Let’s face it, moving can be expensive. Many of the moving services can cost quite a lot. And while you may be thinking that it’s not justified, it actually is. After all, trained professionals are going to pull of the relocation. It’s the same as a good mechanic – you don’t complain that their service costs much because you know that they are going to do a good job. That said, the same is true when it comes to moving. However, there are some things you don’t want to pay for. So, to help you avoid unwanted moving expenses, we compiled a list of the most common unwanted expenses and how you can avoid them. With that in mind, let’s start from the top!
What are moving expenses actually?
Short answer – yes. Long answer – it depends. So, in order to understand what unwanted expenses are, we first have to define what moving expenses are. The IRS defines moving expenses as costs that are incurred by a taxpayer related to relocating for a new job or being transferred to a new location. Pretty straightforward. Now, the three main categories of moving expenses are:
- Moving expenses (cost of packing, crating, hauling a trailer, in-transit storage, and insurance)
- Storage expenses (costs related to transporting, storing, and insuring your household goods and personal effects)
- Travel expenses (lodging expenses, car expenses, and airfare)
Now that you have a sense of what standard expenses are, you can get into more detail into clarifying what those moving expenses are. One of the first things is to do the move yourself. However, we would always recommend you hire residential movers Westchester, especially in cases where there is quite a bit of mileage to cover. However, the decision is entirely up to you. Furthermore, many of these expenses can be avoided. It might take a bit more of your time, but you can actually avoid them. With that in mind, we can move on to the next part of this guide.
How to avoid unwanted moving expenses?
So, we’ve established what moving expenses are. Now it’s time to focus on the first category of expenses. As we stated, those include the cost of packing, crating, hauling a trailer, in-transit storage, and insurance. Out of all of these, you can basically strike out packing and hauling a trailer. Also, you can rule out crating, if you aren’t shipping anything overseas. However, in-transit storage is a cost that you can’t evade. Lastly, while insurance is optional, we highly recommend you get it. Even though reliable movers in Westchester County will do everything in their power to take good care of your belongings, it’s better to be insured. With that in mind, packing is a perfect example of unwanted moving costs. Let us expand on that a bit.
Most people tend to sign up for packing service Westchester because they are too occupied to pack themselves. There is only a tiny portion of people who actually don’t have the time to pack on their own. So, if you honestly don’t fall into the latter category, don’t sign up for packing services. While it’s true that you are going to have a professional packing your stuff, this is actually one of the unwanted moving costs you should avoid. The best way to dodge it is by simply starting preparations on time. Get familiar with all of the packing supplies you need and start packing on time. Also, try and get free moving boxes. Go to your local grocery store, tell them you are moving, and ask if they can give you some boxes. More often than not, they’ll be happy to help.
Are storage expenses considered to be unwanted?
Well, this is a tough question to answer. Mainly because it depends on your need to rent a storage unit. To put it simply, if you have to downsize and don’t want to get rid of your belongings, storage solutions are a great way to deal with that. If you don’t have to downsize, storage is considered to be among the unwanted moving expenses.
Chances are that you’ve watched the show Storage Wars on the History Channel. Do you know how it came to be that they can just buy up storage units? Well, because many people rented a storage unit a just started hoarding stuff there instead of their homes. At some point these units were full and the people either didn’t have the money to pay the rent or they forgot about them. This is just an illustration of how much storage solutions can be one of unwanted moving costs. So, avoid them if you don’t have a need to put your stuff in a unit or opt for storage pickup and delivery Westchester during your relocation.
Is there a way you can avoid travel-related expenses?
Here, both the short and long answers are the same. Both are – no. Travel-related expenses are just something you have to deal with. Basically, the only thing you can do is mitigate them. Even though you are going to receive a fair price from your preferred moving company, they can’t be of much help when it comes to your means to get to the destination.
With that in mind, you’ll have to find a way that is most cost-effective if you want to avoid unwanted relocation expenses. Sadly, there is not much else we can say about this topic. This is pretty much a straightforward thing where you don’t have much room for variations and negotiations.
In conclusion
Among the many things you’ll have to pay for when relocating, there are certain unwanted moving expenses you can definitely avoid. In order to get a rough understanding of how much everything is going to cost, we suggest using the moving cost calculator for a pretty precise estimate. That said, we wish you the best of luck with the move and hope you have a pleasant experience. And that you won’t overpay the relocation.
