Moving while unemployed – should you do it

Being unemployed is not an easy circumstance to be in. Maybe your company closed down or there here been some downsizing. We hear you. Times are tough and you need to be clever in order to survive. Sometimes moving to a different state can give you a much needed clean slate to start your life over, and hey maybe being unemployed will give you just the freedom you need to do that. Or you can use this period to move back home, and figure your life out. There are definitely pros and cons to weigh out when considering moving while unemployed. Well, we are here to help you out.

What is your financial situation

Ok, so the income of money has stopped. The first thing you need to do is to figure out how much money you have to work with. If you are moving to a new place and you want to start renting it alone, you should have at least enough so you can sustain yourself for six months. Unless you are moving to somewhere where you will certainly have a job, you are looking at at least four to six months of looking. Look, maybe you’ll be lucky and land a job right away. But if you want to safe, financial luck cannot be a factor. You will need to calculate in rent and utilities. It is not hard to find online how much does it cost to live there and to get yourself an estimated cost of living for six months. Remeber, six months is minimum. It may take you a year or more to find a job.

Money and a watch
Time is money. You will feel that when moving while unemployed.

Look for help

Only tough times will show you who your friends truly are. Unfortunately, tough times have come and you should try and test your friendships. You don’t know how long your search for work will last and you should try and save your money as much as you can. Especially if you cannot afford six months of rent. Ask your friends and family to stay with them or to help you find cheap accommodation. If you are staying, talk with them openly about what is going on an how can you make your living arrangements suitable for both. You are going to be a guest and you should try to figure out how to make your friends feel good when helping you.

If you have family that is willing to help you, consider talking to them. Unfortunately, today’s job market doesn’t really support moving back home, but who knows. Spending time with your family might just give you the bit of rest you need to take the next step. Rember, don’t be too pushy or desperate. When times are tough people tend to go into desperation. That won’t help you find a job. Give yourself a break, and stay positive. Ask for help and keep a stiff upper lip. Things will turn up, just keep trying.

Friends comforting each other when moving while unemployed
A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Are you moving to the right place?

If you already know the town you want to move to, great! But visiting that town and living there is not the same thing. You should research it as much as possible to get familiar with it and to not be caught off guard. It is good if you have friends you can stay with. Looking for an apartment is much easier when you are present than looking online. It will also be much faster for you to find work if you know where to look and what to ask.

How to save money when moving while unemployed

Saving money is always a good idea. Especially when moving while unemployed. Luckily there are a few ways in which you can cut your moving costs in NYC and avoid unnecessary expenditure.

Cheap packing supplies

You will need to pack, but you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to spend anything doing it. You should try and find free moving boxes NYC by visiting supermarkets and storages and pack your stuff in them. Some money could be spent on ducktape and markers, but apart from that, you are good. Wrap your fragile items in your clothes so that they have padding when being transported. Also, remember to sort your items by necessity. Now, more then ever, you need to save money and the more stuff you move the more it’s going to cost. Know what is necessary and what isn’t so you can easily plan with movers and adjust moving price if necessary.

Reliable moving companies NYC

When you hire movers you will get their estimates on how much your move will cost. Get at least three movers to give you moving quotes so you will have an idea how much you need to pay. The amount of stuff you have will, of course, impact how high the price will be. When you are moving while unemployed you may want to save money on movers, but try and avoid that. You want reliable, not cheap. This especially goes if you are moving to a different state. Long distance movers NYC can give you information about such services. Scams are known to happen in the moving industry, and you want to make sure that your stuff is ok. Get reliable movers you can trust.

Final thoughts

It’s going to be up to you. Moving while unemployed can be a good thing, but not if you are going at it without thought. Use this time to reconsider your life and figure out your next step. See what you want to do and where you can do it. Don’t start wasting your time and napping all day long. Depression can easily creep up on you if you have no goals. Moving while unemployed gives you freedom, but you shouldn’t be reckless with it. Remember to keep looking for work and stay calm. There is always sunshine after the rain.

Man being sad
You need to be active in order to avoid depression.