Okay checking again nearby places and seeing what it will cost I found I could rent Penske Truck for $2400 for 11 days. I estimate with 3k miles and unfortunately 10 mpg according to Penske website @ $2.50/gallon we are looking at $750 for the gas at a minimum. Add in hotels at $50/night and minimum if DH drove with someone else, at least 4 nights so $200 + food/drinks and plane ticket for someone else ($300 one way). We are looking at a ridiculous $3700 to move our stuff ourselves in a truck, but we do get to keep everything. There will be no purging.

Also with driving ourselves we will not have a place to live when we get there. We will have to either unload it at a family or friend's house (not wanting to do this) or storage. Since my DH won't rent a place without seeing it. Another option is for him to fly out in June for around $500 RT and find us a place. But that adds to the cost of self-moving.

Now I researched a lot of different pods. Packrat and PODS (name brand) are each $6215 and $6596 respectively for 8x8x16L one huge pod. ABF U pack would be for 3 pods $8837.

Best rates goes with Uhaul and Door to Door (DTD). Uhaul 1 pod is $2217, 2 pods $2868, 3 pods is $3815. These pods are smaller 7x5x8L but we've measured out stuff and we can easily do 2 pods if we throw out the couch and if we keep the couch we can do 3 pods. Ubox charges $144/month to store for an extra 30 days per pod.

DTD is what I've reserved so far just in case. It is 1 pod $1831, 2 pods $2809, and 3 pods $3640, 4 pods is $5950. It is not equivalent per pod as you can see because it appears there is a pick up and drop off cost whether you have one or two or three. The jump in cost for 4 pods I am pretty sure is because it goes on a separate trailer that holds three at a time. It will be only $59/month per pod to store for 30 days. This will give us flexibility to find a place and unpack.

ABF U Pack where they sell by linear foot the truck space is 17" linear = $5226, 12" = 4456, and 5" minimum is $3400 with $154 per linear foot add on. Again I think this is less efficient but I have to call and figure out what the dimensions are.

Right now we are leaning towards 2-3 DTD pods and shipping one car and road tripping for the month. The lack of a mortgage payment will pay for the move. Then driving will be a vacation.

Right now shipping a car is $1k it appears but we aren't sure it's worth shipping. My DH wants a new car when we move but I think waiting a year, settling in, figuring out what we need is more prudent. Yes while his car 2006 Sonata is probably worth $6k and $1k to ship I think it's still the right move for us right now. We are moving without a job and what if we don't need a 2nd car? Or what if we do? Too many factors.

Do you think we should ship our car? Next up calling full service movers. Perhaps they are going to charge us less.