How To Afford To Move Out? (When You have No Money)

How To Afford To Move Out?( When You Have No Money)

You want to start fresh and find a new place but you’re short on cash and not sure how to afford to move out.

If you think you cant afford to move out, think again.

As someone who’s been a digital nomad and moved across several countries, I’m well versed in the process of moving out and let’s be real, it’s tedious, time consuming, and quite frankly, it can cost a lot more than you expect.

Which is why I’ve come up with this guide to help you figure out:

How to calculate if you can afford to move out
What to do if you can’t afford to move out
How to afford to move out

DISCLAIMER

Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.

How do you Calculate If You Can Afford to Move Out?

You might be wondering, “Can i afford to move out on my own?”

This can mean two things:

You’ve found a place and you’re wondering if you can afford the moving expenses
You want to know if you can afford to move out of your current dwelling.

For those of you looking at option 1, if you want to know how to afford to move out, you need to first calculate if you can afford the costs that come with moving out.

Break out the calculator because there’s a bit of math to deal with

Let’s say you want to move, what are some of the costs you need to cover?

A rental truck
Packing material

That should be cheap right?

Wrong.

Moving out can set you back if you don’t do it right.

According to Move.org, the average cost of a truck rental is approximately $1,550.

That doesn’t include the distance it takes to make the move -costs can range from $130 for a small trip to $3,250 for a long-distance move.

Another thing to consider when hiring a moving truck is the additional fees.

Yup, you don’t just pay for the truck, depending on the company, these are some of the costs you can expect to pay when hiring movers or a rental truck:

Gas
Insurance
Mileage
Supplies (You can expect to pay extra for things like furniture pads, or tie down straps to secure your items.)
Taxes
Towing equipment

What about packing materials?

It’s just a bunch of boxes, some tape and maybe packing peanuts, that should cost too much right?

*Insert obnoxiously loud buzzer sound here*

Wrong again.

The average cost of a small box is $1.69 per box, you can put your books, tools, etc. in here but bear in mind that you’ll need more than one box and you’ll need them in various sizes.

Medium sized boxes can range anywhere from $2.70-$3.70 and large boxes can set you back $5 or more depending on the brand.

If you need a minimum of 20 boxes, then that adds up to $33.80 for the smaller boxes, $54-$74 for medium boxes and a staggering $100 for large boxes.

Unfortunately that’s not all you’ll need.

To ensure your items stay intact, you’ll need to buy things like bubble wrap ($30.98 without shipping) and packing peanuts ($29.99 without shipping) but don’t forget the duct tape ($6.54) to help secure your box.

So what’s the grand total?

The grand total of the rental truck, cost of the trip, 20 small boxes, and additional packing materials is $1781.31!!!

And that’s without the extra hundred or two for the additional costs that come with hiring a rental truck.

I’m not even going to attempt to tell you how much it would cost if you needed more boxes and paid for extra mileage.

The truth is, moving out can be expensive. But don’t worry, here are some alternative solutions that will keep your money in your pocket.

How to Afford to Move Out- Alternatives

1.Ditch the moving company

Don’t hire moving companies. They cost a lot more than they’re worth and honestly, why would you pay people to haul your things when you can have other people do it for free.

What are friends and family for right?

Instead, ask your mom if you can borrow the minivan, get your uncle to help maneuver your large couch through the tiny door -offer your services in return or bribe them with edible favors in return for their help.

2.Don’t buy boxes

Instead of buying expensive boxes, drop by your local grocery store and ask them for boxes or browse the internet marketplace like Facebook or Craigslist to see if anyone is offering free boxes.

3.Forget about bubble wrap and packing peanuts

If you’re not going to splurge on boxes, why spend money on packing peanuts and bubble wrap?

Ditch those non-biodegradable packing materials and cut costs by using old newspapers or rags, sheets, even your clothes to ensure your fragile items remain protected.

This way you save on boxes and you don’t have to spend extra money.

How Much Do You Need to Save Before Moving to a New Place?

For those of you that want to know if you can afford to move out of your current dwelling, you must first consider a few things:

How much can you afford to pay?
Do you have enough to cover at least 3 months rent in advance?
Can you cover your bills?

How much can you afford to pay?

A criteria that landlords often use to screen tenants is the three-to-one income-to-rent ratio.

The WHAT now?!

This means that your monthly income needs to equal to three times the monthly cost of your rent.

For instance, let’s say the place you have your hopes set on costs $1,000 a month, you should make at least $3000 a month to comfortably pay the rent and cover any additional costs.

If you earn less, divide your salary by three and the amount you get is how much you can realistically afford for rent.

Consider looking for cheaper properties located further away from the city center, downsize, or push your move out date later until you can afford the place.

Do you have enough to cover at least 3 months rent in advance?

You don’t just have to save up for rent, you also need to keep in mind that most places will ask you for:

a security deposit,
rental fees,
a utility deposit
first and last month’s rent.

Can you cover your bills?

Bills, bills, bills -no not that famous Destiny’s Child song.

I meant utility bills. Before you strike out on your own, make sure you have enough in the bank to cover your future utility bills.

Create a budget and look at how much money needs to be allocated monthly for these costs.

If you want to know how to create a budget, have a look at my article:

How to Create a Budget

Use this handy calculator to make your life easier and input your expenditures accordingly.

Can’t afford to move out? Here is what you should do

You’re set on moving out but you’re not sure what to do or how to afford to move out.

Before you take that leap and get a new place, you need to have a look at this checklist.

Do you really need to move out now?
Save the date
Make a plan
Save money
Get a job or a roommate

1.Do you really need to move out now?

Ask yourself, do you really need to move out right now?

If you have a strong urge to leave your current home but don’t have the means to match, you may need to re-evaluate your situation.

Is this an urgent matter? Are you trying to get away from your annoying roommate or overbearing parents?

You’ve lasted this long, hold off a little longer before you can afford to move out.

2.Save the date

You want to move out, nay, you need to move out. Then your next step is to choose a move out date and stick to it.

3.Make a plan

You have a date and now you need to save up some money to make your dream come true.

Make a timeline and create a budget to help you prioritize your finances for the next few months so you stay on track and you have something tangible to work towards.

4.Save money

You’ve got a game plan and you’re ready to stick to it.

This should help you cut costs, save money and reach your goal but the bottom line is clear, the more costs you cut from your budget, the more money you’ll save, and ipso facto, the quicker you will be able to move out.

5.Get a job or a roommate

If you don’t have money coming in from a job, you won’t be able to save money.

So maybe this should be the first thing you cross off the list.

Likewise, if you have a job but you don’t make enough to save then you should consider splitting the costs by getting a roommate.

How to Afford to Move Out: What You Can Do

Can’t afford to move out? And you are wondering, “How do I get enough money to move out?”

Before you throw in the towel or push back your date, consider looking at the situation from a different angel.

Maybe asking for a raise didn’t work out. What is one to do now?

You could get a second job or alternatively you could look into these options:

Start a side hustle
Sell your stuff
Make lifestyle changes

Start a Side Hustle

How to afford moving out? Four words. Start a side hustle. Side hustles can easily turn into full-time jobs and they’re a great way to earn good money in a short amount of time.

My top 5 best paying online jobs would be:

Tutoring online
Freelance writing
Proofreading and editing
Transcribing
Become a Virtual Assistant

Tutoring Online

If you have a knack for helping people learn – maybe you should try teaching online.

It is one of the best stay at home jobs out there and you don’t even need to be a teacher; the best part? You can teach anything you are skilled at.

If you haven’t had any experience teaching online but you want to impart your wisdom on others, have a look at my in-depth article that covers all the steps to get you teaching online in one week.

Here are a few sites that hire tutors to teach online:

You just need to get a 120-Hour Teaching certificate and you are good to go!

Note- I have taken this course myself .

Freelance Writing

If you have a way with words and enjoy writing, you can get paid for your writing.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any experience, I’ve written an entire post all about becoming a freelance writer without having any experience.

Once you’re ready to start writing, you can have a look at the vacancies on these websites:

If you are interested in freelance writing but have no experience, take this course. I took it and it trained me up and helped me find 3 new clients in 3 weeks!

Proofreading and Editing

Do you have an eye for detail? Have you ever read through a text and identified all the errors in it? Then proofreading is just the job for you.

Not sure how to get started as a proofreader? Have a look at these articles to get you started:

And if you’re already one step ahead but you’re not sure where to apply for jobs, here are a few sites that hire proofreaders:

This course will teach you how to become a full-time proofreader.

Transcribing

A transcriber converts speech from video or audio tapes into written form. That’s it, basically you convert speech to text and get paid for it.

If this sounds appealing, have a look at these articles:

If you’re already on your way to becoming a transcriber, here are some websites that will pay you for your transcription services:

Also, here is a FREE course that will teach you how to earn money from transcribing.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assisting is a great way to make money online. You do everything an in-person personal assistant would but virtually, and from the comfort of your home.

If you’re interested in becoming a virtual assistant but have no experience as a Virtual Assistant, then have a look at this article to help you get started:

How To Become A Virtual Assistant With No Experience

Ready to virtually assist? Here are some websites that hire VA’s:

Sell your stuff

How to move out with no money? You make money.

If you don’t have the time for a side hustle or a second job, you could always make money from what you have around you.

Selling items you no longer need or use is a quick way to make money.

Hold a garage sale

If there’s anything you don’t have use for, you should consider holding a garage sale and selling them off for a price.

You can sell your old games, DVDs, CDs, clothes, furniture, etc.

Before you throw anything away, see if it can be worth anything -every dollar earned is another dollar you can save towards moving out faster.

Sell your stuff online

You may not want your things anymore but there may be someone out there who’s willing to pay good money for an item.

If you can sell some of your personal belongings then you’re able to cover moving costs or put it in the bank for a rainy day.

Here are some sites you can sell your personal belongings on :

Carousell
Facebook Marketplace
Ebay
Varagesale
Listia

Make a lifestyle change

Get rid of vices

How to move out at 18 and afford it?

Whether you’re young or old, if you have vices, this is the time to cut back on them or get rid of them completely.

Are cigarettes or alcohol essentials?

No, you can live without them and it’s better for your physical, mental and financial health too.

Calculate your fare

Is the cost of travel high and getting in the way of your goal to save money and move out?

Try cutting back on travel or instead look for free alternatives. If you need to commute, consider cycling, skateboarding, walking or carpooling.

Drink tap water

If your country supplies clean tap water, make good use of that freebie.

If it doesn’t, you can save money by boiling tap water and drinking it instead of buying bottles of water from the grocery store.

This will save you more money and lessen the sale of plastics.

Meal plan

Meal planning not only saves time, it also saves money.

If you’re tightening the purse strings, then you need a meal plan to ensure you’re only spending what you can on your meals.

Allocate a certain amount of money for groceries and head down to the farmers market, grocery store or local mini market to buy cheap produce and plan your meals within a budget.

To ensure success, you have to plan every single meal for a period of time and shop only for the ingredients you need to prepare your meals.

Conclusion

There you have it, folks -an extensive guide to that answers the question we posed earlier on in the post, “how to afford to move out?”

Whether you’re trying to figure out if you can afford to move out or if you can afford the costs that come with moving out, I hope this article helped you some way and gave you some ideas.

How To Afford To Move Out? (When You have No Money)

How To Afford To Move Out?( When You Have No Money)

Related posts on Saving Money:

How do you Calculate If You Can Afford to Move Out?