Methods For Getting Cheap Packing Supplies When Moving On A Tight Budget
If you're getting ready for an upcoming move but are on a tight budget, it's important to keep your spending as low as possible in a number of areas. While it's a good idea to buy some packing supplies to keep your items safe, you'll want to lower your expenses whenever you can, in order to stay on budget. Buy things such as clear plastic wrap and task-specific boxes (such as wardrobe boxes for hanging your clothing) from your local packing supplies retailer, and see if you can save money by using the following strategies with your packing.
Consult Friends Who Have Recently Moved
Think of friends, family members or co-workers who have recently moved; they may have a number of boxes that they no longer need. Instead of these people putting their perfectly good boxes out with the recycling, see if they'll give or sell them to you. Even though you want to keep your costs low, it's a polite gesture to offer some money if the person bought the boxes from a packing supplies vendor. Making this request can have a direct benefit for the other person involved, too — having to empty some boxes to give to you can compel the person to unpack sooner.
Browse The Local Online Classifieds
It's a good idea to take a little time to look for packing supplies listed for sale in the local online classifieds. While your best approach is to always buy from an actual packing supplies vendor, picking up some additional supplies that have been previously used can be an effective way to stay on budget. Boxes, bubble wrap and more can often be found online. In some cases, you'll encounter people who have listed these items in an attempt to give them away, rather than sell them. The premise is that they're looking for someone who can use the supplies instead of sending them to the landfill.
Make Your Own Supplies
If you've spent your supplies budget already but could use more supplies to protect your possessions during the upcoming move, it's often possible to make your own supplies. If you have a paper shredder in your home office, gathering the shreds of paper for a few weeks or months leading up to the move can provide you with some ideal supplies for placing in boxes that contain fragile items. If you don't have a shredder, talk to someone at work and see if you can use the shreds from the office shredder.