When we started to plan out our move, I was super frustrated by the lack of information on what it takes to move cross country. Yes, there were tips on how to pack your items (there will be more on my Pinterest hacks later) and how to get boxes, but nothing really broke down the actual cost. I’ve decided that it is necessary to showcase our costs, since it is really useful info to have, especially in a society that is weird about discussing specific figures.

Supplies:

-Moving Boxes: We repurposed a lot of Amazon boxes, received a good amount of awesome AT&T boxes from my uncle, received bankers boxes from Don’s parents, and bought two moving kit with large and medium boxes. Total: $60

-Tape: We had to go out and buy more tape at the last minute and got four rolls for $16.

-Bubble Wrap, Moving Bands, & Plastic Wrap: We bought the two 60 sq foot rolls to cover everything in our one bedroom apartment. We bought a single pack of moving bands since we weren’t taking a chunk of our furniture with us and we bought a roll of moving plastic wrap to protect our other furniture. We still have leftover bubble wrap and plastic for our next move. Total: $38

-Dollar Store Run: This was the best decision I had when it came to getting supplies. I bought garbage bags for protecting our hanging clothes, paper towels, paper plates, paper cups, paper napkins for move in/out, and puppy pads to put into Tara’s litter box for $6. If you need a cheap way to get out of your current place and get your deposit back, this is the way to go. They have every cleaning supply imaginable! If we ran out, this was where I planned on going for the rest.

Transportation:

-Truck: We rented a 26’ truck and car dolly from Penske. We did have to purchase additional insurance, but I got a AAA discount (12%) on the rentals themselves. We had 8 days to use and return the truck. Due to a scheduling conflict, we ended up getting a 25% discount overall to compensate us for our lost time, bringing our total down to $1,998.

-Gas: We had to put gas in both the Silverado and the rental truck. If you’re lucky to have a more fuel efficient car, this number should be lower for you.

• Silverado Total: $231
• Truck Total: $705

-Hotels: Since we had the cat, we were spending a little more than we normally would. Total for 3 nights: $217 after taxes and pet fees.

-Cat: I had to buy a special carrier on Amazon for Tara to ride in the backseat. It was a great investment since it gave her lots of space to move around and could hold a small litter box. It has straps on the back so she could be buckled in. I highly recommend it! You can check it out here. Total: $46.

Food:

-Thank You Dinner: It is important to us to thank everyone that helped us move, and to do so took our friends out to dinner after we loaded the vehicles. This was also our last visit to Campus Polleye’s in Bowling Green, OH, which has the best stuffed breadsticks you will ever eat in your life! Total: $42.

-Travel Food: To help save money and maximize our time on the road, we packed snacks, lunches, and drinks for the trip. We also purchased a cheap foam cooler since our actual cooler had seen better days and needed to go. However, we did make the choice to splurge on dinner in Gallup, so this ended up being way higher than anticipated. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself. Total: $82

The Takeaway

Captain Obvious note: moving is very expensive. In order to make this happen, we made a point to start saving last year by using my paychecks from my second job. Then, we added our tax return into the mix in order to pay for everything. This has been really nice, since we have been able to purchase a few new household and furniture items since we got here. However, we are living a bit house poor at the moment, but we are fine with this. I’ve accepted a job offer, so things will be returning to normal soon. We love Phoenix so far, and it has been fun meeting other ex-Ohio people! Even though it was a lot of driving, a lot of hassle, and a lot of money, we wouldn’t trade this new adventure for anything!