Moving soon? Here’s how to do it for $75!

Masterfile

Whether you’re moving into a rental or a home you just bought, the cost of changing addresses can be really high. It’s not just the cable hook-up costs and transaction fees of buying a home, it’s the move itself. You can spend hundreds — even thousands — just to move your stuff from address A to B. But you don’t have to spend a fortune. In fact, you can plan a move for as little as $75. Here’s how:

1. Don’t move useless stuff
Moving is the perfect time to streamline your life. Get rid of old clothes, sheets, books and furniture you don’t use. The more stuff you have, the more work you will have to do to move it.

2. Do your own packing
Most moving companies will offer to pack up your house for you, but for a price. Save that money and do it yourself. Make it painless by starting early and (as noted above) use it as an opportunity to purge and get rid of things that are no longer useful to you and that won’t fit in your new place.

3. Don't pay for boxes
Packing supply companies and movers will charge you as much as $3 per box. Instead of buying boxes, head to your local grocery store and pick up boxes for free. But make sure you start accumulating boxes ahead of time so that you'll have enough for the move.

4. Do the move yourself
You can rent an Econoline van for as little as $45 a day. If you can recruit some friends and family to do some lifting, you'll save hundreds of dollars on your moving cost. With all the money you save you can afford to spring for pizza and beer to thank your helpers at the end of the day.

So let’s recap on the costs:

Econoline van $45

Large pizza $20

Six-pack of beer $10

Total cost of DIY move: $75

Not bad, eh?