While moving to a new apartment is expensive, it is unfortunately a necessary expense. It is truly those necessary expenses that hit the hardest. From hiring movers to help with a long distance move to buying moving supplies to get your items safely from one place to another, these expenses can really add up. So, when you are getting ready for a move, use the following tips to save as much money as you can.

One of the best things that you can do to save money during a move is to not hire a professional mover. Hiring a professional moving company can cost hundreds, even thousands, depending on the size, scope, and distance of your move. It may be a necessity for some moves and not for others. If you and your family moving to a different state or even across the country, a professional mover is going to be an enormous help. If you can avoid it, however, and save yourself a few hundred dollars, you’ll only spend a few extra hours and a lot of elbow grease.

Find cheap or free moving supplies. In the months before moving day, collect Amazon boxes, or other boxes you’ve received in the mail, to pack your items. Ask around to friends for spare boxes, and you may even be able to get some from your employer that are going into the trash. Use blankets and sheets as “wrapping” for your more fragile items. Borrow trucks, dollies, and other moving equipment from friends and family rather than buying or renting. A friend with a truck can be bought with pizza - that’s a golden rule.

Start budgeting a few months beforehand, or even further out if you know that you are going to move a year in advance. Cancel any streaming services that you no longer use, cut down on extraneous costs such as eating out or getting coffee on the way to work. These are small on a weekly basis, but they can really add up and allow you to save for the moving process. The key to saving and budgeting for a move is to start as soon as you can.

Moving itself is a necessary expense. However, there are many moving hacks to employ that will help you make the process easier on your wallet. Whether you have found the ideal 1 bedroom apartments for rent in Jacksonville or a new house, you can make moving an easier process on your family and budget.