Buying a home, as many people know, can come with a large number of unexpected fees. Everything from legal fees to hidden taxes can make the purchasing of a home more than one may have imagined. But after all of that is paid, there’s still the cost of moving, and that in and of itself can have numerous unexpected costs. Here are just a few of the unexpected costs involved with moving, how much they can cost, how to avoid them, or how to make them work for you.
1. Mail
One of the least expected costs involved with moving is your mail. Canada Post offers a change of address program, where they will divert all mail incorrectly addressed to your new home, but it can cost a fair amount of money. The program is also limited, so it won’t work after a few months, and anyone who isn’t in the know will continue to send mail to the old address, and that mail will in turn be sent back and eventually lost forever. But there is good news, you can automatically update your address for almost anything online. This can be everything from your favourite online store to your utilities, bill payments, or those pesky alumni requests from a former university.
2. Boxes
Boxes can surprise people in a number of ways. They can be incredibly strong, but they can also be surprisingly expensive. Most moving companies will offer to sell you boxes at a pretty high price, but that’s for people who didn't plan ahead. You can get boxes from almost anywhere, including local retail outlets, the liquor store, and more. Just be polite and accommodating when asking a business for their leftover boxes. Most will be happy to set some aside, but they’ll be less impressed if you never pick them up, are late picking them up, or are rude at any point in the journey.
3. Cleaning
Good people clean their homes before they leave. It’s literally that simple. You should leave your former residence in good-looking shape. Give the place a good once over to save the people moving in any headaches. This should include cleaning the oven, the bathrooms, getting rid of calcium buildup on appliances and giving the carpets a good shampoo. This is easily one of the most expensive unexpected moving costs, but it’s absolutely necessary. The only downside is the possible second surprise when it comes to cleaning: when the people who lived in your new home before you decided to not do a thing and you get to pay for cleaning all over again.
4. New Utilities
If you’re moving somewhere that your old utility companies can’t follow, prepare for some extra connection fees, new customer fees, appliance rental fees, and other fees. These can add up quite quickly when moving, but this isn’t a problem when sticking with the same utility companies. On the other hand, if you’re moving somewhere that your old companies can follow, you can often leverage new rates from competitors into a better deal for yourself on everything from your internet package to cell phones.
Getting ready to move can come with unexpected costs. Be sure to budget extra money to cover these fees.
Posted by Gurpreet Ghatehora on
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