we are looking for the cheapest way to move from WI to WA w/2 dogs 2 cats and a car and truck w/lots of stuff?

Answer 1

Rather than rent and drive a moving truck I highly suggest using ABF to truck your stuff over here. I used them from Florida to Seattle and they were great. Totally on-time, no problems, no damage and the price was very affordable.

What they do is bring you a 24' empty trailer which you'll have three days to fill it up as far as you need. Then a wall's put in and they'll fill the rest of the truck with commercial goods that they're delivering. You'll be the last stop. You only pay based on the amount of feet that you've taken up in the trailer.

Here's their website: http://www.upack.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Answer 2

I did the reverse route last summer from Tacoma, WA to Minneapolis with two rats, a cat and a lot of stuff, courtesy of my daughter who had just graduated from college out there. We rented a U-Haul one way for about $1000, not including the extra insurance, which we had to purchase because my auto insurance would not cover a rental moving truck. Gas was usually about $80 per fill-up, at a time when prices were running about $2.80 a gallon, and as you cross the Rockies, you WILL burn lots of gas as your truck chugs up those steep inclines, especially running from Butte, Montana through Idaho. We also spent about $40-50 per night staying at motels, and it took us about 3 days from the west coast to the midwest. You might be able to sleep in the car, but with the critters that might not be the most comfortable way to go. Also, keep in mind many motels don't allow animals, or they charge a fee per pet, which might get pricey in your situation.

I'd try shipping things ahead, if you know already where you plan to live. UPS and FedEx will ship large items if you have them pre-weighed and crated, though the cheapest way to move is, sadly, to sell or give away most of the heavy stuff---furniture, appliances, books, anything you can't carry in your vehicles. You often find once you move into a new place that the furniture isn't suitable for the space you have, or you may want a whole new look to your home. I've also learned as I've gotten older that objects are generally replaceable, unless they're heirlooms or family treasures (old photos, videos, scrapbooks, etc.). You may find as you sort through things that much of it isn't really worth carrying cross country, and it will actually be cheaper in the long run to replace rather than move an item.

Answer 3

Go to U-Haul and ask them what the rate is for a truck big enough to carry your stuff plus a car carrier. You tow your truck and someone drives your car. Figure on 4 or 5 days. Diesel U-Hauls are typical for one-way rentals; in Washington diesel is 20 to 30 cents higher than regular gas. If you don't have friends or relatives here to help you unload, it can be a real chore.

Also talk to a moving company - or two. The hassle is sometimes not worth doing yourself if you have "lots of stuff". You'll be able to make the trip yourself in 3 days or less. (I drove straight thru from Leech Lake, MN, once in 23 hours but don't recommend it. So you save a little on motel fees and gas.

Sometimes "cheapest" works out to be not the option with the lowest price. Think back aches, muscle strains, loss of time, and strained relationships.

Answer 4

U-Haul or some other company where you drive the truck. I would never trust a moving company, as too many of them are scammers and don't get your stuff to your destination on time or at all, or they raise the rates after they already have your stuff loaded so they are basically holding it ransom. Get someone to drive the truck for you, or you drive it and tow your car or have someone else drive your car.

Answer 5

Rent a truck. One drives the truck, one drives the car. Trade off once in a while. Welcome to Seattle. The temperature today is about 67 and the sun has not been out in several days.