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Thanks to everyone who has replied, and for the advice about bugs. I didn't even think of that. Some of our stuff sat in a storage unit (just a shed out in the country) for 6 months, so it's probably already infested. Haven't seen any critters, though, so maybe not.
Other suggestions for more reliable truck&tow or cheaper crate&drive companies are welcome.
The welfare of our goods is pretty low on the priority list. So long as they don't get soaked or burned, most of our stuff is either durable, or so cheap we don't care. The furniture just has to arrive in semi-functional condition. It's so scratched and dinghed, what are a few more rips or dents? We don't have any fragile heirlooms or expensive electronics.
Why do some suggest getting help loading the truck? We've packed ourselves for cross-town moves, but never for long-distance hauls (except by cramming the car totally full of what we couldn't sell). Is there any special trick to securing a load for long-distance travel, that's not obvious?
Hmmm.... based on the more specific info above, and the low priority of your "goods", my thoughts now are to simply pack up the priority essentials and ship them out insured separately. Drive your small car out there, and rent a furnished apartment (or rent some furniture) until you can afford to replace the furnishings. That could very well be the least expensive way to go. Get AAA coverage on your car too if you don't already have it...in case it breaks down.
We're planning to buy a house almost immediately (before we're priced out). The only concern about too much furniture is storing it for a few months while we find and close on the right place.
Even though we don't care about our furniture, there are essentials you can't get by without; (Dresser, free-standing racks, Desk, bed).
I guess I really need to inventory the essentials that must be shipped and the furniture that we must replace immediately, then tally the totals of sell/donate and replace against shipping.
The more I think about it, the more I'd rather ship our stuff separately and drive just our car. U-haul crates seem to be the cheapest of all suggested options. Does anyone know of anything cheaper?
As for AAA, I have never thought it to be worthwhile. I've had to call for a tow once in 10 years (not even this car), and it was only $90. I'm sure 10 years worth of AAA would have cost much more than that.
Temporary AAA insurance for this drive might be worthwhile, I suppose. But the vehicle has operated fine for the past 100,000 miles of variable (city; on-off, start-stop, big temperature changes, heavy clutch use, etc) driving. I think it's pretty unlikely that it is going to fail during the next 3,000 miles of relatively steady-state operation. But sell me on AAA. What is it worth besides a free tow?
I moved from the East Coast to the MidWest (still wish I hadn't) late last year. I rented a truck and towed my car behind. It's not a fun process actually moving the stuff by yourself, but it beats dealing with broken goods and the claims processors of moving companies. Its also cheaper than crate and drive as you have already mentioned.
But sell me on AAA. What is it worth besides a free tow?
I got it because it got me a large discount on my movers - much more than the cost of the membership.
Storage: If you will need storage, be sure to find out ahead of time what that will cost, and remember that you will have to move everything twice. If you can't do all your own loading and unloading, figure in the cost of that as well.
Some moving companies do not charge for the first month of storage, then charge very little after that. Ask a few. We used Atlas Smartmoves, which is part of the Atlas company but is a different service. They have vaults (like PODS, but less expensive) that you can load yourself or have loaded by their movers. Because the stuff is in the vault, it is very easy to store - no unpacking or repacking necessary.
Stuff: Whichever moving plan you choose, it's a good idea to get rid of the things that "so cheap you don't care." It will cost more to move them than they are worth, unless you're talking about very small things.
Gas: A 14-ft U-Haul truck might get 10 mpg. (Going through mountains, or heavily loaded, expect worse.) If your car gets 25 mpg, your savings will be 180 gallons over 3000 miles. Multiplied by $3.50, the difference in gas is over $600.
I got it because it got me a large discount on my movers - much more than the cost of the membership.
Storage: If you will need storage, be sure to find out ahead of time what that will cost, and remember that you will have to move everything twice. If you can't do all your own loading and unloading, figure in the cost of that as well.
Some moving companies do not charge for the first month of storage, then charge very little after that. Ask a few. We used Atlas Smartmoves, which is part of the Atlas company but is a different service. They have vaults (like PODS, but less expensive) that you can load yourself or have loaded by their movers. Because the stuff is in the vault, it is very easy to store - no unpacking or repacking necessary.
Stuff: Whichever moving plan you choose, it's a good idea to get rid of the things that "so cheap you don't care." It will cost more to move them than they are worth, unless you're talking about very small things.
Gas: A 14-ft U-Haul truck might get 10 mpg. (Going through mountains, or heavily loaded, expect worse.) If your car gets 25 mpg, your savings will be 180 gallons over 3000 miles. Multiplied by $3.50, the difference in gas is over $600.
Thanks for the AAA/Atlas suggestion, I'll look them up. Also, thanks for the estimate on mileage for a 14-foot truck, which is what we'd be driving. My car will get 30 mpg highway, and I was estimating 15mpg for the truck. That $200 difference in gas price estimates puts the final nail in the lid on truck and tow, I think.
OP-I think you are off on your UHAUL rate. Mine was $1800 towing a car from Miami to Denver. Penske was about $100 cheaper with an AAA and onlien discount. You sure you added your car to that?? Mine was a 2000 mile drive. Plus I think you have to go bigger than a 10' to tow a car
Thanks for the AAA/Atlas suggestion, I'll look them up. Also, thanks for the estimate on mileage for a 14-foot truck, which is what we'd be driving. My car will get 30 mpg highway, and I was estimating 15mpg for the truck. That $200 difference in gas price estimates puts the final nail in the lid on truck and tow, I think.
You're very wrong on this. You'll be getting less than that towing a loaded truck and vehicle.....
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