When it comes to moving, regardless if it’s a local or long-distance move, you’ll want to create a budget. Many people aren’t sure how to create a moving budget but don’t worry because it’s a lot easier than you think. At least it is with the following tips:
Do An Inventory Of Your Belongings
One of the first things you’ll want to do is take an inventory of all of the belongings that will be going with you. This includes everything from the small stuff to the larger items. Take inventory of everything, such as clothing, utensils, appliances, furniture, bedding, and anything else that will be going with you.
There are several reasons why you should take an inventory. The main one is because moving companies will want to know exactly what will need to be packed into their trucks. Even if you plan to move alone, you’ll still want to take inventory because it will impact your overall budget.
Research Moving Companies’ Fees
Next, you’ll want to do some research before you hire a moving company. Different moving companies charge different fees; therefore, you’ll want to budget for such fees. Remember, the majority of movers will ask you for an inventory before providing you with a quote. Go through a few relocation tips when researching companies and, ask movers about their base moving fee, a base rate that all people pay. This is regardless of how many items are being moved.
There might be a fee to move specialty items. These items typically include safes, pool tables, and pianos, to name a few. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to pay such a fee if you have very fragile belongings or an item that is difficult to move.
Finally, there is moving insurance. Many professional moving companies offer insurance for free but then many don’t. You’ll want to know how many companies in your area include insurance and how many don’t, as this will affect your budget.
Truck Rental Fees
If you decide to move on your own, you’ll have to budget for a truck rental. You’ll need to consider things such as how far you’ll be driving to/from, how many items you’ll be moving and how much gas you can expect to spend. You might also have to pay additional costs for insurance unless it’s included with the rental price.
You might own your truck, but you’ll have to include gas into the budget. You might learn that it is cheaper and more fuel-efficient to rent a new truck than to use your vehicle. This is why you’ll have to compare the costs of renting a truck vs using your own vehicle. All of this will help you to create a realistic budget.
Storage Fees
A lot of people end up having to put their belongings in storage. At first, they don’t even consider storing their items until they decide what will be going with them. Due to not preparing ahead of time, they determine they should use storage, but they are surprised at how much they have to pay. Generally speaking, the sooner you decide that you need storage space, the better because it allows you time to compare storage facilities.
In most cases, you can expect to pay a monthly fee to use a storage unit. However, the moving company you use might have its storage facility or have deals with storage facilities. Whatever the case is, you’ll want to budget for a storage unit right from the start, even if you’re not 100% sure you need one. You never know; there might be a chance you’ll want a storage unit at some point during the moving process.
Decide On When You Want To Move
Another thing you want to do when creating your moving budget is to decide when you want to move. Not many people move during the wintertime, and this is the time of year that moving companies aren’t that busy. If you plan on moving during the winter months, you’ll probably end up paying more.
Summer and springtime are considered peak season for moving companies; therefore, you can expect to pay more money to move. Not only that but where you’re moving will factor into how much you’ll spend on moving. If you’re going to relocate from an one state to another, then you’ll probably pay more in moving costs. Not only that, but some cities and towns will charge a fee for a moving permit, which also will factor into how much you’ll pay to move.
Determine Your Budget
Consider every single little thing associated with your move, and then do your research into moving companies. Whatever they quote you, you should create a budget that is higher than the average quote. This will leave you room to spend money on unexpected stuff that might come up at any point during the moving process. Remember, it’s always better to overestimate how much your move will cost than it is to underestimate. It’s always good to be prepared well before your moving date. Part of being prepared is to have a solid moving budget in place. With the above tips and advice, creating a budget for moving has never been easier. Go ahead and start working on your budget today, but make sure you keep those tips in mind.