What is the cheapest way to move to college?

Affordably shipping stuff to college in another state  

Getting belongings to college cheaply and safely will vary depending on how much stuff you have and the distance. If you’re a minimalist, you might be able to pack everything in a couple of suitcases, but if that isn’t the case, you’ll need a cost-effective solution to ship your things. 

Here are some ways students might send items to campus: 

DIY moving service

Think hiring movers to ship things to a university will be too expensive? While it can be true with full-service options, a DIY service like U-Pack® is significantly cheaper. Check out the pros and cons of choosing U-Pack for your student move.

Pros:

• Excellent customer service throughout the move. 
• Offers the convenience of a moving service with savings from taking care of the labor (packing, loading and unloading). 
• No driving an unfamiliar vehicle long distance. 
• Service center locations in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. 
• Storage is available in most locations. 
• U-Pack’s ReloCube® moving containers are perfect for small moves. 

Cons: 

• Equipment can book up fast during peak moving season. (Just make a free reservation early!) 

Parcel shipping 

Parcel services like UPS®, FedEx®, or USPS® can send packages of all sizes to campus.

Pros: 

• The services cover most areas throughout the country. 
• You only pay for the shipping you need.

Cons: 

• Many campus housing buildings don’t allow package deliveries. 
• On-campus post offices, which typically allow deliveries, can be far away from dorms. 
• Rates are based on the size and weight of the shipments, so the service can get expensive for heavy or oversized items. 

Rental truck

Rental trucks advertise inexpensive daily rates for local moves but can get expensive fast when driving out of state. 

Pros:  

• Multiple sizes to choose from. 
• Cheap daily rates for in-state and local moves. 

Cons: 

• Out-of-pocket costs for fuel for a truck with low gas mileage. 
• Driving a bulky and unfamiliar vehicle hundreds of miles. 
• Extra time needed to secure and return the rental. 
• Most truck sizes are larger than needed for campus moves. 

How can I save money shipping things to campus with U-Pack? 

While you’ll already get a reasonable rate for shipping your things with U-Pack, try one of these ideas to save even more:  

Choose service center delivery 

You can save hundreds of dollars on the move by loading or unloading the Cube at a U-Pack service center. Learn more about service center delivery. 

Pack only necessities

Pack only the essentials for the dorm, so you can use the smallest available equipment size. For U-Pack, that’s a single ReloCube container or 5 linear feet in a moving trailer.

Pick a cost-effective moving date (if possible)

If your campus has flexible move-in dates, relocating on a weekday can be less expensive than choosing a weekend. Call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to ask a moving consultant to check prices on different dates or adjust them in your online quote to view any price differences.

Share equipment with a friend

If you and a friend are attending the same university, consider splitting the cost of the move. Work out the details with your friend to share the moving equipment by loading and unloading together at the same place (or a local service center for the most significant savings).  

Note: U-Pack moving equipment can only be delivered to one location for loading and one for unloading. We can only accept one payment method, so you’ll need to settle the bill with your friend outside the U-Pack Customer Dashboard. 

Use a student discount

U-Pack offers a student discount — just let us know or enter the code CAMPUS50 when making an online reservation. Also, try searching online for other moving coupons to save on services and packing supplies.

Reserve U-Pack today for an inexpensive college move

You can get a U-Pack quote for your student move by calling 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant or requesting one online.

If you have questions about U-Pack services or moving to campus affordably, let us know in the comments!