Saving the most money on your cross country move will require you to do much of the work on your own. Gathering and packing your belongings, taping, labeling and loading your items will be your responsibility. If you're lucky enough to have family or friends to assist, you should consider requesting their help or even pay a small fee for their services. This is particularly the case if you're moving heavy items that require two or more people.
Moving tools such as hand trucks, dollies, and moving straps will facilitate your ability to move heavier objects. These items can be rented from companies such as Uhaul.com. In addition, if you're willing to make a long-distance drive, a truck rental will help save money as opposed to shipping your items across country.
If you prefer not to drive across country, consider using companies like pods.com or upack.com. Pack and load your possessions onto trailers or pods that are delivered to your home. In most instances, you'll be given a specific amount of time to load your trailer or pod. When your pod is loaded, the company will drop your pod or trailer off at your new address. You'll have a set amount of time to unload your pod before additional charges accrue.
If you don't have a permanent address in your new state, it's a good idea to secure outside storage arrangements. Storage at a pod or moving trailer company may cost more than a company that specializes in storage only.
Timing is of the essence if you want to save on your cross-country move. For the most part, people tend to move in the summer, so it may be more difficult to obtain rentals on moving equipment, trucks and trailers then. Instead, try to move in October or November. Gas is usually cheaper during the fall, and since business is slower, moving companies may offer more of a discount.
