Is hiring movers worth the cost? Ask yourself these 4 questions before paying for professional help
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Hiring movers can be an enormous relief amid a hectic process. But is it actually worth the cost?
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5 min read
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investment
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July 4, 2025
01:00 PM
CNBC
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MoneyChanging careers
Make these 3 money moves first, experts sayLand the JobHow a 'brag doc' can help you ace interviews and land a job, says recruiterSuccessPeople pay me to help them make decisions—No. 1 myth that makes 'your life worse'Land the Job4 expert tips to bounce back after losing your job and InvestMake these 4 money moves right after you graduate from collegeRiska | Getty ImagesMoving can be a stressful cess
And with kids or a busy job, it gets even harder
For many, hiring movers can feel a good way to reduce the hassle — but it can also come with a high price tag
If you want to bring in fessionals, the average cost of a two- to three-bedroom local move of 7,500 pounds is $1,250, according to Moving
Com, a moving services platform
A long-distance move of around 1,000 miles will run you $4,890 on average
That number can go up even higher, though, depending on factors such as the weight and size of your belongings, the distance of your move, the timing of it and the cost of labor
So, is it worth it to hire movers
Here are four questions to ask yourself first, according to financial experts
Do you have items that would be expensive to replace
It might be easy to move a bedside table and a few bags of clothes with the help of a couple buddies, but consider whether you trust yourself to keep your more precious possessions safe too, says Ben Smith, a certified financial planner from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
As Smith's clients get older and accumulate pricier possessions, he finds they feel more comfortable spending money on movers to reduce the chances of things or getting injured by doing the heavy lifting themselves, he says
Plus, fessional moving companies usually offer insurance packages you can tack onto your deal, meaning if a flat-screen TV gets cracked in the truck, you might end up in a better position for getting a replacement than if you accidentally break it in the back of a U-Haul, Smith says
Is the cost worth the time d
With any convenience service, consider the value of the time you'll get back by outsourcing in comparison to the price, Smith says
With his clients, Smith usually crunches these numbers with the help of online tools, the salary to hourly calculators on Indeed or The Calculator Site, he says
When calculating your personal hourly rate, remember to account for base salary, bonuses, recurring job costs, benefits and vacation time
For a quick estimate, you can add your annual income and typical bonus together, then subtract estimated taxes and work-related expenses such as gas to and from the job
Divide that number by the total hours you work in a year, which is usually around 2,080 hours for full-time employees
If your hourly rate comes to $75, you may be comfortable paying someone $50 an hour on occasion to help with a tedious maintenance task, Smith says
Moving, though, generally comes at a steeper price, and often requires you to think more long-term managing your time, money and stress, beyond just your hourly rate
Consider the different factors that could raise the price tag and how much time you want to buy back, says Jovan Johnson, a CFP from Atlanta, Georgia
Are you willing to pay someone to help with packing, or would you prefer to money by taking care of that step yourself
How long would it take you to get enough friends together to carry your couch out the door, into the truck and to your new place — and how much could you accomplish by using that time differently
If outsourcing can you significant ductive time, allowing you to prioritize your income, then it may be worth it, Johnson says
Will outsourcing tect your peace of mind
There are many factors to worry when moving, and sometimes hiring fessional help is key for "peace of mind," Smith says
It's why he and his wife decided to hire s for the first time when they moved two years ago
Saving time and physical effort vided mental relief, he says, and allowed the couple to focus on other tasks, changing addresses on credit cards
It also crucially allowed Smith to stay on track at work, he says
Your income is "the engine" of your financial health, Smith says
Prioritizing your happiness and outsourcing tasks that bog you down can reduce the risk of burnout and keep the engine running
So if hiring movers means you won't fall behind at work or into turmoil at, then outsourcing might be the way to go, Smith says
Are you sacrificing long-term financial goals
Before hiring a moving company, it's best to shop around and find a price that won't deter your long-term financial goals, Johnson says
Depending on your budget, this may mean only hiring movers to take care of a small portion of your more breakable, bulky or precious items, while teaming up with friends or family to take care of the rest
You should never hire movers if it would jeopardize your ability to pay important bills or force you into high-rate debt, he says
Ultimately, it comes down to finding a price you can afford today that also won't deter your long-term goals, Johnson says
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