A good friend of mine is moving house, and it’s just about got her beat. Not just because of the stress, but the money is literally walking out the front door.
New research from ING which shows that 51 per cent of women don’t actually budget for moving costs, such as getting help with cleaning, repairs and removalists fees.
Australians spend an average of $1,618 physically moving home every year, and that’s when you tend to do everything yourself!
To help you save some extra dollars on the cost of moving house, ING’s Head of Product, Tim Newman, rounds up his five top tips to cutting those dead-end costs.
DIY – save on the additional costs by doing it yourself
Put your packing skills to the test and save money at the same time. There’s big money to save when you move it yourself. Did you know the average cost of getting removalists in to do everything is $3,655?
Although, those who choose to do it themselves spend an average of $624 – that’s a saving of over $3000. Plus, it’s the perfect time to sift through the old, unnecessary home goods and pack items you only truly need.
Turn your unwanted goods into second-hand treasures
Moving presents the perfect opportunity to spring clean your belongings. Organise a garage sale to sell any unwanted items before you move.
Not only does this reduce the amount of items to be packed, it offers you the chance to recoup some cash ahead of those unexpected moving costs.
For items that don’t sell straight away, put them up on local online marketplaces like Gumtree for those on the hunt for a second-hand treasure.
Maximise your vehicle load
Relocating to another city? Not to worry. Instead of leaving the smaller, nitty gritty items to the removalists, try and load your vehicle up as full as possible.
By transporting them yourself, you can leave the big items for the professionals to grab and means you get the best value for money.
Pre-used packing boxes are more useful than you think
If you are using a removalist company, hire pre-used packing boxes for a discounted price.
Some companies allow you to pay for them up-front, return them free of writing and they’ll usually refund you a portion of the cost. It’s also a great way to be environmentally-conscious.
Consider switching your home loan to recoup expenses
Aussies who switched their mortgage in the last two years have, on average, saved more than $1,000. If you have a home loan, it is worth considering your options.
