How To Pick Best Cheap Moving Companies

What Affects Moving Costs

Depending on your needs and how complicated the move is, these factors will determine the total price of your move:

• Shipping weight. Simply put, the more household belongings you must move, the more expensive your move will be. The weight of your shipment is one of the major factors affecting the cost.
• The distance. Similarly, the more miles your belongings need to travel, the higher the cost. For instance, a cross-country move will cost considerably more than moving down the street.
• The time of year, month, week, and day. Believe it or not, you can save money by strategically choosing your move date. The best time to move during the year is between mid-September and April, and the best time of the month to move is mid-month. The best time of the week to move is on a weekday, and the best time of the day to move is early morning.
• What services you need. If you choose only loading and unloading and DIY the rest, the price will reflect that. The more help you need, the higher the cost of the move. For instance, if you need storage services, it’s an add-on and will cost extra. The same goes for many other services full-service moving companies offer, including specialty-item moving, full or partial packing assistance, shuttle service, moving container services, packing and moving supplies, and so on.
• The moving company’s availability. The more locations the moving company has in the U.S. and internationally, the easier it will be to book. If you’re outside the continental U.S. and/or are moving to another country, your options might be more limited.
• Add-on services. Packing, unpacking, moving supplies, storage, reconnecting appliances, moving specialty items, and auto shipping — it will all cost extra.
• Fuel charges. The farther your belongings have to travel, the more you’ll have to pay.
• Additional protection coverage. If you opt to get additional insurance through a third party, it will cost extra. It might be worth it if you have valuable items, though. Before investing in further coverage, check to see if you have coverage with your current homeowners insurance first.
• Shuttle fee. If you’re relocating from a remote or very populated area, it might be hard to reach by a large truck. Instead, a shuttle will be used to bring your belongings to the truck or your home — and it will come with an extra cost.

Tips for Keeping Moving Costs Low

• Figure out the logistics. Do you think that you need professional moving help or can you pull off a DIY move? Start with considering whether you absolutely need to hire a moving company or can just rent a truck and drive it yourself. If you’re using movers, visit our moving company directory to find reliable and reputable movers. If you’re renting a truck for your move, you can use our guide to find the best truck rental companies. Compare moving companies’ prices against a moving truck or portable moving container and find your most cost-effective option.
• Get several quotes early on. Get at least three quotes from three different companies. The sooner you accomplish this, the sooner you can move on to other tasks. We recommend that you research the companies eight weeks before the move, get quotes, and hire them at least seven weeks before the move.
• Set your budget. Moving can get very expensive, so be realistic about what you can and can’t afford. We suggest that you take advantage of our online moving cost calculator to figure out how much you can expect to spend.
• Plan out your packing supplies. Use our packing calculator to get a general idea of just how much you’ll need in terms of packing supplies. This way, you can be sure to get exactly what you need, too. Don’t be afraid to get creative with sourcing moving supplies, either. There are many places you can get free boxes and free packing supplies. Perhaps, most importantly of all, you don’t have to buy everything at once, so pace yourself according to your needs.
• Get rid of stuff. Organize your belongings and toss, recycle, or donate what you don’t need, including furniture that’s not worth moving, clothes you won’t wear again, old appliances, and so on. Give unwanted — but still usable items — to a charity (some charities pick up) or hire a junk removal company to haul your debris away. If you’re not ready to part with your belongings just yet, you may want to put them in a short-term storage unit and evaluate what to do with them later.
• Look for discounts. Some moving companies offer special deals and promote them on their websites. You can also get a moving discount if you are an AAA member or a member of the military.

Our Rating Methodology

We conducted in-depth research, comparing multiple affordable moving companies. We found that these five moving companies have the services and qualities that set them apart from the competition. We are confident that any of these companies will be able to meet the needs of your next move on a budget.

The five best cheap moving companies have been thoroughly vetted and researched by our moving experts. When assessing and comparing moving companies we looked at a number of key factors, including:

• Services offered. We evaluated the complete range of services offered by the company.
• Availability. How many states is the moving company operating in?
• Price transparency. Are the prices for the services that the company offers easily obtainable upon request?
• Customer service. What is the average customer service experience with this provider? Are the customer reviews overwhelmingly positive?
• Website accuracy. Does this company have an up-to-date website that’s easy to navigate? Does it provide the information you’ll need to decide whether you want to use their services? Can you schedule a move online?
• BBB ratings and overall reputation. What’s the company’s standing with the Business Better Bureau (BBB)? Are there any alerts, pending lawsuits, or red flags?
• Moving quote process. How easy is it to get a quote? Is there an option to do it online? By calling? Both?
• Costs. What is included in the estimate? What isn’t? Is financing available? Is a moving deposit required?
• Types of estimates offered. Does the company offer binding estimates? Fixed rates?
• Shipment tracking abilities. Does this moving company have GPS or online tracking options?
• Fleet size. Does the company have a range of container sizes and trailers to offer?