The Most Common Unexpected Moving Expenses

Moving can get expensive. You need to budget for gas if you are moving yourself, and gas is expensive. Or you need to set aside money in your budget for hiring a professional moving company. You have plenty of obvious expenses to plan for, but you also need to consider some expenses that are more common than you think. 

Common Unexpected Expenses When Moving

Hotel Rooms

Long-distance moving will probably require an overnight stay in a hotel, maybe several nights. If you’re making a long trip with kids, you might need to pay for an extra room. Depending on the quality of your lodgings, that can add several hundred dollars to your total costs.  

If you want to minimize this amount, determine whether your traveling route takes you near any friends or family. Staying in a guest room for even one night can save you a considerable amount of money. 

Utility Fees

People often forget about the fees required to have utilities turned on at a new place. The price will vary depending on everything you need to be added to your home. A few examples of features people have installed at a new place include Internet, cable, and a home security system. Terminating your utilities at your old place can also cost you a fee.  

To minimize the fees you have to pay, do a little research before the move. This will allow you to take your time finding reasonable service providers instead of feeling rushed.

Restocking the Pantry

It’s impossible to take much food with you when moving, especially if you’re traveling a long distance. Groceries are a major expense that’s easy to forget about. You don’t realize until you’re shopping how much you’re going to spend. However, since you’ll not only need to completely restock the refrigerator, but the pantry and cupboards as well, that can add up quickly. Aside from new furniture, once you add in cleaning supplies and other products you may need for your new place, groceries may be the largest unexpected moving expense there is.  

To at least slightly minimize the cost of these much-needed items, try finding some coupons or deals at local stores. You may also want to do some quick research on cheap shopping centers so you know where to find affordable groceries.

A Babysitter

Young kids can be problematic when you’re packing. Trying to keep an eye on the kids while you organize items into boxes can be distracting. Children also need a lot of attention, which means it’ll probably take you twice as long to store everything in boxes. That’s why hiring a babysitter for an evening or two is beneficial. 

However, depending on the number of items you need to pack, the cost of a babysitter can quickly add up. Make sure you note this expense on your moving budget list so you aren’t surprised by the charge later.   

If you don’t want to spend money on a sitter, ask nearby friends or family members for a favor. Overall, it’ll help you save a little cash – just remember to send a thank you card after the move.

Broken Items

Damaged or broken furniture and other items should be expected. Sometimes objects are also misplaced during relocation. Setting aside a certain sum for replacing lost and damaged items will allow you to quickly restore any important furniture or dishes you can no longer use. 

If you’ve hired a moving company, you have less to worry about since professionals will be handling your things. However, just to be safe, make sure you ask about valuation options, as well. This will help protect you from some of these damage costs.

New Decor

Your new house will probably have a different overall style than your previous home, which means your furniture might not match. The house may also be bigger than your other one, which means you’ll probably want to purchase some new decor. 

Waiting several months to save enough money to purchase an area rug to accent the living room can be frustrating. Instead, keep the decoration additions in mind after you’ve purchased the new house. This will allow you to budget for added furniture or other adornments so you can easily purchase what you need after move-in. 

While budgeting for each of these costs may seem tedious, being aware of these added expenses can make the financial impact of your move seem much more manageable.