On a budget to use Budget? Think twice!

First off, let me start by saying we feel extremely blessed to have had Buck's company pay for our move. Thank you, CBS! However, if this happens again (which, in the world of radio, it could) I will happily pay the difference to use a more Nationally accredited moving company such as Mayflower or Allied. In summary, just say "NO!" to Budget!

We established a moving contract with Budget approximately a week and a half prior to the actual move. Plenty of time for the company to get their ducks in a row. The move was set to happen sometime in a three day window: Friday, January 15th through Sunday, January 17th. You would think a seventy-two hour time frame would be plenty of time, considering if needed, it would take half that time to drive across country in order to get a truck there.

Friday, January 15th, I received a phone call that the movers would arrive between noon and two the afternoon of Sunday, January 17th. Perfect! I had nothing to do that day, the house was packed and ready to go, and that meant they'd be finished in time for me to get a decent sleep prior to going to my second-to-last day of work on Monday. Well... Sunday rolled around, and I received a phone call at 11:45am, only to find out the movers were in North Carolina! More than a nine hour drive away... fantastic. Did they really think they could show up between 10pm and midnight to START moving my house? I don't think so. I instructed they were under a huge misunderstanding, that I was still living in the house, and that I needed to sleep, and go to work tomorrow by 8am. They didn't seem to understand, and asked if they could come in the morning! "Um, hello? Did you not hear me? I have to be at work at 8am! How do you think you're getting in my house! No, you may NOT come in the morning. In fact, you WILL be at my house by 4:30pm when I can get home from work." I felt like I was talking to a wall.

I was so infuriated, I decided to go have some retail therapy. That helped a little, along with a nice Panera lunch, and I did end of getting a pretty good sleep. The last in my own bed for awhile...

So Monday came along; 4pm, in fact, and I left work. Of course, the phone rings at 4:02. I had much too high of hopes that the phone call was informing me that they were there waiting. Boy, was I wrong. They had JUST arrived to the nearest weigh station, 30 miles away, in rush hour traffic. Again, fantastic. What could I do? Nothing. I went home, had dinner, and stared out the window, awaiting their arrival so we could get this over with once and for all.

The young, immature and ignorant movers finally arrived at 6:30pm. Not only had they missed their 3 day window from over the weekend, but they were, once again, two hours late. Fortunately and thankfully, my neighbor Steve (who was a mover for 4 years for Allied) came over to supervise the move with me so I wasn't alone in my house with two foreign "bros" for, oh, you'll never believe this, NINE HOURS! That's right, nine hours. Oh an incase you didn't read that right, they took NINE HOURS to move my stuff into not one, but TWO twenty-six foot trucks. Who in their right mind, and working for any moving company, takes nine hours for a three bedroom home move? Oh that's right, a small, insignificant, Chicago-based, unethical moving company, contracted out through Budget.

So let me back up for a second. Upon arrival and taking in what stuff I had in what rooms, what was already boxed, and what need to be padded and wrapped, they estimated it would take them six to seven hours. Ugh. That meant I'd be getting to bed around one or two in the morning. Great. Loving life. Well, two in the morning rolled around, and the two movers hadn't packed the last sixth of the truck correctly. They were out of room, and still had stuff to load. I informed them to get another truck, to load my remaining belongings, NOW. Steve said NOW too. Thanks, Steve. Again, my angel without wings for the night. The movers left at two, and were back around 2:50am. I managed to get my upstairs vacuumed and my downstairs swiffered during their absence. They came back with a second truck that they conveniently had located ten miles away (shady. don't ask.) and finished loading what was left: our bed and box spring, the spare bedroom bed and box spring, our grill and a hose. That was IT! Inconceivable!

FINALLY, at 3:20am, the movers pulled away. The house was empty with the exception of what I was driving up in my own car. Steve left, and I was finally asleep by 4am. Just in time to get a full three hours of sleep before waking up to go to my last day of work at American Eagle Outfitters. It was a sad day. Not only was I emotional to say goodbye to my coworkers and friends, but I was running on three hours of sleep, all the more emotional.

Now, the movers have another three-day window to unload our things in Detroit. They have from the 24th of January through the 26th. They BETTER arrive on the 24th. No wait, they BETTER be waiting for us in our driveway, first thing the morning of the 24th, waiting for US this time, to unload our things once we get possession of our new home. THEY BETTER. Yes, that's a threat.

Regardless, they're still receiving the worst review and the most awful awful complaints (yes, multiple) they've ever received. Ever. I know this despicable company was contracted through Budget, and wasn't Budget themselves, but you'd think Budget would care to protect their name and watch who they contract their work out to.

Bottom line, the name says it all: BUDGET. Don't do it! Just say "NO!" I beg you, for your own sanity, go with a reliable, trustworthy, communicative, courteous moving company such as Mayflower or Allied. You can thank me later.