Moving and relocating from one area to another can be very expensive, but there are some ways to cut the costs associated with moving and protect yourself and your belongings in the meantime. Here are the top five ways that you can save money when using a household moving company.

1. While you are still getting estimates from various companies, be absolutely sure that each company comes out to your home and gives you a written estimate on moving your belongings after making a physical inspection. This one simple act can save you lots of money as moving companies are prevented by law from outrageously jacking up the bill at delivery when they have already given you a written estimate at the point of origin with a physical inspection.

2. If you want to save money on packing your belongings, and yet still get the benefit of the experience that a professional mover brings to the job, you can decide to pack only a portion of the items yourself and let the movers pack the rest. Typically, a good strategy is to pack the items that are less fragile like books, clothes, etc. yourself, and let the moving company pack the more delicate and fragile items instead. This can also benefit you in other ways, as any items that are packed by the moving company and are damaged within the box during transit will be covered by insurance since the movers packed those items themselves.

3. You can also save money on moving expenses if you have a flexible schedule for both pickup and delivery of your items and possessions. Most often, professional movers will have the items from several families in their truck at the same time. If you happen to have a narrow time frame for pickup and delivery, expect to pay more for that privilege. But the more freedom and flexibility you give the moving company regarding your move dates, the less you will often pay.

4. You can also save money with many moving companies if you schedule your move at the right time of year. Most movers are busiest during the summer season and at the end of the month. So if you can choose an off peak time period for your move, you can often get a discounted rate.

5. A very important way to save money and protect yourself and your belongings is to choose the correct insurance option when making your move, and then doing a thorough inspection of your belongings both at the point of origin and the destination to be sure that there was no damage in transit. If you have items that could be difficult and expensive to replace, you may want to choose the full replacement coverage insurance option for your move. This ensures that if any item is damaged in transit it will be replaced with a new one regardless of cost. But whatever insurance option you choose, make sure that you are completely familiar with all of the items that you have shipped and their condition at both the point of origin and destination in order to get reimbursed for any shipping damage that may occur.

These five simple tips to help make sure that your moving experience goes smoothly and that you protect both yourself and your belongings as you relocate to another area.