How to Move House on a Budget

Moving house is consistently ranked as one of the most stressful things you can do in life. Having done it myself, I’d add that it’s also one of the most expensive — and not always in the ways you expect. The removal company quote is the big obvious number, but there are costs that creep up alongside it: packing materials, overlap on rent, cleaning, the things that don’t fit the van and need a second trip.

I hired a van for my last move and did it with help from family. Hard work but we saved several hundred pounds compared to a full removal company quote. For a future move — bigger house, more stuff, considerably less patience for loading a Luton van at 7am — I’d probably get the professionals in, but I’d still use every trick I know to keep the bill down.

Here’s what actually makes a difference.

Last updated: May 2026

Updated May 2026 – Tips, costs and UK-specific advice refreshed for 2026. Moving costs have gone up but there are still plenty of ways to cut the bill significantly if you plan ahead.

1. Declutter Before You Pack a Single Box

The less you move, the less everything costs. Removal companies charge based on volume and weight. Storage costs the same. Van hire is the same. Every bag you get rid of before moving day is one you don’t pay to move, unpack, or find space for in the new place.

This is genuinely one of the best things you can do financially — and it’s also just a good reason to have a proper clear-out before you start again somewhere new.

Sell what you can on Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, eBay. Donate the rest to a local charity shop or arrange a collection from a charity like the British Heart Foundation (they collect furniture for free). Book a council bulky waste collection for anything that’s neither sellable nor donatable.

Aim to do this at least four to six weeks before your move date. Doing it the week before is stressful and you end up just binning everything.

2. Get at Least Three Removal Company Quotes

Removal company pricing varies enormously — sometimes by hundreds of pounds for the same job. There’s no fixed going rate, and what one company charges depends on their schedule, their fleet size, how busy they are that week, and sometimes just their pricing philosophy.

Get at least three quotes. Use a comparison site like Compare My Move or Reallymoving to get multiple quotes at once, then follow up with each company directly.

When comparing quotes, check what’s actually included: packing materials, dismantling furniture, storage if needed, insurance. A quote that looks cheap but doesn’t include packing is less useful if you need that.

Read reviews carefully, especially recent ones. A company with great reviews from 2021 and nothing since is a yellow flag.

3. Consider Hiring a Van Instead

For smaller moves — a one or two-bed flat, or moving without much large furniture — hiring a van is significantly cheaper than a full removal company. You’re looking at £80-150 for a day’s van hire vs several hundred for a removal team.

The honest trade-off: it’s tiring, you’ll need help, and if you’ve got heavy or awkward furniture it’s genuinely hard work. But if you’ve got a few strong friends or family members willing to help in exchange for pizza and a thank you, it’s very doable.

Enterprise, Hertz, and Luton Van Hire are worth comparing. Book as far in advance as you can — weekend availability goes fast and prices are lower midweek.

4. Move Midweek If You Can

Moving companies charge more at weekends because everyone wants to move on a Saturday. If you can take a day or two off work and move on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you’ll often get a lower removal quote and the company will be less rushed.

The same applies to van hire — weekday rates are noticeably cheaper than weekend ones.

5. Source Free Packing Materials

Boxes, bubble wrap, and packing paper add up surprisingly quickly. Before you buy anything:

Ask your local supermarket, off-licence, or bookshop if they have spare boxes (they almost always do, and will often put them aside if you ask)
Check Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle — people who’ve just moved are desperate to get rid of boxes
Use what you already own: suitcases, bags, laundry baskets, and storage boxes are all perfectly good for moving things
Wrap fragile items in towels, bedding, and clothing rather than buying bubble wrap

If you do need to buy materials, The Box Warehouse and similar online box suppliers are cheaper than buying retail from Argos or Staples.

6. Sort Your Utilities Early

Switching energy supplier when you move is one of those things that feels admin-heavy but can save you real money. When you take over a property you’re often put on the standard variable tariff — the most expensive option — by default.

Before moving in, take meter readings on day one. Compare suppliers using Uswitch or MoneySuperMarket and switch as soon as you’re through the door. It takes about ten minutes and can save you £200-400 a year depending on the current market.

Also update your broadband as early as possible. Availability and prices vary significantly by area, and installation slots book up. Setting it up in advance means you’re not paying for temporary mobile data for a month after moving in.

7. Redirect Your Post (and Actually Go Through Your Accounts)

Royal Mail post redirection costs £39.99 for three months and is worth every penny as a safety net — but it’s not a substitute for actually updating your address everywhere. Go through your bank accounts, insurance policies, subscriptions, DVLA, HMRC, and your GP. The longer things stay at the old address, the more likely something important gets missed.

If you’re renting your previous place, leaving it properly cleaned means getting your full deposit back, which can offset a chunk of the moving costs.

8. Budget for Hidden Costs

The removal company and the solicitor fees are the obvious ones. But a realistic moving budget for most UK house purchases also needs to account for: survey costs, Stamp Duty (depending on purchase price and whether you’re a first-time buyer), removal insurance, cleaning costs for the old property, any immediate repairs or decorating in the new place, and the inevitable trip to IKEA for the things that don’t quite fit.

If you’re buying, the legal and surveying costs alone are typically £1,500-3,000 before you even get to the removal van. Budget for these early rather than being caught out.

9. Don’t Forget Moving Day Basics

Pack a separate “day one” box with everything you’ll need immediately: kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, phone chargers, toilet paper, towels, a change of clothes, snacks. The last thing you want at 8pm when you’re surrounded by boxes is to hunt for the kettle because it’s inside a box that ended up under twelve others in the garage.

Label every box clearly with the room it’s going to. Removal companies and helpers will put things where you tell them — it saves so much time if you don’t have to redirect everything.

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