I Price Matched My Way to a Cheaper California to Illinois Move
Fact Checked by: 
Venice, CA → Lombard, IL
$5,895
One-bedroom, 800 cubic feet
$5,950
+$55 for four extra wardrobe boxes
2,000 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I contacted three companies before I hired Safeway Moving for my California to Illinois move.
- I played two quotes against each other and got Safeway down from $5,962 to $5,895, then paid $5,950 after four wardrobe boxes turned up that weren’t on the inventory.
- 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 Kaley M., who moved from Venice, California, to Lombard, Illinois, in August 2024 using Safeway Moving. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from California to Illinois
After several years in the Los Angeles area, my husband and I were ready to head back to the Chicago suburbs to be closer to family and friends. When we first came out to Venice seven years earlier, my employer handled all the moving details. That made things easy, and this time I was looking forward to calling the shots myself.
What I wanted from a full-service mover was simple: a good price, a reasonable delivery timeline, and the least hassle possible. I started by asking Google Gemini what the best-rated moving companies were for moving from LA to Chicago. The top answer was Safeway Moving, and Gemini also pointed me toward moveBuddha as a resource, which is how I found the site.
I took the AI tool’s advice, read through moveBuddha’s information, and used the moving cost calculator to gather multiple quotes. 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: Safeway was available by email, text, and phone, and reached out proactively before the move, on moving day, and ahead of delivery. The one gap was while my things were in transit, where I’d have liked more frequent updates.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: Safeway price matched after I got a cheaper quote from Mayzlin Relocation, cutting my estimate from $5,962 to $5,895. I paid $5,950 in the end.
- Professionalism: The crew was timely and courteous and handled our things with real care, using blankets, plastic wrap, and whatever else was needed. Honestly, they treated our belongings better than my husband and I would have.
- Timeliness: The movers arrived precisely inside the window they gave me, and everything was delivered on time after 10 days in transit.
- Loss and damage: Two picture frames were damaged and a set of salt and pepper shakers went missing. Everything else arrived perfect, including an electric bicycle, a big-screen TV, and a custom dining table.
- Would I use Safeway Moving again? Yes. Everything went smoothly and as advertised, start to finish.
over my original Safeway Moving quote
Find out what a move from California → Illinois actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Safeway Moving
A few things led me to Safeway. I reached out to them first because they were the top recommendation in my Google search, and it was the customer service that sealed it. I was pleased with how fast they came back to me, both after I requested a quote through moveBuddha and when I asked about price matching my Mayzlin quote.
The sales representatives made the difference. Safeway’s rep treated me like I was competent, which was reassuring. Mayzlin’s rep acted as though I hadn’t done any research, even though I clearly had. Those first interactions matter more than people expect.
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 California to Illinois move.
| Move date | August 22, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Venice, CA |
| Moved to | Lombard, IL |
| Distance | 2,000 miles |
| Move size | One-bedroom |
| Moving company | Safeway Moving |
| Moving quote | $5,895 |
| Actual cost | $5,950 |
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
I contacted three full-service companies through moveBuddha and started getting responses in under an hour. Safeway reached me first, and after a 20-minute call going over my inventory and plans, the agent quoted $5,962. My husband and I planned to pack the boxes ourselves.
That quote covered moving labor, taxes, tolls, and insurance coverage up to $10,000. I then went through the same process with Mayzlin, whose initial quote of $7,200 was much higher, and once I mentioned Safeway’s estimate they price matched down to $5,950. Because I preferred Safeway’s customer service, I texted them the next day and asked whether they’d match the Mayzlin number, and they cut their estimate to $5,895. Bravo Moving texted me later that day, by which point the decision was between the other two.
| Company | Estimated volume/weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Safeway Moving | 720 cubic feet → 800 cubic feet | $5,962 → $5,895 |
| Mayzlin Relocation | 800 cubic feet | $7,200 → $5,950 |
| Bravo Moving | N/A | N/A |
Ask about price matching and moving discounts even when a company doesn’t advertise them. The worst anyone can say is no, and playing two real quotes against each other took $67 off my estimate in a single text message.
Pickup day
Safeway called two days ahead to confirm the date, time, and final inventory, which set the tone for the whole thing. They gave me an arrival window of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., called an hour before the crew set off, and texted again when they were minutes away. The movers arrived at 7:55 a.m., right in the middle of the window.
Safeway sent a three-person crew, and my husband and I were impressed by how they treated our things, using plenty of blankets, plastic wrap, and whatever else a given item needed. Loading took about three and a half hours, and while they worked we cleaned the apartment, packed the car, and supervised.
The one hiccup was small: four wardrobe boxes hadn’t been accounted for during the inventory, and some extra packing materials were needed. The movers had no trouble packing them, and it did nudge the total cost up.
Delivery day
It took 10 days for our possessions to reach the new house, right in line with Safeway’s original timeline. My one criticism is that Safeway could have been more proactive while everything was in transit. They contacted me the day before delivery with an arrival time, and I’d have appreciated updates in between.
Once the team arrived, the driver collected payment and the crew started unloading. The foreman asked us to direct the movers on which room each item belonged in, which made unloading fast and meant everything landed in the right place in our new three-bedroom home. They even rebuilt our bed and dining room table and offered to unroll the rugs.
The care taken during loading showed once everything was unpacked. Two broken picture frames and a missing salt and pepper shaker set were the only problems, and both were minor enough that filing a claim wasn’t worth it. Our e-bike, big-screen TV, and custom dining table all arrived in perfect condition.
Final thoughts
I loved how this move turned out. Safeway was as advertised, and the few issues were genuinely minor. I especially appreciated how much of the communication happened by text, which is faster and better suited to how I actually communicate.
I felt I got my money’s worth, thanks to hardworking crews and high-quality service on a cross-country move, and I’d recommend Safeway to anyone looking at long-distance movers. I understand now why Google recommended them as a top interstate mover.
Comparing full-service movers for your own long-distance move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to gather real quotes from vetted companies before you book.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored Safeway Moving on a scale of 1 to 5 based on my end-to-end experience.
- Communication: 5 out of 5. Email, text, and phone, with proactive contact before the move, on the day, and ahead of delivery.
- Timeliness: 5 out of 5. The crew arrived at 7:55 a.m. inside a 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. window, and delivery landed on schedule after 10 days.
- Quote accuracy: 4 out of 5. I paid $5,950 against a $5,895 estimate, with the difference coming from four wardrobe boxes missed during inventory.
- Overall experience: 5 out of 5. Careful crews at both ends, almost nothing damaged, and the move went exactly as advertised.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Kaley M.’s experience:
- Ask for a price match, even unadvertised: Kaley M. took Safeway’s $5,962 quote to Mayzlin, got $5,950, then took that back to Safeway and landed at $5,895. Two text messages moved the price twice, and neither company advertised matching.
- Count everything before the inventory is final: Four wardrobe boxes weren’t on Kaley M.’s inventory and turned up on move day, which is the entire reason her final bill exceeded her quote. Walk every closet before you confirm.
- Judge the sales rep, not just the number: Kaley M. chose the company whose representative treated her like she’d done her homework. How a company talks to you while it wants your business tells you how it will talk to you once it has it.
- Be present at both ends: Kaley M. and her husband directed the crew room by room at delivery, which is why unloading went fast and nothing needed moving twice. The movers do the lifting, and your guidance makes it efficient.
- Ask about transit updates before you book: Communication was excellent at every stage except while the truck was on the road. If regular updates matter to you, ask what the company sends during transit rather than assuming.
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