Moving house as a family with children can be an expensive business. Having moved house a few times over the last decade, I’ve picked up quite a few tips for ways to keep the costs down and make the process go as smoothly and cheaply as possible.
If your family has a big move coming up, save this post for easy access to my top six budgeting hacks.
Do those DIY touch-ups
Before you even put the house on the market, spend a weekend blitzing all of those little DIY jobs you’ve been putting off, tidy up the front garden and retouch any dodgy paintwork. It won’t cost you a lot, but it could make a big difference to the price you’re able to sell for if your home looks cared for and gives a good first impression.
Declutter ruthlessly
Having a proper clear out before you move is vital as it means much less stuff to physically take with you from one place to the next, and you could make money by selling unwanted items. Use sites like eBay and Facebook marketplace, and advertise as collection only where possible to make the most of your time.
Use an online estate agent
We do just about everything online nowadays, so it makes sense to use an online estate agent too. Online agents like Sold make selling your home simple – not only do they provide the full house selling service, but they tailor it to your family’s needs and save you time and money into the bargain. Lower overheads and flexible ways of working mean the costs are much lower than those of traditional high street agents.
Do you own packing
As tempting as it feels to get a removal firm to do everything, it can be expensive. Choosing the basic service is always best, plus when you pack yourself you know exactly where everything is and can take extra care over precious items. For the extra budget option, rope in a gang of friends, hire a van and do the whole thing yourself.
Don’t buy cardboard boxes
Seriously, we spend so much of our lives trying to recycle cardboard, please do NOT go out and buy packing boxes! Lots of shops will give you their empty boxes for free – the McDonald’s fries boxes are especially good for books! Ask friends and local Facebook groups too. The same applies to packing materials – use towels, tea towels, blankets and bedding to wrap fragile items rather than waste space and money on plastic bubble wrap or paper.
Meal plan around the move
This sounds like a small thing, but it’s so easy after a long day of packing, unpacking or moving furniture to think ‘let’s just get a takeaway’ and then that’s suddenly £100 down the drain. Instead, make sure your freezer is stocked with meals that are quick and easy to reheat, or when friends offer help, take them up on it in the form of a home-cooked meal.
Follow all of these suggestions, and you could save money on your next house move – good luck!