How to save money when moving house?

Moving house often leads to numerous expenses related to both your old and new home. It can be difficult to keep track of your finances, but there are tips to lighten your budget and make significant savings.

Reducing costs related to your old home

Organisation is the key to a successful move. In fact, planning ahead helps you manage the process better and reduce costs.

First of all, if you are a tenant, remember to send your notice 1 to 3 months in advance depending on your property. To check the notice period, simply look at your tenancy agreement, as it will be stated there. If the notice is not sent in time, the tenant must pay rent until the official date announced by the receipt of the notice, i.e. 1 or 3 months after sending the registered letter. It is therefore best to anticipate this step to avoid paying for two homes at the same time.

What costs should you expect for your new home?

Before moving into a new home, you need to anticipate certain steps such as setting up new contracts, for example for electricity, gas and water. These steps should be taken about 15 days before moving.

Electricity and gas are two things not to forget when moving, as they can incur costs for both homes. On one hand, you need to notify your energy suppliers, because if contracts are not terminated in time, you will have to pay until the contracts are stopped, even if you no longer live in the property. On the other hand, if electricity is not activated in the new home, this will incur additional costs. In fact, calling your electricity supplier to activate power urgently is more expensive than a standard intervention. So, plan ahead when choosing your energy supplier. A few weeks before moving, it is advisable to compare different suppliers to choose the one that best suits your new home. This could be a cheaper, local, or green energy supplier. Making this choice in advance allows you to select your new supplier more calmly and choose the most suitable one. Once you have selected your energy supplier, inform them of your move-in date to reduce the connection fees.

This way, costs will be doubly reduced, by comparing energy suppliers and by planning ahead, which reduces the connection fees.

Moving itself can be expensive

Some financial assistance may be provided by national or local institutions such as the CAF to help the most modest households or people in difficulty with moving home.

Moreover, when moving into a new home, there are often boxes to bring in, whether from the move itself or from new purchases. To reduce costs, you can avoid hiring a vehicle and instead use parcel carpooling platforms, which offer reduced rates for transporting boxes. Similarly, if you rent a vehicle and have space left, you can offer your services to transport boxes for others.

Rule #3: How to reduce your bills throughout the year?

In a home, energy such as gas, electricity or water is a major expense. However, it is possible to reduce these different costs.

First, to reduce your electricity and gas bills, you should review your use of air conditioning in summer and heating in winter. These are very energy-consuming appliances, but by adopting a few tips, it is easy to reduce your consumption and your bill. Certain temperatures are recommended for each room. For example, in winter, the recommended temperatures are 16°C in an adult's bedroom, 18 to 20°C in a baby's room, and for a child, the temperature can vary from 16 to 19°C. You can also adjust the thermostats of different devices so they do not heat continuously at the same temperature. Furthermore, you can change supplier at any time for a cheaper offer or one that better meets your needs.

As for water, if you have your own water heater, it is recommended to set the hot water temperature between 55°C and 60°C, as this is sufficient to limit the development of harmful bacteria while ensuring the water is hot enough. Also, when it comes to water, showers should be preferred as they use 3 to 5 times less water than baths.

Moreover, according to a study by Le Parisien, using public transport can drastically reduce your transport bills. It is therefore advisable to leave your personal vehicle aside for journeys that can be made by public transport. This is good for both your wallet and the planet.

More generally, by consuming more responsibly and without excess, you can reduce your bills.

So, by following a few tips, it is possible to save money on your bills, whether when moving house or throughout the year. By reducing your bills, you will also have a positive impact on the environment, because saving money also means consuming more intelligently.