Look, I’m just gonna say it. Those “FIRST MONTH FREE!” storage signs are mostly a bunch of you-know-what.
I run a storage place. I see this nonsense all the time. My competitors do it, and it drives me crazy because it makes our whole industry look shady. You’re already stressed, trying to find a place for your grandma’s china or your kid’s college dorm stuff. You see “FREE” and you think, “Thank goodness, a break.”
Yeah, no. It’s a trap.
Let me tell you how this works. It’s not illegal, but it’s slimy. They get you in the door with the “free” promise, and then they hit you with the fine print. It’s like buying a concert ticket and then finding out the “service fees” cost more than the ticket itself.
The Four Classic Tricks They’ll Pull
Here are the ways they get you:
- The “Admin Fee” Trick: This is the big one. The unit is “free,” but oh, you have to pay a “one-time administration fee.” Funny how that fee is always, ALWAYS, just a few bucks less than a full month’s rent. So your “free” month just cost you $95 instead of $100. Feel like you won? Me neither.
- The “Required” Insurance: You’re signing the papers, you’re almost done, and then the guy says, “And of course, you need our insurance. It’s mandatory. That’ll be $15 a month.” Is it always mandatory? Heck no. But they make it sound like it is. So now your free unit costs you $15 before you’ve even loaded the first box.
- The Lock Thing: This one is just petty. “You need to buy our lock. It’s $25.” It’s a $10 lock. But it’s “policy.” It’s a pure money grab.
- The Move-Out Gotcha: This is the worst. You think you’re smart. You’ll use the free month and then get out. But buried in the contract is a rule that you have to give a 30-day WRITTEN notice to move out. So if you don’t hand in a written letter by, like, day 5 of your “free” month, guess what? You’re automatically signed up for another month. At full price. They make millions off people who forget this one stupid rule.
Let’s do the math for real.
You see a unit for $120 a month. First month free! Sweet!
What do you think will happen:
Month 1: $0. You move out. Total: $0.
What actually happens:
You pay a $110 “admin fee.” You pay for a “required” $18 insurance. You buy their $25 lock. You get busy and miss the 10-day notice window, so you get charged for a second month ($120 + another $18 insurance).
Your “free” storage unit just cost you $291.
It’s a con.
So how do you not get screwed? You have to be a little rude. You have to ask pointed questions.
When you call, say this: “What is the total amount I will pay today, to the penny, to get the keys? I don’t want any surprises.”
Then ask: “What is your move-out policy? Tell me exactly how many days’ notice I need and if it has to be on a stone tablet or just in writing.”
If they give you a vague answer, run. Don’t walk.
The Bottom Line
Now, a word from me. My place is called Accent Self Storage. We don’t do the “free month” song and dance. We think it’s garbage. Our prices are what they are. We’ll tell you all the fees right up front. We’ll explain the move-out process so clearly you could do it in your sleep. We might even give you a real, honest discount because we want your business, not because we’re trying to trick you.
We’re just a simple storage facility. We give you a clean, dry, secure unit. No tricks. No lies.
So next time you see that “FREE” sign, just laugh. You’re smarter than that now. Your stuff—and your wallet—deserve better.
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