It’s not very surprising how the city, town or village you live in determines what lifestyle you will be leading, and consequently – whether you can consider yourself fortunate to be a proud resident of your current place or not. Simply put, your city can and often does affect in a direct way how happy you ultimately will be.
For example, if you find yourself in a rather expensive area and your disposable income cannot possibly keep up with the increasing costs of living, then it’s hard to imagine that you will be truly satisfied with your lifestyle regardless of how pretty your city and its surroundings might be. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you struggle to make a decent living, the chances of perceiving your current place of residence as charming are pretty slim.
One good solution to your possible dissatisfaction with the expensive place you currently find yourself in is to approach the problem strategically and decide to move to a cheaper city.
That’s right – moving to an affordable area should give you the financial boost you so desperately need.
But is moving to a cheaper city really worth it?
Is relocating to a cheaper city a good idea?
If your current city or town has become too expensive for your liking and you’re finding it hard to find a good solution to your recent financial struggles, then maybe it is the right time to give that interesting idea a good thought and see whether the odd are with you or against you. It’s possible that you have never considered the possibility of moving to a cheaper city until now, which is just another good reason to believe that your decision to relocate to a less expensive area might actually work out for you.
Pros of moving to a cheaper place
Before you can make up your mind to move to an affordable city, make sure you know exactly what makes a place inexpensive or expensive in the first place.
The first thing to take into consideration is the general cost of living in your destination. Generally speaking, more affordable cities have lower costs of living, but that is not always the case, so you should carefully research your potential expenses for housing, monthly utilities, food, transportation, education, healthcare, entertainment, and so on. Also, have in mind that there is no guarantee that moving to a lower cost of living area will give you more breathing room from a financial standpoint, so factor in other essential post relocation aspects such as taxes and most importantly – incomes.
Additionally, have a very good idea about the current status of the housing market in your new city. Regardless of whether you’re renting or even purchasing a property, double check if the immediate neighborhood is affordable too. In the best case scenario, you will have the unique chance to save money by moving to a cheaper home too either because of the favourable new city housing market or because of your informed decision to downsize your home at the same time /read on to find more information about downsizing/.
Your decision to move to a cheaper city can easily prove to be a stroke of genius.
Cons of moving to a cheaper area
Naturally, it’s easy to figure out the main drawback of moving to a cheaper place – your future income. Unless you have already secured a well-paid and promising job in your new less expensive city, the ultimate decision to relocate to a cheaper place will depend primarily on the status of the destination’s job market and your own chances of finding decent employment there.
The overall unemployment rate of your new city can give you a rough idea about what you can expect, but the more fundamental issue is whether your specific field of expertise is in high demand in the less expensive area you’re planning to relocate. It’s important to note that having to go through a pay decrease that is non-proportional to your lower everyday expenses can easily defeat the purpose of the entire relocation project.
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Having considered and re-considered the critical points of moving to a more affordable city and later living in a cheaper area in general, it’s possible that you have reached the smart decision to actually do it. In which case, you will be interested in learning how to best prepare for the relocation itself and how to keep the moving expenses as low as possible during all stages of the residential move.
Is it cheaper to use a moving company?
The answer to this question is never straightforward but as a rule of thumb, using the services of a reliable and affordable removal company turns out to be the cheaper option unless you’re moving across town or to another city just a short distance away. Long distance moves are not suited for DIY relocation attempts as each additional mile will incur more ungrounded self-moving expenses and add unjustifiable risks of costly accidents and personal injuries.
Follow the steps below to request precise moving cost estimation and learn whether it is cheaper to hire a moving company in your particular case or not.
Step 1: Fill in a quick moving quote and receive obligation-free estimates from licensed and insured removal companies that support your route.
Step 2: Compare carefully the received price estimates. Pay close attention to the additional services included in the relocation offers (and their rates, of course!).
Step 3: Check the online reputation of the removals you have set aside as potential winning candidates. Read genuine moving reviews and compare the overall performance ratings to make sure the reputable removal company you end up choosing will be one of the best professional removal firms in the country.
Step 4: Ask the shortlisted removal companies to work with you in finding the most cost-effective option for you. Request more information about possible discounts and ongoing promotions – anything that will help you bring down the moving costs even further.
Hiring a top rated professional removal company is easy if you know the required steps.
Step 5: Choose your top rated professional moving partner based on the price and extra services offered, online reputation, recommendations from friends and colleagues, direct communication with the company, the company’s willingness to work with you for price reduction, and last but not least – your intuition.
Step 6: Reserve your moving date the moment you have chosen the removal company that will help you move to a cheaper city.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend a fortune before moving to a cheaper area as doing so will only put you at a serious disadvantage in your resolve to find a good solution to your financial difficulties. Looked at your current situation from another angle, your planned move to an affordable area is only justifiable if you can manage to move to your destination as economically as possible. Therefore, you’re going to need a good strategy to keep to a minimum all moving-related expenses that might exceed their predetermined limits.
Take a look at the following 5 brief pointers on how to save big on your upcoming move to a cheaper part of the country, and more specifically – move to a cheaper city.
Make a moving budget to keep tabs on your moving expenses. This way, you will be able to respond quickly when a specific task or set of tasks requires more money to be completed than you planned in the beginning.
The better you organize your time before the actual move, the more efficient your preparation stage will be, and therefore less money you will likely waste on random tasks or even unnecessary purchases. Create a personal moving calendar to place an adequate price tag on your valuable time.
Hiring a low cost removal company to help you move to a cheaper area in the country will definitely contribute to a much more affordable move. Still, you can save even more money if you happen to have any control whatsoever over your moving date. Don’t fotget that your move to a cheaper city will be even cheaper if you complete it during the off-peak season. On the other hand, if you’re scheduled to relocate during the high moving season (May – September), try to stay away from weekends, national holidays, or beginnings and endings of calendar months.
You don’t have to be very good at math to calculate that the more belongings you plan to move to your new home, the more their total weight will be and consequently – the more you will have to pay for their transportation. Inventory your entire home and decide the fate of each and every item you own in your house and apartment. As an unwritten rule, you are advised to get rid of any possession you haven’t used in over a year.
Pack whatever you can yourself. Unless you are really pressed for time or you own too many delicate and fragile antiques or specialty items that require professional packing, you can easily pack up your entire home, or almost all of it, by yourself. Save big by procuring inexpensive (or even free!) cardboard boxes and using various items you already own instead of purchasing all packing supplies brand new.
Although the city of Stirling in central Scotland is one of the most affordable places in Britain, consult your budget before making up your mind to move into Stirling Castle.
If you have already made plans to move to a less expensive city, then it’s definitely worth to think about improving your current financial situation even more. How? In addition to relocating to a cheaper city, moving to a cheaper property can actually prove to be a very reasonable and strategic life choice for you. However, as you can suspect, cheaper often means smaller when it comes to properties and as a result, your possible decision to further help your disposable income can mean moving into a smaller home.
If you are willing to sacrifice some of your living space, the act of downsizing your current residence can bring you many distinct advantages. Here are some of the most obvious benefits of moving to a smaller home:
Smaller properties are usually cheaper to rent or purchase (you save money).
Smaller homes are easier to maintain (you save time and energy).
Generally, smaller residences have lower maintenance costs (you save money).
Smaller but less de-cluttered homes can give a more natural sense of freedom and provide a better mentally freeing experience for you.
When moving to an affordable city, think really hard whether decreasing the space of your home will actually prove to be beneficial for you. Despite the above-mentioned advantages of downsizing one’s home, less room can affect negatively how your life plays out in the near future. If you have a family or plan to start one soon, maybe downsizing is not the best option in your case yet.
If you have just completed your project of moving to an affordable city and maybe even moving to an affordable house, then congratulations are in order. Assuming that you have a steady income, you should soon see and sense the positive results of your shrewd decision. Your financial situation and your peace of mind are supposed to improve shortly after the relocation – exactly what you wanted, right?
Finally, let’s give you a fair warning: moving to a cheaper city can sometimes be a bit tricky. The tricky part stems from the fact your new place will most likely offer brand new temptations to drain the very savings you fought so hard to protect. Follow the top 4 money saving tips after moving to a new city so that you don’t belittle your moving adventures up to that point.
Don’t change abruptly your spending habits only because you can suddenly afford to do it. In other words, think hard before rushing to purchase a new product or service in your cheaper city or town.
Stay thrifty by asking knowledgeable neighbours, informed coworkers and newly made friends about insider advice on how to keep on the cheaper side of life in your new city.
Become a very smart shopper until you feel financially confident again.
Choose the least expensive transportation methods of moving from one place to another within your new cheaper city in general.
Do you think moving to a cheaper city is justifiable? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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It’s not very surprising how the city, town or village you live in determines what lifestyle you will be leading, and consequently – whether you can consider yourself fortunate to be a proud resident of your current place or not. Simply put, your city can and often does affect in a direct way how happy you ultimately will be.
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment