Moving can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. From booking your move to packing your belongings, there are many costs associated with relocating. To ensure you don't get taken off guard, it's important to consider all the expenses that come with moving. This article will provide a comprehensive checklist of the costs associated with moving, from booking your move to replacing items you didn't carry with you.
The first step in budgeting for your move is to determine what type of move you have and what type of move you need. You will have to choose between the DIY option and a professional moving company. The day of the week you choose and the time of year can result in higher rates of up to 20% higher due to demand, bad weather or holiday interruptions. Ask the moving company about discounts for a lowest-demand day of the week and the quietest time of the month, if they have some flexibility in their schedule.
Logically, the distances required to travel from the pick-up and drop-off location will influence moving costs due to mileage, fuel, tolls, and any other distance considerations. Most moving companies already take distance into account when quoting A weight-based estimate is often applied to long-distance movements. Your carriers will provide a starting price that includes any transportation fees, but once the truck is loaded, they will adjust the charge accordingly. This can come as a big surprise if the cost exceeds your budget, but you don't have a choice, since you're stuck and it's moving day.
Most moving companies don't include a tip in their quote. The general rule of thumb is to base the tip on a percentage of the total cost of moving, with 15-20% being the industry average. In addition to those obvious and basic expenses, leave room within your budget for the unforeseen, because there are sure to be some. Maybe the truck you rented will be canceled at the last minute and you have to look for another truck. Maybe you don't have enough supplies to pack, or you forgot what items the carriers aren't going to move; you never know.
If you're moving into a house where there's a yard to look after, make sure you include lawn care in your moving budget. Wrong. In fact, you may need to spray your new lawn to eliminate weeds and fungi, as well as fertilizer or worm applications, he adds. In HOA communities, the cost of lawn care may or may not be covered in HOA rates, so be sure to check carefully. From parking tickets to stair fees, here are 16 hidden costs you should know before moving day.
There are also costs to replace items you didn't carry with you, such as the moldy shower curtain, frayed towels, or the broken kitchen bucket you threw away while packing your bags. The costs that can be associated with it are numerous and can add up quickly if you don't pay attention to them. Consider your new life as a whole: Work, social life, activities and even weather are cost factors when deciding whether to move, where and when. If you move to an area with a higher cost of living, that may mean having to reduce some of the non-essentials. Before you hire a moving company and start looking for a house or apartment, it's important that you take the time to consider relocation costs. Consider the costs of an Uber across town, a domestic flight and taxis to and from the airport, renting a car to drive there, and any fuel charges.
Before you start unwinding the packing tape, here are several unexpected moving costs you should consider, along with estimates of what you can expect to spend on each task. If you plan to move your things into storage, you will need to include monthly storage fees in your budget, which are in addition to the costs of the moving service. Once you have taken stock of each item on this list, you can get a pretty good idea of how much the move will cost. To prevent moving costs from taking you off guard, use this moving expense checklist to estimate how much your move will affect your bank account. You may be young and healthy, but if you get sick or injured, you should know how much a visit to the doctor would cost if you wait for your insurance to go into effect or if you haven't met your deductible during the year. Most professional moving companies offer to pack your belongings for you, but if you are moving yourself, you may not have budgeted the cost of packing supplies.
