Managing your budget for moving abroad 2013

Moving abroad can be a challenging, albeit a very exciting time. There are so many decisions to make like how you’ll get there and what you need to bring. How much it will cost is just one of the many considerations that will impact your choices during the process of moving abroad. We’ve put this blog post together to provide a bit more depth on the financial considerations of your move.

 How much to budget

It would be nearly impossible to provide an exact figure you should budget for when you decide to move abroad, however it’s safe to say that it will be a substantial amount. The sooner you get in touch with your removals or shipping company, the clearer it will become how much you’ll end up paying to transport your belongings.

Bishop’s Move, the UK’s oldest family-owned removals firm, says that on average for a 2-3 bedroom home, a move to Toronto, Canada will cost about £4,500, a move to Dubai will cost roughly £3,500 and to make a move down under to Sydney, Australia you can expect to pay around £4,300. These figures are good to use as a baseline, but prices will change depending on how you decide to move your belongings: you can choose between sea freight, air freight, and ground transportation. Don’t forget that prices will vary depending on which country and city you’re moving to.

When to start preparing

It’s probably safe to assume that when you decide to move abroad you’ve got a few months’ time to think about what to get in order, begin packing and making arrangements for the home you’re leaving behind and the home that you’ll be moving into. However, as soon as you know you’ll be leaving, or even if you have the slightest idea that a move might be in the cards, make some calls to find out how much you’ll have to put aside, not only for the cost of leaving your current home but also establishing yourself in your new home.

What to bring

It might sound obvious, but consider where you’re coming from and where you’re going. If you’re going from somewhere warm to somewhere cold or vice versa, try to avoid bringing belongings that will be completely unnecessary. The more you pack, the more expensive it will be to ship it all. In the same vein, make sure that the electrical gadgets you want to bring along use the same current as what you’ll have in your new home. There’s no point in have your international removals team pack them up if you’ll never be able to use them.

It can be easy to forget about the fact you’ll probably have to spend a bit to make your new home as cosy and familiar as your last one, but it might be one of the most important things to spend money on, so make sure you’ve got a budget set aside for this one. Along the same lines, budgeting for a few days of exploring your new city once you arrive might not seem as urgent as budgeting for the furniture you’ll need once you arrive, but it is wise. Being able to properly explore your new area will help you settle in quicker and will help head off any feelings of homesickness.

There are a lot of financial considerations when you move abroad, but if you make sure to plan ahead, get quotes early and consider which differences between your current home and future home will cost you money, you’ll be starting life in your new city right!

For more information on international removals Bishop’s Move expert surveyors will be able give an accurate assessment of move costs and their move manager can help advise on the paperwork and documents you will require for the shipments.

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