Most people hear the word “moving,” and start seeing dollar signs. Moving can be expensive, but there are always ways to reduce your spending. You may even be considering a move but are not quite sure if you have enough money saved up. By creating a moving budget you will have a better understanding of how much you need for everything to go smoothly. What you do not want to do is try to pull off a move with every penny of your savings accounted for. According to Murphy’s Law, this will be the time when your car breaks down and needs repairs or your dog eats a shoe and needs emergency surgery to remove the obstruction. It is important to not set your budget too low, or you could find yourself in a sticky situation.
Movers or Rental Truck
The first thing you will have to decide is if you are going to hire movers or rent a moving truck and handle a self-move. You probably already know that movers will cost more, but you may be surprised at what a good deal you can get if you compare quotes and plan your move during the middle of the week or an off-season.
Plus, you have to consider that if you rent a truck you will need to pay for gas and plan on your move taking longer. Also, there is always a risk of injury with a self-move. This is not to steer you towards one option or the other. You simply need to fully examine the pros and cons of each side. Either way, this will make up a large percentage of your moving budget.
Vehicle Transportation Expense
If you are moving cross-country you will need to decide if you would rather ship the car or drive it. Obviously, if you ship it, you will have charges to add to your budget. However, you do not get off free if you decide to drive. You will need to factor in gas along the way, and no one has to tell you that it is not cheap to fill your car these days. You will also want to have your car looked at by a mechanic and fix anything that could potentially become a problem on the road. Do also make sure you have a little emergency money should you break down along the way and need a tow and repairs.
Cross-country Expenses
Fuel was already mentioned, but there are other expenses you will need money for if you are driving your car cross-country. Depending on how far you are going and how many hours a day you plan on driving you will need to pay for a hotel for at least one night. If you want to take your time and stop at a few places along the way then hotel fees for several nights will add up. You will also need money for food. If you intend on shipping your car and flying, then you need to factor in the cost of airfare and possibly a rental car.
Grocery Store
When you arrive at your new destination one of the first things you are going to need to do is go grocery shopping. You may also need a garbage can, shovel, sidewalk salt, cleaning products, and other odds and ends right away.
Unexpected Expenses
As mentioned, your car could break down along the way, but there are other unexpected expenses that could arise that you will need to make sure you have money for. You could get your new place and find you need to pay a deposit with the city for water. Perhaps the storm knocked a tree down that you will need cleared away right away. When it comes to moving you really need to expect the unexpected. If you have plenty of money figured into your budget and you do not end up using it all, then great. However, you do not want to be in a situation where you don’t have funds needed to cover expenses you weren’t prepared for.
