Buying a home is a dream for many people, but going through the process of buying one for the first time can turn into a financial nightmare. Many first-time home buyers are not prepared for all of the costs involved with buying, moving to, and owning a home. Here are some money-saving tips for first-time home buyers.
Change Your Address Early
Once your bid for a home is accepted and you are preparing to move, it’s important to change your address. Let utility companies, credit card companies, and others know that you will be leaving your old address and moving to a new one on a certain date. Because these companies often share your personal information with other companies, doing this early in the process can mean that you get inundated with coupons and offers at your new address. That can give you deals on household goods and services you need at your new home, which will save you money.
Related: Allstate.com
Choose the Right Moving Company
The move to your new home is an opportunity to spend — or save — a lot of money. Choosing the right moving company can save you hundreds of dollars. First off, you don’t want to pay for more services than you need, so make sure to choose a company that will let you pick and choose the services you need. For example, you might want to do your own packing in advance rather than paying the movers to do it. Furthermore, many moving companies request payment by the hour, so it’s vital to do your research beforehand to save yourself money. Get a rough idea in your head of how many hours you think your move should take, and make sure the estimates you receive are close to that number.
Related: MovingCompanyReviews.com
Plan Your Meals
While you are moving, you may not have a lot of time to prepare meals. It’s easy to fall into the trap of eating out a lot. However, even a few fast food meals a week can become expensive. Planning out meals ahead of the move to your new home can save you a lot of money and help you get comfortable in your new kitchen.
Related: ProjectMealPlan.com
These are just a few of the ways new home buyers can save money during the moving process. There are many others, and with a bit of research, you can find a number of ideas that will save you significant amounts of cash.
If you are buying a home for the first time and don’t know how to start, make sure to read through our Shop for a Loan guide to help you get started.