{"id":34218,"date":"2024-12-30T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/?p=34218"},"modified":"2025-01-02T18:05:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T23:05:48","slug":"moving-on-a-budget-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#8217;ts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving to a new home can be an exciting adventure, but it also can be a stressful experience when you don\u2019t plan carefully for your move while trying to manage your finances. If you\u2019re looking to move affordably, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Moving Help\u00ae Marketplace<\/a> can assist you while you\u2019re moving on a budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide shares our 10 essential Dos and Don\u2019ts when it comes to having an affordable move. It\u2019s possible to have a smooth transition while sticking to your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10 Dos for an Affordable Move <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Affordability is typically a top priority for most people when it comes to moving. We\u2019ve compiled a list of 10 Dos that\u2019ll save you money and help you streamline the process. Follow these tips for a stress-free, cost-effective move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Do Create a Checklist and Budget<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing you should do is to create a budget \u2014 a realistic one too. By creating a budget, you\u2019ll be able to know how much money you can spend in each category for your move. By sticking to your moving budget, you\u2019ll make sure to not overspend. Check out Moving Help\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/how-to-move-on-a-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Move on a Budget<\/a>\u201d article for more guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You also should create a checklist for your belongings. By keeping track of all your belongings, you can be sure to double check you have all your items after moving. Your items will stay organized with a little preparation ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-2-750x422.jpg\" alt=\"A Moving Help Service Provider pushes a dolly that\u2019s carrying three moving boxes. Two labor-only movers work together as they push a piece of furniture on a furniture dolly while walking behind the first Service Provider\" class=\"wp-image-34227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-2-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-2.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Do Declutter, Sell, Donate, or Trash Items<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best way to move is to have as few things as possible to move. Here are the following three ways to declutter your stuff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sell<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Donate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trash<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The less you own, the less you have to move. This also means there are fewer moving boxes and packing supplies you\u2019ll have to buy. Any belongings you sell can be used toward your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/how-to-create-a-step-by-step-moving-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moving budget<\/a> or a little spending money after your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Do Find Affordable\/Free Moving Boxes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it might seem easy to find free or cheap moving boxes \u2014 like from a grocery store or liquor store \u2014 it probably won\u2019t end well. They\u2019re not built for moving and can break easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/tv-character-homes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">If These TV Shows Were Filmed in 2024, What Would Their Characters\u2019 Homes Cost?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U-Haul has moving boxes that aren\u2019t expensive, and they were built for moving. Additionally, any boxes you don\u2019t use can be returned with your receipt for a full refund. U-Haul also has a Take a Box, Leave a Box program at certain U-Haul locations. This means you can find sturdy, reliable, gently used U-Haul boxes for your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving on a budget? That\u2019s OK. Check out Moving Help\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/top-5-u-haul-moving-boxes-on-a-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top 5 Must-Have U-Haul Moving Boxes on a Budget<\/a>\u201d article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Do Ask Friends or Family for Help <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re looking to save money, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/how-to-ask-someone-to-help-you-move\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ask friends or family for help<\/a>. If you can\u2019t pay or don\u2019t want to pay moving labor for packing, your friends or family can help you. Just make sure you return the favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can make sure you have all the packing supplies you need, create packing stations, and make sure everyone has a job and understands their role in the packing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can receive some extra help without having to pay for packing services. Of course, packers and movers are experts in packing your items best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Do Compare Moving Labor Prices <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Moving Help Marketplace is an online Marketplace that connects labor-only movers with customers. Moving Helpers set their own prices in their own area. You can search for labor-only movers for an affordable price without breaking your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With more than 2.8 million reviews, you can find moving help that fits your needs without breaking your budget. This also will help you save time by not having to find affordable movers on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-3-750x422.jpg\" alt=\"Two Moving Helpers carefully carry a couch down a set of stairs of a customer\u2019s home as they work to bring it outside to the U-Haul truck rental.\" class=\"wp-image-34229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-3-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-3.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Do Pack Moving Boxes Strategically <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t want to pack items randomly. You also don\u2019t want to pack items from different rooms on purpose \u2014 unless it was last-minute. You can keep items organized by packing each room together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Do Pack a First Day Box <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should pack a First Day Box. A First Day Box can be different from person to person. Typically, a first-day box includes the following items:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clothes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Toiletries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chargers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bed sheets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Basically, anything you\u2019ll use or need on the first day of your move should be easily accessible after moving into your new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong> 8. Do Use Book Boxes or Suitcases for Books <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Books are super heavy. We recommend using suitcases for your books. You also can use U-Haul book boxes to carefully pack them. U-Haul book boxes are designed to be small and not too heavy, so you don\u2019t damage your books or injure yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. Do Use Clothes for Extra Cushion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than using boxes or trash bags for your clothes, you can use your clothes for extra cushioning in your moving boxes. Your clothes can be used to wrap items such as silverware, toys, books, etc. You might be able to save on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/uhaul-moving-supplies-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moving supplies<\/a> while not wasting your clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Do Overlap Places When Moving<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than moving into your new home on a Friday and having to be out of your old home on Saturday, you should give yourself more time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019d recommend overlapping your moving timelines anywhere from seven to 10 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you need an extra day or two to unload into your new home, or you need an extra couple of days to clean your old home, you\u2019ll have the time to get it done without rushing or feeling super stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-4-750x422.jpg\" alt=\"A man sits on the floor of his living room, while looking at his moving budget on his computer. A woman stands in the background looking down at her phone.\" class=\"wp-image-34230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-4-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-4.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10 Don\u2019ts for an Affordable Move<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that we\u2019ve gone through 10 things that can make your move easier, let\u2019s go through some things that you should avoid during a move. The following 10 Don\u2019ts will help keep your move more affordable when moving on a budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Don&#8217;t Overpack Boxes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t want to overpack your moving boxes. If you overpack your boxes, they can rip and break \u2014 damaging your stuff and ripping your boxes. Even worse, you could injure your back while trying to lift and move a box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Don&#8217;t Wait Until the Last Minute<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waiting until the last minute can make your move more expensive. You might end up trying to buy more things than you need. You also might not find the best prices for moving labor for packing or unpacking services, loading or unloading services, or other moving services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/how-to-lower-your-home-insurance-premium\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top 10 Home Improvements That Can Lower Your Insurance Premium<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, you\u2019ll be all stressed out doing everything at the last minute \u2014 and who wants that? Not us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Don\u2019t Write Basic Labels<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not write basic labels such as \u201ckitchen\u201d or \u201cliving room\u201d exclusively. While it\u2019s good to know where each box belongs in your new home, you need to know what\u2019s inside the contents of each box. Write what\u2019s inside of the box on the outside in addition to which room the box should go to in your new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-5-750x422.jpg\" alt=\"A woman writes something down on a piece of paper for her moving budget as a calculator sits next to the papers.\" class=\"wp-image-34232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-5-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-5.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Don\u2019t Move Super Heavy Items Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you own super heavy items, don\u2019t move them yourself. It\u2019s a bad idea. You\u2019ll most likely injure yourself, or you might damage your current home or your new home. That can be an expensive cost that could\u2019ve been avoided with labor-only movers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Don\u2019t Keep Appliances <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need a real, good reason to keep your appliances to move them locally or long-distance-wise. Unless they\u2019re brand new or you love them, it\u2019s probably best to leave them behind. You can purchase new appliances at your new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Don\u2019t Keep Replaceable Furniture <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you still have that Ikea couch from college 10 years ago? Rather than moving a cheap or bulky piece of furniture, you can sell or donate it. You can then buy nicer and better furniture at your new place when you\u2019re ready for that next purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Don\u2019t Choose Too Small of a Truck Rental <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re trying to decide between two sizes of a truck rental, always choose the larger size. It\u2019s best to err on the side of caution. If you don\u2019t have enough room for your things, you\u2019ll have bigger problems. It\u2019s better to have a little too much room vs. not enough room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can find the perfect U-Haul truck rental size with U-Haul. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/what-u-haul-services-do-i-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">U-Haul also offers other services<\/a>, such as trailers, storage units, and U-Box\u00ae storage containers, which might best suit your needs for your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8. Don\u2019t Skip a Walkthrough With Your Landlord <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a security deposit for your place, you\u2019re entitled to try to get everything back from it. One way to ensure this is to complete a walkthrough with your landlord. You two can discuss whether any damages occurred, whether you can fix those damages, and how much money your landlord might keep repairing those damages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make sure you get everything in writing no matter what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By not skipping a walkthrough, it won\u2019t be a surprise for you when they do or don\u2019t take any money out of your security deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. Don\u2019t Try to Help Your Movers Move Your Things <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your affordable movers are your experts. The affordable movers know best how to pack, load, unload, and unpack your belongings. You shouldn\u2019t try to help them move anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What is important is to give them instructions. For example, if there are certain items you do or don\u2019t want to be packed, if something needs extra padding, or boxes you don\u2019t want to be packed into the U-Haul truck rental, you should let them know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most importantly, your No. 1 job will be to make sure you give directions on where boxes go in your new home when your labor-only movers ask you where certain boxes go. Other than that, you\u2019ll probably just need to sit back and relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Don\u2019t Be Cheap With Everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cheap isn\u2019t always the best. Sometimes you get what you pay for when it comes to being super cheap for a move. Just keep in mind, more expensive doesn\u2019t mean super high quality either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be OK to reuse gently used moving boxes but also pay more for the labor-only movers you want for your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-6-750x422.jpg\" alt=\"A woman sits on her covered couch as she holds cash in one hand and a pen in her other hand, as she looks down at her moving budget papers and calculator.\" class=\"wp-image-34233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-6-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-6-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dos-donts-6.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Moving on a Budget Bonus Tip: Packing Tape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surprise! We have one more bonus tip for you. It\u2019s the U-Haul paper packing tape. It sticks on great to the moving boxes, and it doesn\u2019t come off easily. While it takes more time, it\u2019s always best to tape the bottom and top of your boxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, the paper packing tape is easy to rip off without using scissors and you never lose your place of the tape unlike with clear tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Moving on a Budget Is Possible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving on a budget is possible. You just need to decide what you can afford in your moving budget and what you\u2019re willing to spend your money on for your move. When you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/how-to-hire-u-haul-movers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hire labor-only movers<\/a>, you get to choose what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/moving-help-labor-only-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">labor-only moving services<\/a> you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts will help keep you organized without breaking your budget, so you can have an affordable move. Hire labor-only movers from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Moving Help Marketplace<\/a> today to assist you with your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions About Moving on a Budget <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving on a budget can bring up several questions. Here are some of the more common questions we\u2019ve heard that we\u2019d like to address when it comes to moving affordably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: How long before a move should you start packing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> It\u2019s recommended <a href=\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/when-to-start-packing-for-a-move\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to start packing at least six to eight weeks<\/a> before your move. This allows you to pack gradually and avoid last-minute rush and stress. The exact timing may vary, however, depending on the size of your home and the number of belongings you own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What is the most cost-effective way to move?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> The most cost-effective way to move is to complete a DIY move. With that said, the next most cost-effective option can be completing some of the move on your own while also receiving assistance from labor-only movers for the other parts of your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What is the hardest room to pack when moving?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> This question will depend on each individual person. However, the kitchen is often the hardest room to pack because of the number of fragile items to pack along with people using the kitchen until days before your moving date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What is a reasonable moving budget?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> Again, a reasonable moving budget will depend on each person and how much work you personally want to complete during your move. Additionally, the size of your home, how many belongings you own, and the distance between your old home and your new home will factor into your total moving budget costs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"cta\">\n<div class=\"cta-left\">\n<div class=\"cta-title\">Considering a move in 2025?<\/div>\n<div class=\"cta-body\">Contact us today to talk to a Realtor in your area<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cta-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/buy-with-zoocasa\"><button class=\"cta-button\">Talk To Our Experts<\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moving to a new home can be an exciting adventure, but it also can be a stressful experience when you don\u2019t plan carefully for your move while trying to manage your finances. If you\u2019re looking to move affordably, the Moving Help\u00ae Marketplace can assist you while you\u2019re moving on a budget. Our guide shares our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":156,"featured_media":34226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"subtitle":"","format":"standard","video":"","gallery":"","source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override_template":"0","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"0","show_view_counter":"0","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"0","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"0","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"override_image_size":"0","image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post":"0","trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post":"0","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","sponsored_post_name":"","sponsored_post_url":"","sponsored_post_logo_enable":"0","sponsored_post_logo":"","sponsored_post_desc":"","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"","hide":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-moving-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#039;ts | Zoocasa Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#039;ts | Zoocasa Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zoocasa Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Zoocasa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dons-donts-hero.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Keenan Betz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dons-donts-hero.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Zoocasa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Zoocasa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Keenan Betz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Keenan Betz\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0f33a644be2b4144aec057ed390f8f5\"},\"headline\":\"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#8217;ts\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\"},\"wordCount\":2193,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Moving Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\",\"name\":\"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don'ts | Zoocasa Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#8217;ts\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Zoocasa Blog\",\"description\":\"Home Buying &amp; Selling Tips, Real Estate Market Trends &amp; News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zoocasa\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/zoocasa-square-logo-800x800px.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/zoocasa-square-logo-800x800px.png\",\"width\":800,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Zoocasa\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Zoocasa\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Zoocasa\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0f33a644be2b4144aec057ed390f8f5\",\"name\":\"Keenan Betz\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50314ea85f4546b4b9c23a2385e972144dd0ad3bf8c8854b46161ed1353af7d4?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50314ea85f4546b4b9c23a2385e972144dd0ad3bf8c8854b46161ed1353af7d4?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Keenan Betz\"},\"description\":\"Keenan serves as the Content Strategist at Moving Help, an online Marketplace powered by U-Haul that connects customers with local moving labor. Service Providers on the Moving Help Marketplace offer a variety of labor services to alleviate the stress of moving. Keenan uses his content writing skills to offer customers valuable moving tips, checklists, and guides for relocations. His work has been published in The Galveston County Daily News and The OU Daily, where he formerly worked as a journalist.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/author\/keenan-betz\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don'ts | Zoocasa Blog","description":"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don'ts | Zoocasa Blog","og_description":"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/","og_site_name":"Zoocasa Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Zoocasa","article_published_time":"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":300,"url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dons-donts-hero.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Keenan Betz","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Moving-budget-dons-donts-hero.png","twitter_creator":"@Zoocasa","twitter_site":"@Zoocasa","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Keenan Betz","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/"},"author":{"name":"Keenan Betz","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0f33a644be2b4144aec057ed390f8f5"},"headline":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#8217;ts","datePublished":"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/"},"wordCount":2193,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Moving Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/","name":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don'ts | Zoocasa Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-12-30T13:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-02T23:05:48+00:00","description":"Moving on a budget? Discover the 10 Dos and Don\u2019ts of moving affordably with the Moving Help Marketplace to help save you money.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/moving-on-a-budget-tips\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Moving on a Budget: 10 Dos and Don&#8217;ts"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/","name":"Zoocasa Blog","description":"Home Buying &amp; Selling Tips, Real Estate Market Trends &amp; News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Zoocasa","url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/zoocasa-square-logo-800x800px.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/zoocasa-square-logo-800x800px.png","width":800,"height":800,"caption":"Zoocasa"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Zoocasa","https:\/\/twitter.com\/Zoocasa"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0f33a644be2b4144aec057ed390f8f5","name":"Keenan Betz","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50314ea85f4546b4b9c23a2385e972144dd0ad3bf8c8854b46161ed1353af7d4?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50314ea85f4546b4b9c23a2385e972144dd0ad3bf8c8854b46161ed1353af7d4?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Keenan Betz"},"description":"Keenan serves as the Content Strategist at Moving Help, an online Marketplace powered by U-Haul that connects customers with local moving labor. Service Providers on the Moving Help Marketplace offer a variety of labor services to alleviate the stress of moving. Keenan uses his content writing skills to offer customers valuable moving tips, checklists, and guides for relocations. His work has been published in The Galveston County Daily News and The OU Daily, where he formerly worked as a journalist.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/author\/keenan-betz\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/156"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}