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Prepare For Unexpected Costs When Moving Across State Lines

Whether you’re moving to a new state for school, a new job, or to be with the love of your life, this transition can be both exciting and challenging at the same time. In preparation for your move, it’s important to plan for some of the hidden costs of moving that you might encounter. Whether you move to the state next door or across the country, there may be expenses you didn’t take into account. Let’s look at some of the costs beyond a moving truck and hiring movers that you might not think of.

Hotels and Food

When most of us move, we drive from the old home to the new one. In a local move, this is a short, quick trip, a few hours at most. However, when you move to a new state, your trip could take one or more days. This could mean at least one night in a hotel and several meals on the road. Depending on your family’s size, you may need multiple hotel rooms as well.

On top of that, if you haven’t found your new home yet or haven’t gotten the utilities turned on, you may need another few days, weeks, or months in a hotel. You may be able to find an extended stay hotel that will save you a few bucks, but this is an expense that is often unavoidable and higher than people expect. If you haven’t arranged for permanent housing yet (i.e. a rental or a purchased home) you should consider AirBNB or VRBO for your extended stay. Hosts often offer discounts for longer stays (since they don’t have to clean as often) and they can be a good resource for information on your new location.

Early Termination Fees

Your life has lots of contracts. You may have a gym membership, house or yard maintenance contract, or a special deal to get discounted internet or cable service. When you move across town or even a couple of hours away, you may be able to transfer your contract. But when you’re moving out of state, you’ll have to cancel these contracts. Cancelation often means paying early termination fees.

You can avoid early termination fees in some cases. For example, your gym membership can simply expire without being renewed. Other contracts, such as your cable or internet service, must be canceled before you move. However, you can see if those services, or others like a house or yard maintenance contract, can be transferred into someone else’s name, such as the new owner of your old home.

Moving Expenses

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Hiring movers is typically the biggest expense most people incur when they move out of state. In fact, it’s such a large expense that many consider renting a truck and handling the move themselves. While this can save money, Christofferson Moving & Storage, recommends hiring a moving company for longer moves because they are experienced at proper packing and so your breakables are more likely to survive the move.

You’ll also have insurance when you hire a moving company. If any of your possessions are damaged, broken, or lost, you’ll be reimbursed to have it repaired or replaced. The movers are also trained to pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack your belongings with efficiency and safety in mind. This reduces the chances of something being broken, damaged, or lost. It also makes your move quicker and smoother than if you do it yourself.

When you hire professionals to move your belongings, you don’t need to worry about packing or transportation. You won’t need to worry about where to stop for meals and whether the moving truck will fit in the parking lot. You also won’t need to worry about your moving truck being broken into or stolen during the night when you stop at a hotel.

License and Registration Fees

Even if you simply move across town, you need to update your driver’s license and vehicle registration. When you move within the same state, the fee associated with this is often zero. But, when you move to a new state, you need to give up your existing license and get a new one, which often comes with a new fee since it’s a new license. You’ll also need to re-register your vehicle in your new state, which includes a new license plate as well. This can be very costly, depending on how many and what kind of vehicles you have.

While moving out of state is exciting, it is also a challenge. Hidden expenses that you weren’t planning on can make it a bigger challenge than you thought it would be. This is why it’s so important to understand all the costs associated with your move. Transportation costs, changes in car insurance, and even expenses that go along with staying in your home while it’s on the market can all make your move more expensive. By planning and budgeting more than you think you need, you can avoid being caught off guard by unexpected expenses.

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