I Got $500 for Sharing My Experience Moving from Massachusetts to Minnesota
- Nancy moved from Quincy, Massachusetts, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in October 2022 to be closer to family and take advantage of Minneapolis’s lower cost of living, a 1,400-mile move of her minimally furnished 1,500 square foot home.
- After comparing two quotes, she hired U-Box, and her Massachusetts to Minnesota move cost $1,614, $180 less than the initial $1,797 quote because she didn’t end up needing the door-to-door service she’d planned for.
- This is Nancy’s story, shared as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
This account is based on a conversation with Nancy, who moved from Quincy, Massachusetts, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in October 2022 using U-Box. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My fiancé, Alex, and I moved from Quincy, Massachusetts, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the fall of 2022. We wanted to be closer to our families and take advantage of Minneapolis’s relatively low cost of living, and since we were only moving about ten boxes and some household items under 1,000 pounds, we knew we didn’t need a full moving crew.
I looked at a few providers on moveBuddha’s best moving container companies list.
I ultimately used moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to put together a preliminary budget and compare quotes, and U-Box (U-Haul’s moving container division) came through with the cheapest quote for the services I needed.
My U-Box experience at a glance
rating
4.15 / 5
- Communication: U-Box communicated well throughout my move, but I think the parking permit for our container should have been a bigger priority earlier in the process.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: I paid $180 less than my initial quote because I didn’t end up getting the door-to-door service I was expecting.
- Timeliness: U-Box delivered my moving container 10 days earlier than I expected.
- Professionalism: Despite the parking permit issue, which wasn’t U-Box’s fault, I’d still rate the company highly for professionalism.
- Loss and damage: I didn’t experience any loss or damage on my move with U-Box.
- Would I use U-Box again? Yes, I’d consider using U-Box again if we move in the future.
Why I chose U-Box
Alex and I weighed the pros and cons of using moving containers vs. renting a truck and even considered selling everything that wouldn’t fit in our car and replacing it after we moved. We decided on a moving container because neither of us wanted to drive a moving van or spend a lot of money replacing things that were already in good condition.
I got a quote from PODS too, but U-Box’s eight-foot container fit our minimalist approach, and I liked that I could pay in installments and get an instant online quote by entering our move date, addresses, service type, and add-ons like insurance or moving labor. I ended up adding Safestor Mobile coverage, $5,000 for $18, to protect our items from named perils like hurricanes, earthquakes, and vermin infestation.
The main drawback was the parking permit issue in Minneapolis. U-Box told me we’d need to work together to get a permit for the container, and when the city denied it with no explanation, U-Box had to deliver our container to the nearest U-Haul facility instead of directly to our new apartment.
Hiring movers to help from there was too expensive, so we rented a truck from U-Haul and moved everything ourselves, which added time, labor, and cost we hadn’t planned for.
My move at a glance
| Move date | October 1, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Quincy, Massachusetts |
| Moved to | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Distance | 1,400 miles |
| Move size | Minimally furnished 1,500 square foot home |
| Moving container company | U-Box |
| Moving quote | $1,797 |
| Actual cost | $1,614 |
Curious what your own move might cost? Try moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare quotes from top movers.
Quotes I compared
I only got one other quote before choosing U-Box. Here’s how they compared:
Pickup day
We prepared by buying packing materials, downsizing and decluttering, and packing a few boxes at a time so everything was ready when the container arrived on September 17. Packing was easy since we still had the original boxes for our electronics and small appliances.
U-Box delivered our empty container on September 17, right at our front door, so loading took just a few hours. After U-Box picked it up, Alex, our puppy, and I set out on our 1,400-mile road trip.
Delivery was still weeks away, but U-Box kept in touch by text the whole time we were on the road. Twenty-one-hour drives with an energetic puppy can be trying, so we found dog-friendly hotels along the way and spent an extra night on the road to keep our daily driving time down.
Delivery day
Our container arrived in Minnesota on September 22, 10 days earlier than expected, but we couldn’t move into our new place until October 1. Because the city denied our parking permit, U-Box delivered the container to the nearest U-Haul facility instead of our apartment.
We reserved a truck with U-Haul and called the day before to confirm the truck and container would be placed side by side to make trans-loading as easy as possible. If you’re booking a container move to a city where street parking permits are required, ask about the permit process before you book, not after.
Everything arrived without any loss or damage, and once we trans-loaded, moving into our new apartment went quickly.
rating
4.15 / 5
Final thoughts
My move wasn’t perfect, but U-Box delivered our household goods on time, on budget, and without loss or damage. The parking permit issue was frustrating and added cost and labor we hadn’t planned for, but it wasn’t U-Box’s fault. It’s likely the city denied the permit because of limited parking and safety concerns on our street. If I moved again, I’d still consider U-Box.
My ratings
- Communication – 5
- Timeliness – 5
- Pricing accuracy – 5
- Overall experience – 4
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Nancy’s experience:
- Do thorough research and get multiple quotes before booking a container move.
- Consider interstate movers if there’s room in your budget.
- Coordinate pickup and delivery dates to line up with your travel and move-in dates.
- Ask prospective providers how long you’ll have to load and unload your container.
- If a parking permit might be required at your destination, ask about the process and timeline before you book.
Not what you were looking for?
Check out other categories that can help you find the information you need!
