Houso

You’re moving home – congratulations!

The team at Houso understands that moving home is hard work – but do not worry, it will be so, so worth it. We promise. One of the obvious difficulties involved in moving home is finances. Annoyingly, moving will always be a high expense, however, what we do not want you to do is to spend more than you need to.

There are numerous unavoidable expenses when moving, such as deposits, mortgage/agent fees and taxes. However, there are lots of expenses that you can avoid. So, today, the team at Houso want to help you avoid those unnecessary expenses!

 

Plan Your House Move
If you want a service done immediately, it usually costs more. So, try not to forget anything because you will end up paying for it.  Book all services  to do with your house move well in advance if you can. Also, try to make sure that you do not underestimate anything involved in your move. For instance, if you tell your removals that you have less than you have, or you tell a cleaner that the job is smaller than it is – they will charge you more… a lot more.

So, Plan, plan, plan. Book everything months in advance (if possible), create a checklist for your house move and tick off every box.

 

Do Your Research
Even though you may need a few people/companies involved in your move, do not panic. If you give yourself plenty of time, you will have many options when it comes to companies helping you move your home.  There are tonnes of companies out there looking for your business. Get several quotes and check comparison websites before choosing a final partner.

 

If You Can Do It Yourself, Then Do It Yourself!
Many of us have really busy lives. However, doing tasks yourself will save you hundreds of pounds (maybe even thousands). For instance, you could hire a van instead of paying for removals. Rally the troops by raking in any favours owed by friends or family.  You may be surprised by the pulling-power that offering a few drinks or buying a takeaway has on people!

 

Do NOT Buy Packing Materials!
Before you even start to deliberate packing materials, find out if your removal companies include them within their service (if you are moving with a removal company). If not, do not panic, there are many ways to get hold of packing materials. Check out our other blog for loads of packing tips like where to get free cardboard boxes!

 

Throw Some Stuff Away
I am sorry to admit it, but many of us own lots of things that we don’t really need… Moving is a perfect time to think over what is necessary and what isn’t for you and your exciting future. If you like to read, we suggest checking out Marie Kondo – she’s great!  She offers great advice regarding letting go of items that we want but don’t really need. It has been proven that decluttering is great for our mental health, but not only that, you will save so much money in packaging and removal costs.

 

Make Some Money
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure is now truer more than ever. Second-hand goods are being sold more and more each day due to people becoming increasingly conscious about the world and being more sustainable, or simply, people cannot afford new goods.  Try not to think ‘there’s no chance anyone will buy this’, because if you don’t even attempt to sell then there will be no chance! There are many online apps and websites you can check out, for instance, Shpock and eBay. You could make quite a bit of money to help with moving!

If you are moving soonish, try to eat your way through what you already have in your freezer and cupboards. Try and ban yourself from the supermarket. Be creative with the ingredients you have. Some meals you may love, some things you may not. Try and balance your meals with protein like meat or fish, carbs like pasta or rice, and fresh or frozen vegetables. You’ll be surprised at how creative you can be!

 

Be on top of your bills
Bills are boring… and we are sorry to remind you about them.

We suggest that you do not rush into joining new providers without doing research on all possible companies. Remember that many companies can charge big cancellation fees, so the sooner you call, the sooner you’ll know what you are coming up against.  In most cases, you must provide some notice, whether that is a fortnight, a month, or two months. So, by being organised you can save yourself from paying for a service you aren’t even using.