‘I Only Came With $24:' Woman Rents a U-Haul Truck. Then She Learns About This Little-Known Additional Charge

'FYI Home Depot does truck rentals $29 for an hour...'

Photo by: @the.softlife, @uhaullife/TikTok

By: Chad Swiatecki

Jun 23, 2025 at 9:00am ET

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There’s nothing funny about being evicted. But when TikTok creator TheSoftLife (@the.softlife) stood outside a U-Haul store with just $24 to her name and found out that it didn’t cover the full cost of a moving truck, she tried to laugh through the frustration.

“Lord knows I’m trying to figure it all out,” she wrote in the caption to the video that’s been viewed more than 2.6 million times.

Her story hit a nerve with thousands online and revealed a common misunderstanding about how U-Haul really works. Despite the company’s famously low advertised rates, renting a moving truck comes with a string of fees that aren’t obvious until you’re already at the counter, or in some cases, until your bank account takes the hit.

Unexpected U-Haul Costs

U-Haul offers two basic types of rentals. Local, or in-town, moves are priced using a flat base rate—typically $19.95 for a 10-foot truck—and then tacked with a per-mile charge, ranging from 59 cents to over a dollar per mile depending on location and equipment. One-way, long-distance rentals include a set number of miles in the quote, but if you go over that allotment, you’ll pay around $1 for every additional mile.

What’s often missing from the marketing is how quickly those charges can add up. The base rate only covers the truck itself. Renters are also on the hook for fuel, insurance, equipment rentals, and, in many cases, taxes and miscellaneous service fees. A recent Business Insider investigation highlighted how these extras can double or even triple the advertised rate. It noted that a consumer watchdog group filed a complaint accusing U-Haul of deceptive advertising practices.

Stories like TheSoftLife’s are everywhere once you start looking. On Reddit, one renter described being charged for 200 more miles than they actually drove. They only caught the error because they’d taken a photo of the odometer before returning the vehicle.

The fees don’t stop with mileage. Fuel is a significant expense, especially since most U-Haul trucks average only 10 to 12 miles per gallon. Renters must return the truck with the same amount of gas it had at pickup, or they’ll be billed a refueling fee, often at above-market prices. U-Haul also offers optional insurance, which can add another $14 to $28 per day, depending on the level of coverage selected. Renting moving supplies like dollies or furniture pads can bump the cost even higher, and returning the truck late, dirty, or with damage can result in additional charges.

U-Haul Truck Rentals: Know Before You Go

For renters trying to stretch every dollar, the process can be unexpectedly punishing. But there are a few ways to avoid the most common pitfalls:

Take photos of the odometer and fuel gauge before and after your trip.
Use U-Haul’s digital check-in tools to confirm mileage and gas levels.
Ask for a full written quote that includes estimated mileage, taxes, and insurance, not just the daily base rate.
Drive conservatively to save on fuel.
Return the truck on time and in clean condition.
Skip the insurance if you’re already covered through your auto policy or credit card.
If you're moving long-distance, compare alternatives. Budget and Penske often include unlimited mileage on certain rentals.