• Try renting a trailer instead of a truck.4x4 avec son van image by YvesBonnet from Fotolia.com
  
  Moving can be a stressful project, and the costs can add up quickly, making the tension worse. Packing for yourself instead of having professional movers do it for you, can save money, but there is a lot more you can do to cut costs. Careful planning can help ensure your move is efficient, low-budget and relatively low-stress. Check with your local post office as you get ready to move--they often give out a packet of moving-related coupons along with their change of address forms.
  
  

Free Boxes

• Moving companies charge for every box and piece of packing material you use, yet businesses often rid of cardboard boxes they don't use, and sometimes have to pay to have them taken away. Contact local businesses several months before you move and ask if they will allow you to take their used shipment boxes. Avoid food companies, as their boxes may have spills in them, and consider the sizes of boxes you'll need. Offices often receive paper in convenient size boxes for clothes and books. Book stores have ideal book-size boxes. Local companies are often more likely to help you out than large chains, where no one on site may be authorized to make decisions to vary from the usual policies.
  
  

Packing Materials

• Instead of purchasing expensive bubble wrap and dish separators, use what you already have. Wrap breakables up in blankets and sheets. Stick a pair of clean, rolled-up socks inside each cup or glass, slide another sock around the outside to prevent chafing, then pack them all up in a box padded with dish towels. If you have more breakables than cushioning, use grocery store paper bags to fill in the holes. They will compact to pad almost any shape and size, and chances are good that you know several people who will be pleased to have you take their spare bags off their hands.
  
  Since the clothing method means you won't be able to label your boxes by room (unless you happen to store your clothes in the kitchen), be sure to label your boxes well and keep a packing list with all of the contents of each box.
  
  

Transportation

• Renting a moving truck will save you plenty of money over professional movers yet still be large enough to carry your furniture items. For local moves, you may be able to rent a truck from the local home improvement store by the hour. For farther moves, a trailer may be cheaper than a truck because you don't have to pay for gas on the rental, and the rental company's maintenance costs are cheaper for trailers than trucks. Measure your furniture and boxes to see what size truck or trailer you'll need. If you're computer-inclined, try downloading a free trial of a 3-D drafting program and enter your data into the program. From there, you can fit the pieces together like a puzzle. Note that free trials often won't let you save your work or print, so be sure to note where each item goes once you've created the ideal layout to fit in the smallest truck size.