Here are some ways to Nix The Financial Woes As You Relocate
Each year, nearly seven hundred thousand Military Service Members are re-assigned to new duty locations. With your move, as an average you can be expected to shell out almost two grand, and much of it are expenses not subject to reimbursement.
When you take the cost of moving every years, coupled with stress of moving itself, it can be intense.
However there are some simple ways to lessen or avoid the financial pain that such a move can make.
With a little planning in advance, you can make things much better.
You can do several things to make your next move a smooth and relatively stress free one. Things such as:
Talk to your Command. They can provide you information on what costs you will be responsible for, and what costs involved in your move that the government will pay for. A good source for this information is also your base or installation Family Center.
-Write things Down. Make a list of everything you can think of, writing it all down as you think of it for several days. Don’t edit, just write. Then, go back and sort your list into priority, and categories.
-Think about Online Banking. If you are moving overseas, it can be difficult or impossible at some locations worldwide to establish a local bank account. Many people who move frequently establish a online banking account or resource, to use when local banking is not available.
-Estimate Costs. Be sure and ask what the cost of such items as temporary housing, utility start up fees, shipping of your household goods, and other items. Write down what you can expect to pay, and have it on hand as you start the budget and planning process.
-Determine and note what things you will need. Think about items you use on a daily and weekly basis, and try to think of what you will need first when you move. Consider the costs of shipping items purchased here, vs. purchasing items when you reach your new duty station. Often it can be vastly cheaper to ship than buy locally. Or it may be visa versa.
-Save your lists and notes. Having them on hand the NEXT time you move can say you a lot of time in the long run.
It does not matter if your move is just a few days away. Or Weeks. Or even months away.
The sooner you start to develop a plan for your move, the sooner you will experience peace of mind knowing you have planned and foreseen a successful and productive relocation for yourself.