Not everyone has the financial means to move home when they need to. And life sometimes throws things at us, giving us no choice but to move home when we don’t have the means to pay for it.
This guide is not just for those on benefits, but for those who urgently need help with setting up a new home, as well as thrifty home movers, or maybe students moving out for the first time.
There is even a useful link for those seeking an interest-free loan to finance a home move when hiring a reputable removal company.
So where do you turn when you need financial help with moving home?
In this guide, you will find useful links and information to assist you in getting loans or grants to help with moving costs, as well as help sourcing the essential things you need to set up a home.
And like any home move, a certain amount of planning or organization is called for.
Here we have put together a 7-point guide for moving home with little or no money.
#1. How to decide on what you want to move to your new home
#2. How to set a home moving budget
#3. How to move home with no money
#4. Interest-Free Home Moving Loans
#5. Where to get help with home moving costs
#6. Grants for Moving into a New Home
#7. Setting Up Home with No Money
#1. How to Decide What to Take When Moving Home
If circumstances dictate that you have to move home quickly with no money, then decide only on the things you must have, or need to survive day to day.
The rest can be replaced at a later date, and often for free, which will keep your moving costs to the absolute minimum.
And when you really think about it, our needs are really very basic to survive.
Somewhere to sleep
Somewhere to sit
Basic cooking utensils
Eating utensils
Bathroom essentials
Bedding
Food
The most basic of home moves will come down to moving yourself and some clothes from point A to B.
A friend with a vehicle to transport you may cost you nothing at all, but the worst cost scenario for this type of move is the taxi or bus fare.
Another way to decide what to take with you is dictated by how you intend to move your things.
If you have 2 suitcases and a rucksack, then that determines how much you can pack and take with you.
If you have access to a vehicle then free boxes are easy enough to come by, and the space available in the vehicle will dictate exactly what you can take.
It is worth considering the option if the number of items you need to move warrants it, hiring a reputable removal company to transport your things, and using some of the recycling or things for free websites, to then source all the household items you need.
The money saved by upcycling and finding free things will pay for the removal costs.
You may also like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move. The one guaranteed way to save money on your moving costs is to move fewer things. In this guide, we show you how to declutter your home so that you only take the things that you really need and love and therefore make big savings on your moving costs.
A self-move is not always cost-effective or possible. A professional removal firm may be cheaper to hire than you think.
Save time and money on your move
Save up to 40% on your upcoming move and get a quote from reputable moving experts.
For most relocations, you will need to know how much money you need to move home.
And to help you set a budget for your home move, find out how much your home move will cost by getting free home removal estimates.
But if you are moving on a very tight budget be realistic with your budget planning.
Even if you incur no moving costs you will need rent money, and often you will need a deposit if renting (later we will tell you where to get assistance for this), cleaning supplies, and some utility companies may charge to set up a new account.
Essential reading: moving home yourself vs hiring a removal company. In this guide, we examine the pros and cons of moving home yourself vs hiring a removal company to do it all for you, and which is likely to be the most cost-effective option for your move.
Although the costs of moving home may seem daunting, there is financial and practical help out there for those who need it.
How to Move Home with No Money
Ask friends or family for help. Perhaps you could offer to babysit or help in some other way, as a way of saying thank you.
Often a friend or friend of a friend in a social media group may be able to help. It is worth asking.
Failing that, perhaps the company you work for has a van that you can borrow.
Do you have a talent that you could barter with someone who has a van? For example, you will cut their lawns, or decorate a room, in exchange for the use of their van for the day.
Often local charities, community associations, or youth clubs have a van. Is it possible that you could use that in exchange for a couple of day’s volunteer work for example?
Any packing boxes you need can easily be found at the local grocery store, wine merchants (where you will find some good strong boxes), and other local businesses.
Use suitcases, holdalls, backpacks, bin liners, carrier bags, and handbags, in fact, if it will hold some items, use it.
Blankets and clothing can be used as packing materials to protect any fragile items you may want to pack.
You may like to read: Alternative Packing Materials for Moving Home. Packing supplies are not cheap and the costs can soon spiral out of control so in this guide we look at things you have laying around your home that you can use instead.
Interest-Free Home Moving Loans
Did you know that if a removal company is a member of NGRS (National Guild of Removers and Storers) you can apply for an interest-free loan to help pay for your home removal costs?
It is usually a good idea to hire a removal company that is a member of one of the removal industry trade bodies as their members have to meet certain criteria to join, must adhere to certain trading standards, and the association will arbitrate in the event of a dispute between the customer and the removal company.
I need help with home moving costs, where do I turn?
Of course, not everyone will be eligible for grants for moving home. And sometimes it can be down to the local authority, or charity, as to what the criteria you must meet to qualify are.
But you do not necessarily have to be on benefits to qualify.
Often, an organization associated with a trade, for example, may have funds available as a one-off payment to help those in need.
Here are our top 5 places to contact to find out if you could qualify for financial help with home moving costs.
#1. The Citizens Advice Bureau is always a good place to start. They will be able to advise you if you are getting all your entitlements, and also if there is an organization that may be able to help you with a one-off payment for example.
#2. Age UK has plenty of advice, including help with urgent payment requests.
#3. Local Councils often have allocated funds to assist people in urgent need. They may also be able to help with acquiring white goods or furniture for certain home movers.
#4. Turn2Us is a website that helps people in financial need gain access to benefit payments, charitable grants, and other financial support.
#5. Trade Unions often have grants available to members who need urgent financial assistance.
Grants for Moving Home
Often grants can be awarded not just for moving costs, but for help with rent deposits, furniture, white goods, and even vouchers for household goods.
The organisations listed above should be your first port of call as they will be able to give you a list of people who can help.
If you are a student, you may be eligible for a grant to help with accommodation costs
If you live in Scotland you can apply for a home-moving grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund
And for those in Northern Ireland, you can seek assistance for Finance Support
If you are on low wages you may be able to get housing benefit which will help pay your rent.
Housing benefits will not always cover your rent, but your local council may be able to help with a discretionary housing payment.
Click the link to find out about applying for grants for home improvements.
There are also grants available from the energy suppliers, for loft insulation and upgrading your heating system for example.
To declutter or refurbish, yard sales are a great place to grab a bargain.
How to Set Up Home with No Money – Where to get things for Free.
There are many places where you can find nearly everything you need to set up a home for free.
Social media is a great place to start. Just post asking if anyone has any spares of the items you need. It costs nothing to ask.
The internet is a really useful resource to help find free things.
Upcycling and getting things for free is a great way to save costs when setting up your new home. It was truly astonishing the things people were giving away for free when researching this article.
These are our Top 6 websites for getting free things for your home.
You may also like to read: Where to Get Free Stuff When Moving Home. In this guide, we suggest places to not only get free things that you will need to set up your new home but where to find companies who send home movers vouchers and samples, thereby saving you even more money.
Final Thought on Moving Out with No Money
Moving home is stressful enough when we have an exciting new home and a new life to look forward to.
But add in the stress of being in a situation we would prefer not to be in, with no money to escape that situation, and things can soon spiral out of control.
It will take effort on your part, and often thinking about the situation from new angles, but there is help out there.
Be creative in ways you can exchange your time and talents for help. You are far more likely to receive help if you can give something in return.
It is highly likely when seeking grants or financial assistance, that many doors will be closed to you, but don’t give up.
Did you know there are over 160,000 registered charities in the UK? There are so many charities and organisations out there that have funds available to help people.
The chances are you would qualify for help, you just need to target your request for help in the right place.
And this guide is not just about getting grants, it is to open you to the idea of being thrifty, recycling, and making use of things other people no longer need or are just surplus to their needs.
It is to help you redirect your money for home moving essentials and to save costs in other areas.
You may also like to read: Ways to Save Money After Moving Into a New Home. Here we look at ways to cut the cost of running your new home. From batch cooking to gardening, saving on commuting costs to saving on renovation costs, it is an invaluable guide if you want to save money.
Moving home always heralds a new chapter in our life. Use this new start to explore new ways to save money, and just as importantly to help others.
Maybe you have things that you want to get rid of when moving to your new home, so why not help someone in a similar situation to yourself?
If there’s one thing I have learned in life, is that those with the least to give will be the first to give. And they are the happiest people I have met.
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