more space you’re going to need in your moving truck and in your new apartment. Sell the stuff that has some value on craigslist or eBay, offer what is left to friends and then give everything else to a local charity. Everyone will be happy, and you can prevent materials from getting wasted!
2. DIY
There are plenty of moving companies out there and I’m sure that most of them do an awesome job, but right now you need to save some cash everywhere you can. You’re going to be looking at putting down a security deposit for your new place and most likely first and last months rent – which will be a good chunk of change no matter where you’re moving. Skimping on the movers and doing it with your friends will save you quite a bit of money and create some great memories in the process. This isnt going to be totally free though. Depending on how far you’ve got to move you need to compensate your friends. If you’re moving cross country or more than 4 hours away, pick one or two people and ask them to help and offer some pizza/beer/wine/cheese or whatever after the move is complete, and offer to pay their expenses back to their place. If your move requires a return flight for helping you, I’d stick with just 1 person to help – mostly to switch shifts while driving. If your move is in-town or close by, just bribe your friends with food and a bit of booze and thank them profusely for helping you.
3. Skip the Fast Food
Moving long distances takes time, energy and money – who wants to think about what to eat during all that? It’s very easy to simply stop for one (or a lot, depending on how far you travel) of fast food meals, but resist the urge. Stop at your local grocery before you leave and stock up on stuff to nibble on while you’re in the moving vehicle – like trail mix. If you’re going to be on the road for a while, make sure to get a cooler ready and pack things for sandwiches or another easy to prep while driving food. You can have the passenger prepare the food and hand it over to the driver while the driver keeps focused. If you have a very long trip (>10 hours) make some time to eat out, but find a special place to eat at while you’re on the road. The country is full of great places to eat and many are not as popular as they could be. Check yelp reviews or my personal favorite, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives for some great locations to stop at during your move.
4. Find a Place
The time after college is one of the best times in your life. Take full advantage of it. If you have debt, work to pay it off – and one of the best ways to do this is to find a roommate when you move to your new city. Living situations can be very expensive in some cities, and a great way to share costs is by living with someone.
5. Keep Your Receipts!
This is probably the most important and often overlooked part of moving. You can write off your move if your move is more than 50 miles from where you used to live, and your move is around your job start date. This is a huge boon, as you can write off supplies, gas, food etc from your move and it will save you money come tax time. If you’re looking for more information, see the IRS’s website on Moving.
That’s all the tips we have to help you keep your costs down while moving.
How about you all? Do you readers have any helpful tips to save money when you are moving?
Please share your experiences by commenting below!
***Image courtesy of http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Duct-tape_Moving_Van.jpg
