First Move on a Small Budget: Where You Can Really Save
Small budget
Saving without cutting corners in the wrong place
Calculate wisely
When you move into your first home of your own, the budget is usually tight – deposit, furniture and the first rent all come at once. The price of a move depends above all on the volume: whatever is sold, given away or disposed of before the move does not have to be carried by anyone. After that you decide which tasks you take on yourself. With a fixed price after a survey you know in advance what the move will cost. For small flats we offer suitable solutions in the area of private moves.
Packing yourself saves working hours, and so does dismantling furniture beforehand – the only important thing is that everything is ready on moving day. With us, your household goods are covered under the German Commercial Code (HGB) even if you packed them yourself; however, nobody is liable for damage caused by inadequate packing of your own. Whether it is a small move within the city or a larger private move: call us on 01625978461 and we will prepare a non-binding quote in which every service is shown separately.
Only pay for what you need
Your own work counts too
Send us a short list in advance of what needs to come with you and what you will handle yourself – packing, dismantling, disposal. After the survey we then quote a fixed price that contains only what you really need. Call us without obligation on 01625978461.
Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.
How we calculate for small budgets
Clear items, a fixed price
When you move into your first home, every euro counts – which is why we are open about what the price depends on: volume, floor, distance and which tasks you take on yourself. After the survey we quote a fixed price, and you decide whether you pack and dismantle furniture yourself or whether we do it. Your household goods are covered under the HGB, and additional insurance is available on request. We operate from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), and for small quantities also as a part load – often the cheapest solution for a first flat.
Site survey
Your own work
Part load
Keep the invoice
Where first-time movers save on a move
Not every money-saving tip is worth the same. These six levers have the greatest influence on the cost of your first move – from the volume to the tax return. The biggest saving usually comes from combining fewer household goods with your own work.
Reduce the volume
Packing yourself
Prepare the furniture
Choose a weekday
Check a part load
Use the tax bonus
Part load: share the journey, share the costs
Cutting
moving costs
Where can you save on your first move without risking trouble? In this part of the series we compare the most important adjustments: less volume through decluttering, your own work when packing and dismantling furniture, a date during the week, the part load and the tax bonus for moving work. These levers also apply to a long-distance move to another city – there, every cubic metre counts twice. The only important thing is to save in the right place: not on padding material and not on liability.
Take less with you
Split the work
Date and tax
Frequently asked questions about the cost of your first move
What you can do yourself
The biggest cost driver is the volume. So go through early on what really needs to come to your first flat, and sell or give away the rest. Then draw up a checklist of which tasks you will take on yourself: packing boxes, emptying shelves, dismantling small furniture, taking down lamps. Whatever is already done on moving day shortens the team's working time.
Also think about parking and the authorities: if the lorry is parked far away, carrying takes longer. In Berlin you can apply for a parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) at the district office (Bezirksamt); the signs must be in place 72 hours beforehand. Registration with the registration office follows within two weeks of moving in.
Date, part load and tax: the other ways to save
First-time movers often have a limited budget, so it pays to look at every item. Used, sturdy moving boxes from friends and acquaintances reduce material costs, and with few household goods a part load saves you a lorry of your own. Get several quotes and look for a fixed price after a survey instead of open-ended hourly billing.
The date counts too: the end of the month and Saturdays are in particularly high demand, while a weekday in the middle of the month is easier to get. After the move you can deduct 20% of the labour costs, up to €4,000 a year, as a household-related service (§ 35a EStG). Find out more in the article Deducting moving costs from your tax.
Moving costs – our prices for your planning
| Number of rooms | Price from |
|---|---|
| 1 room | €365 |
| 2 rooms | €584 |
| 3 rooms | €905 |
| 4 rooms | €1,324 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
For long-distance moves: from €3.90 per kilometre. Arrange a free survey now!
These 5 factors determine your moving price
1. The volume of your household, 2. the distance (from €3.90/km), 3. the floor, 4. whether there is a lift and 5. the need for a parking restriction zone. In addition, furniture assembly and a part load can be booked.
Which services to add – and which not
Only book what you cannot manage yourself – every service can be chosen individually.
- Furniture transport: single items are no problem either. Furniture transport
- Private move: for your new home. Private move
- Part load: combined with other transports. Part load
- Move with assembly: we assemble your furniture. Move with assembly
- House clearance: we clear reliably. House clearance
- Office move: for companies of any size. Office move
Moving to another city on a budget
With long-distance moves every cubic metre counts twice, so decluttering and a part load are particularly worthwhile here. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and travel nationwide; details under Long-distance moves, destinations with their own page in the locations overview.
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