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Figure out why you are lousy at driving and overcome it so that you can rent a truck and drive it yourself. You can hire movers from Two Men and A Truck or any other source to help you load and unload.
It's not that hard to drive a 16- or 22-foot truck once you have mastered or re-mastered your basics. This is a one-shot deal, and you will save a ton of money if you can overcome this problem.
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You're up here telling someone who admittedly is bad at driving a small car to suddenly overcome fear and drive a 22 foot truck
Thats tantamount to telling a 120 man that has never had a fist fight to just go pick a fight with someone the size of The Rock. Something are just gonna be harder or near impossible for some people.
You're up here telling someone who admittedly is bad at driving a small car to suddenly overcome fear and drive a 22 foot truck
She has several months to look into getting retrained. Too many women let fear overcome them. Instead of looking at it logically and trying to fix what is wrong, they throw up their hands in defeat. If she tries and then decides that it's not a good idea, more power to her.
(I did my multi-state move at age 55 -- my friends are too scared to do anything like that)
Thanks for so many awesome replies! I really appreciate strangers trying to help strangers.
Ha...to those who suggest I drive the truck myself...I promise you I'd crash pronto. I don't even go on freeways due to my own poor driving skills and fear of big semis. Yes I am a neurotic nut as well as a sucky driver, I mean like really neurotic panic attack type and driving is s trigger, so I do it slowly, sparingly and carefully.
RE: the Amtrak suggestion, nope, Carrabelle is nowhere near an Amtrak station.
Hiring guys here and there to load a POD type thing may be the way to go as some are suggesting. I don't have a church home where I am now but my daughter does and I will ask her to ask at church for loaders.
The issue with getting someone/two guys to drive a UHaul there is how would they get back from FLA to NC without it costing tons of money.
Unloading down there if I go with POD or ABF, it is a VERY small town (Carrabelle FLA) and isolated. But Tallahassee, a college town is 50+mi so maybe I could find kids to do it via Craigslist there if I posted an ad a few weeks aforehand?
HI OP - I'm in exactly the same position as you, and I have my long distance move set up for next week.
Here's what I did:
I reserved a UHaul for the dates and locations I need it.
I put an on-line help wanted ad on 2 facesbook sites that have classifieds in my area.
I got a response from a nearby college's wrestling team. They train in the summer and do odd jobs for money. They quoted me a really cheap price. So they are going to be driving the UHaul for me and loading and unloading it. One of the guys is going to drive his own car behind the UHaul, and will drive the others back after they're done helping me (I'm going to reimburse them for that).
So, a long distance move will cost me about $1100 for the UHaul plus the guys. Gas for the UHaul will be the only additional cost.
My advice: Call area colleges and churches and ask if there are any groups that do odd jobs like this. Also find out if there are any local classified webites for your area and get on facebook and see if there are any regional for sale/help wanted etc. groups for your area. List your help wanted ad on this site.
Then see what responses you get.
Be sure and meet the potential movers in person before anything is firm, and draw up your own basic contract which both you and your movers sign and date.
I think my move will go well, and hope that yours does too.
601, that sounds great.
I don't engage in any social media but I can post an ad on Craigslist, and there's a community college here.
Potential issue with that is I'll be moving in JAN, kids will be in school, but this is just a 500mi trip one way so maybe they could do it on a weekend?
EDIT: online quote for ABF for "studio" size (5ft of truck space) :$1300!!! Seriously?
Last edited by VexedAndSolitary; 06-18-2015 at 03:41 PM..
Reason: added info
When we moved from NYC to West TN, we used Old Dominion rent space in a tractor-trailer. We sold most of our furniture and moved only 3 pieces that were antiques. Whatever fit into our rented square footage in the trailer is what we brought. We filled our mini-suv with us, clothes, and kitties. The trailer arrived a few days after we did.
Back in NYC, I hired some day laborers to load the truck. Here in TN, my husband unloaded it all by himself in 2 days' time. They said we'd have 3 days but we actually had to call them 3 times over 2 weeks to get them to pick up the trailer
(we are out in the middle of nowhere).
What we found after being here and buying several new pieces of furniture because the companies ship, was that local auctions and paying someone to deliver could have saved us THOUSANDS of dollars. We didn't discover the auctions until we'd been here a year and we have been kicking ourselves for all the wonderful pieces of furniture we'd have loved to buy at better than Goodwill prices.
So do some research. Get on facebook and find out what "sell/swap" (actually probably spelled "sale/swap") groups there are in the area of your future home. Do it NOW. See what's out there. Join everything for your county and town and region until you know what's going on and then can drop off some of those groups.
People here in the south advertise all the time: for sell, queen size bedroom suit (yes, sell and suit), so it makes it difficult to search. Almost new dining room furniture, paid $1500, will sale for $500, etc. But the auctions are the best. Brand new, still with the plastic on it, modular leather furniture including recliner ($35), chaise ($40), and the estate sales....
Do some homework so you know what's there rather than just assuming there's no way to buy what you need at bargain prices after getting here.
That is hilarious, I have seen that, "for sell" Also "must sale now".
NY Annie, I buy all my stuff from thrift store/Craigslist (got a fantastic leather sofa for $250 off Craigslist I mean NICE not the cheapo leather, I think the gal was on drugs as she was very jumpy and dropped the price as soon as we walked in from $275; we didn't even ask her to) but this town is 50+mi from any thrift stores and I don't have anyone to schlep the stuff from the thrift store to the condo.
OP, we are 50 miles from the nearest Goodwill, 35 miles from the nearest grocery store - although where I lived up north, we would call it the corner deli. I am also 30 minutes from the nearest Walmart - you know that store that is suppsoedly everywhere? I swore I wouldn't shop in one but when it's the only game ....
Go past the Craigslist to the local swap/sale groups on FB - you'll find everything from someone willing to do cleaning to people looking for work - with a trailer! And you can also find someone willing to help you do the move in Florida. And strangely, you just might make some friends - I did.
And that's how you can take advantage of the Old Dominion deal to rent part of a trailer - they drop off the empty trailer and you fill it - then they pick it up after 3 days and put up a wall, with a lock. The remainder of the trailer gets filled with commercial goods that are going on the trip between your two locations. They note that there will be no livestock or perishable goods.
I'm from BKLYN NY originally so I feel you re: delis! I've been in SoFla/VA/NC since 1979 but am a NYer at heart always. Never lived in a remote place though so this move shall be a new experience.
Ok so you're saying I think that FB groups are great for networking this stuff?
I had no clue, I never use FB or any of em.
They have a "sale/swap" group section you mean? Sorry to be so clueless.
EDIT: wait, since I already use this site (citydata) maybe if I post in a local forum for a mover/someone to drive a truck down someone will respond? Can't hurt anyhow.
I just saw a lady in the exact same position as you post on a "free and give away" facebook page and she was inundated with offers of help.
Quite touching actually, folk offered trailers, strong backs, cars, vans.
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Also "must sale now".
