The average local move in the US costs $1,400-$2,500, and long-distance moves can easily hit $5,000-$10,000. But these are averages — plenty of people spend far more than they need to because they do not know where the real savings are. Moving on a budget does not mean renting a sketchy truck from Craigslist and bribing your friends with pizza. It means being strategic about every decision — from when you move to what you move to who moves it. Here are 20 proven ways to keep your moving costs down without sacrificing safety or sanity.
Planning and Timing
1. Move During Off-Peak Season
Moving companies charge 20-40% more during peak season (May through September) compared to off-peak months (October through April). If you have any flexibility on timing, moving in winter or early spring can save you hundreds. The absolute cheapest time to move is mid-January through February — demand is at its lowest, and movers are hungry for business.
2. Move Mid-Week and Mid-Month
Weekends are the most popular (and expensive) days to move. Tuesday through Thursday moves are typically 10-20% cheaper. Similarly, the beginning and end of the month are peak times because that is when leases start and end. Mid-month moves (around the 10th-20th) often have better pricing and availability.
3. Get Multiple Quotes
Never book the first mover you contact. Get at least three quotes and compare them apples to apples. Make sure each quote includes the same services (stairs, long carry, packing, etc.). App-based services like NEM give you instant pricing, which makes comparison shopping faster. For traditional movers, request an in-home or video estimate for accuracy — phone estimates are often low-balled to get your business.
4. Book Early
Booking 3-6 weeks in advance gives you the best selection and pricing. Last-minute moves (less than one week out) often carry premium pricing or limited availability, forcing you to take whatever is available at whatever price. The exception is app-based services designed for on-demand booking, where same-day pricing is comparable to advance booking.
Reducing What You Move
5. Declutter Ruthlessly
Every box costs money to move — roughly $5-$20 per box depending on distance and mover. Every large item (furniture, appliances) costs even more. Before you pack a single box, go through every room and get rid of anything you do not need, use, or love. Sell valuable items on Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp. Donate usable items to Goodwill or Salvation Army (and get a tax deduction receipt). Trash or recycle the rest. A serious decluttering session can eliminate 20-30% of your stuff and save $200-$600 on moving costs.
6. Sell Furniture and Re-Buy
For long-distance moves especially, it is sometimes cheaper to sell large, heavy, or low-value furniture and buy replacement pieces at the destination. Moving a $200 IKEA couch 1,000 miles can cost $300-$500 in additional moving weight. Sell it for $100, buy a similar one at your destination for $200, and you come out ahead. This does not apply to high-quality or sentimental pieces, but for basic furniture, do the math.
7. Measure Everything
Before you move that oversized sectional, make sure it actually fits in your new place. Measure doorways, stairwells, elevators, and rooms at the new home. Nothing is more wasteful than paying to move a couch that does not fit through the front door.
DIY Packing Strategies
8. Get Free Boxes
Stop buying moving boxes. Liquor stores, grocery stores, bookstores, and Costco give away sturdy boxes for free. Liquor store boxes are ideal because they have dividers built in — perfect for glasses, bottles, and small fragile items. Ask stores what day they receive shipments and show up then. Nextdoor and Facebook Marketplace "free" sections are also gold mines for people who just finished their own move.
9. Use What You Already Own as Packing Material
Towels, t-shirts, socks, scarves, and linens are excellent packing material for fragile items. Stuff socks inside wine glasses. Wrap plates in dish towels. Use sweaters to cushion picture frames. You are moving these items anyway — might as well use them as padding instead of buying bubble wrap ($30-$50) or packing paper ($20-$40).
10. Pack Yourself
Professional packing services cost $200-$800 depending on your home size. If you are trying to save money, pack everything yourself over 1-2 weeks. Start with rooms and items you use least (guest bedroom, storage closet, decorations) and work toward daily-use items. The key is to start early — panic-packing the night before is how things get broken.
11. Pack Efficiently
The fewer boxes you use, the less you pay (and the faster the move goes). Pack boxes tightly with no empty space — fill gaps with clothing, towels, or crumpled newspaper. Heavy items go in small boxes, light items in large boxes. Do not waste box space on air. A well-packed move can use 20-30% fewer boxes than a sloppy one.
Choosing the Right Moving Method
12. DIY Move (Rental Truck)
The cheapest option for local moves is renting a truck and doing it yourself. U-Haul, Penske, and Budget offer trucks from $20-$100/day for local rentals (plus mileage and insurance). Add gas ($50-$150), tolls, and potentially helpers ($25-$40/hr each), and a DIY local move runs $150-$500 total. The trade-off is physical labor, time, and risk of injury or damage. For one-bedroom apartments and smaller, this is a solid budget option. For larger homes with heavy furniture, the savings may not be worth the effort.
13. Hybrid Move: Rent a Truck, Hire Labor
The sweet spot for budget moves is renting your own truck and hiring labor-only movers to do the heavy lifting. You handle driving and logistics; they handle loading and unloading. Labor-only services cost $50-$80/hour for two workers. A typical apartment load-out takes 1-3 hours. So for $100-$240 in labor plus $50-$100 for the truck rental, you get professional muscle without the full-service price tag. NEM offers labor-only services — truck loading, truck unloading, and PODS loading — as standalone bookings.
14. Portable Containers (PODS, U-Pack)
For long-distance moves, portable containers are often the most affordable professional option. A company drops a container at your home, you pack and load it yourself (or hire labor-only help), and they transport it to your new location. PODS, U-Pack, and 1-800-PACK-RAT are the major players. Long-distance container moves typically cost $2,000-$5,000 — significantly less than full-service long-distance movers ($4,000-$10,000+). The trade-off is that you do the loading yourself and the transit time is longer (7-14 days vs 3-7 for movers).
15. App-Based Movers
App-based moving services like NEM offer a middle ground between DIY and traditional full-service movers. Because they operate with lower overhead (no dispatchers, no sales teams, no physical offices), they pass those savings to you. A one-bedroom move with NEM typically costs $400-$800 — less than traditional movers but more than pure DIY. The key advantage is flat-rate pricing: you know the exact cost before booking, so there are no surprises.
Saving on Moving Supplies
16. Skip the Specialty Boxes
Wardrobe boxes ($8-$15 each), dish pack boxes ($5-$10 each), and mirror boxes ($10-$20 each) add up fast. You can substitute regular boxes with creative packing. Hang clothes in garbage bags pulled up from the bottom (the hangers poke through the tied top). Wrap mirrors and pictures in moving blankets or towels and tape cardboard to both sides. Use liquor boxes with dividers for dishes instead of expensive dish pack boxes.
17. Buy Tape in Bulk
You will use more tape than you think. A single roll of packing tape lasts about 10-15 boxes. A 6-pack from Amazon costs $12-$15, versus $4-$6 per roll at the hardware store. Buy a tape gun ($8) while you are at it — it will save you time and prevent the tape-folding-back-on-itself rage that everyone experiences.
18. Return Unused Supplies
If you buy boxes from Home Depot or U-Haul, keep the receipt — you can return unused boxes. Buy more than you think you need and return the extras. It is better to have 10 boxes too many than to scramble for boxes at 11 PM the night before your move.
Other Money-Saving Tips
19. Tax Deductions for Moving
If you are moving for a job, your moving expenses may be tax-deductible. The rules changed after the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — currently, only active-duty military members can deduct moving expenses on federal taxes. However, some states (California, New York, Massachusetts, and others) still allow moving expense deductions on state returns. If you are moving for a new job that is at least 50 miles farther from your old home, check your state tax rules or talk to an accountant.
20. Ask Your Employer for Relocation Assistance
Many employers offer relocation packages or moving stipends, but they do not always advertise them. If you are moving for a new job, ask during the negotiation phase. Relocation assistance can range from $1,000-$5,000 for entry-level positions to $10,000-$50,000+ for senior roles. Even if a formal relocation package is not available, some employers will offer a signing bonus that you can put toward moving costs. The worst they can say is no.
Budget Moving Checklist
- Set a moving budget and track all expenses in a spreadsheet
- Declutter and sell items 3-4 weeks before the move
- Collect free boxes from stores, neighbors, and online marketplaces
- Use towels, clothing, and linens as packing material
- Get at least 3 moving quotes and compare line by line
- Move off-peak: mid-week, mid-month, winter months if possible
- Consider hybrid approach: rent truck + hire labor-only
- Pack yourself over 1-2 weeks to avoid rush fees
- Return unused supplies and boxes for refund
- Check for employer relocation assistance and state tax deductions
NEM helps you move on a budget with flat-rate pricing, labor-only options, and no hidden fees. Get an instant quote at the-nem.com and see exactly how much your move will cost before you book.