Are you thinking of taking the plunge and moving into a coastal city with sandy beaches and warm weather around the year? San Diego is right for you. From the beautiful beaches to the vibrant people and culture, you will not regret your decision to move.
One of the advantages of moving to San Diego is that it is more affordable than Los Angeles in terms of overall metrics—in particular housing and transportation. San Diego, however, can prove to be slightly more expensive in terms of utilities and miscellaneous spending.
On the downside, you are going to have to ponder the implications that the move may have on your finances. Without proper planning, moving can be quite expensive. You must think of the transport and cost implications of moving into a new apartment.
All the stress can however be avoided by creating a moving budget for your San Diego apartment.
Truth be told, there are many factors to consider before coming up with the final cost. On average, a local move costs around $300 to $2000 while on average, long-distance moves can go up to $5,000 depending on what you are moving and the distance that will be covered.
Creating a moving budget for your San Diego apartment is the best way to tackle the financial challenge. Below are some tips for your next apartment move.
Before you even think of calling a moving company, make a room-to-room list of all the items that are coming with you. Start with the huge items such as the furniture pieces you intend to keep and get down to the smallest of items that you plan to move. Making a room-to-room checklist will make this easier for you
Create a Moving Budget Template
Whether you write it down on paper or create a spreadsheet on your computer, you need to create a moving template for your move-in budget.
Add a category and cost column at the top of your moving budget template table.
In the first column create additional categories namely; professional movers, self-moving, and additional costs.
Fill in the prices for each of the items listed under the appropriate section.
Create a subtotal row under each tab.
Add up the moving cost using a calculator or using a formula on your spreadsheet then place the right value in the subtotal row below.
Create a contingency row multiply the total by at least 5% (or double it to be safer) and add this to your subtotal.
Moving Costs to Consider
Whether you settle on moving alone or whether you settle on enlisting the services of professional movers, the moving costs are bound to be higher than expected. Having a moving template helps you to be able to know what you can cut back on expenses and the right option that fits your moving budget for your San Diego apartment.
Working with Professionals
Working with professional movers may seem like an expensive way to deal with the moving challenge. From a different perspective, working with professionals may help you to cut some moving costs. Additionally, dealing with professionals will help you cut back on the stress, and it will also save you time (time is money, so you know).
Understanding how moving companies work is essential. Most movers charge you by the hour. What this means is that you can save time and money by getting involved. How about taking some time to prepare some items or doing some of the packing yourself?
Working with professionals also means adding the following costs to your professional section.
Moving fees
Packing services
Moving insurance
Specialty items packaging for items such as delicate artworks.
Claims and damage costs
Unpacking services
Moving Yourself
Many people set for the option of moving by themselves thinking it’s an easy way out. However, there are still costs to be incurred in the tedious process of moving into a San Diego apartment.
To be sure that this is the most viable option for you, start by creating a moving budget template
as well. This budget will, however, not include all the time that you’ve spent getting ready for the move-out day on your own.
Some of the costs that should be added to your moving section include:
Truck rental costs
Gas
Moving insurance
Additional moving equipment rentals (for items such as ramps or dollys)
Packaging materials
Other Moving Expenses
Regardless of the method that you choose to settle on, it is important to know that there will always be additional hidden costs that you may not have considered before. The costs should be added to the list to ensure that you have the correct figure when calculating your total costs.
Transportation
Whether you’re moving 10 or 100 miles away, adding transport costs to your budget will ensure that you get the right estimate for your moving costs. You may need to think of things like fuel, car shipping, or even maintenance costs.
Lodging
A long-distance move may require you to incur some accommodation costs for a place where you can rest. This will ensure that you wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to continue with the rest of the journey the following morning.
Storage
While this may be an unlikely expense, it is safer to add it to your budget template. If you are moving a long distance, you may require storage facilities at one point or another. Do not forget to add moving costs into and out of the storage facility.
It is extremely difficult to create an accurate moving budget template. As you think of the figures, make sure that you think of the different strategies that you can use to cut some of the costs.
Final Tips: creating a Moving Budget for your San Diego Apartment
Keep a record of your everyday expenses – This will give you a better idea of how moving will affect you financially.
Find ways to save money in advance to save on your moving expenses – How about a garage sale before the move? Add the money to your moving budget.
Keep an emergency fund for unforeseen costs – Moving will always come with some unforeseen costs. Be ready for the unexpected.