A move that takes you over a long distance presents its own unique set of challenges. One major challenge is the incredible amount of expenses you will incur to pay for the move.

You can use the tips below to help estimate the cost of your long distance move so that you can create a realistic budget and save enough money to fund it.

Packing Costs

The first cost you’re going to experience while planning and executing your long distance move is the cost of purchasing the appropriate packing supplies. The cost of your packing supplies will vary based on the types of packing materials you choose to use.

• Cardboard boxes are the most common type of moving containers chosen for those planning a long distance move. Boxes are relatively affordable, provide protection to your items, and can be easily stacked.
• Garbage bags are affordable, but as Cheap Movers Portland notes, they also lack the durability to survive a long distance move with intact.
• Plastic totes are a worthwhile investment for long distance moves because they’re reusable, provide water protection, and are more durable than cardboard. The only downside to plastic totes is that they cost a lot more than cardboard boxes. Using plastic totes eliminates the need for packing tape, which is an expense you can eliminate.

Once you’ve chosen your preferred options for packing materials, do an online price check to calculate the cost of purchasing these packing materials and add it to your expense list.

Travel Expenses

A long-distance move will require quite a bit of traveling on your part. Traveling, unfortunately, is an experience that will cost you quite a bit of money. The way you choose to travel to your new home will determine your total travel expenses.

Traveling by plane is going to cost in the hundreds of dollars per person, depending on the distance traveled and the destination. This option is often chosen by those who’ve made arrangements to ship their belongings to their new home.

For those who have opted to drive themselves and their belongings to their new home, the cost of renting a moving truck and buying gas should be calculated into the list of moving expenses.

Shipping Expenses

Not everyone has the desire or the capability to drive their belongings to their new home. In this type of situation, these people will choose to ship their items to their new home instead.

Shipping your items can be done in two ways. One way is to box your items, apply legible shipping labels, and send your items through the mail to your home. You can ship your items via the USPS or other private shipping companies.

Alternatively, you can have your items shipped to your new home using a moving company. Boxing and shipping your items through the mail will cost more work but less money. Using a moving company will cost more money but less work. Choosing your preferred shipping method all depends on which resource you value most.

Hired Movers Expenses

If you’d like to make your long distance move as low in stress as possible, you can hire professional movers to manage the bulk of your move. Professional movers will pack all of your items, secure the boxes, label the boxes, load your boxes and furniture into their truck, and drive all of it to your new home. Hiring professional movers can be a more expensive option, but it’ll save you a lot of time and worry.