We're all for saving money where we can. Coupons, bulk deals, and sales are one of marketing's greatest contributions to the family budget (and we take advantage in our personal lives all the time!). However, there are some things that are just worth it to spend a little extra money on because the overall value is higher: higher quality (and more expensive) professional equipment, a trusted mechanic, carpet you actually enjoy walking barefoot on, even your favorite brand of toilet paper. Add packing and shipping services to that list. Sure, you can probably build your own box or wooden crate, but will its design be enough to protect the contents from damage? If the answer is "probably," save youself the hassle and have a professional take care of it for you. You won't get a second chance to get it right, so don't leave your valuables' future to a risky do-it-yourself budget.
Once upon a time (according to Snopes) there was a man who wanted to save a few bucks on getting lumber to his home. Armed with nothing but a Volkswagen Jetta and a roll of twine, the driver bought several 2x4s and sheets of lumber from a Home Depot in Maryland and attached them to his small car, presumably to save on the cost of renting a truck by the hour or having the materials shipped directly to his home (a service Home Depot offers). There was also 800 pounds of concrete in the backseat! Each of these alone would be disastrous to a small car like a Jetta, but both is just pure crazy.
Not only did the driver of this car have to find another way to get the lumber where he was going (and therefore not circumventing those costs at all), he did considerable damage to his car, which cost him even more in the long run. For those wondering, Home Depot made the driver sign a waiver before he loaded the materials in and on his car. Rumor had it the driver was planning to make quite the trek with this load - over 40 miles!
The moral of the story is to not be penny wise and pound foolish. This person ended up spending far more fixing his mistake than he would have had he just had the materials shipped in the first place, and got a damaged car to boot (not to mention all the negative publicity, interrogation from police, and the general feeling of having made a terrible mistake in public).
In other news, those looking for a sturdy and reliable small car should consider the Jetta - it might not be able to carry over three thousand pounds of concrete and wood (this would have been a heavy load for a super duty truck), but the photo above shows the car gave it a great shot!
Remember, Navis Pack & Ship... we get it there with care!
By Steve Goble, VP of Marketing Communications for Navis Pack & Ship. When he's not spilling packing and shipping secrets, he's spending time with his family at a San Diego Padres or Chargers game. Connect with Steve on Google+ and LinkedIn.
