Home Loans

• FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans
• Home Loan Closing Costs
• Home Loan Documentation Checklist
• Mortgage Protection Insurance Basics
• Pay Off Your Mortgage vs Pay Down Your Mortgage

Home Repair

• How I Find Local Contractors on Angies List
• Are Home Warranty Companies Worth the Money?
• Home Inspection Services Can Help You Sell

Mortgage Rates

• How to Find the Best Mortgage Rates
• Home Mortgage Rates – 6 Key Factors
• How Your Credit Score Impacts Interest Rates

Home Owner

• How Much House Can You Afford?
• Costs of Owning Two Houses
• Buy or Rent – Which is Better For You?

Moving

• Free Moving Boxes for All! 
• Best Moving Companies for Your Money
• Cash Back Rewards When Moving
• Ultimate Moving Checklist for Your Money

Cash Back Cards

One of the things I did for one move was to put my major moving expenses on my cash back credit card. If you rent a moving truck, or hire a moving company, you can put that large expense on your card.

Save up ahead of time for your move so that you can pay off the balance right away. That way the interest doesn’t destroy your rewards. Even better, if you are working for a company that will reimburse you, you can still put the cost on your credit card. Get the money back, and still reap the rewards.

Gas Rewards

Check to see what your rewards program offers in terms of gas. Some programs offer more for gas purchases. Use these cards when filling up the tank, whether its the UHaul you’re driving, or the car you’re taking across the country. If you have a gas credit card, you can use that to build up points at your favorite gas station.

Travel Rewards

If you belong to a hotel rewards program, try to plan your route so that you can stay at the hotel chain of choice as much as possible. The same is true of miles programs if you are flying to your new home.

Look for special promotions at one chain (stay two nights, get a third free). That way, you can get a little something extra for your trip.  If you have a travel rewards credit card be sure to use it for your hotel or airline purchases, the points certainly won’t pay for your trip but every little bit helps.

Setting Up Utilities

Since part of moving your money requires that you set up new utilities, such as phone, Internet and TV, you can actually use that your advantage. Set up these recurring payments so that they are automatically charged to your cash back card, or to the rewards card that you use the most.

That way, every month you are building up rewards. Just make sure that you pay off the balance each month. Many power companies and other utilities are also starting to allow the automatic payment option. Moving is a great time to review your payment practices to work in your favor.

Tax Deduction

You can get some cash back for some of your moving expense if you’re eligible for a tax deduction. If you are moving due to a change in your job, or to a new business location, you can take an “above the line” deduction that affects your adjusted gross income.

Your new job must be at least 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job was from your old home. If you are starting a new job, that job must be at least 50 miles away from your old home. You also have to work full-time for at least 39 weeks in the 12 months following your move. This applies to the self-employed as well.

Change of Address Savings

When you fill out the change of address form with the post office, you receive a number of helpful discounts and coupons. For example, you can get savings from the following vendors:

• Lowe’s: 10% a purchase, $10 off a $50 purchase, $25 off $250 purchase
• AT&T Uverse: Up to $300 cash back for new customers
• Overstock: 10% off your order with $2.95 shipping
• Best Buy: 10% off one item

Look through the packet to see whether any of the savings can be useful to you as you set up your new home. Make sure, though, that you aren’t spending to just to get the discount. Carefully consider what you really need, and make your purchases accordingly.

Best Moving Company Practices

Try and find out a little bit more about the moving company before you sign the paperwork and turn your items over to movers. Some of the things to look for when comparing movers include:

• License with DOT: The best moving companies are licensed with the Department of Transportation. Check with the moving company’s home state to make sure there is a license.
• Presence with the BBB: When moving, it is a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureaus about the company in question. Carefully read reviews and identify problem companies.
• Physical address: The best moving companies have physical addresses that you can visit, and speak with actual people. Be wary of a mover that only has a P.O. box, or that does not have a place for you to visit.
• Clear about moving services: The best moving companies are clear about what included in the base price, as well as what is extra. Find out how the moving company charges for services (by weight or by space taken up), including whether a certain number of moving boxes are included, whether you get free days of moving storage, and find out what items cost extra.
• Satisfied customers: You can get recommendations from friends and family, whether you are using local movers or you are making a cross country move. Look online for reviews as well. The best moving companies have reasonably satisfied customers, and that is something to look for.

Moving Companies and Hidden Charges

When choosing a mover, it is important to realize that the cheapest moving companies are not always the best. These companies may offer what seems like a great deal, only to cut corners — or slap you with hidden charges.

Some of the short cuts that movers might take include not packing your items carefully, which can lead to costly damage or even loss. Some moving companies are lax on security, and your items can be stolen out of the moving truck. Even more costly can be the charges that start to add up with some moving companies. Some charges to watch for include:

• Packing materials: Even if the mover quotes you a price that includes a packing service, the quote may not include the cost of the packing materials, such as moving boxes and tape, used by the company. Make sure your quote includes the cost of packing materials. You might also be charged for moving blankets and other padding.
• Stairs: Most moving companies charge for moving things up and down stairs. Make sure you let movers know how many stairs you have in your old home and your new home, and tell them to include these charges in their quotes.
• Distance carry: If a mover has to carry items a distance from your home to the truck, you will be charged. You may also be charged for shuttles if the moving truck can’t get close to your residence.
• Surcharges: Find out about gas surcharges, as well as charges for going over the quoted weight. You should also look at all the fees for lading and other charges. Find out policies moving companies have for surcharges, and be prepared.
• Moving storage: If you items arrive before you are ready for them, you may be charged a moving storage fee. Find out what this fee is, and when the moving company begins charging it. Watch out for scammers that hold your items hostage until they are paid an extra amount.

Fixed Rate Moves

There’s a new trend in the local moving industry where some companies are offering fixed price moves.  When you schedule your move you give them a list of all the items you need moved and they’ll quote you a fixed rate.  Whether it takes them 4 hours, 8 hours, or even longer to move your stuff, the rate they quote you is what you pay.

The benefit of this approach over hourly rate movers is that you know up front what the move will cost you.  It also prevents moving companies from inflating the cost of the move by taking longer than it really should pack and haul your household.  Hopefully these tips on finding the best moving companies will be useful, good luck moving!

Setup Electronic Delivery: Switching to electronic delivery means that you will not miss a statement, no matter where you move. And the new residents will not have access to personal financial information that may accidentally be sent to your old home.

Change of Address Forms: One of the most important things you can do is make sure that your financial institutions, creditors and service providers have your new address. Most companies allow you to change your address online, or submit it when you pay your latest bill. You can also call customer service to find out the procedure. Fill out a change of address form at the post office to catch those that slip through the cracks.

Schedule Bill Payments: Schedule bill payments ahead of time using your bank account or a credit card so that you do not inadvertently miss a payment in the confusion of moving.

Bank Deposits & Debits: If you are moving and need a new bank account in the local area, you will need to make sure that automatic debit and other transactions do not get dropped in the transfer. Plan ahead, creating a moving check list that includes which automatic payments and deposits need to be switched.

You may need 30 days for the switch to take effect, so plan in advance. It might be worth it to set up automatic billing on your credit card so that you do not have to worry about your checking account. Just be sure to budget enough to pay off your credit card each month.

Cancel Utilities: Cancel your utilities if you are moving out of town; you do not want to be charged for someone else’s usage. This is especially important if you are moving out of a rental. Make sure that your account is up to date, and provide a new address for the final bill. Your local moving checklist should include transferring your utilities; this often helps you avoid paying new fees and deposits.

Property Deposits: Your apartment moving checklist (or other rental) should include doing what you can to get back your deposit. Find out what needs to be cleaned in order to get your full deposit back, and follow the list. Go on a walk through with the manager and get written confirmation of the amount of the deposit that will be returned to you. Provide your new address so the deposit can be mailed, and follow up if you do not receive the deposit back.

Mortgage Payments: Make sure your old mortgage is paid off when you sell your home.  Most banks allow you to request a pay-off quote via an automated system by phone or online. Also on your moving to-do list is setting up new payments with your new lender, if you are getting a new mortgage.

Insurance Policies: Update insurance policies so that your new residence is adequately covered by renters insurance or homeowners insurance. If it’s an older home you’re moving into you might also look into home warranties.

Property Taxes: Double check the county assessment. If your property tax assessment is significantly higher than the market value of your new home you can challenge the assessment.  Take your real estate sales contract into the county tax assesor and make your case.

Document Tax Deductions: Make sure to document expenses related to your move, since these count as an “above the line” deduction on your Form 1040. Also, keep mortgage points paid and mortgage interest paid information for tax purposes.

Research Moving Companies: Whether you get a U-Haul, get a service like ABF, or get a full service mover, research moving companies. Run the numbers to see which would be most cost effective, and read reviews (check with the Better Business Bureau) on different companies. Be wary of moving scams that could cost you even more money.

Get Rid of Stuff: Sell or donate your stuff to avoid bringing it with you. The reduced weight and number of items will save money on moving, and you could get a little extra cash — or a tax deduction.

Protect Valuables: Do not pack your valuables on the moving truck. Instead, keep valuable items with you in the car, carefully packed and documented for insurance purposes.

Carry Cash: Make sure you have adequate cash for tips, unexpected expenses on the way, and any companies you’re working with that do not accept credit cards.

1) Recycling Center Boxes
The cool thing about recycling centers is that there are TONS of free boxes up for grabs. I backed our CR-V up to one of the bins at a local recycling center and filled the back up with boxes. Typically the boxes have been broken down so you’ll need a tape gun to re-tape them once you get them home.

Of course they won’t all be standard size moving boxes, it’ll be a range of sizes. The really big ones aren’t good because they’re heavy to carry once you get them all full and the really small ones don’t hold much so they can be a waste of time to pack. But if you can find a local recycling center with a big bin of cardboard boxes you’ll be able to find plenty of medium sized boxes to pack with.

2) Grocery Stores Boxes
Grocery stores are a never ending source of free boxes since they’re constantly unpacking new shipments of food. Most of them do their restocking late in the evenings, if it’s a 24 hour store you can walk up and down the aisles and collect the empty boxes as they’re emptied. Even easier, if you call in and request boxes ahead of time some grocery stores will hold a bunch of boxes for you to come and pick up in the morning.

3) Office Boxes
If the company you work for gets any kind of deliveries you can hit them up for their empty boxes. For example, where I work the printing department always has empty paper boxes and the IT department periodically has empty computer boxes. Stop by and tell them you’re moving and ask them to let you know whenever they have boxes to get rid of.

Asking your co-workers can also be a good strategy if you let them know weeks in advance to save any empty boxes and bring them in for you. You won’t get enough boxes to pack up your apartment but every free box is one you don’t have to buy.

4) Craigslist Boxes
People who just finished moving are sick of hauling things around and want to get rid of all the boxes they just had to unpack. Trash companies often charge an extra fee to dispose of huge stacks of boxes so some people will offer free moving boxes if you just come pick them up. Keep your eye on Craigslist for people who just moved and are getting rid of all their cardboard boxes. If you can find the right family discarding a whole pile of them you might be able to get all the moving boxes you need from one place.

5) Moving Company Boxes
Some of moving companies that gave us bids to move our furniture offered 10-15 free boxes if we used their moving service. If you’re moving everything yourself this won’t help you but if you have movers coming to help with a house full of furniture you might be able to get some free moving boxes out of the deal. If you’re trying to decide whether or not hire movers or which moving company to use stay tuned because we’ll cover that later this week.

Good luck moving!

The American Express blue cash card is one of the best credit cards to use for your moving expenses because of it’s cash back program and it’s services that can make the details of moving easier.

The cashback you earn on the money you spend for moving expenses won’t be spectacular but it will help you move more quickly into the highest cash rewards tier.  Moving expenses can definitely add up: buying boxes and shipping materials, renting moving trucks, hiring movers, cleaning out or repairing your new or old home, paying for gas, paying deposits, etc.  Of course there are things you can do to reduce your moving costs but it’s still an expensive life event.

Save Money on Moving Expenses

American Express occassionally teams up with other companies to offer you a discount if you pay with one of their credit cards.  For example, if you use your Blue Cash card to rent a truck from Budget through their website for the next two months, they’ll give you 15% off the cost of the rental.

Dispute Charges

When you move to a new place you’ll be spending money at new businesses and with new service providers.  You can use reviews and referrals to help figure out which ones you can trust to hire or buy from during and after the move but you still might end up having a bad experience with a business.  One of the families I know that moved recently had some issues with their moving company and is still working to dispute charges that were put on thier credit card bill.

If you’re billed by such a merchant for something you don’t feel you owe, American Express makes it easy to raise a red flag. Of course most credit cards have the ability to dispute charges but American Express makes it easy to initiate.  Your online records have a button where you can open an inquiry and their interactive services team will walk you through the steps necessary.

Online Statement Record Keeping

If you need to keep track of all moving expenses for budgeting reaons or if you need to submit a portion of the costs to your employer for reimbursement then the online statement that Amex provides is very helpful.

Unlike other cards that simply list the charge amount, a brief merchant description, and the date; American Express provides all the detail you need when submitting expense reports

Here is an example of the detail for one of the charges I made recently on a business trip to Chicago.  This is an expense my company will reimburse me for but I couldn’t find the reciept anywhere once I returned home.  The good news is that my online credit card statement provided more than enough information for me to submit it on my expense report.

Save Time & Money Moving

Moving can be a tedious and expensive process so we all look for ways to cut the cost and stress of the event. The American Express Blue Cash card can help with cash back rewards, discounts on moving, disputing charges, and managing your expense reciepts. Of course not all businesses accept American Express cards so it’s helpful to carry a cash back visa card and some extra cash when moving as well.

It’s stressful and a bit scary moving to a new city and not knowing who to turn to for help. Simply calling a random professional in the phone book can potentially turn out to be a disaster. So, what should you do? We’ll take a look at a few things you can try to help find someone that you can trust.  Getting a good referral, checking with the local chamber of commerce, and taking a test run with potential candidates are strategies that can actually be combined to help you be sure you’re picking the right advisor.

Ask for a Referral

The best way to find a professional that you can trust is from a personal referral. At your new job, ask a co-worker that seems to have their stuff together who they use for their attorney, financial planner, or CPA. You can also ask a neighbor that you’ve begun a friendship with, members of a new church, or contacts in any community organizations you join. If you are a fan of Dave Ramsey, he has a nice network of “endorsed local providers”, which is a network of professionals all around the country that he trusts will take care of you.

If you aren’t moving too far away from your old town, you can also ask your former professional. Many attorneys, doctors, and CPA’s have friends and colleagues around the state. It never hurts to ask them if they know anyone in the new city you are moving to. If they are losing your business, they are usually happy to refer you to someone they trust will take care of you.

Check Angies List

Angies List is a service where members share their experiences with local professionals and rate them on a variety of factors such as overall experience, price, quality, responsiveness, and timeliness.  The site has been around since the mid 1990’s so it should have a considerable amount of reviews built up by now.  It started off focusing on contractors and service companies but lately has added health care providers as well. Give Angies List a try to hear what other consumers are saying about the professional you’re considering.

Check With Your Local Chamber of Commerce

If you have a decent local chamber of commerce, they should be able to point you to the professionals in your new town that are well-established with a good reputation. Many trusted professionals join their local chamber of commerce as a way to network with other professionals and gain leads on potential clients.

Take a Test Run

Once you have a short list of potential candidates the best way to find out if they’re as good as their reputation is to give them a test run.  Treat the first consultation or visit as an interview. Grill the professional you meet with and make sure they have the professional skills you’re looking for and the ethical values that you look for in a person.

Keep your old professional

This won’t work for a doctor or dentist, but many professionals such as a CPA, attorney, or financial planner can help you with all of your business from a different location. Teleconferencing and videoconferencing allow you to continue working with some types of advisors remotely, so don’t feel like you have to dump your professional just because you are moving.

Consider a combination of these approaches to help you find a professional in your new area, and you should come out with a winner. Remember, you are the customer, and they are there to meet your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask any relevant questions, and make sure they are up front with you about their fees from the beginning.

Request a mail transfer online.

If you’re local post office is not convenient to get to, you can go onto USPS.com and make a request to transfer your mail from one address to another for only a $1.00. It’s really convenient and very cheap. It’s free to transfer your mail if you fill out the paper form, but I find that the $1.00 is worth the convenience. You want to make sure your transfer your mail right away so you don’t miss any bills and end up owing late fees.

Avoid putting down a deposit on a new utilities account.

Our new utilities company in Orlando slapped a $165.00 deposit fee onto our first bill. We had never paid a deposit on our utilities in the past, so I called them up and asked if they would accept letters of reference from our old utilities company. They refused, so I was stuck putting down the deposit.

However, some companies will accept a letter of reference from your past utility company showing that you have a history of paying on time. If at all possible try to avoid putting down deposits with utilties companies, it’s easy to forget about collecting this money years down the road when you’re in the middle of a big move.

Avoid Paying Service Initiation Fees.

Again, our utilities company tried to slap us a service initiation fee, but we got this waived after a long conversation about how they didn’t do anything to warrant charging this fee. Bright House, which has been a GREAT cable company for us so far, did not charge any set-up fees when they came out to set up our cable. Many companies will try to slip these fees in on your first bill, but call up their customer service line and try to get them waived.

Find a new bank with a no fee checking account.

We use Bank of America largely for the fact that we can move anywhere in the southeast and have a BOA branch next to us. We aren’t the biggest fans of Bank of America for a variety of reasons, but the convenience and the free checking account keeps us there. If you need to move away from your local bank that doesn’t have a branch in your new city, you can check out the local credit unions in your new city. They typically have no-fee, no-nonsense banking principles.

With the squeeze of the economy, finding ways to save money has become more important than ever. Moving can be a big expense, and the last thing you want happening is to get slapped with big fees from your new utility or cable company. If you have more ideas for saving, comment below.

Through our many moves, we’ve lived and learned about things to do and things not to do when moving our stuff from one place to another. Our philosophy for moving is to find the least expensive way to move our stuff in the most professional and less time consuming way possible. I know, this sounds like an unattainable task, but our last move came close to attaining these goals.

Here are five tips to reduce your moving expenses while still moving in a professional manner.

Check Craigslist For Moving Supplies

 If you want to move the right way, you need the right supplies. This means that you need sturdy moving boxes and good packing paper or bubble wrap. My wife was browsing through Craigslist one night, and she found a couple who was selling about 25 to 30 boxes with four wardrobe boxes. We went to go look at them, and we saw that they saved all of the packing paper to go with the boxes. So, for $20.00 we got 30 boxes and four garbage bags full of packing paper. Getting these boxes and paper really helped us pack our stuff properly and safely.

Drive Your Own Moving Truck

Using a full-service moving company is extremely expensive. Even if you want or need movers to help you load up and unload the truck, you can rent your own truck and hire movers to load up and unload. We used Budget Truck rentals, and I highly recommend them for finding the best deal. If you go online to forward your mail at USPS , you can download a 20% off coupon for a truck rental on a one-way move. Budget gave us two days to make the move and unlimited mileage. With longer moves, they will give you more days to complete the move. We only moved 150 miles away. Penske is another good truck rental company, but they tend to be a little more expensive. I would never recommend U-Haul for a long distance move. They’re trucks are old and not well maintained.

Only Drive the Truck from Point A to Point B

You’re paying for your own gas, and gas isn’t cheap right now. The Truck has a 30 to 35 gallon tank, and it only gets about 10 miles to the gallon. So, don’t do any extra riding in the truck or make any errands around town with it. It may sound like common sense, but you’ll find yourself using it to go to Home Depot and other places while you still have it. It’s not worth paying for all of the extra gas.

Recruit Help to Load and Unload

Unfortunately, we had to move on a Monday afternoon, and we could not find anyone to help us, so we used two professional movers to help us load up the truck. It was actually a blessing, because our stuff barely fit in the 16′ truck. Their expertise helped us load it up to fit everything. But, if you have friends or family in the area, getting them to help you load up and/or unload is a blessing, because it saves time and money. If you’re going to recruit help, make it a fun event. Order some food, and make it a moving party.

Move During the Week

Most people move on the weekend, so truck rental companies and moving companies will increase their rates for the weekend. Move during the week, and you’ll save on a truck rental and movers if you need help loading up or unloading the truck.

For any of you that have done a long distance move, you know that you can end up spending thousands of dollars just to move your stuff from one place to another. We like the balance saving money on moving with spending enough to get our stuff safely moved. Follow these tips and you’ll have your stuff moved safely while saving a ton of money.

We did our move for less than $600, and our budget was $750. Even though it was still a big chunk of change, nothing was damaged and we were still under budget. Do you have any tips to save money while moving? Share it with us in a comment below.

Packing up and moving to another part of town or to a new city can be an expensive experience if you don’t manage your moving costs.

Of course the average moving expenses will vary depending on factors like how far you’re moving, how much stuff you’re taking, and whether you hire a moving company or not; but you can certainly make decisions that make the whole process cheaper.

Obviously if you can have some of your relocation expenses reimbursed by your employer that can make a dent in the cost but if you’re moving for reasons other than your job then you’ll be faced with the full expense yourself.  Unfortunately in tough economic times some people are moving because they may have lost a job or even their home.  Keeping moving expenses low is even more important in these cases since money is already very tight.

We know several people that moved recently due to housing needs and Erik’s family moved due to career reasons.  Over the next few days we’ll take a look at their experiences and how they found ways to cut costs and manage their finances while moving, check out the articles on moving expenses below:

• 5 Tips For Reducing Your Moving Expenses
• Moving Expenses – Paying Bills On Time & Avoiding New Fees
• How to Find a Doctor, Accountant, or Plumber You Can Trust in a New City
• American Express Blue Cash Card Can Help You Move