Moving to a new house in the same city is difficult enough; moving across Canada can be much more demanding—not only emotionally and physically, but also financially. Here are few tips to help to minimize the cost.
Moving Options and Costs
In practical terms, the longer the route and the more stuff you have, the more costly the move—and that’s true whether you opt for hiring professional movers or renting a truck and doing it yourself. Labour, mileage and transport truck wear-and-tear fees—not to mention other various hidden surcharges that often mysteriously crop up in the final invoice—can swell your moving bill to astronomical proportions.
A somewhat less costly option is to take advantage of rental storage containers. You can fill up a container with your belongings and the storage container rental company will take care of transporting it to your new place, usually at an upfront, transparent, all-in fee.
Reducing Your Moving Costs To a Minimum
Still, since your payment for a rental storage container is generally based on the size of the rental container and the length of time you need it for, there are a few things you can do to trim down this already affordable option, or any other moving option you may choose.
Get rid of as much of your stuff as you can.
The less you have to pack, the smaller the size of the shipping container or moving truck you will need, and the less you pay. Some moving experts actually advise you to dispose of most of your belongings if you’re making a long-haul move. Over a long distance, what you pay for the move may be even more than the value of your belongings—assuming your house is not full of antiques and Old Master’s paintings, of course!
You can sell your bigger items online, or hold an estate or a garage sale. This has several advantages: you have less stuff to haul in and out of the truck or a rental container if you go the DIY route, or minimize your cost of labour if you hire professional movers. Less items to move means a smaller transport truck or container, and that means smaller fees. As a bonus, the money you make on the sale of your big old sofa and heavy china cabinet, may pay for a brand new sofa and china cabinet in your new home. Well, partially at least!
Don’t move in the summer.
If you can, arrange to move in spring or fall. Everyone seems to move in the summer, and some moving and rental companies exploit this demand, and raise their rates. Plus, in a DIY move—whether you’re using a rental truck or a rental shipping container—the summer heat or our winter’s bitter cold will make the loading and unloading of your stuff more arduous.
Consider the cost and time involved in driving your belongings across our vast land!
In addition to gas, you may have to pay for accommodations and meals along the way for your family. That can add up. On the other hand, maybe you want to take your time and enjoy all the sights of this cross-country trek while you have the chance, and make it a family vacation. In either case, a rental container option offers advantages over a professional moving company or a truck rental. However long you take to get to your new place, the container will be there waiting for you. And, you can take your time unloading—it will stay put until you no longer need it.
Make sure you keep all the receipts.
People relocating for work are eligible to claim moving expenses. Getting credit for transportation, travelling, storage and legal fees associated with your move (i.e.,when buying a new home) will go a long way in offsetting your moving expenses.
When you first start planning for your cross-Canada move, it may seem simpler to hire a professional mover. But, the established and reputable ones are super expensive and horror stories abound about the cheap, fly-by-night ones. Renting a truck is a less costly option, but the trek across Canada and the hidden and unexpected charges this may entail, can make this route just as expensive. All in all, renting a storage container not only saves you money, but also allows you more flexibility in terms of time and delivery, which means less stress. That may be just as important as saving money during this traumatic time of your life.
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