People usually move if they have a good reason for it. Sometimes it’s a new job, and sometimes a bigger family. Almost nobody moves just for a change of scenery. The main reason for that is the moving is complicated, to say the least. It consumes a lot of time, energy and, of course, money. There are ways to volume down the stress surrounding the moving, but that means you have to be prepared. Expect the unexpected and you will be fine. When thinking about relocation, people usually think primarily of the cost of the new residence. Unfortunately, there are some moving costs most of us never considered until the moving is history. Maybe you are in the pursuit of the better job and higher pay, so costs are not your biggest concern. Either way, you should be familiar with the possibilities of costs that come with moving so that you can properly prepare for your moving day and everything it brings.
Take into consideration all the moving costs
After we excluded the cost of the new place you are moving into, we have a lot more of them to talk about. So, if your dream job is in NYC and if planning on relocating to Washington Heights or to any other place, we can divide moving costs into three big parts:
- before the move,
- while moving and
- after the move.
Although it is safe to say that some of them overlap, we can still separate these three wholes. Nevertheless, you should always have in mind these moving costs, if you don’t want to get surprised when you set the record after moving. No one wants to use up all the money from the rainy day fund, that’s why you must be prepared. Some things you can’t control, but the others you can, so learn how to do that.
The biggest moving costs before the move
Let’s say that you have found the perfect house or an apartment. It’s just the right size and looks. All of the kids have their own bedrooms, and there’s even an extra guest room. It has a basement, an attic and, of course, a perfect little backyard. The most important thing is that it fits perfectly into your budget. All your dreams are seeming to come to life, except just one small thing. Before you prepare for a moving day, think about the realtor fee! Do not make a mistake in thinking that it’s some change money. No, the realtors can be very expensive, especially in NYC. A commission of 5%-7% of your home’s purchase price can be a large amount of money, especially if the house isn’t small. So you should always have in mind the realtor fee and calculate it into your budget before the choosing day.
Costs before the moving day
Another one of the moving costs is the deposit for the old place. People tend to forget that they have made some alterations to home while living in it for a longer period of time. If it’s not your property, the landlord will keep your deposit if you don’t put everything in the previous condition. Sometimes, it will be enough only to clean after yourself, but other times you’ll need to do more. It is better you fill the holes in it and repaint the walls, and maybe you’ll get your deposit back.
The last but not the least of the moving costs you haven’t think of before the move is the cost of the packing supplies if you are packing on your own. Maybe you still have some boxes saved from the small kitchen appliances, but when you are packing your whole household – you need a lot more. Buying moving boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, and other supplies can be expensive if you have a lot of belongings. That is why you have to get rid of everything unnecessary. Throw the broken things away, give some stuff to charities, or make a great and successful garage sale to get rid of stuff and also to make some money.
Avoid costs while moving
If you decide that there is too much stuff and not enough friends and family to carry them, then you must hire a professional moving company. Although it costs money to hire a good one, you will actually gain it that transaction. You want your belongings to be transported safely to your new address, so you shouldn’t spare money on that. Unfortunately, even if you hire the best moving company, there can be some complications. Due to delayed move-in date or inclement weather, you might have to find a short term storage solution near you. That, in the addition of hotel costs in New York and renting a moving truck twice, can seriously add up to your costs.
Try to minimize the costs after the move
Whether you are buying or renting your new place, it has some start-up costs. You need to set up gas, electricity, Internet, water, and sewage. It is best you do it before the day of moving in because it will make your life much easier not having to unpack in a cold, dark and quiet room. Also, don’t forget to terminate the utilities at your old place. Some providers will make you pay for that too, so add it on a list of moving costs.
Before you take your stuff out of the boxes, you will probably need to do at least some small renovation at your new apartment or house to make home improvements. And even if you brought all your furniture, if you are moving to a bigger place, you will need some new pieces of it. Perhaps you will not buy everything new, but some additions will be necessary. Something of the old stuff always brakes, so you will at least have to replace that.
Also, you probably didn’t pack the old cleaning supplies. Put that new broom on a buying list and you will see how the moving costs grow. Don’t forget that the big shopping in the local Walmart awaits you, as you have to restock your entire pantry. Frozen goods, opened bags of spices and cans you threw out before the move, will now find their place on the shopping list too.
