How to prepare your moving budget

There comes a time in anyone’s life when you have to move. Whether it is work, education, or whatever reason, it will be a hassle. It will be a stressful and expensive experience and you will not know where your head is at certain points during the move, whether it is a local move or a long distance one. This is why you need to be prepared. You need to be prepared for everything that the moving process throws at you. The first thing you need to think about is your budget and how to prepare it. So, we have created an article just for you, on how to prepare your moving budget! Without any further ado, let’s dive in!

Preparing your moving budget

It will not be easy to carefully prepare your moving budget. If it was, you probably would not even be here, reading this article. We will not list some tips on the best way to prepare for your move.

Making proper organization

The most important thing for your move is proper organization. As you know, organization is vital to anything in life, and that applies to moving as well. If you are well organized you will be prepared for problems that may arise during the moving process and also find possible solutions for them.

Man writing on paper
Proper organization is vital for preparing your moving budget!

Moving companies North Miami also suggest that this is the most important thing to do during your move. One great way to be organized during the moving process is creating the ultimate checklist. The checklist should have about the move from the beginning to the end. This will be very helpful when you want to prepare a moving budget. This is because you first need to know how much money you will need. How much will the moving company expenses be, packing services if you decide that you need them, truck rental if you are doing it on your own, etc.

Finding a cheap but reliable moving company

Moving companies can be expensive, especially when moving long distance. This is why you need to do your research and see how much the move will cost, so you know how big your moving budget should be. If you want to save some money, finding a cheap company seems like a good idea.

However, this may have some downsides. Cheap companies often turn out to be scammers, especially if they are offering a too-good-to-be-true deal. Beware of these companies because they only care about your money, and do not want to provide good service. You can find out which moving companies are reliable by looking at reviews made by real people at BBB or Yelp. BBB has a system where the most reliable moving companies get the BBB seal of approval. Consider this method if you want to find a reliable company.

What does a reliable company offer and how will it affect your budget

Different moving companies offer different services. But the most important thing here is that they are all probably well versed in moving. Therefore, you need to see how much will the move itself cost, and also, if you require some additional services, you need to find out how will that affect your budget. The first thing you need to worry about when it comes to moving company expenses is the estimate. Some companies offer free moving quotes Miami, and this is a great way to know how much will the move approximately cost. There are three types of moving estimates and we will go through them now.

calculator and documents
Calculate the moving expenses!

Binding estimate

A binding estimate is when the moving company gives you a fixed estimate after weighing your items. They will also list all the additional services you require such as packing or handling fragile items. After that, they will give you a contract for you to sign, and you are good to go. This is a reliable way of securing that your belongings get there safely without a chance of the movers scamming you. This is because everything is transparent and they are probably offering insurance to go with it.

Non-binding estimate

A non-binding estimate is when the movers come and make an estimate, but it is still possible for the price to change depending on the additional services you require, or if you add more weight to the move. The making of an estimate is usually free and not a part of the contract. If you add more items and maybe require additional services to complete the move, they may charge you more. This is why they need to state which additional services they want to provide and for what price. Scamming companies often use this method because they can sneak in some additional expenses and foil your plan to prepare your moving budget.

Binding not-to-exceed-estimate

This is the best kind of estimate for the customer and if the company offers it to you, you can be sure that they are reliable. They will give you an estimate, and when the weighing comes, if the weight is higher than the estimate the price won’t change. In addition, if the weight is lower, the price will go down. Finding a company that offers this is a great way to prepare your moving budget.

Expenses after your move

When you see how much will the whole move cost,  do not think that you are done. You will also need to create a post-move budget to go along with your moving budget. Rent, mortgage, and deposits may turn out to be more than you can handle after an expensive move. This is why you need to be prepared and avoid surprises. Include this aspect into your moving budget. You will also need to get groceries, cleaning supplies and other things for your new house. This may not seem like a lot, but the costs of that may stealthily build up and surprise you.

man holding money
Make sure to leave some money for post-move expenses!

With all that said, we hope that this article was helpful to you. Good luck!