One of the most essential parts of moving is coming up with a budget.
Before you can make any plans or hire a company for their services, you need to determine how much you can spend and what your move will cost.
While moving is a daunting task and crunching numbers isn’t fun, it helps you save money, create a plan, and lessen your stress in the end.
Whether you plan to move yourself or hire a professional moving company, you will likely need some type of assistance, services, or materials. Once you decide which moving services are right for you, you can add these costs.
To learn more about what you should add to your moving expense list and how to make your move simple, continue reading below.
Creating a Moving Budget
To create a moving budget, you will need to consider how much money you have to spend on the move, which items you will be moving, and if there are any items you’ll need to purchase for your new house.
Take Inventory
Whether this is your first move or a third move, you will benefit from taking inventory of your belongings. This gives you an idea of the amount you’ll spend on moving supplies and packing materials.
If you are not hiring a professional company, an inventory can also help determine how many trips it will take you to move from your old home to your new home.
How Much Do You Want to Spend?
If you have wanted to move for quite some time, you may have been putting money aside for your move. If this is a short notice move that you weren’t prepared for, you may have less to spend.
Either way, knowing what you can afford is the first step.
Moving Expenses Checklist
Below is a list of the services you may want to consider adding to your budget.
With this information, you can hire the services you need, purchase the materials you need, downsize, or change your original plans if needed.
Hiring Professionals
While hiring professionals may seem more expensive than moving yourself, that is not always true. When you hire a moving company to help you with a residential or long-distance move, they often include other services free of charge or at a discount.
A DIY Move
There are times you can save yourself money by moving with the help of family members or friends. If your move doesn’t require many services or materials, you may be able to get away with doing it solo.
Transportation Costs
The cost of transportation will depend on several things.
If you are using your own truck or van, you will only need to consider the cost of gas. This may seem like a money saver, but making many trips can add up to a lot of fuel. It also puts more wear and tear on your vehicle, which will cost you in the long run.
If you rent a moving truck, you will have truck rental fees and gas fees. When you hire professional movers, trucks are often included.
Storage Costs
You may need a storage unit if you have items that you won’t be bringing to your new home. Sometimes vintage or inherited items or belongings that you won’t use for a while need to be stored.
Or you may need a unit if your move will take longer than planned and you will be staying somewhere temporarily until you can move into your new home.
Consider the size unit you need and how long you will need to rent it.
Packing and Supplies
When you hire a professional company, you can pay them to pack your things, and use their packing materials. Using all of a company’s services can get you a better deal than only hiring them for one service.
With a DIY move, you will need to purchase moving supplies. So it is important to add materials like boxes, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, mattress bags, tape, color markers, labels, and a utility knife to your checklist.
Child Care or Pet Care
If you have children or pets, it can be challenging to move with them. In this case, you may need to hire a sitter to watch over them until your move is complete.
Costs to Settle In
There are different reasons you may need to purchase additional belongings for your new home. Maybe you are moving from a small apartment, and now you are moving into a bigger home and need more appliances, furniture, and decorations.
Or, perhaps, you are just looking to spruce things up, and want your new home to be a fresh start, with new scenery.
Tips to Save Money
Creating an accurate moving budget can be difficult, and the cost you come up with will be an estimate. Once you have your estimate, keep in mind you may need to spend a little more, or you may get lucky and end up spending less.
If you can, set aside extra money until your move is over.
Keep Track of Your Everyday Spending
You may not think that morning coffee matters much, but over time it adds up. Pay attention to the little things you purchase, what you spend on gas each day, and the subscriptions you don’t use.
Ways to Save Money
When you find ways to cut costs it can help you fund your move.
Here are a few ideas:
- Cancel subscriptions you don’t use
- Have a yard sale
- Check local stores for boxes
- Ask friends and family members for extra boxes or moving supplies
- Eat at home
- Brew your own coffee
- Check for coupons, rebates, and discounts
