[OceanBlue]

My son is moving back to Oregon after completing his schooling at Wyotech in Sacramento. He and his roommate are scheduled to return at the end of September. A moving van and dolly for his buddy's trailer will run about $700. Being the starving students they are, they face not having the funds to rent the van and dolly needed. Looking for alternative methods.

Any suggestions? Between the two of them they have the following:

2 beds (pretty much just mattresses/box springs), a dresser, a TV, assorted boxes and clothing.

Anyone regularly travel the I-5 corridor with a truck that might handle hauling some of these items back in return for fuel reimbursement? There's still the issue of trailering the buddy's car back, but that may be worked out another way.

Any ideas at all?

 

[Don Becker]

A couple of thoughts occur to me that might save them some money but, I probably don't know enough specifics of their situation to know if these thoughts really make sense.

Could the roommate's car be fitted with a hitch to tow a trailer and save the cost of the truck?

Or, since they usually charge a big premium on a one-way rental and, as I recall there is also a redistribution (is that the right term) fee because, supposedly, there are too many rental trucks here, is it possible that money could be saved by a bus-ride up here, renting the truck here and driving down and back (turning it into "one-way rental" albeit a long one . . . ) - - - or, vise-versa - - - I know this may very well not pencil-out but it wouldn't take a lot of effort to calculate it out to see.

Also, there's a local office here that works with truckers to arrange (I think they call it) back-hauls - - - loads for big trucks that would ordinarily be returning to an area empty - - - - if you like, I could try to find a contact for you to look further into this.

Don

 

[OceanBlue]

Hey Don, those sound pretty creative. The roommates car needs to be trailered back because it's a gas hog and somewhat unreliable (an old Firebird), so adding a hitch isn't an option. Neither is it for the other two vehicles that need to come back. they just don't have the capacity to tow a trailer.

We priced renting a truck here and turning the trip in 24 hours, but Uhaul charges $20 for a 10' truck for 24 hours... but .69 a mile. Cost prohibitive for a 1200 mile round trip.

A backhaul might work, but there's not enough of a haul to fill a truck and therefore cost prohibitive, but if they could put their stuff in with another load, for a couple hundred bucks, that might work. I'd love more information on that option.

Thanks! Keep 'em comin!

 

[Don Becker]

My daughter had the contact but it turns-out "Dad" had it a little wrong. Her contact is with a firm that markets software to facilitate backhaul. I visited their site and found nothing of direct assistance for consumers. She says that it you contact or stop-in at a larger truckstop, they'll likely have a monitor available and can provide better contact information. 'Having put the idea "out there" maybe someone with better information will chime-in here. Don

 

[Golden Trout]

Any suggestions? Between the two of them they have the following:

2 beds (pretty much just mattresses/box springs), a dresser, a TV, assorted boxes and clothing.

Just a thought, but how much are the bigger items really worth? I bet if you asked around, you could find a couple beds for the guys, as well as dressers and a TV. As recent college graduates, they will probably soon find work, and want better furniture. If there furniture is like the stuff I had in college, anyway. If it's worth anything, they could sell their stuff down there, and use the money to pay for some moving expenses.

Maybe you could borrow someone's pick-up, put the boxed stuff in back, trailer the buddy's car with it, and pack some more stuff in the car.

 

[OceanBlue]

Just a thought, but how much are the bigger items really worth? I bet if you asked around, you could find a couple beds for the guys, as well as dressers and a TV. As recent college graduates, they will probably soon find work, and want better furniture. If there furniture is like the stuff I had in college, anyway. If it's worth anything, they could sell their stuff down there, and use the money to pay for some moving expenses.

Maybe you could borrow someone's pick-up, put the boxed stuff in back, trailer the buddy's car with it, and pack some more stuff in the car.

That's kind of what I'm trying to convince them of right now. They're telling me that the 2 beds and TV (a bigscreen they're unwilling to part with) won't fit into a pickup bed. I'm unconvinced, but hey, what do I know... :shrug: I'm sure I'll get smarter as they mature :jester:

 

[Rocky]

Ocean you have a PM

 

[julezilla]

I'd keep trying to convince them to sell their stuff. Mattresses are a pain to move and easy (and inexpensive - especially twin mattresses) to replace. The TV I can understand not wanting to get rid of, but unless moved properly, it may not work when it gets here. Some of those TVs are very sensitive to vibration and jostling and just weren't made to be moved.

They have three cars they need to get back up here?

 

[pdxkevin]

Sell as much as you can and replace them in the new city with the money you get from the sales plus some that you would have spend to haul it all, store it all, the extra time in travel, etc... That's what I did when I got out of the service.

 

[ampersat]

For what you'll end up paying to move your junk, you're ahead if you make a pile of it and set it on fire, then buy new stuff when you get where you're going.

 

[yankemnbankem]

Garage Sale or Craigs list! Then use the money to move the rest of the stuff home. As for the car............sell it! Sounds like they wont have money to drive it anyways, so the mice will have or have been having a feast.

 

[Something Good]

Getting themselves home is most important. Sell anything that can be replaced easily.

 

[wsuweston]

Aguy in our office just moved and got a freight company to drop off a trailer and they filled it with their stuff then the company fills the rest with their goods and ships it to the place unload their goods and you take yours. He said it ended up the same as uhaul with out the gas. Granted he is moving across the US. He is currently moving and no way to ask him the name of the company.

 

[iwanttofish]

Tell them to sell the big stuff, pack the car as full as possible and take the money that they saved and buy a couple of new mattress up here, I am sure if they looked they could get a good deal on this site when they get up here. Its not worth a truck rental at least it does not sound like it.

just my .02:twocents:

 

[The Chub]

Have them list on this site...http://www.uship.com/freight/

Kind of like Ebay where people bid to haul your stuff.

 

[marthagofish]

I think U-Ship.com looks like a great alternative.
Has anyone use it and what to share their experience?

 

[OceanBlue]

They have three cars they need to get back up here?

Yeah. 2 young men + automotive trade school = project vehicles

Lots of good suggestions here. I'll forward them on. Bottom line is I'll help them with suggestions, but I won't bail 'em out. Life is full of hard choices - it's all part of the learning and growing up. Might as well get used to it.:shrug:

 

[RogueFishr]

PM sent

RF

 

[Golden Trout]

Lots of good suggestions here. I'll forward them on. Bottom line is I'll help them with suggestions, but I won't bail 'em out. Life is full of hard choices - it's all part of the learning and growing up. Might as well get used to it.:shrug:

Good for you, Mom. They will appreciate that one of these days.