Moving Update
- loveandfinance
- Jun 10, 2021
- 3 min read
I've finally moved into my new apartment that's about a 10-minute's drive from my old apartment. I've moved into a much smaller apartment after living for three years in what I thought was my dream apartment. This dream apartment was 10 minutes away from city center via tram, within a couple of minutes from a well-equipped gym and close to the forest and river. It was gigantic; with floor-to-ceiling windows which let in natural light all day. My bedroom was large with a spacious master bathroom and balcony. It was the my dream apartment that I chose to live in right after my divorce, so I definitely have some emotional connection with it. I'm sure I'll miss the old apartment and my old neighborhood, but it is nice to know that it is only ten minutes away and I can always go and visit it if I so desire.
After getting fired from my job and realizing that I wanted to achieve financial independence sooner rather than later, I made the decision to opt for a much smaller, and consequently, much cheaper apartment. This new apartment is actually closer to the river, closer to the train station and just around the corner from grocery stores, but 20 minutes away from city center by train. So, all in all, not too bad.
In addition, I've now cut my rent expenses to 51%, gotten a pay raise at my new job and I am planning to plonk down all of these cost savings into investments. Thus, I feel as though I am so much closer to reaching my financial goals.
In the short-term, however, I've faced some significant costs. Besides paying rent for two apartments for one month and paying a decent deposit for the new apartment, I also incurred the following costs on moving day:
hiring a "man with a van" - CHF500 plus CHF100 tip
hiring a professional cleaning crew - CHF680 plus CHF100 tip
rental damage deductions - CHF170 (phew, I thought it was going to be a lot worse)
eating out - CHF45
parking ticket - CHF50 :(
In total, moving day cost me CHF1645!
However, I've calculated that I'll break even in about three months, including double rents and receiving back my deposit from the old apartment, and afterwards, I'll be able to take advantage of the cost savings.
Luckily, I made sure that I'd have an amount plus a cushion covered through my Fuck Off Fund. Here in Switzerland, the notice period to vacate an apartment is three months, so I had plenty of time to save up for this amount.
I also managed to sell a few things before I moved, such as books, clothes and smaller furniture. Good thing, too, as the cellar at the new place is much smaller. I still have a few things I need to get rid of (either selling or donating) but that's a task I'll make throughout the next months. Any sales proceeds will be going straight into my investment accounts.
I am still getting used to the new surroundings and have been using my lunch breaks to take some walks around the neighborhood. I am fortunate, however, that I am still able to work from home and I'll definitely won't want to come back to a work office after the Covid restrictions have been lifted. I am not only saving money with this move, but I would also continue saving my time spent commuting, so I am crossing my fingers that work will let me continue to work from home.
What was your most recent move like? How much did it cost you to move? Let me know in the comments!
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