Picture this; you’re planning a cross-country move from Atlanta to Phoenix! Before doing anything, a decision needs to be made regarding logistics. Are you going to move all by yourself? If so, you need to figure out the most cost-efficient method for moving that fits your strict budget. Here’s your train of thought:
Concerns
- Moving on a strict, tight budget
- A small amount of stuff
- Friends/family to help at the start but not at the destination
- Moving by yourself (no travel buddy)
Moving Options
- Rent a small U-Haul truck and pull your car behind with an auto transport
- Moving container and freight delivery
Determining How Much Stuff You Have
Aside from the large amounts of clothes, shoes, and office supplies you’ve hoarded over the years, you only have a few furniture pieces, including a mattress and box spring. You also have a small cabinet, 75-inch television, and a bicycle.
After evaluating how much stuff you must move, you realize it could all fit into a small U-Haul truck or a U-Box container.
Researching The Cost
Now for the fun part! (Not really) Pull out your calculator!
We’ll do the nice thing and spare you the cost details for each option, as they differ for each move. After checking the rates online, here is what we discovered regarding the approximate costs of each option.
Moving Option A:
Rent a U-Haul truck and auto-transport. This would involve driving a truck cross-country while towing your small SUV behind.
Costs include:
- Truck rental
- Auto-transport rental
- Moving insurance
- Gas, hotel stay and meals
- Moving help
Moving Option B:
Rent a U-Box container and freight it to Phoenix ahead of you.
Costs include:
- Trailer rental or delivery service
- U-Box container rental
- Moving insurance
- Gas, hotel stay, and meals
- Moving help
After doing the math, we learned that the cheaper option was renting a U-Box container that would be freighted from Atlanta to Phoenix.
Do You Have Enough Help?
You are lucky enough to have family help with the start of your move in Atlanta. You’ve picked up the U-Box container from your local U-Haul center, loaded your stuff and returned the box that same day.
They said reaching Phoenix would take up to nine business days, but, surprise, it got there in five! Now that’s impressive.
In Phoenix, you use Moving Help, where you find a mover with a hitch, and they pick up your U-Box container. You meet up with them at the center and sign the necessary paperwork. The movers follow you back to your new apartment and unload the container. You’ve had numerous “back-breaking” moves in the past, so it was nice to have someone else do all the heavy lifting for you.
And that’s the end of the scenario!
Making It Work For You
The best advice we can give is to do your research online! You can find the approximate price of everything you are looking for. Truck, trailer, and moving container rental fees should be easy to find and reserve online.
For more moving information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in October 2011 and has been refreshed and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.