How I Used a $5,000 Relocation Stipend to Move from New York to California
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Brooklyn, NY → San Francisco, CA
$4,300
Competing quotes came in over $8,000
$4,730.52
+$430.52, mostly a long-carry charge
2,900+ mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared three quotes before I hired Safeway Moving for my New York City to San Francisco move.
- My final bill landed $430.52 over the estimate, mostly a long-carry charge added on pickup day because the truck couldn’t park within 100 feet.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Christian, who moved from Brooklyn, New York, to San Francisco, California, in the summer of 2022 using Safeway Moving. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from New York to California
My partner and I moved from Brooklyn, New York, to San Francisco, California, in the summer of 2022. We were both starting new jobs and wanted to be closer to our families, and I had a $5,000 relocation stipend to make the most of.
What I wanted was the best mix of service, flexibility, and affordability, and I was determined to avoid hidden fees and last-minute price increases. I started researching in early March specifically to get ahead of the peak moving season rush.
I compared companies using moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator and ultimately went with Safeway Moving. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My Safeway Moving experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with Safeway Moving, good and bad.
- Communication: Generally good through booking and both move days. Safeway could have done a much better job keeping me updated while my things were in transit, and nobody followed up after delivery.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: The original estimate held up well. My final cost of $4,730.52 came in close to the $4,300 quote, and thousands below competing quotes of $8,000 or more.
- Payment: This was confusing, because I had to deal with both Safeway and the partner company that actually performed the move.
- Professionalism: The moving crews impressed me at both ends. Safeway’s office staff didn’t quite live up to that standard.
- Timeliness: Delivery came later than originally planned, and the full cross-country journey took around 60 days.
- Loss and damage: Relatively minor for the distance. One box never turned up and a few items got knocked around in transit.
- Would I use Safeway Moving again? Yes. I got good value for the money and I’d consider them for a future move.
over my original Safeway Moving quote
Find out what a move from New York → California actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Safeway Moving
I talked with friends who had moved before, ran several Google searches, and compared options on moveBuddha. After filling out an online inventory form and speaking with a helpful Safeway representative, I got a quote of $4,300.
American Van Lines and United Van Lines both came back well over $8,000. Between Safeway’s positive reviews, professional approach, and pricing that was less than half of what the other two wanted, this was an easy call.
rating
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my New York City to San Francisco move.
| Moving from | Brooklyn, New York |
|---|---|
| Moving to | San Francisco, California |
| Distance | 2,900+ miles |
| Moving company | Safeway Moving |
| Moving quote | $4,300 |
| Actual cost | $4,730.52 |
| Quotes from other movers | $8,000+ |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
Three companies quoted the same cross-country move, and the spread was the widest I’ve seen on anything. Safeway came in at less than half of what the other two wanted.
| Company | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Safeway Moving | $4,300 |
| American Van Lines | $8,000+ |
| United Van Lines | $8,000+ |
Pickup day
Safeway sent a moving packet early on with links to helpful videos and contact details for a preferred packing supplies vendor. My worries going in were my musical instruments, standing desk, bicycle, and Dyson vacuum. To keep the load down, my partner and I downsized and decluttered, donated anything still usable rather than binning it, and packed boxes gradually over several weeks instead of scrambling at the end.
The crew arrived at 10 a.m. in a 22-foot Penske truck. After a walk-through the driver flagged two things that would change the contract: the truck was parked more than 100 feet from my building, which triggered a long-carry charge, and there was more last-minute packing than expected. Once the contract was amended, the team got to work.
The crew was personable and efficient, and I was glad the driver built a detailed inventory. My partner and I kept the mood up by picking up donuts, putting on relaxing background music, and keeping clear paths in and out of the apartment. Loading was finished by 1:30 p.m.
The one thing that disappointed me was learning my things would sit in storage in New Jersey until a California-bound truck came available, rather than shipping directly.
Delivery day
My goods were eventually transferred to a tractor-trailer and shipped west. Getting them to my door was another matter, because the 18-wheeler was too large for San Francisco’s notoriously tight streets, so the crew had to rent a U-Haul and shuttle everything to my new apartment.
I also needed a parking permit for the moving truck at least seven days before delivery, and I couldn’t get one because Safeway couldn’t give me a firm date. That’s common on long-distance moves, where companies deliver inside multi-day or multi-week windows and typically give you 24 to 48 hours of notice. It was inconvenient, and it worked out.
The movers arrived later than expected because of traffic, and the crew’s demeanor put me at ease, and everything was off the truck and inside in no time. Luckily nobody got cited for parking without a permit.
The full cross-country journey took 60 days, and I came out of it with a few losses. One box of posters and decorative prints never showed up. A bar cart, a bike rack, and some glassware were damaged in transit. Safeway never reached out afterward to ask how it went. I decided not to file claims for any of it.
Final thoughts
Safeway saved me a significant amount of money and delivered my belongings in relatively good condition. Even with the unexpected charges, the move came in under my $5,000 relocation stipend, and for a 2,900-plus mile trip the damage and loss were minor.
What I’d change: the communication gaps, especially while everything was in transit, and the New Jersey storage, which I think is a large part of why delivery took two months. The boxes from Safeway’s preferred vendor were also more expensive and less sturdy than the ones I ended up buying from U-Haul, and the contract could have been far more explicit about additional services. My move wasn’t perfect, and I’d still consider Safeway again.
Compare quotes before committing to any company. moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator shows what top-rated movers charge for your specific route.
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Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Christian’s experience:
- Ask where the truck will park before move day: Christian’s long-carry charge was added on the spot because the truck couldn’t get within 100 feet of his building. Walk the street with your estimator or send photos, since this is the fee most likely to appear on a city move.
- Ask whether your shipment goes into storage in transit: Christian’s belongings sat in New Jersey waiting for a California-bound truck, which he believes is most of why delivery took 60 days. Ask directly whether your goods ship straight through or wait for a load.
- Don’t count on a firm delivery date for a parking permit: Christian needed a permit seven days ahead and couldn’t get one, because long-distance movers work in multi-day windows and give 24 to 48 hours of notice. Check your city’s rules early and ask your mover what notice they can commit to.
- Buy your own boxes: Christian found the preferred vendor’s supplies more expensive and less sturdy than U-Haul’s. A mover’s recommended vendor is a convenience, not a bargain.
- Get the contract specific about additional services: Vague terms are what let charges appear on move day. Ask what triggers a long carry, a shuttle, or a storage fee, and get the answers in writing before you sign.
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