Our Budget After Moving Out of State

Since moving a few weeks ago to a new state I wanted to give an update to how our budget has been affected.

• Rent: This actually has increased, but we expected it would go up because we wanted a second bedroom. The apartment is twice the size of our old place and we couldn’t get the same deal in our old state. The one bedroom apartment was definitely affordable, but having guests over proved to be stressful. With a second bedroom in the new apartment, we’re going to use it as an office. We’re looking for a futon to utilize it also as a guestroom as we’re hoping friends and family will visit us. We also now have a second bathroom, a nice bonus, which is now used for the cat as his space.
• Food & Phone: These are pretty much the same. We use our cell phones primarily and I added a Skype number ($3/month) for local people who call us.
• Gasoline: My favorite change of the budget. I filled my gas tank and it lasts around two weeks (a bit more) instead of one. My work commute is mainly responsible as I’m 15 minutes away from work. Gas itself, though, is about 10 cents more in this state than last.
• Cable/Internet: We got high speed internet and basic cable for less than just internet back home. Not bad. I use Hulu.com to watch some shows, so I’m not really craving the extra channels.
• Car Insurance: Points to my husband for getting this expense down. I really happy we were able to save some cash.

So far we’re doing alright with the move. There is still a lot of the city to explore and boxes to unpack, but no rush. We’re just trying to enjoy our new apartment.

How was your budget affected from a move? Do you wish you did things different?

Photo Credit: krayker

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