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Interstate Move Hacks

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Recently, my wife and I did our first interstate move in 30 years (before the internet was a mass-adopted tool). Of course, things have changed a lot since then. Life is more complicated, but modern technologies have helped make some of the transition simpler. After the move, we looked back and compiled a list of hacks and other things to know about moving across state lines.

Prepare for what you need

Before our move, I was working a weekend part time job at a winery. One of my co-workers was a military wife and had been relocated at least a dozen times. On my last day of work there, she left me a small gift bag with a pound of ground coffee, a wine opener and two rolls of toilet paper. Though the gift was partially in jest, these things ended up being indispensable. The lesson there was that we were going to be without a lot of very basic, but important things while they were being transported on a truck whose journey was going to last an indeterminate amount of time. With that in mind, we started to put together a list of other things that we would need, in addition to the things we needed to bring ourselves, like our plants and our cat. In addition to the those things, we made sure to bring lots of cash. We were told ahead of time that the movers would require payment on the spot, so we made sure to get some before we needed it. Many ATMs have daily withdrawal limits, so it’s important to know if you are subject to them, so you don’t end up with your stuff being held hostage while you wait them out. For the month or so leading up to the move, think about the stuff that you might use every day and just don’t realize it. We had a box on our dining room table with a big note on it that said ‘DO NOT PACK’ that we dropped things in during the days and weeks leading up tot he move. Make sure it’s with you when you head out on the road for good!

Insurance:

It’s not a commonly known fact, but your Property and Casualty insurance agents are often only licensed in one state. And, even though there is usually some sort of grace period after a move, you will want to have that lined up before you arrive in your new home. Insurance can take a bit of time to get sorted out, especially if you are living in an area where home insurers are pulling out of the market because of heightened risk. Get renter’s or homeowner’s insurance lined up and work on getting your auto policies squared away at the same time. The bundling will often save you money, and it will also give you a chance to shop around. If you like your current carrier, your old agent might be able to give you a referral to someone in the new state. But, as always, it often makes sense to shop around periodically. Auto insurance rates are skyrocketing, and it makes sense to evaluate your needs every now and then to see what savings might be available to you.

Subscriptions:

This one was an eye opener to me. We moved from a state with high sales tax (WA) to one with zero sales tax (OR). As soon as I was able to establish an address, I did all I could to update the addresses on my subscriptions. Streaming services, cell phone contracts and other regular payments will charge you sales tax based on your billing address. Luckily, you can change the billing ZIP code on your credit card online in most cases, and then jet over to the service provider’s website and make the change. Viola! I immediately started saving about 50 bucks a month once I did this. It might not seem much, but it will for sure add up, and in reality it’s just taxes now going to a place where you don’t live anymore. Stop paying it.

Of course, if we moved in the other direction, it wouldn’t have worked out as well for us. However, in addition to sales tax, you will also want to understand what you will be paying for other necessities – property tax, state income tax, property tax, utilities, are all items you’ll need to pay and are regionally determined. For me, I knew that I was moving to a state with high income tax, but just knowing and understanding where I could save money was a big help in preparing for that extra burden.

It doesn’t take much to research to prepare for these things. So much information is online and available for you, and a little knowledge could go a long way in helping you deal with the inevitable stress of the move. Moving is widely known to be one of the most stressful things you can endue throughout your life. But by taking a little bit of time to plan, research and prepare, it will make the process much easier, and save you at least a little bit of the headache you’re likely to encounter.

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