How to do an Affordable Student Move

Students can move on a budget
Money is definitely tight when you are in college. That's why you want to move in an affordable manner.  While we think MoveBuilder is a great option for people of all walks of life— especially since you can build a move that fits your needs and budget— we also understand that college students often have very little to move and are on an extremely tight moving budget.  If that's the case for you, here are some tips to help keep your student move affordable so there is more money for pizza and books.

• Choose a You Pack, They Drive service
  There are some services that will drive your belongings to your destination for you. This is an especially good option if you're moving long distance (and if you're as bad of a driver as I am). You just have to load/unload it yourself and they do the driving.  U-Pack Moving is a great "you pack, they drive" option. They bring a moving container to you or you can save more money by taking your belongings to a local service center and loading it there. U-Pack also offers a storage option if you need it.
  
• Rent a Truck
  If your student move is just a short distance and you're not moving much stuff, it may be a good option to rent a truck or trailer for the day. Most of these services are fairly similar; the big differences will often be the rates, so call around to find the one with the best deal. Don't forget to factor in the cost of gas, insurance and mileage when you're comparing truck rental to other moving options.  
  
• Do a Joint Move
  If you know of someone else who is moving to the same area around the same time, consider combining your shipments and doing a joint move. You can lower your expenses by splitting the cost— this usually works best when you both have exceptionally small moves.  Just remember you can normally only put the contract under one person's name, so consider any potential insurance or liability issues that could arise before jumping in.
  
• Get Free Labor
  This is the time to put all of those social skills you've learned to work.  Ask fellow roommates, family, friend, organization members and co-workers for help.  After all, you can't get more affordable than free. When college students are involved you can often get stuff done with speak of pizza and drinks…which definitely costs less than hiring packing, loading and unloading help.
   
• Ask for Student Discounts
  Be sure to ask the company you are moving with if they offer student moving discounts.  Every little bit of savings helps and you never know unless you ask.

If you have other tips for affordable student moves, let us know!  We'll be happy to share!