Moving Guide

Pros & Cons to DITY Moves

Published August 21, 2012 · Written for MovingGuru readers since 2013

Deciding whether to make a DITY move?

Listen, if you have eighteen kids, a basement full of work-out equipment, and more clothes than Cleopatra, do yourself a favor and let the military move you. They’ll do everything, including saving you a headache or three.

However, if moving on your own is a possibility, then there are a lot of reasons why you should make a DITY move, also known as PPM military move, rather than let the military do it for you.

Here are the basics:

DITY Military Moves — How They Work

If you move on your own, the military will cover your costs for up to 95% of the Government Constructive Cost (GCC), which is what they would expect to pay if they had to to it themselves. The GCC is determined primarily by the weight of your possessions and the distance of your move.

If you decide to make a DITY move, you can move how you please, whether in your own car, with a rental truck, or through a moving company. You can also make partial DITY moves, where you move what you can.

The Positives of DITY Moves

There are three major benefits to making a DITY move:

  • Extra cash – If you move on your own and can keep your costs under the 95% of the GCC, then you get to keep the extra cash.  So, if your move only costs 75% of the GCC, you get to keep the remaining 20%.  You can use it decorate your new home or something.
  • Control – A government bureaucracy isn’t the best at dealing with the intricacies of moving.  If you let them hire your moving company, plan your move and handle your belongings, you might end up fairly dissatisfied.  It’s better if you control the details.
  • Flexibility- If you handle your move alone, you’ll get some extra time to make it. You’ll also get paid for hotels, meals, and travel, allowing you to make a DITY move and enjoy it to some extent.
Learn how to save money on your move.  Because you get paid for 95% of the GCC no matter what, the more you save, the more you will earn from the military. It’s doubly good.

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Military Move Checklist

Military Moves

Off-Base Military Housing

What Is a DITY Move?

Government Constructive Cost

Filed under:Military Moves

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