Moving

noffgurl · November 2014

I think DH and I have decided to move closer to his family in Spring. It's 1500 miles and 3 states away but he can transfer to a terminal that has a much better reputation and (getting really excited!!) we can have 4 yes 4 definable seasons in the year- that part alone would be fantastic!! Any tips for moving to another state?

hoffse · November 2014

Look and see if you can take a tax deduction for your moving expenses BEFORE you start to spend money on the move. Sometimes you can, but I forget what the exact rules are. Obviously, if you will qualify for the deduction, then save receipts/document all of your moving costs.

I also suggest looking for an apartment or housing that is newer construction. That makes it more likely that it's well-insulated and has updated amenities. Sounds silly, but with 4 seasons, you will be paying for both winter and summer. The only way to have A/C in the summer is through what will feel like an absurdly high electric bill. I have lived in both older and newer housing, and our utility expenses were noticeably less in the newer housing, especially in the summer (I live in Alabama).

Bonus points if there is a gym, pool, etc. included in your rent. H and I just got back from the Y to sign up for a membership. It's 0.5 miles from the house, so we can walk there... but we do miss the free gym at our old apartment!

Obviously when you move there will be the costs associated with the move itself - but also be prepared for things like new driver's licenses, retitling your car(s), utility deposits, security deposits, etc. I also think it's a good idea to make a list of every account you can think of before you move. That way, once you have moved you have a comprehensive list of accounts you need to update with your new address, and you can just move down the list without thinking about it. Don't forget to update accounts like Bed Bath & Beyond or Ebates if they have an address on file for you! You don't want your coupons and cash back going to the old place anymore.

Finally, keep in mind that if you have to file state income taxes for your current state, you will have to do a partial year for 2015. So don't lose track of that. By the time tax time for 2015 rolls around you will have been living in your new place for awhile.

Moving is a pain, but once the dust settles it's great to be in a new place. My last piece of advice is to not rush to unpack. It's ok if it takes a few weeks, especially if it means that things are being unpacked in an organized fashion. Also try to minimize the number of boxes that say "misc" on them. Those are the worst to unpack.

hoffse · November 2014

I thought of a few other things (we just went through a move ourselves).

As I recall, you have a couple of dogs. Keep in mind that most apartment complexes require pet deposits. Set aside some money for that. The newer apartments are starting to include things like dog parks on the premises as a way of attracting residents. The apartment we just moved from had one, and it was great for dog owners.

Our most recent apartment also had covered parking, which was free. Some apartment complexes make you pay for covered parking. My car has some hail damage because I was too cheap to pay for the covered parking while I was in law school (Nashville). So if your new place has free covered parking, consider it a great bonus.

Also see if you can find housing that includes a washer/dryer. Lots of places do not, and renting a washer/dryer is no good.

Also keep in mind that when you are moving that far, you won't be able to transport anything cold or frozen. So you will need to completely re-stock your fridge/freezer when you first move in. If it were me, I would try to slowly stockpile jarred things and condiments that have to be refrigerated after opening between now and then. When you can swing adding jar of jam into your grocery budget one week, add it and just hold onto it for after the move. Then when you move, the only thing you have to buy right away is dairy, meat, and fruits/veggies. Definitely try to move as much of your dry/pantry goods and spices as you can. Spices in particular are really expensive to completely replace.

I also found that we went through cleaning supplies pretty quickly when we fjrst moved in. We used a lot of trash bags for trash, donations, and moving linens. We also used a lot of those lysol wipes to feel like we had fully disinfected the germs from the old owners. Maybe keep an eye on deals for those kinds of things too between now and then. You will use them.

Finally, if it were me, I would uhaul it if at all possible. Moving that far is $$$$, and a one-way uhaul rental won't be cheap, but it's not nearly as much as hiring movers. Also use this as an opportunity to be brutal about what you keep and what you donate. No sense moving clothes that you never wear and stuff you never use.

Xstatic3333 · November 2014

@hoffse's advice is great! A few things to add, as someone who just did a state-to-state move and also has lived in "cold" states my whole life:

-I will double-stress the importance of looking into the cost of switching licenses and car registrations to your new state. In our case it cost us each $200 for the whole shebang. Also, be very organized about figuring out the documents you'll need. My H ended up needing to take 2 PTO days to complete the process because he wasn't fully prepared the first time.

-You're in TX right now, correct? If you're moving to a state where heating costs will be more of a factor in your budget, I'll give you a quick primer. Oil heat and electric heat are by far the most expensive options. In New England we have high electric costs so I think electric is the worst for most people, but if you're in a slightly warmer area oil my be worst. If you're deciding between a place with oil or electric heat and a place with gas, gas should be considered a very, very big "pro."

-Hoffse's advice about new construction is definitely sound; however, at least in my area, new construction apartments are expensive enough that it would wipe away the savings on energy vs. a similar unit in an older 3-decker. That kind of thing is probably area-dependent, though, so I'd start following listings on Craigslist now to get an idea of what you're in for.

-Try to talk to neighbors and coworkers in your new area and get an idea of any other random taxes that your new state my have. For example, I learned that my yearly car tax will approximately double. It won't be due for quite a while, but I'm glad I know so I can budget for it.

Congrats on the upcoming move! Sounds like it will be great for your family.

noffgurl · November 2014

Thank y'all for the great advice! We are going to save up and hoping our tax refund can help fuel most of it, if not we should be ok. We will have 1 2 he old lab/golden retriever with us. We are currently in north Texas and will be going to the Salt Lake City/Ogden area of Utah. It will definitely be colder in the winter but I'm hoping the summers will offset that. It still gets high temperatures in the summer but it's much drier so it's tolerated a heck of a lot easier.

Xstatic3333 · November 2014

Oh cool! Utah sounds like a great place to live. It's so beautiful!

noffgurl · November 2014

It's really amazing there but it does have a slightly higher cost of living and state taxes.

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