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Moving and receiving a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is something that military families are all too familiar with; and recession or not, the expenses of moving are a big worry for anyone facing a PCS.

But what if you could make your move work for you?

Also known as a Personally Procured Move (PPM), Do-It-Yourself (DITY) moves have become more popular than ever.  Essentially, the government will pay individuals who organize the move on their own a flat percentage of what they would have paid for the move originally.

Why would you choose to take on the hassle of planning on your own? With advanced planning and a careful use of military discounts and rates, most people can move for less than the reimbursement and actually make a profit.

Steps To Making a Profit on Your Move

DITY moves are a lot more work, but can payoff in the end

Step 1: Get The Green Light

Go to the transition office at your current base and make sure you fill out all of the appropriate paper work. Filing paper work after the fact will result in no reimbursement and all moves, no matter what the size, must be authorized beforehand. This is the time to get a reimbursement estimate.

Step 2: Moving Strategy

Depending on your personal preference and the amount of personal belongings being transported, there are several different options for how to move. Renting a truck, trailer, or hiring a personal moving service may work better for busy lifestyles and large families but most people choose to use a Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) to cut costs further.

Step 3: Better Safe than Sorry

Although most POV’s and rentals will insure the value of any vehicles, it is important to double-check your renters or homeowners insurance to make sure your personal belongings are safe in transit.

Step 4: Weighing-In

When you start the moving process you will have to weigh the truck with and without your belongings. This step is critical because reimbursement will be based on the weight of items transported.

Step 5: Be Smart with Your Money

Although a lot of costs will be out of your control during the move, be sure to utilize military discounts and rates whenever possible to maximize your potential profit. Plan ahead to avoid any unexpected costs.

Step 6: File Your Claim

You have 45 days to file your claim for reimbursement after the move. Organize all of your paperwork before to expedite the process.

Quick Tips:

• Understand the difficulties that go with moving on your own
• If you really want to make a profit, definitely consider a POV
• Look for military discounts on everything
• Remember that any profit will be taxed
• Honesty is the best policy and scamming isn’t recommended

Although DITY moves are a lot of hard work, there are a lot of emerging online resources and communities to help discover the best military deals on the way to your new home.

Photo thanks to Sicarr via Flickr Creative Commons