Moving to New York City without declaring bankruptcy

Advantage CCS has provided you with a moving scenario, courtesy of a real Pittsburgh, PA couple's experience in moving to Brooklyn, NY. However, perhaps you can use some specific moving tips to make your transition financially smooth. Read on to learn how you can make a big-city move while on a debt management plan.

No bankruptcy, New York: Get an affordable apartment

The New York City Insider says that you should find a no-fee apartment in New York. This is correct advice. By paying a broker a “finder's fee” on a New York apartment, you might wind up giving away between one month's rent and 15-plus percent of the total rent you will owe for that year, according to the site. This is money you are giving away so someone else can look for housing for you – it's not a smart strategy from a debt management plan perspective.

Go to the New York CraigsList Web site, and you'll note that you can filter apartment searches by owner, broker, or no-fee. You will only want to look for owner and no-fee apartments in order to avoid a finder's fee. Consider apartments that offer heat or other utilities as part of the package – they often wind up being cheaper, especially during the winter. If you're moving solo, consider an apartment share. You can save immense amounts of money -- and clean up your credit score or adhere better to your debt management plan, to boot. You can look for apartments online; you can call New York realty companies directly (a Yellow Pages search online will produce results), or you can look in New York newspapers like The Village Voice or the New York Post. Each of the boroughs – Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Staten Island – publish their own newspapers, as well.

Opt out of Manhattan. A one-bedroom apartment in that area can run you several grand. Look for lower-cost options in the Outer Boroughs. Many parts of Brooklyn and Queens can be very affordable. So can some parts of Nassau County (Long Island), Rockland County, and even adjoining parts of New Jersey state.

Move with debt management in mind

So, you've got stuff to haul, eh? Moving can be really, really tough. You have to find a way to ship massive amounts of stuff across a great distance, while making sure said stuff doesn't get lost or broken – and you don't rack up more debt. Management of your move comes down to a few simple choices:

• Decide whether you are going to move yourself or hire a company to do it for you.
• Decide whether you are going to pack your stuff or let the moving company do it for you.
• Decide whether you are going to haul your stuff or choose a mover to do it for you.

There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to hiring movers. Using a mover can be cheaper OR more expensive than a U-Haul, depending upon how many hours it will take to move. The base cost of renting a U-Haul, for example, can be as low as 30 dollars, according to the company's Web site. Professional movers who charge by the hour generally have base rates of no less than 100 dollars, according to a survey of several professional movers.

Caveat: U-Haul and similar do-it-yourself moving companies charge by the mile. And, unless you have a dolly or lift sitting at home, you will need to purchase those, as well, which will add to the cost of your move. Your best bet is to calculate the cost of a long-distance move using a professional company vs. using a do-it-yourself service such as U-Haul. Determine which option best fits into your debt management plan.

Your debt management plan will no doubt dictate that you purchase goods for the lowest cost possible. Therefore, you should try to save money by purchasing moving supplies yourself. Many grocers and big-box retailers have surplus boxes to give away – just ask. At those very same grocers and big-box stores, you can buy bubble wrap and packing tape for very little cost. And, who says you need to buy fancy packing materials, anyway? Wadded up newspapers work just fine!

Some moving company Web sites state that you need to let the movers supply the boxes and pack your belongings for you – to do otherwise results in a poor moving experience, all of your belongings broken, and so forth. This is a way for the moving company to take more of your money: How effectively you pack is far more important than whether or not you use “professional moving boxes” or expensive packing materials. If you are enrolled in credit counseling or are following a debt management plan, discuss this with your counselor. You might wind up learning other ways that companies present “worst-case scenarios” to take your money. It never hurts to add more strategies to your debt management plan.

Good luck with moving – and debt management!