If you’re planning on moving long-distance, you might be tempted to try it on your own instead of hiring movers. After all, hiring movers can be expensive, especially when you’re hiring long distance movers.
But before you make your decision, it’s important to determine whether moving on your own will actually be cheaper than hiring movers — and if so, will the money you save be worth handling an entire move on your own?
Let’s take a look at the cost of hiring long-distance movers and the cost of moving long distance on your own.
Cost of Hiring Long Distance Movers
The average cost of moving cross-country is about $2700, but you can expect a higher or lower estimate depending on how much stuff you actually have and how far you’re moving. Long-distance movers typically charge $2000-$5000 per load and $.50 per pound, so the less stuff you have, the cheaper your movers will be.
Other expenses you can expect to encounter when hiring long-distance movers include:
- Gas and mileage (which will depend on how far you’re moving)
- Insurance, which is typically 1% of the valuation of your items
- Extra fees for specialty items like pianos or pool tables
Cost of Moving Long-Distance on Your Own
When you move without movers, you’re responsible for driving long distance with all your belongings. Not only that, but you can expect the following expenses:
- Truck rental (A 14-feet moving truck typically costs $30-$40 per day plus $.69-$1.10 per mile)
- Staying in a hotel overnight if necessary (depending on how far you’re moving)
- Gas
- Food
- Insurance for your belongings (done privately, not through a moving company)
While those are the physical expenses, there are also expenses that can’t be measured.
- Time – As the saying goes, “time is money,” and you’ll certainly need to invest a lot of time if you’re moving without movers. Picking up the rental van, physically moving your stuff into it, driving, and unloading all take up a large amount of time; if you’re not tied down by a job, then you can consider it, but if you’ll need to request time off, it may not be worth it.
- Relying on the help of others – If you’re relying on friends and family to help you load and unload, just remember that when people volunteer for something, they tend to be less reliable. Paid movers, on the other hand, usually show up on time and do a good job, since this is their livelihood.
- Emotional toll – Moving is a big undertaking, and even the most organized or chilled-out people often get rattled by it. If you’re moving all of your belongings on your own, it can be even more stressful. Make sure you can handle the emotional toll that moving on your own may take.
Is Moving Long-Distance Without Movers Worthwhile?
To figure out if moving long-distance on your own is financially worthwhile, you’ll have to calculate the costs of each. Unpakt is a good site for choosing the best long distance moving company; you can get quotes from a few different companies. Quotes and guaranteed, and booking online can save you up to 45%.
If you’re leaning toward not hiring movers, make sure to calculate all the expenses involved so you don’t end up paying more than your budget allows.
In some cases, the difference in cost might be minimal, and therefore worthwhile for you to hire long-distance movers. Because in most cases, hiring movers usually provide a certain level of stress-relief that moving on your own does not.
