Many people hear the word "move," and they immediately see dollar signs. Moving can be costly, especially when a move involves traveling to a new city and state. Here are some simple ways you can save money, when planning your move.

1. Donate.

You might think of donating your things as losing money, but sometimes, you don't have the time or energy to set up a big sale or to individually list things on local swap pages. Instead, donate items, and keep a tally. Then you can write off the things you donated as a charitable contribution, when tax season comes.

If you do want to get some cash for more valuable items, consider contacting a local pawn shop or consignment store to avoid the hassle of trying to get buyers yourself. This way, you still see a portion of the sale, but you also get to free up your time (it's precious during a move). 

2. Move at an "off" time.

Spring and summer are peak moving seasons, so you can expect to pay peak moving prices. Supply and demand make it more costly to move when everyone else does. If you have the luxury of choosing your move time, look for fall or winter moving months, or at least try to move in the middle of the week, instead of on the weekend. People move on the weekend to avoid missing work, but this means companies are booked, busy, and can charge more. 

3. Get free supplies.

Never pay for supplies when you can get them for free. For example, before buying boxes, look for people giving away moving boxes on sites like Facebook marketplace or Craigslist. If that doesn't turn up anything, you can look at local businesses. Liquor stores, local food factories, and department stores may have plenty of great boxes just waiting to be picked up. Use newsprint, old rags, and even paper towels, instead of getting more expensive packing peanuts and bubble wrap. 

4. Get a floor plan and measurements.

You might not think that having the measurements of the new place would save you some dollars, but it can. For example, why move a big couch in a large van only to find it doesn't even fit in the smaller living room? Not only do you have to rent a bigger vehicle to move hefty furniture, but you also have to offload it after a move, which can be harder than simply selling it beforehand. If you know that your master bedroom set won't fit in the room in your next place, you can pocket some cash, and save on the rental when you sell it before the move.

For more info on moving costs, contact local companies in your area.