Frugal ways to save for a move

**cheles2kids** · 01-20-2008, 10:17 AM

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I figured since it involves traveling and hotel expenses, I would post here.

We will be making a state to state move within the next 3 weeks and I would love to hear your money saving ideas for traveling and living in a hotel for 6 weeks.
I know, I know, it's a crazy long time, but there are circumstances that dictate we'll have no other choice.

So, what are you best tips for living out of a hotel for an extended period?
We have two kiddos, and we are planning on an extended type of place that includes a kitchenette so that we can eat part of our meals in the room, because to me that's one of the money suckers-eating out.

So, I would really appreciate any ideas, tips or suggestions to help keep me sane and get us through until we're able to get closed on our house.

Thanks!

**leezza** · 01-20-2008, 01:37 PM

Things you may want to do is:

LIST, keep a list of everything you need to do and keep it in your purse.

HOTEL, check and double check that you are getting the best deal, (AAA, costco, ect...anything you belong to).

COOLER, keep a large cooler in your room for bottled water, drinks, ect....

Chamber of Commerce, in your new city look it up on the internet and start exploring your new town, find your favorite food places, grocery stores, ect..

DMV, get your license changed over to your new state.....and your DL also....(this also helps so people aren't thinking of you as an outsider).

VISIT CENTER, if your new town has one or if there is one close by.....the volunteers who work at these places are a great source for information and you can also find out what things there are to do in your new area, parks, ect.....

BANK, research and get a bank in your new town right away......safety deposit box and put all of your valuables in there, important papers, insurance paper, documents.

Good Luck,
leezza

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-20-2008, 01:55 PM

Have you found the hotel that you're staying in yet? Sometimes the places that do extended stays are apartment buildings not hotels. Check with a relocation company (the kind that handle company moves) and ask if they can recommend a place. If not, check the classifieds in the new town for a furnished apt and ask to rent for 6 weeks. Living in a hotel sucks, we only did it for a week when we moved and I thought I was going to lose my mind.

Are you driving and having a moving company take your stuff? If you're driving pack the perishable things like condiments, etc. that the moving company won't take in a cooler and bring them with you. You'll need them in the new place and they really add up when you're replacing them.

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 01-20-2008, 01:57 PM

We had to do this when we moved from old house to current house. Moved out on May 30 and couldn't move in til Sept. 4.We only moved about 5 miles but ended up staying 1000 miles away. Dh was painting a Cracker Barrel in York, Pa. so we put everything into a storage unit and packed up son then 8 and daughter 6 monthes and went to stay at the hotel he was staying in there.
DH found a hotel that had weekely rentals. We got a huge room with a refrig., microwave and tiny stove. Also a pool.
I will admit it was not easy. son kept telling everyone we were homeless. I died and had to explain quickly that we were waiting to move into new house it wasn't ready yet. The pool was a saving grace. DH went off everyday and we went out there where son played in water and on the small playset. We put new sister in stroller and walked hundreds of miles around the neighborhood by hotel. We ate cold crearls for breakfast most mornings, lunch was sandwiches and soups, suppers were the local buffet. It was a Hoss House. When the manager found out we were living in the hotel he gave us a break on our adult meals and DS ate for free. He got a kick out of the way DS embrassed mom with "We're Homeless." ahhhhh!
We also took the time in the evening to explore the town and surronding towns by car.
Be prepared with a good first aid kit. That was the one lesson I learned things like aspirin, oniments and extra meds should be easily accessiable. Don't be having to run to the drugstore.
Also make sure you've got something to keep YOU busy. I had several books and some needlework. Otherwise you might be trempted to go mall wandering to fight the bordom of a hotel room.
Also make sure not to pack your landry soap. You'll need to go and do wash. Make a schedule. Even if its go to pool from 10 til 12 back to room 12 til 2 walk 2 til 4. Landry on this day, City Park on next afternoon. If theres a libaray near by find out if they have a daily storytime.
Remember this is a short term thing and someday you'll look back and laugh.
Laurie in Bradenton

**cheles2kids** · 01-21-2008, 10:07 AM

Wow, thanks so much ladies for all of your suggestions!!

monkeywrangler71, the Navy will actually do our "pack-ou" and will store our stuff until we notify them of the new address for them to deliver it, so that's taken care of, thankfully.
Mike is checking with a Country Inns extended stay place this week, but gosh a mighty, it's not gonna be cheap. He checked the prices online and it was like $275 a week, but still cheaper than a hotel room at $60.00 x 7 days a week, AND it also has a small kitchen.

leeza, I'm right there with you on the cooler. I've already started a list of things I want o go and buy *before* leaving, I can get alot of groceries MUCH cheaper at our local commissary here rather than trying to find the cheapest place once we get there.
We'll have the kids' schoolwork to help take up part of their days, since we homeschool.

The Chamber of Commerce idea is genius. I'll defiantely check that out.
As for a visitor's center, I'm pretty sure they don't have one. It's a VERY small town that we're moving too.

Laurie in Bradenton, thanks for all of your tips as well.
I know, 6 weeks doesn't sound like a long time, does it? But with you already living through a similar situation you can attest that it will only creep by, being in a new town, learning our way around, etc. will help to take up part of the time though.

Great idea on the first aid supplies. That's one thing that I haven't added to our list.
Actually I started making our a grocery list yesterday for things to keep on hand in the room to eat. I guess great minds think alike, because I already have cereal, bread, lunchmeat, canned fruit, dried fruit, popcorn, etc.

A pool would be wonderful, especially with it being so cold and yuck up there.
The kids would absolutely LOVE a pool, I hadn't even thought about having Mike to check out whether or not it has a pool.
That would take up a HUGE chunk of time for them. Hmmmm...........I'll have him check about that.

Thankfully our kids are olde now (ds.-almost 15 & dd.-13), but the homeless story was funny. I can only imagine my two saying the same things when they were younger.
Love the schedule idea too. That will help to break up our days, especially while Mike is at work.
Thankfully he's been there a few months already, so he's gotten somewhat familiar with some things.

Thank-you all so much for taking the time to post your suggestions, they have come in really handy and this thread has given me so many things to consider and think about.

**guest002** · 01-21-2008, 12:56 PM

Is this your last move and are now out of the military?

If he's still in see if you can get into TLF (Temp. Lodging Facility) at a nearby military base.

**cheles2kids** · 01-21-2008, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by PaulaPAFW

Is this your last move and are now out of the military?

If he's still in see if you can get into TLF (Temp. Lodging Facility) at a nearby military base.

Hey PaulaPAFW, yes, this is our very last move, thank goodness.
He retired back in October of last year and went ahead started work right away, but the kids & I had to stay back to sell our home.

So, now that's taken care of, Mike found us a home, but it's an older couple and they can't get moved out until like the middle to the last of March, so that put's us up in a hotel or something until we can get closed and moved.

I know it's gonna be stressful, but no more stressful than if we would have been paying two mortgages wondering when this house would sell, kwim?
I've heard too many horror stories about that happening, so I guess you could say we're doing it the hard way.
I've always heard things aren't worth having unless you have to work for them.

Sorry, got a bit off topic there. But thanks for the TLF information, maybe it will help someone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.