Want to Save Money on Your Long-Distance Move? Here's How

Moving is no one's idea of a good time -- and I should know. I just moved for the 36th time in my life. But this time, my move was into the house I just bought, so I'm hoping to stay for a while.

True to form, this last move wasn't an insignificant expense for my budget -- but thankfully, I was only moving a distance of less than one mile. According to data from Angi, the cost of a cross-country move could range from $2,401 to $6,890, with an average cost of $4,577. There are a ton of factors involved, though, including the exact distance and the moving method you're using.

Whether you're moving to the next state over or to a whole new time zone, here are a few ways to save money on the process.

Use the right credit cards

First and foremost, having the right credit cards to lean on during a move can help you earn cash back or other rewards on a big expense. If you put $5,000 worth of moving expenses on a credit card that earns a flat 2% cash back rate, you'll get a cool $100 back.

If you'll be staying in hotels on your way to your new home, a travel credit card could pay you a higher bonus rate for booking such a stay -- or if you have accumulated points already, you may be able to use them to cover your room. A gas credit card could pay you a nice rate on those gas fill-ups for a massive moving truck.

And no matter what kind of credit card you use, you may be entitled to purchase protections that could give you peace of mind if something goes wrong with the new appliance you bought for your new home and the seller is unwilling or unable to help.

Consider all your options -- and prices

Don't assume that renting a giant U-Haul truck and loading, driving, and unloading it yourself is your only way of moving long distance. You have so many options. You could load a car trailer or pack your belongings and ship them in boxes with a carrier like UPS. Or you could use a storage cube (PODS is perhaps the best-known name in the business) for your move.

If you go the latter route, I recommend calling around for price estimates from different companies. I used one of these services (ABF U-Pack) to move items from my East Coast home state to the Great Plains state I lived in for a few years, and it cost me around $2,000 -- half of what PODS had quoted me.

That said, calling around for prices for any kind of move is always a good idea. Yes, U-Haul is the classic moving truck purveyor, but if you're a Costco member, you can get a deal on a Budget truck rental -- 25% off.

Declutter

Once you know you need to move, start decluttering. Get rid of all the junk you know you won't need after you move -- because you're not using it now. In fact, if you haven't even unpacked it from the last time you moved, what are the odds you'll miss it if you get rid of it?

Decluttering isn't much fun -- it'll take up a good chunk of time ahead of your move, and you'll have to find time to run to the dump or drop items off at your local Goodwill. But imagine paying less for your long-distance move because you now own less stuff. It's a good feeling -- trust me.

Pack yourself

Yes, you can hire full-service moving crews who will not only load, drive, and unload a truck for you, but will also box up your worldly possessions. But this is expensive. Angi estimates that adding packing services to a move can cost an extra $1,000.

I don't know about you, but personally, I prefer packing my own stuff and knowing which box the towels are in (surely this goes without saying, but labeling your boxes well is always a good idea). Plus, that $1,000 will be available for other expenses -- like a sweet new couch.

Ask about financial help

Finally, if you're moving at the behest of a new employer (as I have done so many times in my life), it's worth asking if there's any financial assistance available. I moved for jobs with history museums, and in one case, the entirety of my moving costs (renting a big truck and driving 1,000 miles) was covered.

In two other cases,my employers were able to contribute $500 toward the effort, which covered the cost of a 12 foot moving trailer attached to the back of my partner's SUV for moves of more than 1,000 miles apiece. In short -- you should ask if there's any help to be had, because you may be surprised.

A long-distance move can be exciting and exhausting at the same time. No matter the reason you're moving, there are ways to save money in the process. Lean on my tested tips to give yourself a chance at a smaller budget hit.