Thursday, August 31, 2017

What to do when movers are late [Steps to follow]

It’s really nice when things go according to plan, and that universal truth is especially true during a house move. The process of moving from one home to another is a notoriously stressful life event when things can go wrong in the blink of an eye.

If you’re moving home soon enough, then it’s important to remember that, more often than not, it’s the little extra efforts that you invest into keeping things organized that should pay off handsomely in the end.

Unfortunately, some things will always stay out of your direct control no matter how hard you try to keep your house move smooth from start to finish. Like the exact time (or day!) your hired movers will show up.

Read on to learn what to do if your movers are late to arrive either for pick-up or for delivery. Stop looking at your watch nervously and follow the steps below to take the best action under the newly-presented circumstances.

Are movers always late?
Of course not.

If you’ve done your homework right and have researched various movers well before agreeing to use their services, then you’ll know that you’ve chosen a top-rated professional moving company that won’t let you down. And if such a reputable moving company is late, either at pickup or at delivery, then there must be a good reason for that delay.

Anything can happen on the road: from your movers getting stuck in traffic (this excuse never fails, does it?) or going to the wrong address, to the moving truck having a flat tire or suffering some technical issues. Moreover, severe cases of understaffed crews, family emergency situations for any of the team members, possible mix-ups in the moving company schedule, or even traffic accidents of various sorts are never out of the question either.

Whatever the reasons for your movers not showing up on time, the result is that you find yourself stranded and your household items do not get picked up or delivered at the pre-arranged time or day.

See also: What’s the worst thing about moving home?


Movers are late for pickup: Steps to follow
It’s move-out day and there’s no trace of your movers – they should have been at your home to pick up your items a long time ago. What should you do?

Step 1. Do not panic. Even in the worst case scenario when your moving company won’t show up at all, your prized household items are there by your side – safe and sound. You do not know yet why your movers are late, so until you learn of the actual reason for the delay, you’d better stay calm.

Step 2. Call the head office of the moving company. You should have their phone number at hand, but if you have misplaced it, then find in the moving contract or do a simple Google search with the company name to access their webpage, then look for the Contact Us section.

Step 3. Once you get in touch with their head office, explain your situation and demand concrete answers as to why the moving crew is missing. Be firm about requesting specific information. Once you get confirmation that the team will make it eventually, request an estimated time of arrival (ETA), so that you can organize your time in-between.

Step 4. If the delay will be only a few hours, then you can still make it all work. Use that time to make sure everything is ready – you have packed all you can by yourself, you’ve labeled the boxes, you’ve disassembled partly some of the furniture, you’ve prepared the essentials boxes, and you’ve kept all valuables separate from the rest of the boxes. On the other hand, if you are informed that the movers won’t be at your address before the next day, then you’ll need to make a major re-arrangement of your own schedule.

Step 5. If you fail to reach your moving company on the phone, then go through their website and look for an alternative phone number, like a mobile phone number instead of an office number. Either way, keep trying to reach them until they pick up the phone, which eventually they should do.

Step 6. If, for whatever hard-to-explain reason, you don’t succeed in contacting your movers for an explanation, then you can choose to wait and see how the whole story will unfold in the course of the day (especially if you’ve already paid them a booking deposit). Or you can look for so-called same-day movers (especially if you haven’t yet paid any money to the missing company).

Step 7. Most of the times, such last minute movers will be able to accommodate your house move despite the short notice. Fill in a quick moving quote and you will be contacted within minutes by emergency home movers that will actually help you resolve the unfortunate situation you’re currently finding yourself in.

Read also: What’s the single best advice when moving home?

Movers are late for delivery: Steps to follow
Avoid hitting the PANIC button if your moving company did not deliver your household items on time. As explained earlier, there are many reasons why a professional moving company may be late for delivery, so you shouldn’t automatically assume that the worst has already happened.

Yes, a moving company not delivering on time could spell TROUBLE, but until you have more information about what actually happened, you’re strongly advised to stay calm, or at least do your best.

Your movers didn’t show up at the new address, so what should you do?

Step 1. Again, it’s all about contacting the head office of the company in order to learn the reason for the delay. In the majority of cases, it’s just that – a delay that can range from a few hours to even a few days.

Step 2. The moment you get in touch with your movers over the phone, it’s vital that you understand how bad that delayed delivery will be.

Step 3. If you’re only going to wait a few hours, then you should use that time to do something useful, like running some errands within the new home. Isn’t it much easier to clean up the new place when it’s empty, with no furniture to get in your way? However, it’s not a great idea to leave your house or apartment in case your movers do show up earlier than expected (factoring in the delay, of course).

Step 4. If you’re going to have to wait a day or two, or even more, then things can get rather complicated. Is there even a bed in your place? Where will you sleep? You can always purchase an air mattress or a sleeping bag to survive until you get reunited with your furniture. Maybe you can rent a local hotel room until your movers do show up? Staying with a friend in that new town or city is a great option, provided that you do have a friend there. And, if you need to go to work, then that’s your number one priority – after all, bills will still need to be paid, including the dreaded relocation bill. It’s all about finding a temporary solution that will work for you.

Step 5. If you are unable to get through to your moving company for a long time, then you might have become a victim of moving fraud. First of all, contact the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888- 368-7238) Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, as they will give you the best possible advice on what you should do next.

Step 6. If your movers do contact you and demand more money (aka ransom money) to deliver your household items, then it’s a good idea to call the local police first, and then get in touch with the FMCSA (see Step 5).

Must-read info:

What are the red flags of moving fraud?

How to avoid moving scams?

Protect your move (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Congratulations to the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® “Home Hacks” social contest winners!

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by Erik Sargent
Summer time is the busiest season for moving, and that means there are people all over finding their way into new homes. What’s the best thing you can find when moving into a new home? Easy, DIY tips and money-saving advice!
Any amount of cash that can be saved with your home helps, and beginning in July, we set up a social contest promotion to help our audience save a few bucks and learn a thing or two in the process. We reached out to our readers and asked them to give us their best “Home Hack” ideas, and created a poll for followers to vote on the best creations.
We identified a “Home Hack” as anything you do around your home that helps to either save money or time in your living arrangement. This could be something you invented out of materials around the house, or everyday products that are used to create simple solutions to make life a little easier.
“Our audience looks to us as the experts in moving, but also for home advice,” said TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Media Relations Specialist Jessy Herman. “We thought we should take this opportunity to gather the best home tips our fans have to offer, and celebrate the prime home-improvement season with prizes that can go toward their own homes.”
We called upon the outstanding TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® audience, and they delivered! We received more than 100 contest entries, and had 7,600 contest views! The submission featured a wide-variety of “Home Hack” ideas, and we’re proud to announce the top three ideas that stood out above the rest.
1st place – Hidden outlet/cord organizer under the bed (1,184 votes): Steve A. from Toledo, OH
2nd place: Homemade cold packs using Ziploc bag, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 2/3 water (986 votes): Tina D. from Pompano Beach, FL
3rd place: DIY built-in doorway bookshelf (632 votes): Amy B. from Terrell, TX
The fine folks who entered this contest were given the chance to earn prizes, and we made sure to deliver. The first 10 entries to the contest – regardless of what place they finished in the voting process – were awarded $20 gift cards to Lowe’s. The top three “Home Hack” winners will receive:
1st place: $1,500 to Lowe’s Home Improvement
2nd place: $1,000 to Lowe’s Home Improvement
3rd place: $500 to Lowe’s Home Improvement
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® would like to give a huge shout out to everyone who took the time to participate and share a little money-saving knowledge with our audience. The chance to interact with our customers and readers is something we take pride in, and we hope the winners of the contest put their prizes to good use!
Be sure to follow TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® on FacebookTwitter, and Instagramfor future giveaways and contests. Visit our website to learn how we can help Move You Forward® with our outstanding moving services today.
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Calling All Students: These 5 Places Offer Free College:

It’s no secret that college is pricey and only getting more expensive. Those who do take out loans to make college possible end up with student debt coming out of their ears (trust me, I would know!). In fact, according to cnbc.com, U.S. citizens hold a staggering $1.31 trillion dollars in student loan debt.
Fortunately, times are a changin’ for the better. College tuition has become a hot topic in recent years, with several places finding ways to make college more affordable – even free – for many. So grab those number two pencils and backpacks! Here are several places (five states plus one city) where you can go to college free-of-charge. You’re welcome!

New York

This year, New York became the first state to offer tuition-free four-year college with their newly announced accessible college program: The Excelsior Scholarship. According to the State’s website, this “groundbreaking program” will help more than 940,000 middle-class families and individuals attend college at all CUNY and SUNY two and four year colleges in the State of New York. The program will begin in the fall of 2017 and will be phased in over the course of three years.
To apply for The Excelsior Scholarship, students must: be residents of New York State; attend a SUNY or CUNY two or four year degree program; take 30 credits per calendar year (including January and summer sessions); and plan to live and work in New York following graduation for the length of time they participate in the scholarship program.

San Francisco, CA

Those hoping to go to college for free will find it possible in San Francisco. In February 2017, the Mayor of San Francisco announced that the “City by the Bay” would begin offering free City College tuition to residents regardless of need, as reported by cnbc.com. This news makes San Francisco the first city in the U.S. to offer free college.  Anyone who has lived in the city for at least a year can qualify for this free college opportunity.
According to City College of San Francisco’s website, the public college currently serves 70,000 students annually. The college offers courses in more than 50 academic programs and over 100 occupational disciplines. Currently, the community college charges California residents $46 per credit.
Cnbc.com reports that the deal is expected to begin in the fall of 2017, and will also provide “full-time low-income students who already receive fee waivers from the state $250 per semester” for books, transportation and various costs.
As one of America’s most beloved cities, this metropolitan area is a fabulous place to call home. The bustling urban environment and its surrounding areas offer a thriving job market, top restaurants, arts and entertainment, as well as plenty of culture. Recently, San Francisco was named the fourth happiest place to live in America, and the 34th best city in the U.S. for job seekers. AreaVibes also gives high marks to San Francisco for its stable housing market, high income per capita, weather and A+ amenities. The estimated population is $860,000, making San Francisco the fourth most populous city in California. The median listing price for a home in San Francisco is $1.2M, according to Realtor.com.

Tennessee

Thinking of moving to Tennessee? If so, you could go to college for free. The state currently offers the Tennessee Promise program, in which high school grads who enroll in a community college or technical school are granted free tuition and fees. Now, the state is going one step further. CNN Money reports that in May 2017 state lawmakers approved legislation that will expand the program to include adults seeking an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The program is expected to begin in the Fall of 2018.
CNN Money reports that In order to be eligible, “students must have been a state resident for at least one year, maintained a 2.0 GPA, enrolled in enough classes to be a part-time student, and completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.”

Oregon

Those moving to and living in the State of Oregon can go to community college for free through the Oregon Promise program. The program is a state grant that covers tuition at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED recipients.
To be eligible for the current program in place, students: must complete an Oregon Promise Grant Application; be a recent Oregon high school graduate or GED recipient; have at least a 2.5 cumulative high school GPA or higher or a GED score of 145 or higher; plan to attend at least half-time at an Oregon community college within 6 months of high school graduation or GED completion; be an Oregon resident for at least 12 months prior to attendance; File a FAFSA or ORSAA application; must not have more than 90 college credits completed or attempted.

Minnesota

Looking for that Midwestern charm? You’ll find that plus free college tuition in qualifying career and technical programs at MnSCU two-year colleges. Created by the 2015 Minnesota Legislature, the MnSCU Two-Year Occupational Grant Pilot Program covers tuition and fees for students after other state and federal funding are considered. The program’s goal is to provide financial assistance so that students can complete the program within two years or less and find employment in a high-demand field.
To be eligible for the current program in place, students must: meet the definition of a Minnesota resident used for state financial aid programs; participate in free mentoring services throughout the student’s academic program; have tuition and fee charges not fully covered by Pell and State Grants; have an adjusted gross income of $90,000 or less; and begin enrollment in a qualifying program at a MnSCU two-year college immediately following high school graduation or passing a GED test.
Want to make one of these tuition-free places your new home? Whether you’re relocating across the country or across the street, Moving.com has you covered. To find the best moving company to handle your upcoming move, check our extensive network of reputable and reliable movers. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your move will be in good hands. Good luck and happy moving!