When you are planning a move, obviously you want to get it done with a minimum of aggravation, and if you’re like most people, you also want to save money where you can. So, is asking your friends to help you move a good idea?
If you are moving an entire houseful of furniture and belongings across the country, then you may have little choice other than to go with a professional mover due to the size of the van you’ll require and the time involved in packing up an entire house. With a cross-town move, though, it can be tempting to just rent a U-Haul and enlist your friends. Be aware, though, that even with a small move, there can be pitfalls involved in conscripting your friends into service. You’ll need to ask yourself a few questions before making your decision.
If you have a great deal of time to devote to your move, then you may be able to get it done with help from your friends. The trouble is, people often underestimate the length of time it takes to pack up everything they own, get it on a truck, and get it unloaded. Professional movers have years of training when it comes to coordinating a move in little time. They also can be relied upon to show up, which is something you can’t necessarily expect even from the best of friends.
Of course your friends mean well, but unless you have the good fortune to have friends who are also professional movers, you are risking damage to your furniture and other belongings. Professional movers know all the tricks when it comes to moving awkward items, and can get them in and out easily without causing damage to the items themselves, or to walls and staircases.
Remember, when you conduct your own move, you will still have expenses. You will most likely have to rent a truck or van, and you may also need to rent specialized equipment for moving heavy items.
But, you are thinking, the labour is free! Think again. Unless you are a total ingrate, you are going to want to reward your friends in some way for their assistance. At the very least, you should be providing them with food while they break their backs on your behalf. And following the move you know that your friends would probably love to relax with a few cold ones, right?
In this context, “debt” has nothing to do with money. Once your friends have helped you with your move, you owe each and every one of them a favor. A big one. This means that they have every right to call on you if they need help moving, or renovating, or with just about any other major project you can think of, no matter what else you may have had planned. Do you really want to take on a debt that big?
Your move may very well go off without anyone becoming injured. But what if one of your friends hurts his back, slips and falls, or is otherwise injured? Will your homeowners’ insurance cover the cost of their recovery? How will your premiums be affected?
With very few exceptions (one might be if you can load everything you own in a duffel bag and then drive to your new home), moving is a job bet left to the pros. It’s faster and safer that way, and often will even save you money.
