Boxes you should save to save money

What's the Deal

Posted: 10/09/2012
Last Updated: 253 days ago

Everyone knows good things come in small packages. But should you save the actual package? The answer is “yes,” sometimes.

Some boxes make financial sense to hold on to after you’ve remove whatever was inside them.

If you've got the storage space, it's worth holding onto TV packaging. This is because if you move, you’ll need to buy a box from the movers to pack it in and they can range from $90 to $250 depending on the moving company and the size of the box.
Even if you're not moving, it's worth holding onto the boxes for any expensive technology items if you think you might sell them, such as cameras, phones and video game systems. You can get more money if you sell it with the original box.

But there's a fine line between being frugal and being a cardboard-obsessed hoarder.

Where to get boxes:

You can typically find moving boxes used on craigslist, often for free, so no need to hang onto a stack of those.
Stores like Best Buy will often give you empty boxes, so you might luck out if you've already thrown away a similar box.

Basically, keep boxes if you're going to move or resell, but throw out or recycle the others.