Getting set up in your new home means you've completed a major task - with help from your moving company - and you should take a little time to appreciate such an important accomplishment. However, you shouldn't necessarily fall back into all the same old spending habits you had in your old home.
Saving money in your new home from day one
The days, weeks and months after a move are a great time to look for new ways to save money and optimize your budget. Keep these quick, practical tips in mind as you settle into your new home.
Find out if you can write off your move
While this is a one-time write-off and not an ongoing source of savings, and not everyone can claim the costs of a move on their taxes, looking into this process is a smart idea. You can quickly tell if you qualify, and following through is relatively simple. The basic qualifications are:
- Your move is tied to working at a new job or in a new location.
- Your new job is at least 50 miles farther away from your previous home compared to your former job.
- You work full time for 39 weeks during the 12 months that follow your move.
The Spruce offers a more in-depth look at these three tests to determine if you can write off your move. It's a great way to start saving money.
Save while you shop
If your new home is close to your old one, you probably already have a pretty good idea of what sort of options exist for buying everything from groceries to hardware and cleaning supplies. If you've moved farther, you'll want to check out the prices at nearby stores instead of just frequenting the closest or most convenient ones. In both cases, look online to see if ordering from a digital retailer can save you more than any in-person purchasing options.
If you don't already, you should also start using coupons - the ones that your local grocer may send to you in the mail, any discounts available in stores and the many options found on the internet. You may even want to start getting a Sunday paper delivered if you really want to maximize your options - the coupons can easily cover more than the paper's own cost.
Check your attic and doors
A lack of insulation in your attic is one of the easiest ways to lose hot air and increase heating costs during the colder months. The Simple Dollar suggested making a quick check of the state of the insulation and replacing or adding to it if it's damaged or scant.
You should also check all the doors in your new home to make sure there's a tight seal when they close. You can easily purchase inexpensive weather stripping to fix most gaps you come across.
Looking for more useful ways to save money after your move? Read our 4 Tips for Recovering after Moving Expenses.