Where to buy moving supplies for cheap

How to find the best prices on boxes and moving supplies 

Before you order boxes and other moving supplies, it’s essential to do a price check. Here are four places with the best prices on boxes and other moving materials (along with hacks for getting discounts at each store). We’ve included a comparison of medium moving boxes to help you see how the different stores charge for supplies.  

Cheap moving supplies like a tape dispenser sitting on top of a box.

 

Compare retailers to find the cheapest option 
 

Walmart.com 

Walmart® is known for low prices, and their rates on moving supplies are no exception. While they may not offer many options in store, their online shop has plenty of cheap supplies. If you have a Walmart+ membership, pay close attention to the items that include free shipping (typically those sold and fulfilled by Walmart, not third-party sellers in the marketplace).  

Home Depot

Home Depot® has free in-store pickup to help you save on shipping costs. And if you open a Home Depot card, they often offer discounts on your first purchase.  

Amazon

Amazon® is convenient if you’re a Prime member because you get free two-day shipping (on most listings). Prices are often competitive since they use many different retailers. However, listings can frequently change as inventory gets sold, so if you see a good deal, you may want to buy it!  

eBay

You may not think eBay® when you think of boxes. However, since people are buying, selling and shipping items there, they often buy their boxes there, too. Several different box stores have listings on eBay, and many of them are “eBay partners” that regularly run discounts — so watch for savings opportunities.  

So what’s the cheapest place to buy moving supplies? 

At the time of posting, we compared the cost of medium moving boxes and found that Home Depot and Walmart.com had the best prices: 

  • Walmart.com: 25 boxes for $35, or $1.28 if purchased individually 
  • Home Depot: 10 boxes for $30.98, or $1.44 for a single box 
  • Amazon: 20 boxes for $35.99, or $1.98 when buying individual boxes 
  • eBay: 20 boxes for $52.99, or $2.35 for a single box 

Note: products and prices can change at any time.  

How to get even better deals 

Follow these tips to save even more: 

  • Check for bulk options. It’s sometimes cheaper to buy boxes in bulk rather than individually. If a retailer offers bulk options, divide the total price by the number of boxes to see the cost-per-box. Then compare to individual prices to see which one is cheaper.  

  • Use a moving kit. Moving kits include boxes, packing supplies and tape in packs that are made for different sized homes. If you need an assortment of boxes and materials, it can be a good deal to buy a kit.  

  • Check cash-back sites. Websites and apps like Rakuten and Ibotta allow members to place orders online and get cash-back on qualifying purchases. It’s free and easy to sign up for these services. At the time of posting, Rakuten offered 6% back on purchases from Walmart.com, which would help make those boxes even cheaper.  

  • Select free shipping options (including in-store pickup). Boxes and other moving supplies can be heavy. For example, packing paper bundles can weigh 25 lbs. or more, so finding a free shipping option can really help you save. If an online retailer doesn’t offer free shipping, check ShopRunner, which partners with many credit cards to provide free shipping to members. 

Put those cheap packing materials to use 

Once you figure out where to order boxes and moving supplies, you can start prepping for packing. Find out how to properly pack everything in your home with our packing tips.  

Have questions about finding or using cheap moving supplies? Leave us a comment below.