Moving House on a Budget

 Moving into a new house is always exciting, however, it can also be incredibly stressful and expensive.

 Having a budget when moving into a new house is always a good idea - it means that you will have more money to spend on setting up and settling into your new home.

 Follow these simple tips, and you’ll find that moving doesn’t have to cost the earth!

1. Find a Reliable Moving CompanyOne of the most expensive parts of moving is paying the removalist company.

Find a removalist that keeps the costs down, and look for companies that have expertise, flexibility, a high level of customer service and full removal insurance.

This will help reduce the risk of something going wrong, avoiding unexpected costs.

If you decide not to use a removalist, you can take things into your own hands.

Doing it yourself can save a lot of money, just make sure you give yourself enough time to get it finished, and start packing a few weeks prior to your moving date. In addition you could hire the truck for a few days so that you can fill it the way you want to unpack it.

A lot of rental trucks on require a drivers licence these days.

2. Cut Down on Personal Possessions

The less things that you have to move, the cheaper moving will be!

Try and declutter and rationalise your possessions, to decide what you really need to keep, or what can be thrown out or given to charity.

If you haven’t used it in the last 6 months, and it doesn’t hold sentimental value, do you really need to keep it? It can be such a soothing process to de-clutter your home prior to getting to a new one.

3. Plan Your Meals

Avoid grocery shopping during the weeks prior to the move. Make up meal plans based on what’s left in the fridge and pantry, and avoid buying perishables.

Food such as stir-fry and salads work well for this.

Another way to get rid of left-over food is by holding a ‘house-cooling’ party. Invite your friends and family over for a last supper in the old house.

Now, you also need to consider the actual move day. What do you have readily available or what is the plan for when you arrive at the new home. Spending money on costly takeaway can seem like an easy choice but perhaps a cooked chook from the local shops might do. OR perhaps a frozen lasagne that you can place straight in the oven and cook without much thought.

 4. Don't be afraid to ask for help

 We’ve all helped friends and family move house, and now might be the perfect time to ask them to return the favour.

One great idea is to have a few friends over for a packing party, offer food and perhaps some drinks to motivate them and just ask for the bare minimum such as an hour or two. You will be surprised how 6 or more people if they offer to spend 1 hour to help they are literally saving you 6+ hours packing.

If someone in your family has a ute or van, asking them to borrow it to move furniture yourself can save a lot of money.

Moving can be quite a stressful process and it is easy to get overwhelmed but, with some of these tips hopefully you can reduce some of the stress from the process.