How to save money when moving to another continent with kids?

Yes, moving is many things. It is stressful, complicated, time and energy-consuming. You have to prepare yourself and your family for the move, find a new home and sell the current one, find a moving company, deal with all the paperwork and who knows what else. And, when you add moving with kids and moving to another continent to the list, everything becomes more complex and of course, even more nerve-racking. However, what people fear the most when moving are all those price tags that come with it. Moving simply does not come cheap! But, there are some things you can do in order to not break your family's bank. Thus, if you are interested in some tips and tricks on how to save money when moving to another continent with kids, keep on reading.

Make a Moving Plan ASAP

As mentioned previously, moving to another continent with kids will not come easy. But, you can make it less complicated and less stressful if you make a plan and organize everything on time. The sooner the better. So, as soon as you set your moving date, have a family meeting. Decide on the budget and split the chores. When you are moving so far off, you will need all hands on deck. If you want to save money on moving costs, start looking for moving agencies ahead of time. Or, if you want to prepare for this international move by yourself, be sure to find help elsewhere - friends, family members, etc. Moreover, if you have the ability to set your own moving date, choose autumn or winter. Those two seasons are not popular for moving and because of that, you will be able to get a lot of discounts and save money.

Book a Moving Agency Ahead of Time

When moving to another continent with kids, it is advisable to seek professional help. A moving agency will save you a lot of time and energy. Yes, it will be more expensive than a DIY kind of move, but be sure that those kinds of relocations are tricky. Just think about it - when you are moving so far away, a lot of things can go wrong. And, when they do, you will end up paying twice as much. If something bad happens, there is no going back. Thus, save yourself from all those troubles and unwanted expenses and hire assistance for your move to another country. They will pack, ship and relocate everything while you prepare yourself and your family for the trip. Just be sure to start looking for moving agencies ahead of time as you will be able to negotiate the price and get some discounts for early booking.

Declutter Your Home

It goes without saying that the more items you plan on relocating, the more expensive your move will be. Thus, do everything in your power to declutter and clean your home before moving. Yes, getting rid of your furniture, home stuff, and all little knick-knacks can be hard. But, do not get too sentimental over material things. Everything can be replaced. Trust us, you will spend tons of money on relocating your entire house - from packing materials, paying the movers for packing and relocating, then paying for shipping... The costs will add up. So, in order to save money, get a couple of boxes, and label them as follows:

• Donate Box - You probably have a lot of clothes and shoes you do not wear anymore. And your children surely have toys, books and clothing items they have outgrown. Do not even think twice - donate! The same applies to the old furniture and home stuff you got tired of.
• Sell Box - Selling is a great way of getting rid of items you do not need, as well as earning money. So, collect everything you do not plan on taking with you, and start selling. You can organize a yard sale for example. Or, you can sell everything online. Use your social media or Craigslist for that.
• Throw Away - And, if some of your items are completely damaged, broken or useless, let them hit the bin. There is no point in relocating the items you plan on throwing away anyway.

Find a New Home Before Moving

It is also a good idea to find your new home before you relocate. Just think about it - you will spend a fortune on paying for hotels for all your family, as well as paying for different storage units for your items. Do not make this mistake. If you want to save money, find your new home as soon as possible. By doing this, you will be able to move in, unpack and get on with your lives in the new country from day one.

Moreover, when you do find your new home, be sure to ask for blueprints of it. That way, you will know exactly how much space you are working with. Knowing the room layouts and having access to all the dimensions will also help you when deciding what furniture pieces and home items to bring. Finding a home before moving is just as important as finding the right removals company.

Involve Your Friends and Family

Yes, leaving everything to the movers and not lifting a finger sounds great. But, that is not how you will save your money. Leave the most important things to movers, but tackle smaller tasks by yourself. Pack the things you can. Encourage your family to do the same. If you split the chores altogether, you will be able to pack most of the stuff even before the movers come to relocate and ship everything. Moreover, call your other family members as well as your closest friends or even neighbors to help you out. If somebody moved recently, ask if they have some packing materials left. Do not forget to thank everybody in the end, as well as throw a goodbye party.