4 Hidden Costs of Moving

Nov 19

As exciting as the prospect of moving to a new home can be, the move itself can be extraordinarily stressful. Moving across the state or between states can become an exceedingly expensive venture. Some estimates project that an intrastate move could cost, on average, as much as $1,170 and moving between states a whopping $5,630. The cost of uprooting your life and relocating goes far deeper than just hiring movers. Included here are a few hidden costs of moving.

Cheap Movers

Your choice in moving companies is a great opportunity to try to save some coin. However, sometimes the cost of those “affordable” moving companies can result in lost property and damages. A great way to avoid losing money on a moving company is by relying on word of mouth referrals. Be sure to read reviews and try to find an affordable company that has proven themselves to be honest and careful. If you are in NYC, for example, you may wish to check out these movers Brooklyn and see if any of the services that they offer could be a potential option for you. It’s always worth trying to find local movers who will know the roads and types of properties in the area, as they will be able to make sure that the move goes as smoothly as possible.

A great way to avoid too much stress in the process of moving, is by purchasing moving insurance. This can be done through a national company or the moving service themselves. While the utmost care should be performed when moving your belongings, accidents do happen and it can help to be prepared. If a priceless china set is smashed, you will be relieved to be compensated for at least a portion of it.

Storage Costs

Making a move is anything but predictable. If your move ends up dragging out for longer than you planned, you could find yourself facing storage costs for your belongings that have already been moved over; storage units could cost you as much as $100-$180 per month. Keep in mind, especially with construction, that your home may not be ready exactly when you are planning.

Transferring Service

Keeping track of when all of your bills are due during a move can be complicated but necessary. Overdue bills can rack up unnecessary fees and balloon your moving costs. Be sure you keep track of when each bill is due and when service needs to be shut off at your previous residence. This can be especially tricky if you have to coordinate bill payment with roommates but should be planned out in advance.

An additional cost many people do not consider when moving, is the expense associated with reactivating service. You will likely have to pay installation fees for both cable and internet as well as possible phone lines. Try to budget for your activation fees in advance, so you are not hit with huge bills upon meeting your new home.

Re-establishment

Realizing that moving some things can cost more than simply replacing them could save you some cash in this venture. However, when you do go to replace the items, you may find that you forgot to budget that expense into your move. Make sure you take stock of each item you tossed, and planned to replace, so you are not overwhelmed by the amount of items you need in your new home.