If you’re looking for some ways to move across the country while keeping expenses to a minimum, that’s no surprise. The average cost of using a professional moving company to travel from one state to another is a little over $4,000. The good news is that there are ways to save money while moving to a new state. Below are 10 ideas to cut your moving costs.

1. Rent a truck and drive it.

If you don’t mind driving yourself to your new location, you can simply rent a moving truck and do it yourself. This will save you a lot of money since you’re only paying for the use of the truck and not for people to do the work for you. You can usually also purchase cheap moving boxes from truck rental companies.

You’ll still have costs as you’ll be responsible for gas, insurance, mileage and basic rental. Gas mileage isn’t great, but it’s cheaper to do it yourself than it is to hire a moving company.

2. Get your friends and family to help.

Usually, you can find friends and family who will be willing to lend a hand with the move. This is very inexpensive, although you may want to consider at least providing a meal on moving day. The downside is coordinating everyone’s schedule.

3. Pick a cheaper move date.

The time of year that you move can make the difference between spending more or less money. Weekends and warm seasons are the most expensive times to move, along with the beginning of new months since many people end their leases during the end of a month.

4. Rent a container.

Portable moving containers are a great option. Getting one is far less expensive than hiring a moving company. They also give you a place to store your belongings while you’re packing and unpacking. The actual cost is based on size and how long you want to use it. All you do is pack it up and the company you’re renting from will take it from there.

5. Get free supplies.

You can save a lot of money by getting supplies free whenever possible. You can get boxes, newspapers and even packing peanuts and bubble wrap from grocery and department stores as well as free online groups. Your friends, family and members of your church may also be able to supply you with things like boxes, tape and markers.

6. Hunt down discounts.

When you’re preparing to move, take the time to compare costs between companies. Find out who has the best rates on trucks, moving containers and supplies. Also check if anyone is offering a discount during a certain time period. If you’re a military member, you’ll find that you can get discounts at a variety of companies. The same is true for members of AAA.

7. Rent a freight trailer.

Rather than paying professional movers to move your stuff, look into using a freight moving company. They’ll bring a big trailer and allow three days to get it loaded. Then, they’ll pick it up and take it to the new location. This option will usually save a few thousand dollars in comparison with a moving company.

8. Pay for just labor.

Cheaper than a normal moving company, moving labor will simply help you fill up your truck and empty it out at the new place. These companies will often provide additional services such as packing assistance and junk removal.

9. Try shipping your things.

If you’re making a long-distance move and don’t have a lot of heavy items that you’re taking along, you may want to try shipping your stuff to the new location. This saves on truck rental and the hassle of carrying stuff by sending it right to your new front door.

10. Ask your company to pay for it.

If your reason for moving is a new job, keep in mind that many companies will pay for at least part of your relocation costs. Just make sure you ask so that you know what the policy is and how it works.

Many e-commerce business operators have found shipping a huge stress. From worrying about safety of products to the expenses incurred via shipping and the duration of delivery. It is paramount for business owners to find a way to maximize the profit they make from time to time through shipping.

When shipping, the first thing one should consider is the best carrier for each order. You don’t necessarily have to stick to one carrier. Choosing the most suitable carrier for each order will definitely cut costs and help you save a lot of money overtime. This is because depending on weight, dimensions of a package, carriers may offer different rates. All you just have to do is take your time to assess one carrier after the other.

Another means to save from shipping is by recycling. Recycling of inventory boxes makes them eligible to be reused for shipping. Excess paper from newspaper printing houses or foam scraps from cardboard businesses can also be reused as packaging materials. All these help to reduce shipping costs, provided a good negotiation is made with the necessary quarters.

Furthermore, where shipping is concerned, insurance is not a total must. From experience, only a very minute percentage of packages get lost or damaged. So it is advisable to overlook insurance costs. In a situation whereby insurance cannot be overly overlooked, it should be made on packages of high value only. Also, to erase the fear or risks of loss, items to be shipped can be packaged to look boring on the outside only.

Ever heard of Zone Skipping?, It is a unified system whereby all packages going to a particular region, mostly a far away one, are gathered together and sent through just one freight shipment to the consolidator offering the service in such zone. The packages are then distributed to customers within that zone thereby reducing the cost of shipping on the shipping boxes.

Next, as common as this may seem, some e-commerce business owners might not have observed that the use of packaging provided by your choice of carriers also lowers the cost of shipping. And these shipping boxes or bags are usually free so why not use them?!

In addition, accuracy is a major thing to consider while shipping. By being very accurate with weights and descriptions of packages, you will not be over-charged for shipping. It is important to ensure each box to be delivered is the right size for the product it houses without lots of empty spaces. The use of light and smart packing materials as against large unnecessary packaging is encouraged if you must save cost.

For those who belong to a professional association, it is possible they have bargained or have a discount deal with major private shipping companies. All you need to do is to make enquires concerning the discount and how to benefit from it.

In conclusion, the practice of bulk purchase of packaging materials is cost-effective. This is due to the fact that equipment and supplies for shipping can be expensive. If you therefore consider putting smiles on the faces of your customers when they get their products delivered and balancing a good deal, you may have to do your calculations well and buy exactly the amount of items you need all at once.

The paperwork is signed and you are now ready to move into your new home. Congratulations! Its truly exciting to be moving into this new phase of your life. But soon all of that excitement will wear off and the real work will begin.

Moving is not an easy task. And if you do it the wrong way it can prove to be very overwhelming. The good news however is that it doesn’t have to be. If you follow the 5 tips shared below your move will be quick, easy and stress free.

#1 – Don’t Do It All At Once

While most people try to set aside one weekend to do non-stop packing, this is not the best way to go. Instead you should start packing a few weeks before you are scheduled to move.

Give yourself a daily box quota so you aren’t confronted with having to pack up your entire home in one day. This one step will eliminate a great deal of stress.

#2 – Say No To Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard boxes aren’t very sturdy and they usually require a lot of taping to ensure nothing falls out. Emily Henderson, a style expert for Target Home, recommends using Rentagreenbox.com.

Not only do they offer cheap moving boxes, but they also give you a way to protect the environment by using boxes that are zero waste.

#3 – Get Your Utilities Switched 

While this may seem like a no brainer, most people wait until the last minute to get it done. To make your move a lot easier you should ensure your utilities are on the day you get into your new home.

As soon as you know your closing date call the utility company and let them know. This way they can have your service reestablished before you move in.

#4 – Don’t Pack Your Closet

For most of us packing up the closet is the most difficult task. Having to take all the clothes off their hangers, fold them, and pack them neatly into boxes can take hours on end.

Luckily there is no need to do any of that. If you have hired professional movers to help you move request they bring wardrobe boxes on moving day. Wardrobe boxes allow the movers to move your clothes while they are still on the hangers.

#5 – Get The Basics Out First

Moving day can prove to be a very chaotic day. Taking the time to move your basics to the home first will help bring some normalcy to the home even though almost everything else is out of place.

The day before you move in, drive over to your new home and unpack the basic supplies. Having your bathroom set up in advance will relieve a lot of stress. You should also make sure you have at least two days worth of clothes out and easy to access.

This way you don’t have to dig through boxes to find clothes to put on the morning after you have moved in.

International Shipping

According to numerous reports, a large portion of e-commerce orders in the next few years will be from online sales. For a lot of smaller online retailers, the task of shipping boxes internationally, understanding the regulations, rules and risks is daunting. According to the Australian publication Dynamic Business, twenty percent of all e-commerce purchases will be in international shipments by 2017. Since 2016, users in the millions have been shopping online from Mexico, Brazil and China. This totals 3 billion individuals worldwide. International selling has become a marvelous opportunity for the online retailers. Many owners of small businesses are unware of the currencies and website localization necessary for online shipping. There are five steps to help these retailers begin international shipping.

Choosing the Products

All items are not good candidates for trading internationally. A good example is an order place by Israel for large horse feeders. The ranch retailer contacted can ship inside the United States for roughly $140 each, but the shipment to Israel would have totaled $1,500. The best items to ship internationally are light, small and easy to ship.

The Shipping Requirements for Different Countries

The requirements and regulations of each country must be understood. It is also illegal to import foreign calendars into Vietnam for commercial purposes. A shipment exceeding 100 calendars is considered a crime. There are dozens of similar examples concerning regulations specific to certain countries. There are tools available to provide international shippers with a list of regulations by providing the countries of origin and destination.

Targeting Specific Countries

Learning about a countries international e-commerce is a good idea due to their regulations and rules. Shipping to Canada by an online retailer based in the United States is easier than shipping to Uganda. The best way to begin is by choosing one or two countries to start international shipping. Once the business has a general idea of how this works, they can then begin expanding into additional countries.

Becoming Familiar with Shipping Costs

When a retailer in the United States ships t-shirts from Los Angeles to Topeka, there is only one shipping rate. When the same t-shirt is shipped internationally, taxes and duties apply. The complete cost of international shipping is referred to as the landed cost. Prior to shipping, retailers must have an understanding of this cost. A customer will not be happy if their shipment arrives with a duty for twenty dollars due. If they refuse to accept the shipment, the retailer loses both the freight cost and the sale. The most major shipping carriers provide API’s, or application programming interfaces so the retailers can effectively figure out the landed cost. These shipping tools can be integrated into the e-commerce platform for the merchant.

The Fulfillment Services

Taking the aggravation out of international shipping is possible. Fulfillment services can be hired to handle any international orders for the retailer. This generally requires a flat fee per each order to be paid by the retailer. The fulfillment service than handles labeling, packing and shipping. They additionally monitor all the regulations and rules for the appropriate country. A lot of fulfillment services maintain global warehouses. This means if the merchant is shipping to the United Kingdom for example, the fulfillment service may already have inventory in the country. The shipping rate they would then pay would be for domestic rates.

Many companies have come up with ways that ensure speedy shipping in anticipation of the festive season. Expedited shipping is one of the ways through which many retail companies are choosing so as to compete with major shipping companies out there. These companies have opted to invest in the method seeing it as a solution to customers who are interested in the fast delivery of certain items. Expedited shipping could also be the answer to all your customer demand problems and time constraints.

Generally, the major aim of expedited shipping is to make certain that items can be fast-tracked during the delivery process. When you select expedited shipping, your goods are shipped directly from the pickup station to the delivery destination. Usually, there are distinct means that are used in case there are deliveries that are time-sensitive. However, what makes expedited shipping a bit better than these other methods is that the trucks that are involved in expedited shipping rarely stop during the shipment journey. They move at a speedy pace and avoid stopping aimlessly along the way.

Nonetheless, expedited shipping calls for a slightly higher price since it is treated as a premium. The recipient has to pay some money on top of the normal shipment price. This is usually no surprise to the retailers who choose the means since the delivery process is accelerated immensely. With the holidays around the corner, this is a good time to look at some of the most convenient shipping methods. Expedited shipping will ensure that cargo, of whichever type, gets to its destination quickly and in the right condition.

Expedited shipping might be the right path to take. Below are more details about the shipping method. Going through the tips will help you to make the right call when shipping your items.
Sticking with the delivery time that was set initially.

In most instances, the intermediaries between the source and the destination of your goods eat up a considerable amount of time during shipment. The traffic manager, the logistics team, or the person responsible for placing the order will contribute to shipment delays. An item at times may not leave at the time it is supposed to, and these delays at different points contribute to overall lateness. The communication line between different intermediaries should be clear to avoid added costs related to delays.

Decide on the right means
If you make the wrong shipment choice, you will end up using more money to ship goods because of unnecessary charges which you will incur along the way. Choosing an air charter for a shipment that could have been done using truck is an example of an unnecessary cost which you should refrain from.

Comparing various carriers
When you involve yourself with many carriers, you are more likely to use more money than a person who works with only one carrier that offers services at a relatively low price. You should assess all the available carriers and chose the one that is the most convenient.
Assessing shipment methods in advance
Going through different shipping platforms before the need to ship arises places you in a better position of making the right shipping choice. This is because you will do it freely without much pressure.
Selecting the right equipment
Without enough knowledge of the shipment equipment, you might incur some hidden costs. Therefore, you should do enough research before selecting the equipment through which you want your goods to be transferred.

Ensuring a clear shipment path
The shipment process should be visible to the customer such that they are able to identify every step of the procedure. You should also hire and train your staff on the proper way to carry out their business so as to avoid delays.

Conclusively, you should opt for expedited shipping since it meets all your shipping needs. It is fast, convenient and comes at a cost that is only slightly higher than the other shipping methods. Choosing a cheap method only because of its cheapness may lead to even higher costs in the long run. You will be provided with cheap moving boxes to ferry your goods so that they do not get damaged along the way and enjoy timely arrival.