How can you move cheaply as a student ?

A crucial and unavoidable stage in student life, moving house requires preparation, organisation and a dose of practicality. Often seen as an expensive process by family and friends, a cheap move is not just a pipe dream! Nemea Appart'Etud has put together some top tips to help you move without blowing your budget.

Limiting costs with furnished accommodation

The first way to reduce the cost of moving is to choose your future home carefully. Flats that don’t need much in the way of furniture and belongings will cost the least to furnish. This is why we recommend students rent furnished, fully-equipped accommodation. By choosing a home that already has a bed, a full kitchen and storage space, you may not need to rent a van so moving will cost you less.

Wherever you plan to study, you’ll find furnished accommodation offers in student residences. Don’t pack and move everything but the kitchen sink! Moving in is easier with less stuff, and so is moving out when the time comes to move on.</p>

Call on your family and friends to save money

Every penny counts, so any outside help is welcome. For your move, remember to ask people you know for help before you book a vehicle or hire movers. Friends, work colleagues, family... if one gives you a few boxes and another lends you a van big enough to move your stuff and so on, you’ll avoid major expenses.

You can call on your social circle to help you on the day by loading the vehicle or unloading it at your new home. Think about offering a reward to convince kindly friends and family to help you, like buying everyone pizza at the end of the day. It might help you get more volunteers. This is also a good time to make a deal with your friends by offering to help them move when the time comes.

Find free boxes near you

Moving means packing your personal belongings. To avoid additional expenses, you can find free boxes to use for your move. It’s easy. Check with your local supermarkets a few weeks or days before your move.

Mostshops will be happy to set aside a few boxes for you, so call them or pop in and ask. If you’re still short of boxes, you can ask at your nearest waste disposal centre, where you will find boxes in different sizes that can still survive a move.