The Best Moving Discounts and Deals of this Season

While moving tasks can be demanding, they can as well be expensive; and to make sure you don’t exceed your budget, you must improve your credit score.

What does this mean? Getting good deals that reduce your cost of moving. In this post, you will find all you need to know about moving discounts to reduce the hefty cost of your upcoming relocation, such as which one is available to you, where to find them, and how to find them online.

Although it is great to shop for the best prices when planning a move, there are methods of saving some cash on the cost directly from the mover or otherwise. Going for the best deal could be a dangerous move, so make sure you ask some questions from the service provider before you commit to any contract. Carefully check if the deal is still valid, and also confirm if the deal can be applied to your move.

There are specific deals that can be used for certain move types, sizes, or even for first-time movers. So be sure to confirm what deal is available for your move before you sign that agreement. Read on, to discover!

You might even consider disposing of your furniture when you are faced with how high moving costs can be. However, we are providing you a guide here, by revealing some moving discounts that you may or may not know about.

Regardless of the specifics of your move, or your status as a citizen (student, teacher or military member), there are special discounts and deals listed out for everyone to cut your moving costs.

Below are some of the top moving discounts available to customers:

1. Senior Discounts

Many rewards come with the golden years, and one of these awards is a reduction in moving prices. There are many opportunities to save money on your move, whether you are moving away from your family or you are just moving away for vacation.

Be sure to ask your moving company about discounted rates if you can’t find any on their company website. Most movers offer this rate to their customers, especially the seniors. Few of the best moving companies aside from general “senior discounts” offer deals for members of some organizations. These include:

Bekins: This company does offer special pricing to members of the NASMM (National Association of Senior Move Managers) and NARFEA (National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association).

Website: www.bekins.com

Penske: It offers 10% discounts to members of the American Seniors Association on rental trucks.

Website: www.pensketruckrental.com

2. AARP Discounts

As an AARP (American Association of Retired Person) member, you will be given a discount on moving truck rentals with Budget when you are 50+ of age.

You can save up to 20% on truck rentals between Sunday and Thursday while you save 10% on reservations made during weekends with your membership ID.

AARP members only receive a discount offer from Budget moving truck rentals.

3. AAA Discounts

The American Automobile Association popularly known as AAA is a group of automobile organization that offers nationwide roadside help to their members.

Each member of AAA pays an annual membership fee that costs between $40 and $165 even though it is a nonprofit organization. You can expect services like booking two trucks, refueling, arranging car rentals for you when stranded, and fixing flat tires depending on what your coverage can provide for you.

AAA is valuable to most car owners in the country for its emergency assistance. Using AAA during an emergency on the highway could be the best option you have, but you also can get moving discounts using them.

Below are some of the places you can AAA discount for your move:

• Penske

A discount that ranges between 12% – 30% is given to AAA members off moving truck rentals and relocation services. Penske is a direct partner with AAA on truck rental.

There are two ways in which AAA members can save money on this partnership:

• Up to 12% off on the rate per day from Penske moving truck rentals
• Also discounts on moving and packing materials

Penske provides customers with a cheap way to move even without the discounts mentioned above, and this makes the company one of our favorite truck rental companies.

One of the many benefits from Penske is that it doesn’t charge mileage on 1-way moving truck rentals regardless of how long you drive the truck. You will be saving a considerable sum of money if you are relocating to a long distance.

Read our Penske Truck Rental Review for further information on the offers available with Penske.

Website: www.pensketruckrental.com

• Atlas Van Lines

You will get free Full Value Protection up to $600 or more savings when you move with Atlas. The company is a full-service moving company that offers loading, unloading, and hauling of your belongings.

Although moving with a full-service cross country mover is the most convenient option compared to a DIY move that requires you lifting bulky items by yourself, it can, however, be more expensive.

Fortunately, full value protection of $100,000 is available for free with Atlas for AAA members on all cross-country moves. Full value protection provides cover for your items if they should get damaged or lost during your relocation.

Website: www.atlasvanlines.com

• SpareFoot Discounts for Self-storage

This company is not precisely a storage company; neither does it own any storage units. It is an online marketplace where customers have access to multiple storage companies and can compare prices before making a reservation.

SpareFoot also conducts a review of storage companies and also recommends the best. The first-month rental is given to AAA members free of charge when they book self-storage using SpareFoot.

You can save some money from this discount while you will also be given a $20 Amazon gift card to complement the deal.

Website: www.sparefoot.com

• The UPS Store

Consider shipping your large moving boxes to your new destination home. You can save some money when you ship your large, single possessions or some moving boxes. 5% discount is given to AAA members on UPS shipping along with a 15% off selected products. There are 4,500 UPS locations across the United States.

Website: www.theupsstore.com

• 1-800-GOT-JUNK 

Junk removal services can help you save 10% if you are a AAA member. It is most likely you have many junks stored up over the years. You don’t necessarily need to bring everything with you to your new home.

Arrange with 1-800-GOT-JUNK before your move to simplify the disposal of your belongings. The company will then see to it that the items are donated, recycled, or disposed of properly. A 10% discount is given to AAA members on all orders.

Website: www.1800gotjunk.com

• Consumers Relocation Services

This company is available and will help those who require special attention to their upcoming move. With Consumer’s Relocation Services, AAA members can save up to 64% on the cost of the state-to-state move.

They do obtain, compare, and negotiate moving estimates from different moving companies on behalf of their clients. The company also offers shipment coordination, transportation of automobiles, and personal assistance with other relocation aspects.

Website: www.consumersrelocation.com

4. Membership Discounts

Make sure you use any membership card to your advantage. Reduce the cost of your move by using your membership in a club or organization.

5. Costco Discounts

Costco discounts are one of the other moving discount available to truck rental consumers.

However, not all the truck rentals are offering this discount. The only rental known to offer this discount include:

Budget Truck Rental: Being a member of Costco is beyond cheap gas and bulk tissue paper. 25% discount is available to Costco members on Budget moving truck rentals. Your member discount code will be applied to your moving truck rental automatically when you start your booking via the page for Costco partnership on Budget’s website.

Website: www.budgettruck.com  

6. Union Discounts

Have you heard about union discount before? Union discounts are offered by some moving services in the industry, and this include:

• Budget Truck Rental: You can save 20% through Union Plus on both local and 1-way moving trucks and van rentals within budget as a member of a labor union that pays dues on time. Retired union members can also benefit from this discount when they are moving.

7. Student Discounts

A big move always come at a greater cost to college students. This is understandable to some movers and thus offers student discounts to help reduce the cost.

• Penske: Save 10% on relocations with a school ID.
• Truck Rental: Using code TRUCKU, students can save 20% on local relocations and 15% on 1-way relocations any day.  
• SMARTBOX: You can save some money through discounts on storage containers and other storage specials available during summer, which includes storage, delivery, and redelivery during fall. You will need to show your student ID to qualify for these deals.  

8. Teacher Discounts

Teachers influence lives for better tomorrow, and movers appreciate them for this service delivery.

Budget: Budget truck rentals offers a discount of 20% on local moves and 15% on 1-way moves to teachers as an appreciation for their job on the generations to come. The code “TEACH” should be used when making a reservation. You can as well browse through their website for more details.

Website: www.budgettruck.com

9. Off-Season Discounts

According to the data from the moving industry, the peak move season is the summer.

Moving discounts is more available during other seasons of the year except for summer.

Although there is a difference in price considering the company and location, relocating between October and April or mid-week can earn you a more reasonable rate.

10. Church Discounts

Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod saves some money on long-distance relocation with Bekins. Pastors are also included in the beneficiaries list while a part of the proceeds is being donated back to the church.

11. Law Enforcement and First Responder Discounts

20% discounts are being offered on local moves and 15% on 1-way moves to EMTs, Police and firefighters with Budget. The coupon code SERVI should be used during reservation and the offer is available all through the week. You will get relieved of the moving costs with these military discounts either with a moving company or you are using a shipping company. This category of customers has studied to have wide range of discounts from moving companies across board. These include:

1. North American Van Lines: Up to 50% discount will be given to members of the American Legion when they use North American Van Lines for their move. Veterans Advantage members, according to the American Legion, will also receive a discount from the mover.

Website: www.northamericanvanlines.com

2. Oz Moving & Storage: 10% discount is being offered to military customers on all local relocation services by Oz Moving & Storage and is available in California, New York, and New Jersey. Military customers also get a 5% discount on their long-distance relocation.

Website: www.ozmovingandstorage.com

3. Penske Truck Rental: Military discounts are also available with Penske at over 2,200 locations. 10% discount will be given to you when you book a 1-way rental from their online platform, as stated on their website. An additional 10% off will be given when you show your veteran or military ID during pickup. You will also be assisted throughout the DIY move as the company already offers call center assistance to military members or veterans.

Website: www.pensketruckrental.com

4. Budget Truck Rental: Discounts are currently available with Budget to active military members on their moving truck rentals. 20% discount on moving truck rental is available to U.S. military members who are traveling on orders. They will use the code USMIO when making a reservation. Check the Budget website for more information.

Website:  www.budgettruck.com

5. CubeSmart: CubeSmart will help you with both short and long-term rental of self-storage units to store your items. A 10% discount is being offered to all active military members on self-storage as well as other promotions currently available with the company. Show them your military ID when the unit is delivered to you. Check their website for more information.

Website: www.cubesmart.com

6. U-Pack: If you are military personnel, U-Pack is your best option when considering moving containers for your upcoming move as the company offers military discounts. You are only required to select your moving date and equipment (freight trailer or ReloCube). The container will be delivered to your new station. The discount code MIL50 is available to military members and families to save $50 on their relocation with U-Pack. Check the U-Pack website for more information.

Website: www.upack.com

7. PODS: Active, retired, and veteran members of the United States armed forces are qualified for a 10% discount from PODS, as stated on their website. The company also offers 1-month free storage for long-distance relocations. Contact PODS to make a reservation of container and also tell them you are/was a military member to receive this discount offer. The container will be picked by PODs and delivered to your new location after you must have loaded it.

Website: www.pods.com

8. 1-800-PACK-RAT: This is a widely known company among military members. Using the discount code MILIME10, both active and retired military members get a 10% discount. You are only required to call the company to book a container and receive your discount. The container will be picked by 1-800-PACK-RAT and delivered to your new location after you must have loaded it. Check their website for more information.

Website: www.1800packrat.com     

9. SMARTBOX: This company aims at helping military members with their moves, whether local or long distance. Apply the discount code MILOFF20 during booking to receive the $20 discount from your moving and storage cost as an active military member. The company also states that the discount is suitable for all parts of the military. Check the SmartBox website for more information.

Website: www.smartbox.com

10. Go Mini’s: This moving container state on their website that 10 of their workers are ex-military, and thus make the company a dear friend to the military. The company offers discounts to the military at specific locations to active and retired military members even though the discounted rate is not disclosed. Check their website for more information on discount locations.

Website: www.gominis.com

11. Zippy Shell: This moving container company gives moving and storage discounts to current military members who are embarking on a DIY move. Contact a nearby location to know the details of the discount as it is not mentioned on their website. Check their website for more information.

Website: www.zippyshell.com

12. uShip: If you are a military member, consider uShip for the upcoming shipping of any of your boats, moving boxes, cars, or mattress. uShip is an online marketplace that is in partnership with TroopID to offer discounts to old and current members of the military and their families. A 50% discount is available on their move.

Website: www.uship.com

Where to Find the Best Moving Deals?

Apart from being a military member, there are many moving deals or places you can find moving deals. This is different from military or another related discount as discussed above. A moving company can offer more than one discount or deal to its customers. You only need to choose the one that best fits your moving need or category.

Below are some of the best moving deals you can find out there, and where to find them:

1. U-Haul

30 days free of storage is available with any 1-way moving equipment rental at specific locations of U-Haul. U-Haul is preferred for its unlimited access, weather-proof units, and clean storage centers.

Website: www.uhaul.com

2. CubeSmart

15% discount is available on your monthly rate as well as the first 30 days free on selected storage containers. In addition, you can use the free moving truck offer from CubeSmart if you are moving your possessions to a storage container, but you don’t have access to any moving truck.

A free moving truck, as well as a driver both from CubeSmart, is available to those in Manhattan. You are only required to handle the loading and unloading of the moving truck.

Website: www.cubesmart.com

3. Mini U Storage

This local storage company is offering new tenants free moving trucks. You will have to book with them immediately you decide your moving date because this perk is widely known.

You won’t be charged for the first 50 miles, and you will pay $0.99/mile after the first 50 miles. Free rentals from Monday to Thursday last for 6 hours while it lasts 4 hours on weekends.

Website: www.miniustorage.com

4. 1-800-PACK-RAT

This company will pick up and deliver your unit for free when you reserve 3 or more months of the storage container. This offer is available only on short-distance moves and storage, and you will be required to call the company before you can apply it to your order.

Website: www.1800packrat.com

Coupon code helps you with discounts on your move when applied. Coupon means that you tend to reduce your cost of moving by some percentage when you apply this code during checkout.

Below are a few places where you can look for the best deals on your move.

1. Groupon

Although Groupon is popularly known for discounts on fitness classes and laser hair removal, it can also be used to locate nearby moving companies with lower rates. These coupons are not fixed, so you need to visit Groupon’s site for current deals. Carefully check expiration dates before you buy.

Website: www.groupon.com

2. RetailMeNot

This is another great source for relocation coupons. Discounts are available from 10% – 25% off big companies like Penske, and U-Haul, together with nice deals on moving supplies and self-storage containers. These deals are not static, so it is better to check for current deals for your moving date.

Website: www.retailmenot.com

Do you know you can get moving discounts or deals on your move even before applying moving company’s discount or deal?

There are ways to do it to get up to 40% discount on your move by yourself. On this platform, we do teach our readers how cut cost of their move and relocate on budget. For instance, the best time to book a moving company according to most movers is the end of summer as prices may be higher when you make a reservation during peak season.

There are many ways to avoid breaking the bank when you are in search of a cheap moving company for your move, whether local or interstate. The cheapest way ever is to embark on a DIY move, which requires enlisting the help of family or friends for the process, renting a moving truck, and driving your moving truck to the destination home.

This may prove difficult, especially when your moving distance is much, and you cannot break your move into parts, or you don’t have any friends or family in the destination town.

Consider the tips below to reduce the cost of your move as you plan, pack, and start your journey to your new home:

Lighten your Load

Take a walk around your household and reduce your possessions before you contact moving companies. Not that you are to give away any item that may be useful in your new home, but going through your belongings will surprise you at what items you don’t need to move to your new home.

The number of items you take away from your belongings to be moved will also result in a reduction in your moving cost as movers charged based on the number of items you move.

Request Multiple Moving Quotes From various Movers

Choosing between DIY moves or hiring a moving company that will do everything for you can sometimes be challenging. DIY is known to be the cheaper option, but not all the time. In this case, it is important to read reviews on a few moving companies online and then contact 3 or 5 of the best-reviewed movers to get a moving quote for your move.

You can as well figure out the cost for a DIY move; most local DIY deals are great; the price only became higher when the move involves long distance.

Ask your truck rental company if they have local workers that can help you handle the loading and unloading of the moving truck if you don’t want to do it by yourself.

You will find this easier when you are booking on U-Haul as they will show you the options of companies that contract local workers, you can also add services when booking the moving truck.

You will hire a set at your current city where you are loading and another set at the destination city where you will unload. Even with the cost incurred on the helpers onboard, DIY companies can still be the best option.

Conduct a Garage Sale

You will enjoy many benefits through garage sales. The first is you get to clear out the clutter from your home, make some cash, and also contribute to the sustainability of the environment.

You also cause a significant reduction in the pressure on mining for raw materials, energy, and landfills required for transportation, processing, and disposing of the unused items.

You can benefit greatly from garage/yard sale if you are moving into a new location or out of your current location. Garage and yard sales are nothing new in the United States. You get to go through your old items and also bargain for prices.

Garage sales will help you get rid of items you no longer use, as well as make some money from it. Different people have different reasons for hosting or attending garage sales.

Check Discount Sites

Most movers can be found participating in discount sites such as Groupon, where coupons are available for sale. Pre-purchasing coupons will help you save money on your relocation. For example, some moving companies will offer $600 worth of relocation services for $300, saving you a lot of money.

Coupon code sites such as RetailMeNot list out moving companies that are offering moving discounts. For example, a promo code for 10% off a move with PODS may be found or a 30 days free storage from U-Haul.

You can find similar services from other discount sites, giving you options to shop around to know how much you can save on your move.

Pack your Belongings

Some long-distance movers will charge packing. You can handle the packing by yourself to expunge the cost from the list. You only have to tell the company that you will pack your belongings.

A wise packing technique is to use free moving boxes as packing supplies, and also maximize space usage by packing your clothing with delicate items.

Below are few other ways to save some cash on your upcoming move apart from the discounts as a member of AAA:

• Movingfeedback.com Discounts: Requesting for quotes from movers on movingfeedback.com is a great place to start for deals and discounts when searching for a moving company to handle your move. Many of these companies have helped users move their home at reasonable prices. Discounts are also available on moving truck rental such as Penske and U-Pack moving truck rentals.

• Locate Free Moving Supplies: To find free moving boxes and supplies is not hard. You only have to search community groups, retailers, and online marketplaces. Here are some places to look: U-Haul Box Exchange, friends, offices, liquor store, bookstores, grocery store, local schools, Nextdoor.com, neighbors, and Freecycle.

• Use Labor-only Movers: Prepare to hire labor-only movers if you won’t be able to load and unload your moving truck. HireAHelper is one of the places to look for nearby professional movers. They may also offer donation pickups, junk removal, and packing help.

• Pick the Best Moving Date: Mid-week, mid-month between October and April are the best period to move if you want to save money on your relocation. You may receive better relocation rates from movers when you avoid moving between May and September, which is termed Peak Moving Season.

• Ship your Possessions: Rent a portable container to ship your items. Apart from being cost-effective compared to hiring full-service moving companies, you will also use the moving container as temporary storage before and after your relocation. You can as well look for a service provider on uShip to ship your larger items one after the other.

• Enlist the Help of Friends and Families: You will be saving a lot of money when you enlist the help of your loved ones for the relocation instead of hiring professional movers. Kindly make sure your friends/family members can be relied on before you ask for their help. You won’t want to rely on them and later receive a call that they will no longer be available to help you at the last minute.
• Use Military Discounts: Whether you are a past or present military member, you could be qualified for many moving discounts on each part of the moving process from professional moving companies, moving storage and containers companies, as well as moving truck rentals companies. Check above for the complete list of moving discounts available for military members.

How can I avoid moving companies that charge a higher final price compared to their price quote?

Moving companies have two types of quotes they offer to customers. One is a non-binding quote, which may be very different from the final price that you pay when the move is complete.

It is best to choose a moving company that offers a binding quote. That is a quote you receive when someone from the company comes to your home to assess the items that need packing and moving.

A binding quote should not differ from the final price you pay, unless there are some changes to the move. The only difference in your final bill should be the addition of taxes and tips.

What are some steps I can take to speed up the process when the movers arrive at my home?

Try to clear the area as much as possible, even if the movers are going to pack your possessions. Take items out of drawers and cabinets, unless there are drawers you want them to bubble wrap with items still inside.

If there are any items at your home that are not going onto the moving truck, try to shift them into a room the movers will not need to access. When movers have to navigate through furniture and other obstacles, it takes them longer to complete the packing and loading process.

Are there alternatives to bubble wrap for protecting larger items, valuables or decorative pieces?

Yes, there are many great options that do not involve spending money on bubble wrap. You can use socks for very small items. Clothes, sweaters and towels are helpful for decoration pieces and other items.

If you have larger appliances, try to find their original packaging. Placing the appliance into that box will protect it during your move. You can also wrap up furniture and large appliances in blankets if you are worried about them suffering damage during transit.

Is it possible to get a good rate on a last minute move?

Yes, but it will be a lot more difficult. When you are booking a move within a week or even less time, you are at the mercy of the moving company. Most movers are going to charge you a higher rate if you are booking so late.

One option for saving money on a last minute booking is to call around and ask movers in your area if they had any cancellations. You could take one of those time slots, and the moving company would be more inclined to offer you a discounted rate.

Keep in mind that it will be harder for you to get a good rate on a last minute move during peak season (summer months). If you are planning to shift anytime from May to September, try to book the moving date at least two weeks in advance.

What do I do with all my empty boxes when the move is complete?

Whether you bought a set of boxes online or you managed to find some for free, you may not want to hang onto them after the move is complete. You could choose to donate the moving boxes, perhaps even to the same place where you got them for free.

There are also businesses such as Container Exchange and Box Cycle that allow you to trade in lightly used boxes that are still in good condition. Such companies provide information about the selling rate for boxes of different sizes and conditions.

You may also be able to sell some of your other unused packing supplies, such as tape, bubble wrap, and wrapping paper.

Now that you can find yourself moving discounts, the next thing is to look for a team of professional movers. Fortunately, this is already a simplified task as Moving Feedback already has reputable and trustworthy national moving companies that will safely and professionally handle your job in their network. There is no cause for alarm, as all moving companies in our network are licensed and insured as required. Happy moving!