Most people have a personal budget that helps to manage cash flow and expenses to the largest degree possible. Having a workable budget can remove some of the stress of daily life, and a budget can also eliminate some of the strain of planning a move or relocation.
Creating a moving budget may seem unnecessary, but when packing supplies, a moving van, gas, food and hotels are involved, the costs can add up very quickly. A moving budget will have several stages, and will vary according to the type of move being planned – with professional assistance or independently.
Any kind of moving experience will benefit from advanced planning, and a formal budget can really help to identify any problems or challenges in the weeks or months prior to the actual moving day.
A good plan for creating a working budget begins with a blank “template”. This can be from a traditional software program, such as Microsoft’s EXCEL or it can simply be a sheet of paper divided into rows and columns. Many office supplies stores make bookkeeping or accounting notebooks available and these too are a good choice. It is helpful to own a pocket calculator if the budget will be tracked manually, rather than on the computer.
Most moving budgets can be quickly broken out into three specific
areas: moving expenses, packing and storage, and travel. Each
of the three should receive a column of its own on the budget.
Line items on a moving budget will include everything from labor,
insurances and fuel to supplies, food and even lodging. It is
important to be patient when developing a budget as it will
be a “work in progress” for several days or weeks
as plans progress.
Budgeting for a Full Service Moving Company
Budgeting for Self Service Moving
Including Travel Expenses in Your Moving Budget
It is easy to see how quickly moving expenses can add up, but with some planning and forethought many unnecessary expenses can be reduced or eliminated, and no nasty financial surprises will occur.
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