Self Service Moving Budget
For those planning a more “self-service” move the budget will still involve some professional moving fees, such as freight services or truck rentals. Most self-service moving budgets include:
• Truck or van rental – this figure can vary widely
due to the size of the vehicle and the distance travelled. Some
companies provide “free miles” each day, but most
have additional fees associated with mileage.
• Fuel – regardless of the length of the journey, a rental vehicle must be returned with the same amount of fuel as at the time of rental. This is strictly out-of-pocket for the renter and usually places a heavy penalty, in the form of high costs per gallon of gas, on those who return them without adequate fuel.
• Equipment rental – most vehicle rental agencies make many helpful pieces of equipment available to their client, including dollies, trucks and covers.
• Insurance – most renters will opt for damage insurance on the moving vehicle if their credit card does not all ready cover such issues
For this area of the budget, there should be line items around the preparations for the actual moving day. Additionally, there will be many expenses for the days before, during and after the move as well. In the weeks leading up to the move a good deal of the budget will be dedicated to packing and storing expenses. This includes:
• Boxes – many moving companies can supply people
with pre-packaged assortments of boxes and accessories based
on the size of the household. This is not the only way to acquire
boxes, but it can usually provide some savings and pays to be
investigated.
• Protection – bubble wrap, blank newsprint and
specialty boxes should also be included in the budget. While
many think that plain old newspaper is fine for the task, it
can damage goods with ink stains and will never provide the
kind of protection that bubble wrap is capable of. Also, specialty
cartons for objects like china and glassware save time and protect
the items better than any other method.
• Storage – whether it is for a large set of furniture that has no room in the new home, or for the temporary relocation of goods, storage facility rentals are very handy to have access to when relocating. It is a good idea to select a facility near the new home or in a convenient location between the two areas. Many moving companies will make “pickups” or “drop offs” on moving day, but extra fees must be attached.
• Insurances – it is advisable to purchase insurance
on the contents of any storage facility, as most will not provide
for damages.