Besides physical and emotional exhaustion, there are financial costs of moving to a new place or city. The longer the distance, the higher the moving cost. Getting the finances in order from start is extremely important. Most people usually focus on the overall relocation expenses, including packing costs, transportation costs, movers’ fees, and moving insurance. Anyone relocating, however, needs to know that financial concerns go beyond moving to a new place. A person needs to consider how he or she will survive for the first few days or even months in the new place.
Researching the Cost of Living
Having a clear picture of the cost of living in the new city is key to preparing financially for relocation. Housing is often the largest recurring cost for most people. Researching the cost of buying or renting a home, then making a decision based on the research and financial status is crucial.
A person should also think about any new expenses he or she will face after the relocation. If the person is relocating from a city with a reliable and robust public transport system to one where car culture is predominant, then his or her transport expense will most likely increase.
Familiarizing with the tax situation in the new city is also important, especially for someone considering changing careers after the relocation. The person should specifically gather more information about potential income tax, sales tax, property tax, and other local taxes.
Someone relocating a family should research the legal documents required. The individual should also research schools available in the new neighborhood, especially if he or she has school-going children.
Making a Budget
Anyone relocating needs to make a comprehensive relocation budget that accounts for the costs of actual relocation and the initial expenses in the new home. Although knowing the exact household relocation expense from the start may be difficult, researching standard market prices for things like packing, transportation, and moving services can help someone plan for the relocation costs.
Planning for up-front expenses of entering a new house or apartment is a great idea. If a person is purchasing a home, then obtaining a mortgage and closing a deal comes with various charges. If the person is renting, then he or she should be ready to part with non-refundable application fees and refundable security deposit.
Finding Ways to Save
Knowing the dos and don’ts when it comes to relocation expenses can be a great way to save some money. If someone can reduce the relocation costs, he or she will have some extra money to spend in the new place after moving. Shortlisting at least four movers, negotiating for a budget-friendly price, and settling on a mover with a better deal can help a person cut off some of the relocation costs.
The person can also reduce relocation costs by doing some of the packing himself or herself. If the packing task is left to the moving service, then the overall fees will be higher. By getting the packing done with the help of relatives, friends, and neighbors, the person can save some money.
Having an Emergency Fund
An emergency fund is a must-have for everyone. It’s even more crucial for someone relocating to a new place. A relocation can come with all sorts of unanticipated expenses, and the best way to be prepared for them is to set aside some money.
The emergency fund should amount to at least three to six months of daily living expenses. A person planning a move should try to have more than that amount. If he or she will be finding a new job in the new city, then saving at least six months to a full year’s worth of living expenses is advisable.
Improving the Credit Score
Most landlords determine the reliability of potential tenants by checking their credit scores. While a spotless credit score isn’t a key requirement for getting an apartment, it will help someone moving to be one jump ahead of the rest. Paying for main expenses with a rewards credit card is the easiest and most effective way to build a good credit score, especially for a person with a poor score or who hasn’t built anything yet. He or she needs to make payments in full before the deadline, significantly minimize his or her credit utilization, and avoid taking new credit.