Cost to Move Across the Country

Moving across the country might take quite some time in terms of preparation and moving processes. But, despite the number of days it might take you, the amount of money it costs tends to be high for most movers across the country. Moving your stuff to a new town, includes hiring a professional shipping company, additional equipment to load and unload your things in the truck, renting a truck with the moving company, packing supplies, and packing services to bubble wrap your things in case if needed. 

Referring to exact amounts, interstate moves can cost around $4,890 based on a weighted average of 7,500 pounds and a distance of 1,000 miles. Fortunately, we have figured out some less expensive moving options for you. Follow the tips along the reading, and prepare for your next cheap moving-out adventure!

Factors that affect moving costs

Storage: If your relocation is going to be difficult, you could decide to have a moving company hold or store all of your possessions before, during, or after the transfer. Just be aware that this service will cost more. 

Moving materials: You'll need to budget for the cost of moving supplies if you can't find enough free boxes for your relocation. These might consist of cardboard boxes, plastic containers, bubble wrap, packing paper, and any other moving-related packing supplies. Check our Moving Box Calculator to see how many items you need.

Travel costs: When relocating a great distance, travel costs can go higher. These prices include labor charges for the time it will take the movers to go from home A to house B as well as gasoline costs.

How much stuff are you moving?: The relocation will take longer, and your shipment of items will weigh more as well depending on the amount of stuff you are moving.

Additional services such as hiring professional movers to box up your possessions may run you an additional cost, however, packers save you the time, effort, and trouble of having to pack up a house, the cost may be well worth it.

Moving accessories: Any extra services you choose will have an impact on the price of your relocation. This could include transporting specialized goods, and using moving equipment offered by movers like stretch wrap, felt pads, and mattress bags.

Moving date: Keep in mind that timing your relocation is just as crucial as technique. That's because the precise day of your relocation might have a big impact on the cost. For instance, moving on a weekend or during a busy season usually costs substantially more than moving during the workweek or outside of peak times.

Liability and value coverage: You'll probably need to obtain some kind of liability coverage if you're utilizing a moving company. The majority of movers provide several degrees of protection, including Full Value Protection and Basic Release Value Protection. Remember that you may wish to get extra moving insurance from a third-party supplier.

Fees when requesting a moving service

Elevator fee: You can be required to pay an elevator fee if your relocation involves using an elevator (for example, in a high-rise apartment complex, or a freight elevator).

Special moving: It will probably cost more if you need to transfer a speciality object, such as a piano, hot tub, priceless piece of art, or grandfather clock.

Long carry cost: You can be charged a considerable carry fee if a mover must transport your belongings a long distance to and from the moving vehicle. When a moving truck can't park near your home, you'll have to pay this cost.

Expedited shipping options: Professional moving companies have expedited shipping services that can bring your stuff in a few days. You’ll have to pay an additional fee to get your products right away. 

Extra stops: Be prepared to pay more if the mover has to make extra stops. The price is affected by the number of stops, the travel distance, and the manpower required for each stop. An example would be a mover picking up belongings from your storage facility and bringing them all to your new house.

Unpacking service: It’s perfect for unpacking your possessions and taking out supplies and trash. Keep in mind you will be charged for this time-consuming service.

Charge for shuttle service: This service is often required when the moving truck cannot park close to the residence. For instance, you could require a shuttle to move stuff from your house to the truck if it's in a distant place without parking.

10 ways to move across the country in a cheap way 

Choose the cheapest moving date:

You might save money on truck rentals, moving firms, and other expenses by avoiding busy moving days and times. Weekends, the months from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the beginning and final weeks of the month, and holidays are a few peak moving dates to steer clear of (if at all feasible). Between October and April, try to relocate at noon during the half-month.

Send your items

Shipping your possessions is a great way of moving cross-country when relocating just a limited quantity of items, even though it isn't the most common moving choice. It may also be the most practical relocation choice you haven't thought of. In addition to using USPS, FedEx, and UPS to transport small products, you may also use a variety of internet service providers, like uShip.com, to ship bigger items.

Uncover free moving boxes and equipment

Using as many free moving materials as you can is one of the greatest strategies to reduce the expense of long-distance relocating. Look for secondhand boxes, packing paper, and tape from local stores, internet markets, and community organizations. There are many sites to hunt for free moving goods, including Craigslist, nearby liquor shops, U-Haul Box Exchange, Nextdoor.com, bookstores, friends and neighbors, workplaces, recycling drop-off locations, grocery stores, Freecycle, nearby schools, big-box retailers, and offices. Additionally, we advise requesting any boxes from friends and family.

Look if there are any moving discounts for you 

AAA members may be entitled to exclusive moving and storage rates. For instance, AAA members relocating to a new state are given complimentary Full Value Protection by Atlas Van Lines. Military personnel may also be entitled to discounts on moving firms, truck rentals, and other services.

Pack things by yourself

You'd be shocked at how much money you can save by packing yourself. Although many professional movers provide some kind of packing services, the cost of the service is high. While packing fees may vary, they are always at least several hundred dollars. 

Donate

If you're like most people, you have a lot of items that you no longer need that you've gathered over the years. You'll save a ton of money if you organize your space before the move and sell, donate, and purge goods. Moving is simpler and less expensive the less you have to move. It will be simpler to unpack since you'll need to bring fewer items.

Throw a yard sale or reserve a space at a nearby flea market if you have the time and patience. Additionally, you may sell items online. You can even try online marketplaces like Mercari, OfferUp, LetGo, Craigslist, Facebook, eBay, Nextdoor.com, and Amazon to sell your goods online. 

Shipping your vehicle 

Transporting your car, if you’re planning a cross country move, might also result in being expensive if you don’t select a good, reliable and professional auto transport company, and you are not well informed of the different shipping methods that are available for car transport. 

What to consider when selecting a car shipping company?

Since there are tons of auto transport companies across the country that ship snowbird’s vehicles, there are a few things you must consider before hiring the service, in order to make your experience successful. 

• Check if they allow you to request free quotes. Most shipping companies have this option for their users. If they are charging you for this, they’re probably going to charge you higher rates for the transport as well, or it means they’re beginners in the industry. 

  
  

• Customer service must be nice, warm, personalized and steady. This will allow you to have a better tracking of your car, and means that the company cares well for the picking and delivery conditions of the vehicle, and does a great job on the process during the entire journey.

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  Customer reviews are generally positive, meaning that clients felt comfortable with the service and had great results during their shipment. You can check for them at the company’s website, or google them.

  
  

What transport methods are available for car shipping?

Here at AmeriFreight, we offer different shipping methods for your transport depending on several features. Our car shipping service includes:

Open auto transport

We will load your vehicle onto secured open haulers with 8 other more vehicles. It’s the most popular transport option, since it's safe, prices are affordable, and carriers are constantly available.  

Enclosed auto transport

Your vehicle will be loaded in enclosed haulers and a completely personalized space. Although prices tend to be a bit higher compared to open auto transport, this is the best option for vintage, luxury, brand new or collection vehicles that need to be protected from the outdoors during the journey. 

Door to door shipping

We will pick up, load, unload, and deliver your car right at your door. You can give us the address you prefer for pickup and delivery, and one of our carriers will get there to begin and culminate the journey.

How can I choose the right car transport company?

Selecting the right auto shipper for you might take you a while if you opt to hire a service with a reliable company. Navigating through the internet and comparing different companies is highly recommended as the first step in the process. Considering the following tips is also key when choosing the right company for you:

• Reading customer reviews 

The most important aspect that can show to you the professionalism of a car shipping company is real customer experiences. Most auto transport companies that are proud of their reviews tend to show them on their website so potential clients can read them and eventually request a successful service. 

• Easy to navigate website 

A good website, where you can search and navigate easily throughout each category, is also a good sign of a trusted car shipping company. This will eventually reflect the kind of internal and external processes and customer service that they offer to their customers. Investing time and money on a modern and transparent website means that the company prioritizes customer experience and service as well.

• Free quote service

Most shipping companies provide you the quote requesting service, but only reliable ones offer it for free. With a free quote, you can see approximate costs of your shipping, and allows you to compare rates within other car shipping companies as well. 

• Different shipping methods

Depending on your vehicle’s features, you will be able to choose between different shipping methods if the company you’re looking for is trustable and professional. You can choose between open or enclosed carriers, or even between door-to-door or residential and business shipping. That will be based on the characteristics of your car, as well as your pickup and delivery locations.

• Transparent pricing

A good sign of a trustworthy auto transport company in Michigan is their transparency on the amount of money they will ask you to pay on your total car shipping cost. This begins with the quote they provide you when you request it for free, and a detailed outline of what to expect when you have a conversation with a knowledgeable agent who will manage your order.

• Competitive prices 

A good car shipping cost is not always the cheapest one, and a good service isn’t the most expensive either. Why? Well, shipping a car requires time and expenses during the whole process, therefore prices tend to vary depending on different factors such as carrier availability, road conditions, weather or time of the year. 

As such, you can request an excellent service for an affordable price, and vice versa. Sometimes, extremely low bids don’t end up as final prices because unexpected situations or no spots left on the truck may occur, leading to extra money being requested.