Cost saving tips for moving house

I recently moved out of home for the first time and wanted to share a couple of cost saving tips that helped make the transition as smooth as possible for me. It can be a daunting experience especially for someone who has never done it before. There are so many things to organise, all of which are even harder if you work full time during office hours.

The first fantastic company I came across is Foxie. They run a service which helps you connect all of their utilities so they are setup and ready to go from the day you move in. You can either give them a buzz or jump onto their website and submit an enquiry. Their friendly staff will generally call you back within the hour. They fill you in about the best plan and rates for your area and take care of the application for you.

Borrow a trailer and move yourself. Most petrol stations hire a range of trailers out by the hour or for full days if you need it for longer. Better yet, if a friend has one, ask to borrow it and give them a slab of beer to help you move. It will be far cheaper than paying to rent a van and removalists which generally cost upwards of $120 per hour. If you are young and don’t have too much stuff, take you time and pack intelligently, with the idea to make as few trips between the two houses as possible.

Gumtree is an awesome source for furniture. Every day there are hundreds of advertisements posted by people either giving away or selling furniture and other household items. You can get some great bargains if you are patient but quick to pounce, especially with the freebies. Speak to your friends and family, most will have stuff lying around in their garage that they would happily see used or go to a good home. There are also a few Facebook groups such as Melbourne Hard Rubbish which provide daily updates about where you can find cool stuff on the side of the road for free. Furnishing a house can be one of the most expensive tasks so minimizing this in any way you can is key.

One handy trick that my cousin suggested was to wrap fragile items in clothes to save on bubble wrapping. It worked a treat and socks, clean ones of course, are especially good for glasses and stemware. You can also wrap draws in glad wrap to keep them from sliding during the move. Much more fun to run around a set of draws with a roll of cling than to tape it up, which also leaves marks and sticky residue.

It’s been an exciting experience and I am loving every minute of the freedom, I wonder why I didn’t do it earlier. Whilst it’s generally not the most sensible financial move to rent, often you need to make decisions based on lifestyle and being happy. Finding a balance between the two is key.