Moving to a new home can be an exciting yet stressful time. Between packing up your belongings, finding movers, and getting settled in the new place, the costs can quickly add up.
Fortunately, there are many great coupons for moving, rebates and savings programs to take advantage of that can help you keep more money in your pocket for this major life transition.
In this article, we’ll outline some of the best discounts, deals and money-saving tips for your upcoming move. Whether you’re relocating across town or across the country, be sure to review these opportunities to make your move more affordable.
Leverage Moving Company Discounts
Many top moving companies offer special discounts and savings for specific groups and situations. Here are some top deals to explore if they apply to you:
Military and Veteran Discounts
Some of the best military discounts come from national moving brands like North American Van Lines which offers 5-15% off moves for active duty military, veterans and their families. Other moving and truck rental companies that have great military and veteran discounts include PODS, Budget, and Penske.
Senior/Retiree Moving Coupons
Several moving companies extend senior citizen and retiree discounts for older adults including Mayflower, Two Men and A Truck, United Van Lines and Safeway Moving. Senior discounts vary from 5-10% off regular pricing. Proof of age is typically required.
Small Business Relocation Services
If you are moving for a small business, many corporate relocation companies offer discounts and partnership rates for other business moves. For example, New World Van Lines has special pricing for startups and small businesses.
Teacher Discounts
If you or your partner are a teacher or work in public education, some moving brands extend educator discounts up to 15-20%. Bring any verification or ID showing occupation eligibility teacher savings. Budget offers 20% off local moves and 15% off one-way moves. Use the discount code TEACH to get your discount.
First Responder and Law Enforcement Discounts
Moving companies like AmeriFreight and Budget offer first responder and law enforcement discounts for moving. With Budget, firefighters, EMTs, and police officers receive 20% off for local moves and 15% off for one-way moves. AmeriFreight offers $35 off car shipping for first responders.
Leverage Membership Discounts
If you belong to certain memberships or associations, be sure to ask about special pricing for moving services.
AAA members can save 5-15% off moving companies like Atlas, Mayflower Transit, Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines among other national movers. Typically you must request the AAA discount upfront and show proof of valid membership.
AARP members can save 5-10% with many moving brands through the AARP Moving Discounts program similar to AAA. The USAA Movers Advantage Program no longer exists and this is where programs like the ARC Realtor Rebate come into play which we’ve discuss later.
Costco members have access to exclusive Costco Moving Group rates from brands like Allied, NorthAmerican and Mayflower with savings around 10%. Payment of the move must be made with the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa to secure the added discount.
Alumni associations, unions and large affinity groups like churches may also have existing partnerships that extend special member pricing for relocations.
As you’re requesting moving quotes, inquire with the mover if they honor any association or group discounts that you may be affiliated with through work, faith community, alumni organization or other memberships. Flashing valid proof of membership could knock hundreds more off your total move.
Take Advantage of Special Savings Programs
Along with moving companies that have discounts, there are also some special savings programs to take advantage of:
ARC Realtor Rebate Program
The ARC Realtor Rebate Program gives home buyers and sellers cash back when using a specially designated real estate agent. Although ARC works primarily with corporate transferees, they also rebate 25% of the designated agents commission directly to you at closing when you buy or sell with an ARC agent. Rebates typically equate to thousands in savings.
Friends & Family or Rewards Program Discounts
Movers like Gentle Giant offer smart savings through their friends & family program. If you refer someone and they mention your name, you both save on your moves. Other brands like Armstrong Relocation have new movers coupons and rewards programs that share savings tips and provide gift card rewards for repeat customers.
PODS Partner Discounts
PODS moving containers has teamed up with Agoyu to offer customers a special discount of 5% off delivery and pickup of their portable storage containers. To claim the savings, call PODS and mention that you are a member of Agoyu Relocation to receive your special rate.
Explore More Do-It-Yourself Savings
For greater flexibility and affordability, you may want to tackle parts of your move on your own. Here are some DIY savings approaches:
Truck Rentals
Use truck rental discount coupons when booking directly with rental brands or aggregators like Penske Truck Rental and Budget Trucks who regularly offer moving truck rental discounts and other promotions around moving season.
Moving Labor
Hire just the moving labor you need from a service like Dolly or your community labor boards and rent only the equipment for major furniture pieces. This cuts costs on fuller service movers.
Storage Deals
Use promo codes and seasonal sales for storage spaces like Extra Space Storage or CubeSmart Storage to stash belongings before or after your move dates. Discount codes can equal one month free.
Coupon Sites
Check Groupon, local deals sites like LetSave and coupons.com for regular updates on percent-off coupons and deals that can produce major savings.
Benefit from Off-Peak Season Discounts
While most people move in the warmer spring to summer season, consider booking in the colder off-season months to claim deep savings. Many movers offer 10-20% discounts for moves from October to April when fewer people tend to book and movers want to boost business volume. An end of season clearance sale applies to off-peak moving!
Be flexible on exactly when you can move to save more—book at the tail end of peak season in August/September or near the beginning in late February/March. Tuesdays-Thursdays yield better mover discounts as well over weekends. For a local move, you’ll save money moving in January/February too since weather more easily permits short traveling.
Consider Student Movers
Whether moving into a dorm or new off-campus apartment, student movers like Student Services Worldwide or UniGroup’s U-Move offer special discounts for campus relocations. Find up to 15% off regular pricing for local and long-distance moves booked through designated college mover divisions.
Have an Earning Strategy
Getting the best discounts takes a bit of effort yet yields the highest bang-per-buck on moving savings via stacking savings offers, referral discounts, moving coupons and promo codes. Follow this game plan:
- Ask about discounts upfront with initial inquiries
- Research discounts from reviews and community groups
- Use email opt-ins for sale alerts
- Automate searches for coupon codes before big purchases
- Check combo discounts from multiple discount programs
- Redeem credit card rebates quickly via statement credits or cash-back
While moving can certainly be expensive, some strategic planning and consistent research into savings opportunities can help you keep more money in your wallet. We hope this guide gives you a headstart on ways to lower your moving spend using reputable movers, smart hacks and the myriad discounts out there for savvy consumers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Coupons and Discounts
How much can I realistically save on discounts from movers?
It depends on several factors – the actual volume/weight of your household goods, distance traveled, services booked and then discounts leveraged.
Most published discounts range from 5-20% off normal costs. With average US moves costing $3-5K, discounts can quickly equal $150-$750+ savings for national moves, perhaps more for bigger moves. Always ask, though, as not all discounts apply to all situations.
Do I have to book way in advance to get the best discount?
Often, but not always. Some coupons come out last minute for sales pushes at the end or beginning of peak season. Yet military, corporate and storage discounts commonly require at least 2-4 weeks of notice. Aim to book 6-8 weeks out as primetime. Get quotes early so you can compare with any new discounts that arise.
Could I negotiate an even lower price?
You should always negotiate, as it can help you save money when moving. Especially in off-peak seasons, moving quotes are often padded at higher-end pricing as movers want to give themselves flexibility. Politely ask about price drops for paying cash, mid-week moves or removing some services.
Offer to waive valuation if you packed well might shave a couple hundred. Negotiate storage costs too. The bottomline is nothing stops you from negotiating add-ons or overall pricing with any mover.
Should I tip the movers if I got a discount?
Even with discounts secured, it’s still thoughtful to tip moving crews unless the service was unsatisfactory. Most pro movers work for hourly wages or commission, so tips greatly boost income.
Typically, between $4 and $5 per person for each hour of work is recommended when tipping. There are other ways you can show gratitude in addition to tipping too, such as offering your moving crew coffee, water, hot chocolate, lunch, or snacks.
Final Thoughts
With so many variables, moving coupons and discounts vary widely yet offer substantial savings potential on necessary services. Finding reputable movers extends assurance that discounts equate to quality moves.
The Agoyu moving app can help you find the best short moving companies that offer coupons and discounts. Check out the Agoyu moving app today.
