Moving from one place to another entails a financial loss, especially in June when it seems that every graduate in the city is moving. The expense rises due to demand for incidental things like rental trucks. You may be tempted to sell a stock or five to pay for what seems like a Herculean effort; but before you make that move - either in the stock market or across the country - you might be interested in the lessons that Cora and I learned this past week.

Cora and I both learned that we don't want to continuously carry twenty-five boxes of books down three flights of stairs into a moving van, but Cora also learned how to calculate moving and cost comparisons as we investigated a few alternatives on how to move these boxes of books. Based on our possible endurance, time factors, the cost of moving men, and a surprising offer issued by the U.S. Post Office, we ended up with a nice savings.

First, we walked downstairs with a box of books, and we discovered that it took us about ten + minutes to walk from the apartment to the end of the sidewalk and back upstairs again:

25 boxes of books x ten minutes/ two people = 125 minutes or just a little over two hours

We knew that we couldn't endure a two-hour trek, especially since I had other items to move. So, we decided to find out how much it would cost to hire some moving men. In this large city the cost to hire two moving men for a two-hour minimum ranges from $25 to $75 per hour plus mileage fees. We found three companies that I felt I could afford, but they all turned me down because of the three-floor walkup. I did find one man who would help on the side, and the total cost for his services was $225 for two hours. I was about to hire him when something happened on the way to the Post Office that altered our plans altogether.

I picked up a little blue leaflet at the P.O. entitled, "It's Easier Than Ever to Ship," and my load suddenly seemed lighter. I could order twenty-five boxes from the Post Office - free of charge - and the boxes could be shipped via priority mail at a flat rate of $7.70 per box. Plus, I could order the postage and labels online and my postal delivery person would pick up the boxes from my residence free of charge. Twenty-five boxes at $7.70 each equaled $192.50. That meant that I would save $32.50 if I mailed rather than hire that moving man.

At that point, Cora and I decided to check out the cost of the necessary moving van and measure my goods minus twenty-five U.S.P.S. boxes of books (11"x 8.5"x 5.5"). To do this, we had to measure my boxes and furniture and add them together to see how my "stuff" would fit into a van. First, we measured all the box heights and added them together. We discovered that we could fit five boxes on top of each other. Then we measured the widths and added them together, and discovered we could fit five more boxes lengthwise. At this point we had disposed of twenty-five boxes, but we had to find room for the furniture.

By the time we were through with all our measurements, we discovered that I could save $70.00 on a moving van if I eliminated the books, as a larger van would be too big and a smaller van would be just a tad too small if I held onto the books. So, I ordered the priority mail boxes from the U.S.P.S. and they arrived in five working days. Now, let me tell you about the possible problems involved with this procedure so that you'll be prepared if you decide to go this route.

The major problem that arises is that you need someone at the other end to receive the boxes. While you can wait until the day that you move to mail all the boxes at one time to yourself, I would suggest that you take them to the P.O. so that you have a safe and assured delivery if you go this route. Also, I was unable to print the postage/labels from my computer. However, I was able to purchase the postage/labels from the P.O. and all went well from there.

The average weight for all twenty-five boxes when filled with books came to 11 lbs. per box - well below the 70 lb. cutoff - and each box is a manageable size. So, Cora and I both can carry two boxes downstairs each day on our way to do errands and the postal delivery person will pick up the packages and send them priority mail. Each box takes about three-four days to arrive.

Additionally, I caved in and sold twenty of my "precious" books online before I packed up the remainder. The profit that I made from the books (after packaging and media mail costs) equaled $308.00, and this helped pay for the move. And - last but not least - Cora had a hand in the process, and she felt more in control of the situation than she did before she became involved. Now she knows exactly what to expect on moving day, and she seems much more accepting of the change.

Thanks to the U.S.P.S., I saved money on the cost of the moving van and I avoided the cost of the moving man. Although the priority mail plan has few small hitches, it might be worth your while to check into this option yourself, especially if you have kids who don't look forward to changes. If you let them become involved in the moving process, you might see a slight change in their attitudes.

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin