Ways to Save Money When Renting a Storage Unit
Renting s storage unit appeals to many individuals because it allows them to store extra items they have without taking up space in their home. Often times, individuals are unable to justify the cost of a unit though and this leaves them in a bind. Fortunately, if you are working with a tight budget, there are some ways that you can get the biggest bang for your buck, but it may take some time, planning, and searching on your end. Below, these tips will help you get the most out of your storage unit for the least amount of money.
1. Always Take Advantage of Available Discounts
The self-storage industry has a lot of competition, which is good for you. This means that customers have the upper hand and you will find that units are always on sale and facilities are always offering discounts. You should take advantage of these discounts to help you save the most money possible.
Whether you plan to rent a self storage unit for a couple of months or for an extended period of time, you will find that units are often discounted anywhere between 10 to 25%. You may also find that the facility runs a special where you receive a month or two for free.
2. Store ONLY the Stuff You Need To
You wouldn’t want to pay for a storage unit to store a couple of pairs of beat up shoes, would you? Of course not. You should store ONLY the stuff you need and ONLY the stuff of value. You should go through all items before you place them into the storage unit and think about it like this – if it would go in a garage sale, it shouldn’t go in my unit. This way, you only store the most important, valuable items.
3. Try to Negotiate the Price
As mentioned above, you have the upper hand as the customer because there are MANY storage units around. You may find that you can negotiate the price of your unit and knock a few bucks off the monthly price. It is important to keep in mind that not all facilities will have a lax policy, and some do have strict pricing standards, but it is always worth a shot.
4. Check Out the Competition
Don’t be shy about checking out the competition. You should visit a minimum of three facilities before you make a decision. By visiting the competition, you will learn more about a fair price for the unit, what the security options are, and whether or not the facility is a good choice for you.
5. Don’t Store Bulky Items in Your Unit
Bulky items will eat up a lot of room in your storage unit and this can be problematic, especially if you need to store a lot of items. If you do have bulky items, you can store them in your unit, if you have the room, but if the item will be too much, think about other places to store it or simply toss the item if it is not worth keeping. (You could also donate the items if you cannot store them.)
6. Get a Rental Truck Included with Your Move
Many self-storage locations will offer you FREE use of their rental truck when you rent one of their units. Since this is a popular option, many times the truck is reserved by new movers, so do plan accordingly and try to coordinate your move with the availability of the truck.
You should also make use of the free hand trucks and shipping supplies that storage units offer, as this will save you money too.
Sometimes, if you are moving, you can find a moving company that also offer storage options and you can get the storage included into your move.
7. Share Space with Family or Friends
If renting an entire storage unit is not in your budget or you simply do not have enough items to fill up a unit, you may want to consider sharing the unit with friends or family. If you and one other person share the unit, you can split the bill 50/50 or if you share it with four people, your portion would be 25 percent of the bill.
One thing you need to keep in mind though is that you only want to share a unit with people you can trust. You do not want to find your stuff missing and you do not want to be left with the entire bill either.
Get a Self-Storage Unit for Cheap Today
With the self-storage unit niche growing rapidly, you can get ahold of a unit for cheaper than you may think. It may take you some time and research, but there are affordable units. Keep the above tips in mind and you can secure a unit in no time and not burn a hole in your wallet.
