Moving across the country isn’t easy. It’s also not cheap. That’s why I’m here today to bring you some money saving tips that you can use with your next big move. Not moving anytime soon? These tips will help you with your next travel adventure also!
This post was sponsored by Groupon Coupons. All opinions and ideas are my own.
We have officially spent four days in a car, eating food on the road, and staying in hotels. We’re no where near done with any of these items, but we are getting closer. The tips below will help you with your cross country (or shorter) travel during your move. It’s been my experience that most moves create a temporary period of living the typical luxuries of home.
Food During Your Move
One of the luxuries that are missing during a big move is home-cooked meals made in your own kitchen. There are a few ways to save money when you’re on the road.
1. Plan ahead and purchase snacks from the store. Groupon Coupons has over 65,607 coupons that can help you with discounts on these snacks. You can even bring cold snacks on the road by using a cooler. This helped us save money on drinks during this trip.
2. Tae advantage of special deals offered at different restaurants. Many places offer a 2 for $20 or kids eat free nights that can save you a little bit of money while you’re travelling.
3. Don’t forget the leftovers! If you’re staying in the same place for several days, take advantage of your leftovers. All you need is a mini fridge in your room (which most hotels have now) and a microwave to enjoy a second meal out of your food.
4. Eat with friends or family along the way. If you’re going to be passing near friends or family, take some time to visit them. Not only do you get to spend some time with great company, but you might be able to get a home-cooked meal out of the deal!
Lodging During Your Move
If you’re like us, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in hotels along the road. There’s no way to fully avoid the cost of hotels, but there are ways to minimize the expenses.
1. Check out the Travelocity coupon page for extra deals on hotels. They have coupons for a variety of hotels. We used Travelocity when we booked our hotel for our trip to Seattle and we had a great experience with them. (You can also use Travelocity to book flights, car rentals, and a variety of other travel services.)
2. Research hotels in advance. If you know your route, I recommend researching hotels in advance to get the best deal. Researching in advance also allows you to read the reviews which can be helpful in avoiding disaster locations. Hotels.com is a great resource for researching hotels in advance and they offer great deals on the ones that are available!
3. Join a hotel chain’s rewards program. We’re members of Choice hotels and earn points towards free stays every time that we stay with them. If you stick with the same chain of hotels during your trip, you can rack up quite a few points towards a free night. Most hotel chains have a similar program so you can pick the one that works for you.
4. Stay with friends and family. This is another opportunity to visit with great company while saving money. Since we made good time, we stayed with the husband’s uncle for two nights during our move. It gave us a break from the road and from the cost of being on the road.
Settling Into Your New Place
You’ve finally made it to your destination and found a roof to go over your head. Now’s the time to get settled in and to get everything set up for your new place.
1. Start unpacking immediately. The longer you put it off, the longer you’ll be living from boxes. Dive right in and get it done quickly.
2. Use items that you already own before you buy new things. This is the perfect time to upcycle, do-it-yourself, and re-imagine pieces that you already own and love.
3. Visit yard sales and second hand stores for new items that you might need. A little paint and love can go along way in upcycling an older item into a gorgeous new piece for your place.
4. If you do have to purchase new items, look into the offers at Groupon Coupons. They have great deals from stores like Bed Bath & Beyond and Kmart that can help you save money when buying new décor for your place. Shopping around and saving money is never a bad thing!
Whether you’re moving near or far, it can get expensive and stressful if you don’t take time to plan ahead and do a little research. Which of the tips above will you be using during your next move or big trip? Is there a tip that you would add to the list? I love learning new tips from my readers!
