There is no doubt that moving can be an expensive process. On top of this, don’t be surprised if new expenses pop up when you are least expecting them. While there are many common moving expenses that you are probably aware of, such as hiring movers, there are others that you may be overlooking.
Here are five moving expenses that can sneak up on you if you do not plan in advance:
1. Did you know that expensive or bigger items can cost more to move from one location to another? For example, a grand piano is going to easily add a few hundred dollars to your moving bill. Along with this, if you have expensive artwork or antiques, you will need to take special care and may even opt for insurance. Once again, this will add money to the overall cost of moving. Do you have any of these items in your home? If so, plan for the added cost.
2. You are going to lose things along the way. During my most recent move, I lost several items valued at over $500 during shipping. No, these items are not essential to my survival, but I hated to lose them nonetheless. Although you will probably do whatever you can to avoid this, things always get lost in the shuffle. In turn, after your move is complete, you will probably find yourself at the store looking to replace these items.
3. If you are anything like me, you are probably going to break many items during the moving process. Even though I had professional movers help with roughly 90% of the things in my home, I found a way to break two lamps, a couple plates, and my MP3 player. Just like losing items along the way, when you break something, you will need to replace it at some point in the near future. Fortunately, this is something that can also be avoided if you take the proper care and have a little bit of luck on your side. Also, don’t forget, that some movers will not take responsbility even if it is their fault that something was broken. Do your research on these moving companies ahead of time!
4. Storage. Have you ever thought about the fact that your new home may not be ready for you when you want to move in? I had to rent “month-to-month” as I waited to close on my new home. So, not only did I have to pay for an apartment, but I also had to pay for storage space. This led to two significant expenses: the cost of the storage unit, as well as the double moving fee (from my old home to storage, and from storage to my new home). I totally overlooked this expense as I did not expect that closing process on my new home to take as long as it did. I was in a bit of a panic and wanted to get the sale done!
5. Supplies, supplies, and more supplies. Each time I thought I was done buying boxes, storage bins, and packing peanuts, I had to head back to the store for more. When everything was said and done, I would estimate that I spent between $150 and $200 on these seemingly cheap supplies. And to make it even worse, after the move, 90% of this material ended up in the trash.
The act of buying a new home can be a lot of fun. But when it comes time to move all of your stuff, get ready for a stressful and costly experience. Hopefully you can learn from some of my mistakes by planning in advance for every possible expense.
Are there any expenses that you overlooked during the moving process that should be added to this list?
(photo credit: james.thompson)
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But just think of all the things that you didn’t know that you had that you rediscover when moving… Also the opportunity to throw things out that needed to go as well.
I highly recommend buying plastic totes for the move. They are only slightly more expensive than boxes, are more durable, and reusable. You can stack them inside each other in your attic or garage when you are done moving (and don’t need them for storage) and they don’t take up much space.
Don’t forget the cost of eating out and hotels just to get to your new place. Some folks seem to think those costs will magically come out of some else’s bank account!
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