The act of relocation can be one of the most costly that any family can face. However, with planning ahead and some research, you can help cut down these drastic moving expenses easily. Keeping a low moving budget can depend largely on knowing what you will need for your move and getting rid of the things you will not need. It might also involve asking friends, family members and even your boss or office manager for help. Take a few deep breaths and start planning—it is never too early to prepare yourself, and better preparation can make for a smoother moving day and overall moving process.

Full service moving companies provide some of the biggest benefits for customers, but they can also provide some of the biggest moving bills. As such, try looking into self service moving companies. Self service companies will supply you with a moving vehicle and additional supplies for an added cost. You can price a few companies outright by getting free sales quotes online and then comparing to find the best value. Once you do, you can arrange to rent your moving vehicle and start recruiting friends or family members to help you. Family members or friends who have larger vehicles, such as commercially-sized vans, heavy duty trucks or pickup trucks can be largely beneficial, since these vehicles can help transfer furniture and other bulky items that may not fit in your rented moving vehicle. Additionally, having extra sets of hands on your moving day can help you get your items packed up, loaded, shipped and unpacked more quickly than doing it all yourself. Additionally, you may not have to pay your friends or family to help you with these tasks—though you may want to offer dinner and some cold drinks to show your appreciation.

You will want to ensure that you have the most funds available to you as possible for your moving budget. If you have held a yard sale with your unwanted belongings and furniture and you are still not satisfied with the profits, you may want to speak with your employer. If you are moving out of state or are moving to start a new job, ask if you can cash out any of your remaining vacation, personal and sick days, or see if your corporation can offer you moving assistance, which may be possible if you are transferring job positions.