Moving by truck may not be your best choice if you're trying to save
money. Compare the cost of hiring a moving service, renting a truck that
you'll drive yourself, and how much it would cost you to ship your
packages by U.S. mail or with a carrier such as UPS.
If you'd prefer to use a moving service, there are various options.
You can use a full-service mover. If you do, be sure to get multiple
bids in writing, and make certain that they won't surprise you with a much
higher bill when they arrive to unpack your belongings at your new
home.
Also, there are movers who specialize in different kinds of moves. For
example, if you're moving to a retirement state such as Florida, you'll
find movers who specialize in Florida moves and might be able to add
your belongings to another shipment for a low fee.
If you're moving from Florida to another state, the vans that arrived
full with retirees' goods will then return to their home state empty
unless they can find a customer who's moving in that other direction.
This is to your advantage, and you can negotiate a lower moving fee.
Rental trucks vary widely in price. Call every service; after getting
rental rates from two or three, don't assume that all of the other
companies will be in about the same range. Ask about hidden fees, too.
These can include gasoline surcharges, deposits, drop-off charges if
you're not returning the van to the place where you rented it, and so on.
Check the rental services' roadside assistance, especially at night and
in rural locations. No matter what they say, have a backup plan such
as AAA. Also, see if your existing auto insurance already covers you
for rental trucks.
Likewise, if you have renters' or homeowners'
insurance, ask if your goods are covered in transit. You can save a hundred
dollars or more by not carrying unnecessary insurance.
Even if you are using a moving service or renting a truck, you may save
some money by shipping heavier items--such as books--by regular mail,
or by bus. Consider every possible way to move your belongings.
Finally, don’t forget that you can load your car with belongings when
you’re moving. People tend to either overestimate how much the car will
hold, or forget about the car altogether. Also remember that you can
usually rent a storage container for the roof of your car, or tow a
small rental trailer behind you.