It is likely no big secret that moving is expensive. From prepping, preparing and cleaning your old house to boxing and transporting your stuff (and sometimes even your family!), and then finally setting up, starting up and furnishing your new home, it can definitely feel like the expenses never ever stop. Between cleaning fees, security deposits, start-up charges, gas and tolls, shipping costs and so much more, there is so much you have to cover up front before any type of reimbursement starts to roll back in. And even then, reimbursements don’t likely cover everything (if you get reimbursed at all!). We’ve moved enough times now that the financial shock of a move has (kinda) worn off, but that certainly doesn’t mean we enjoy the never-ending stream of expenses and the impact it has on our bank accounts for the 3-6 months afterward. Thankfully though, over the years, we’ve honed in on several easy strategies that allow us to generate a good bit of extra cash in the months and weeks leading up to a move. These aren’t huge, complicated get-rich-quick ideas, but rather small steps (that anyone can do!) to significantly offset the steep costs associated with moving. Let me share our “secrets” with you!
1. Sell Your Stuff
Most of you know I like to have large garage sales before we move (see my best tips here!). Not only do I find it helpful to get rid of stuff I know we don’t want in the new house (why pack it, move it, and unpack it if we don’t want it?), but a decent garage sale can often yield $200-$400. This time around, I don’t have time or energy (#thirdtrimester) for a large yard sale, but I am still selling off big items (e.g., rugs, shelves, patio set, etc) via Facebook Marketplace. Each transaction yields between $50-$100 and that definitely starts to add up! Even generating a few hundred dollars from your unwanted stuff can easily cover line items like a move-out paint job or house cleaning, meaning those items don’t have to be covered from your bank account!
2. Cash Out Your Points
This is one of our very favorite strategies! We use credit cards that allow us to accrue points which can then be redeemed for a variety of items. During the entire duration of our assignment, we don’t touch those points. We let them grow and grow and grow. And then right before we move, we resist all the cool stuff we could buy with the points and just cash them out for Visa debit cards. These cards can then cover pretty much anything we need them to, from gas/tolls/food on the road, to nuisance staples for the new home like trash cans, lightbulbs, etc.
When we move into our new home, our points balance is usually back at zero; and then we spend the next few years building it up to do it all over again on our follow-on move. As long as you can be really diligent about not touching those credit card points, it’s an oh-so-easy way to literally generate cash out of nowhere!
3. Deposit Your Change
Our change strategy is very similar. We have a large glass jar that sits on our bedroom dresser. Again, for the entire length of our tenancy, we throw all spare change into that jar. Sure, we fish out quarters every now and then to pay off our son’s allowance; but on the whole, the jar goes un-touched and just builds until it’s time to move again. In the weeks before we move, we have a little tradition of lugging it all to the bank and depositing it for an instant cash flow! Although this may not seem like it generates much, 3 years worth of stockpiling quarters DOES add up!
4. Shut Down Services, Subscriptions, and Memberships
When moving out of a house, you will likely need your main utilities (water, electricity) until the very end, but consider other things you can cancel or shut down sooner in order to save some cash. Many companies will pause, suspend or out-right cancel memberships and services during a move, and all it takes is a simple phone call to determine their policies. Also, many will often pro-rate your final bill based on usage, giving you some instant cash back. Here are few things to consider:
Internet and TV – If you have unlimited data via your mobile plan, consider shutting down your Internet and TV weeks before you move. You’ll be too busy packing to watch TV anyway
Meal subscription boxes – If packing/planning leaves you no time or energy to cook, cancel these subscriptions and only re-start them once you’re settled into you new home and ready to cook again. Also, don’t forget to cancel your CSA box so you don’t end up with a heap of fresh veggies you can’t eat or use before you go!
Other subscription boxes – Perhaps you get a monthly craft box, clothing box, cleaning supply box, etc. You are likely not going to be able to utilize these for a month or two before and after your relocation. So just go ahead and pause or cancel them and only re-start them once your finances have recovered!
Memberships – Gym memberships, child classes, pool/golf memberships, etc often require a 30-day cancellation policy. To avoid paying for a month of services you won’t use, be sure to shut these down at least 30-days (or whatever that membership policy requires) before you leave town!
5. Stockpile Gift Cards
Gift cards have become pretty standard thank-you, birthday, Christmas (and more!) gifts these days, and I can’t say I mind it! So much that in the year or so leading up to our next move, I will often hoard these gift cards, and not use a single one. Then, when we can no longer cook in our kitchen because it’s all packed up or I need to buy new towels for all the bathrooms, I have a stockpile of restaurant and store gift cards to use up. In fact, I just used a bunch of Target gift cards to buy items for the baby’s nursery because it all finally went on sale…and I didn’t pay a penny for it all! No matter what you’re buying, relying on gift cards really softens the blow when it feels like all you’re doing is spending and spending some more!
TIP! Know someone who is moving? Gift cards to a favorite store or restaurant will go a long way in making their transition easier!
6. Do What It Takes To Get Your Security Deposit Back
Moving out of a rental can be exhausting. And when you’re faced with carpets to clean, walls to paint, and appliances to scrub, you may be tempted to throw your hands up and say “whatever, that’s what the security deposit is for!” But let me tell you…getting a full security deposit back is like winning a mini lottery. Although it’s money that is technically yours and owed back to you, you tend to forget about about that huge lump of cash you forked over when you first moved in. Getting all of it back means that it can either cover your next security deposit or pay off a lot of the other expenses you’ve incurred during your move. Although we always do a ton to our homes (paint, hang pictures), we hustle hard to ensure we get every last penny back!
Moving is stressful enough as it is, that if you can reduce some of the financial burden, the whole experience can go a little smoother! I can’t emphasize enough that every bit helps, especially when you think about all the “little” costs associated with shutting down or starting up a new home. While some of these may be no brainers or even perhaps seem insignificant, we’ve found that when used all together, they make a significant impact on our finances surrounding each relocation!
Live in the Lap of Luxury in These Expansive New York Apartments
Second, only to San Francisco, New York City is among the most expensive housing markets in the country. Given the concentration of business and wealth, along with plenty of international appeal, the market boasts a list of luxury New York apartments that will make your bank account shudder. The price tags on these reach up to $40 million and the properties have all the amenities, including unparalleled views of the city. Some are multilevel penthouses while others just occupy one floor but make no mistake, these apartments are the epitome of luxury, style — and envy. Take a look inside at what makes these places some of the most expensive New York apartments to be found.
Billionaire’s Row Tower
The location alone says it all – Billionaire’s Row Tower. Located at 157 West 57th Street, the building sits at the south end of Central Park literally towering over the neighborhood. While any apartment in this building is magnificent, this is one of only two homes there that have private outdoor space on the park. The luxury New York apartment is actually a duplex condo that has five bedrooms and 5.5 baths, styled by internationally known interior designer Katherine Newman.
The centerpiece of the home is a 43-foot long great room that sits just off the foyer and is completely surrounded by wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling windows. It leads out onto a stunning 671 sq. ft. solarium and terrace. The residence has an upper level where four of the bedrooms are located. Entering the master bedroom is like coming into a total retreat from city life. It has every amenity you could hope for — and then some — including floating wall panel, a massive walk-in closet with custom cabinetry, and an extra-large master bathroom, his-and-her Duravit toilets in private stalls, a walk-in rain shower, and a separate free-standing bathtub. Each of the other three bedrooms each also has its own private bathroom. Have a look around this magnificent New York apartment.
306° Views Near Madison Square Park
Taking up the entire floor of the building is almost a must for the most expensive luxury New York apartments, and this one occupies the whole 56th floor of the Madison Square Park Tower at 45 East 22nd Street. Covering 4,655 square feet, the home has four bedrooms and four and one-half baths, but the most spectacular feature is the view. The home has unparalleled 360-degree views of Manhattan through its floor-to-ceiling windows, putting every New York City landmark on show. The building was designed by architectural powerhouse Kohn Pedersen Fox, known for its work on buildings like the Shanghai World Financial Center. The base of the building was designed to match the tree-lined neighborhood and has a manor house-inspired look.
Only 83 residences are in the building, which has a full list of luxe amenities like a live-in resident manager, on-site luxury concierge, 24-hour doorman, full-floor fitness center, basketball court, library, billiards, and terrace with outdoor grill landscaped by Oehme Van Sweden. the building also contains The Upper Club, FIFTY FOUR, which is a spectacular half-floor living room with a beautifully appointed demonstration kitchen for use by residents.
Art Deco Penthouse on Central Park
Breathtaking views over Central Park are just one of the major features of 230 Central Park South, a prewar Art Deco building. Among luxury New York apartments, this one is special because it is a French Art-Deco penthouse. The 4500-square-foot residence has nearly 100 feet of park frontage from all of its major rooms. Completely renovated, the luxurious home is a restored Ruhlmann-style mansion in the sky, reminiscent of the 1930s.
Studded with period pieces like an onyx chandelier, the apartment centers around an extra-wide 37-foot living room completely focused on the park view. An Anigre wood-paneled library has a wet-bar and the building’s only wood-burning fireplace. The dining room is also an entertainer’s delight thanks to its 23-foot length that seats up to 20 people. Another enviable feature is the 50-square foot garden terrace that faces south. Even the master suite is over the top luxurious, taking up 1,000 square feet, complete with Jacuzzi and steam room. You might already have seen this place — it’s one of the luxury New York apartments to have appeared in numerous TV shows and films, as well as President Obama’s re-election campaign video.
Downtown Penthouse
East side, West side…Downtown? Yes! There’s plenty of luxury to be found in downtown Manhattan, especially inside Walker Tower. Located on West 18th Street in Chelsea, Penthouse One at Walker Tower takes up the whole top floor, which provides 360-degree views of the best of New York, including the Statue of Liberty and the Hudson River. Like all luxury New York apartments, this penthouse has all the amenities, spans nearly 6,000 square feet and includes five bedrooms and five and one-half bathrooms. Any, why have just one wood-burning fireplace when you can have three, as this home does. And, to top it all off, there are nearly 500 square feet of outdoor terraces.
The entire Walker Tower building is filled with perks and added luxuries no New Yorker can live without. The pre-war building has a doorman, gym, in-unit laundry and amazing 12-foot ceilings. The Chelsea area is highly desirable too, with lots of bars and restaurants, museums, and proximity to the famous Highline.
Home with New York’s Largest Living Room
If you want to live at the top of the world, the Penthouse at One Hundred Barclay is the place. The building is the first Art-Deco skyscraper ever built in the world, designed by well-known architect Ralph Walker. The duplex residence is one of the largest among luxury New York apartments, checking in at a full 14,500 square feet. Amazing views of the Hudson, the Statue of Liberty and virtually all of New York City. Possibly the best amenities in Tribeca, the 40,000 square feet of extras include a fitness center, two swimming pools, children’s playroom, media lounge, a bike room and more. The Art-Deco lobby and its bar are exclusively for residents of the building.
The most distinctive feature of this home is the expansive living room — one of the largest in New York City – taking up over 3,000-square-feet. With 21-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that are topped with arches, the space ideal for entertaining and for showing off art collections. A chef’s kitchen covers more than 1,000 square feet and includes a dining space, lounge with wet bar, butler’s pantry and, last but not least, wine storage for up to 630 bottles.
