Costs for Moving Cross Country
Even moving down the street can be expensive and time consuming, but what about when you choose to move across the country? Many folks want to explore life outside of their home state, but it takes planning, budgeting, and most of all—work! And while you can expect to spend a large chunk of change when moving cross country, there are ways to save.
Cross Country Moving Costs
There isn’t one universal total we can point to, because it can change based on a variety of factors. Typically, most people will spend anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 dollars. That’s a wide range! Let’s breakdown the factors that go into the price of moving cross country.
Moving Supplies
Before you even start packing, consider how much you’re spending on supplies. Between tape, boxes, and bubble wrap, moving supplies can really start to add up! Depending on how much you need to pack, the total could run upwards of a few hundred dollars.
Instead of buying a whole bunch of supplies, try using what you have! If you’re packing blankets, towels, and rags, they can double as protective covers for your items. Utilizing luggage and suitcases also can help you save, not to mention, makes it easier to haul your items.
And if you want to save on boxes, U-Haul actually has a Take-a-Box, Leave-a-Box program. This allows customers to recycle their boxes and allow other customers to save. You can walk into almost any U-Haul center and pick up some recycled boxes! U-Haul also hosts a Box Exchange program. You can interact with other people in your community to borrow, buy, or take unwanted boxes.
Moving Help
If you’re packing up an entire house, you might need some help. Especially if you have heavy furniture! But depending on the moving help you get; it could also hike up the final bill. Depending on where you live, the hourly price of movers can fluctuate. But you can usually expect to spend about $300 for 2 movers doing 2 hours of work.
If you want full-service movers, you can expect to pay some more. Instead of just moving boxes and furniture, full-service movers may even pack and drive your items for you. Services like this could cost a few thousand dollars, and for long distance moves it could even cost up to $10,000. It’s a great way to take some work off of your plate, but it definitely isn’t the most cost-effective option.
Try asking friends and family to donate their time, but if that doesn’t work, try using Moving Help powered by U-Haul! We can help connect you with local service providers in your area. They provide high quality work for a smokin’ deal! And if you’re hiring moving labor, make sure to book them during the week instead of on weekends, you may just score an even better deal! With U-Haul, you’ll always be able to DIY your own full-service move.
Transportation
So now everything is packed up and ready to go—so how will you move it all? We already talked about using full-service movers as a method of moving, but that’s the high-end option. For most people, they opt to either drive their belongings with a moving truck or ship them via storage container. Let’s go over the pricing for those two options:
Renting a Moving Truck:
If you’re planning on doing a long-distance move, a moving truck could run you almost $2,000. The price of renting a truck, trailer, or van mostly depends on the size of the vehicle, as well as your total milage. And don’t forget about allotting some money for gas!
Using a Portable Storage Container:
If you don’t want to have to worry about driving for days on end, maybe shipping your items is the choice for you! When you use U-Box by U-Haul, we’ll drop off a storage container at your home. You can pack it up, and we’ll swing by to pick it up. From there, we’ll ship it to any address across the United States, Canada, or even around the world. But if you want to do the driving, that works too!
Depending on the size of your home, you could need anywhere from 2-3 U-Box containers. But don’t be afraid to overestimate, because we won’t charge for the U-Box containers that you don’t use!
Distance
This is probably going to be the biggest factor when it comes to the price of your move. While moving locally can be expensive, travelling over 400+ will hike up that price dramatically. If you’re planning a coast-to-coast move, you’ll be spending much more than if you were moving only a few states over.
Typically, coast-to-coast moves could run you up to $15,000 dollars. Slightly shorter moves usually will be around $8,000 to $10,000.
Consider what time of year you’re moving. Many people use the summer as an opportunity to pull off a cross-country move, so prices tend to rise in the warmer months. Moving in the fall or winter can earn you better deals, but it is probably not worth it if you have to move through inches of snow. If you’re moving to a warmer state, this may be a good option for you.
More Tips on Saving Money While Moving
Declutter
If you are using movers to transport your belongings, they usually charge anywhere from .50-.80 cents per pound. While this sounds affordable, that really adds up if you’re moving a whole house worth of stuff! Decluttering items and furniture that you don’t need can help eliminate those extra pounds.
This is also a life saver if you choose to move with a rental truck or portable storage container. There’s only so much room you can work with there! Be picky about what furniture and items you bring with you on your move. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something even better in the next place!
Schedule Early and Plan Ahead
You’ll get the best rates on rental vehicles and moving help if you book months in advance. On the other hand, waiting until the last minute could even leave you with no options at all. If you’re looking to save money and avoid stress, plan ahead and book early!
U-Box by U-Haul
One thing that makes U-Box by U-Haul special, is that we can do it all. If you need moving help, we have that! If you need some rental trucks to help tow your belongings, we got that too! Are you unsure of how many U-Box containers you need? We never charge for the ones you don’t use.
When it comes to affordability, availability, and flexibility—you’ll never be able to get a better deal than U-Box by U-Haul! So, what are you waiting for? Get a quote today!