Cities are full of opportunity – but this comes at an added cost. Many people struggle to afford the cost of city living, whether it be the added cost of rent or the added fee of congestion charges. Below are some tips on how to save money moving to a city and make it more affordable.
Find the Right Neighborhood
Cities are typically made up of many districts containing many different neighborhoods. Prices are going to be different in each of these neighborhoods, so it’s important to research different areas. Central trendy areas are typically always more expensive, while less renowned areas on the outskirts are cheaper. Making sacrifices will help you to access lower prices, but you need to make sure these sacrifices don’t negatively impact your quality of life too much. For example, a high crime rate is usually not worth trading for cheaper prices, however, you may be able to put up with issues like noise or limited parking.
Consider Downsizing
If you already rent or own a home, you may find that you have to pay a lot more for a property of the same size when moving to a city. Consider whether downsizing is an option – can you cope in an apartment or a smaller house? You’ll likely need to declutter before you move and you’ll need to make sure that you’re not preventing any future plans such as having kids. If you still need the same amount of bedrooms but cannot afford a property of the same size, it may be a case of sacrificing outdoor space or simply finding a cheaper area.
Find the Right Moving Company
If you’re making a long-distance move, you’ll need to factor in the cost of the move itself. The cost of hiring a moving company could be quite expensive – particularly if you’ve got lots of possessions to relocate. Shop around for moving company quotes using sites like iMOVE. You may be able to hire a van and handle the move yourself, but if you’ve got lots of possessions this could mean lots of journeys, which will ultimately put the price up and make it impractical.
Use Public Transportation
You should carefully consider whether you need a car when moving to a city. It’s likely that you may be able to rely on public transportation to get around, which could work out a lot cheaper. This is particularly the case if you’re living in an area affected by emission charges. At the very least, you should consider driving less to reduce fuel. If you’ve got a large car, you may also want to consider whether a smaller car would be more suitable – you’ll save money on fuel and parking will be easier.
Take Advantage of Free Activities
Eating out, shopping, and even going to the cinema can be more expensive in a city due to increased prices. However, you don’t have to spend more money to have fun in a city. There are likely to be many free activities that you can take advantage of. Some cities have free museums or free walking tours. There are often huge parks that you can visit and many sights that you can take in just by walking. Sign up to various restaurant mailing lists and you can even take advantage of free drinks and meals. Check out this guide at The Travel Hack to free things to do in cities.
