How Much Does It Cost to Move Cross Country?

How Much Does it Cost to Move Countryside?

  1. Traveling Cross Country is Challenging - Especially with Children
  2. Considering Professional Movers
  3. Save Money by Packing Yourself
  4. Traditional Moving Company
  5. Truck Rental
  6. Shipping Container Rental 
  7. Flexibility Will Cut Costs
  8. Time is Money for Cross Country Moves
  9. Be Creative to Save
  10. Employee Relocation Services

1. Traveling Cross Country is Challenging - Especially with Children

Moving cross-country can become a little more difficult when there are children involved. There are more rooms to move and there is transportation tobe paid for. Adults are less sentimental than children about getting rid of things. Driving with the family requires some planning.

A family traveling cross-country might include, one or 2 children, a spouse, and a cat or large dog. There may not be enough room for everyone to travel in a rental truck or cargo van. Aside from the issue of space, there would be expenses along the way including, hotel rooms, gas, and meals. Self-moving cross-country might also meantime, perhaps 4+ times missed from work.

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2. Considering Professional Movers

Experienced movers recommend pro drivers. These are people who have their own truck and can hire their own moving crew. This would e one way of saving money by avoiding certain fees. It is usually possible to locate a driver through a moving company. You can find a shipping service online that can ship a car for $1,000. A consumer might consider professional shipping instead of driving their car. This is due to the costs of gasoline as well as the wear and tear on the car.

Insurance is always recommended for movers. This is especially true for those who forgo making arrangements with a commercial moving business.


Moving companies will usually suggest the purchase of extra insurance for their services. They will provide a basic compensation program that pays a very small amount of damage or loss.

How Much Does It Cost To Move Cross Country

3. Save Money by Packing Yourself

Amateur or non-professional packing services can help to save both time and money. When moving without a lot of help, movers run the risk of not finishing the packing by the scheduled moving day. Movers who are still unpacked come moving day may end up making mistakes. For example, they load boxes to the truck that should stay behind and vice versa.

There are options to consider when looking for a long distance moving company. You may want to look into the services of these companies when finding a cheap company to move. 

4. Traditional Moving Company

These companies are the most reputable when it comes to transporting cross country. They often have insurance for your goods, as well as professionally-trained drivers. They are the most expensive option. 

5. Truck Rental

Major truck rental companies will help you choose the appropriate size truck. You are responsible for your own items. You must pack, drive, and unpack everything. This is still cheaper than hiring a full-service cross country mover. It does need more effort from you. 

6. Shipping Container Rental

Another option for cross country moving is to rent a shipping container. The containers get delivery to your home, then you are responsible for loading them up. After this, the company picks them up and delivers them to the new location. You must unpack them yourself. This is a pretty cheap option, but still, requires a lot of work on your part.  Cross Country vs. State to State Moving Cost
 
It is important to make the distinction between how far you are moving. If you are only moving to the next state, then you will save a lot on moving costs. If you are moving just over state lines, then you may even be lucky enough to pay local move rates. If you are moving a short distance across state lines, you can save money by taking some things in your vehicle. Keeping valuable items out of the hands of movers can save you insurance costs. Of course, that is if something gets damaged in your state to state move. Keeping valuable items with you will protect you from loss.
 

7. Flexibility Will Cut Costs

Booking your cross country move far in advance will allow you to have a broader selection of dates. Rates are always cheaper when booking months in advance as well. Also, moves truck are the most expensive during summer months. If you have the flexibility to do so, book your move during the off months. These fall in September to May. You should also get on-site estimates from at least three companies. Beginning the process far in advance will allow for this. You can compare these estimates to find the cheapest cross country move rate.
 

8. Time is Money for Cross Country Moves

Getting started weeks, or even months, in advance will be a big money saver for your cross country move. This will not only allow you to make informed decisions on moving companies, but it will also allow you to pack. Many cross country movers find that they have too many items. Since long distance moves are calculated by weight, having too many items will make costs go way up. Getting started with packing early will allow you to get rid of some things that you may not actually need. You can make extra money for your move if you choose to sell some items.
 
For the items that you do want to hold on to, you can look into different packing options. Hiring a professional moving company will give you the option of packing service. Having packing done by professional movers will increase costs of the move, but not by much. Plus, the payoff for this option is great, and once you consider how much time you will be saving, it will be worth it.

9. Be Creative to Save 

Inquire with the movers about creative packing which might help to save on time. For example, you can pack a dresser with clothing still inside. Wardrobe boxes make it possible to pack clothing from the closet still on the hangers. If professional packers are not available, wrap items to avoid damage during the move. Many moving companies can provide an estimate for the packing materials for a move. But, if the proper packing tools are too expensive, you have alternatives. You can use clothing, junk mail, magazines, and newspapers as a substitute.

10. Employee Relocation Services

Some movers have the benefit of being paid by their employers to move. If so, it may be convenient to rent a vehicle from a rental service. A rental vehicle rented for 1 month should cost under $2,000. In this way, movers will have plenty of cargo space. They can make dumping, storage, and donation loads before moving day. A rental vehicle might also provide an opportunity for a large family. They can turn moving into a family vacation and take in some of the sites for a few days. Make sure to keep all receipts since most expenses will be tax-deductible. This includes meals, transportation, and lodging.

how much does it cost to move cross country