Moving To Another State

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

I'm thinking of moving from Nevada to Wisconsin (don't ask). I know I probably won't be able to move for 6 months, more likely a year. But if anyone has done this before and can offer advice, I'd appreciate it.

Advice for how much money to save, getting a job in the new town, or general whatevers.

I'm single with no kids or pets, so it's really just be me and my stuff, and a potential roomie who is also thinking of moving to Wisconsin.

[blas]

All of the Wisconsin CSers will welcome you with open arms!

As for the random shirtless obese men and the beer chugging at 9 am.....you'll get used to it!

[Seshat]

Investigate the utility bills for Wisconsin, and save for the security deposits on those. Save for rental bond. Save for rental insurance. Save three months rent on a typical apartment in Wisconsin.

Don't rely on getting your bond/deposits back from the existing utilities and rent etc. You probably will, but if you don't count on it, you get a nice bonus right when you need it.

Nevada to Wisconsin is a significant climate change. Expect to need to at least supplement your wardrobe, if not get a whole new set of clothes.

Expect that at least some of your furnishings won't be right for the new apartment. (And no, I'm not meaning aesthetically. I'm meaning 'can't get the cupboard through the bedroom door' or 'the last apartment had a good pantry, this one has crap food storage, we need to by a cheap pantry'.)

If travelling in your own vehicle, make sure the vehicle can handle the trip.

Consider selling your furnishings and/or clothing in Nevada, and going to Wisconsin with a wad of cash and the addresses of charity furniture shops, instead of paying for a moving van &/or movers. However, if you do this, be prepared to live without some desirable-but-not-essential furnishings for a while.

[MaggieTheCat]

Seshat has some good advice. I moved from Wisconsin to Texas although I moved in with my boyfriend so I already had a place to stay, furniture, etc. I actually still haven't moved most of my own furniture down here because it won't fit. After we get a house, we will be making that trip.

Anyway, a few things about Wisconsin. It's COLD. I know you know it's cold, but if you've never been to Wisconsin or any of the surrounding states in January or February, you are in for a brutal shock. Especially coming from a warm state like Nevada. It can easily get down to -10 without windchill, -50 or more with windchill. As Seshat said, you will need to update your wardrobe appropriately. Also expect to pay through the nose in the winter for heating bills. If you can, find an apartment that includes heat; rent will run you more than an apartment that doesn't include heat, but it will pay off in the winter when you won't have to pay a couple hundred bucks a month to stay warm. If you can't get an apartment that includes heat, then try to get an upper apartment with someone living below you. I know hauling groceries up stairs is a pain, but their heat will help heat your apartment.

Also consider your car. First of all, a lot of cars will freeze up in the winter. Some apartments include plug-ins that let you plug your battery in at night and then you can turn it on in the morning to start warming your battery up. My dad used to have to take the battery out of his car every night and bring it in the house to stay warm, or else his vehicle would not start. Also consider how well your car handles in ice/snow. Does it have 4-wheel drive? It's not 100% necessary in Wisconsin but it does help a lot. Keep your car stocked, too. Blankets, a half-full jug of water (only half-full since it will freeze, but it's better than not having anything) and some food that won't spoil. Oh, and a scraper/brush combo is essential.

As far as actually moving goes, here are a few different suggestions:

1) Hire a moving company to do all the legwork for you. This will be the easiest but most expensive option for you. They can pack up all your stuff and drive it to wherever you end up so you don't need to mess with renting a U-Haul or anything.

2) Rent a U-Haul truck or trailer and haul all your stuff yourself. Depending on what kind of vehicle you have, you may or may not be able to get a trailer. Not all vehicles will be able to pull a trailer loaded with stuff, and even if yours can, you will be paying a lot for gas money to haul it that far.

3) Sell most or all of your stuff and only bring what you can fit in your car, then plan on buying cheap stuff to replace what you sold when you get there.

4) Sell your car, rent a U-Haul to move all your stuff, then buy a new car when you get there. This may be something to consider if you don't think your current car can handle the Wisconsin winters very well.

5) Sell your car, sell all your stuff, get a bus/train/plane ticket, and start from scratch when you get there. Obviously you'll need some help from that potential roommate or someone else to do this one. This is basically what I did when I moved, except I didn't sell most of my stuff; my parents still have a lot of it. Hopefully we'll be able to move most of it down here once my husband and I get a bigger place.

The job market in Wisconsin, last time I checked, was pretty awful. I'm not trying to discourage you but if you don't have a job lined up by the time you actually move, then don't plan on being able to get one right away when you get there. Bring enough money to survive for a few months if you can't find anything right away. I don't know where you're planning on moving to, but bigger towns usually have more to offer than little towns. My hometown didn't have anything available when I moved; I know, because I had been looking for 6 months before I moved for something different. Even Wausau, which is considerably bigger than where I'm from, doesn't have much, last time I heard (I have relatives there so they keep me somewhat in the loop.)

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Thanks for all the advice.

I live with my family still, so don't have any furniture to worry about. I'll just have to get rid of a few books.

My friend who lived in Wisconsin suggested using the bus rather than a car. Think this is feasible during winter, or should I get a car after all?

I plan on applying around and going up for a week, see if I can get some interviews while I"m there, but still have enough for a few months.

[taxguykarl]

First:
Lighten the load. Donate what you can and get receipts. Here a donation value guide to write that off. Chances are, the items are available there as well. Moreover, the less you have, the more your options (i.e. rent your own truck).

Second:
If your move is work-related peruse this publication and keep a log of expenses.

[blas]

If you are moving to a much larger area in Wisconsin, public transit won't be an issue.

If you're moving to say, the northwest area where I live, you will need your own vehicle.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I'm thinking of moving from Nevada to Wisconsin (don't ask).

Why?

JK. Only sorta, as my computer says it's 7 degrees right now with 22 mph winds. So it is obviously a wee bit cold here at the moment.

Anyhoo, the economic climate here pretty much sucks balls, so finding work will probably be difficult. And any city of reasonable size will have buses for public transportation at the very least. They generally will be running during all but the very worst winter storms.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

If you are moving to a much larger area in Wisconsin, public transit won't be an issue.

If you're moving to say, the northwest area where I live, you will need your own vehicle.

Which is Madison?

Why?

JK. Only sorta, as my computer says it's 7 degrees right now with 22 mph winds. So it is obviously a wee bit cold here at the moment.

Anyhoo, the economic climate here pretty much sucks balls, so finding work will probably be difficult. And any city of reasonable size will have buses for public transportation at the very least. They generally will be running during all but the very worst winter storms.

I SAID DON"T ASK! *flail*

Well, I don't plan on moving until next spring (after thinking how cold it is) so I'll have summer and fall to get used to the weather up there.

[blas]

Madison is the state capital, down in southern Wisconsin. Milwaukee and Green Bay are on the edge, on the south east side.

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, considering the utter joke of a spring and summer we had last year, you'll know what it's like to have year round cold and rain

It wasn't always this way, but in recent years, Madison has been taking the brunt of all the Wisconsin snow-storms. It seems safer to live in the middle, actually...Wausau hasn't gotten nearly as much snow as the northwest or south has.

[Becks]

Don't ask me about moving to another state. I still haven't unpacked some boxes that were done up when I moved to NJ in 2003. Although, now that I think about it, I had that much less packing to do when I moved back to WI in 2008...

Doesn't matter, though, I know what're in the boxes and I just need a lot of shelves to put the things on.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Well, I don't plan on moving until next spring (after thinking how cold it is) so I'll have summer and fall to get used to the weather up there.

Last year, summer did not really exist. "Summer" was about one week where it got up to 90 degrees.

But then again, there have been some recent summers that have been real scorchers.

If you're going to live close to Lake Michigan, prepare to hear the words "Cooler near the lake" almost every weather forecast during the spring and summer. In some cases, it can be a lot cooler right on the lake, like ten or more degrees, than it is further inland. The flip side to that is during winter, the lake keeps the areas closest to it warmer than areas further inland.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Check out the taxes in Wisconsin. When I moved from Florida to Maryland back in the 70s I got a big shock from the extra taxes Maryland has that Florida didn't. In my case it was state and county income taxes and a user tax on my car that's the same as the sales tax. I think some places also have city income taxes. I avoided the user tax on my car by selling it and buying a new one.