Money and Moves: Moving to a New Location Takes Money

Over the years, I have moved to various states several times either for the company I was working for or most recently I relocated because I got married to my husband!!  Yeah!! All the reasons were great but each move had its own set of financial decisions that I had to make. Moving can be one of the most stressful projects an individual or family will undertake.  Therefore it’s imperative that you count the costs of your move beforehand.

Unless the company you’re working for is paying for your move, one of the questions, you will have to ask yourself is what will the move cost me?  You will have to decide if you will move your belongings yourself or hire professional movers. If you decide to move them yourself, you can consider options for portable moving and storage with companies such as PODS or ABF U-Pack ReloCube and various others.  You may even consider options like U-Haul. With these options, you will have to coordinate moving your belongings into the container or moving vehicle You will need moving blankets, shrink wrap, various box sizes, tape and a variety of other moving supplies for a successful move.  You can ask friends to fill your moving container(s)/truck or hire some helping hands through apps like Thumbtack or TaskRabbit. If you don’t have a lot of items to move but it’s too much for your one-way plane flight to your new location, then you can consider a Freight company like Greyhound or Fedex.  With the freight companies, be sure to ask what are the best containers to ship your items securely and damage free. Remember to take care of your boxes and moving materials as you may be able to redeem them for some money with apps like OfferUp, NextDoor, even Facebook.

Another cost to consider when moving is relocating your vehicle.  Are you going to drive your car to your new location or are you going to ship it?  If you drive it then some of the costs you’ll need to consider is gas expense, wear and tear on your car, your time, food and lodging costs.  If you ship your vehicle then you will want to get quotes from various car relocators. In my most recent move, I used a service called Mr. Carshipper.  This company has access to a bank of car relocation companies and will help you schedule. It always a good idea to get quotes from at least 2 service providers to make sure you’re getting a competitive price.

An additional consideration to make when moving is your present and future housing.  If you live in an apartment, what are the requirements to get the security deposit back?  If you own your home are you going to rent it or sell it? Unless you are extremely familiar with your new location, I recommend renting temporarily to get a feel for the neighborhood, schools, proximity to work, etc.  Otherwise, you will run the risk of being committed to a mortgage you have doubts about. IF you rent, your landlord my require a security deposit. If you buy, you’ll need to calculate the down payment and any other fees for your new home purchase.
Furthermore, check all your subscriptions for portability to your new location.  Fortunately, subscriptions to services like Amazon Prime and Netflix are portable.  However, subscriptions to your gym, your cable company, WiFi, etc. may not be. Be sure to cancel any services you know you won’t be using at your new location as that can save you lots of money.  
Lastly, review the requirements for getting a new driver’s license and car registration.  Many state cost vary. This is a fee you will have to pay if you are moving permanently so its good to know and budget for how much you will pay.  In my most recent move to Florida the driver’s license and car registration combined was over $400.

Moving to a new city or state is an exciting time but it can also by a stressful time.  Eliminating the unknowns about your financial obligations can help you feel more comfortable about your move.   I hope you found these ideas useful. If you’ve moved recently or have moved several times what advice would you give in additional to these suggestions?

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