Here are some quick pointers that can help you save money while moving into your dream house.

• All things packed
• All important documents in place
• Booked the movers
• Checked if it’s an auspicious day to move (Even though we don’t admit it, we all do this!)

Additional Reading: How To Buy A House On A Single Income

Once you’ve ticked all of these on your checklist and you’re all set to finally live the dream, there are a couple of other things that you need to keep in mind. What we didn’t mention in the above checklist is the cost of getting all these things done. Don’t get confused! Here’s how this checklist actually looks like in your diary (or your mind):

• All things packed (Packing material—Rs. 5,000 (approx.))
• All important documents in place (Home Loan EMI—Rs. 25,000 (approx.))
• Booked the movers (Moving charges—Rs. 3,000 (approx.))
• Checked if it’s an auspicious day to move (Pay the Priest—Rs. 1,001 (approx.))

Additional Reading: 8-Step Guide To Buying A New House

So, you see? Only these basic things can cost up to Rs. 35,000! Living the dream is not that economical. After all, it’s a dream! While some of these are unavoidable expenses, you can keep the following twelve tips in mind to save money on other things while moving into your dream house:

1. Pack all your crockery and breakables well

You need to be extra careful while packing your precious crockery and other breakables like electronic appliances, photo frames, delicate showpieces etc. Use a lot of bubble wrap and in case that’s not available, use your clothes to cushion the boxes to avoid breakage. You don’t want to open a box full of broken ceramic pieces, do you?

2. Cover all your expensive perfumes to avoid wastage

Perfumes and makeup products are probably some of the most expensive things in your bedroom. To avoid the miserable sight of spilt moisturizers and broken bottles of your favourite perfume, cover them well and pack them with extreme caution.

3. Clean all AC filters

Before you install ACs in your new house, you need to clean the air filters well. It’ll not only help you save electricity, but will also make your AC more powerful! Don’t worry! You don’t need to call someone to clean it. It’s pretty simple and doesn’t take much time or effort! Just check the AC manual, or in case you’ve misplaced it (who saves an AC manual, right?), check YouTube.

4. Check for moist walls and fix them immediately!

Moisture in your walls can ruin a lot of things. Instead of putting your clothes, books, utensils and other essentials at risk, check all walls properly and if you see any traces of the moisture monster, take preventive measures immediately! If you don’t do it right away, you’ll soon start crying about ruined books and fungus all over your clothes. Be smart, avoid that.

5. Check for plumbing leaks

You love your dream house, don’t you? We’re sure that you want people to talk about how well you’ve done the interiors instead of talking about the water leaks, right? Aim at making your house the talk of the town for good reasons by checking for plumbing leaks right in the beginning. You can get these small things fixed before they become a menace and burn a hole in your pocket.

6. Switch to low-energy appliances

Using low-energy appliances can help you save energy and reduce your carbon footprint, giving you a chance to be a responsible human! Apart from that, it can also save you from paying excessive electricity bills at the end of every month. In case you didn’t get a chance to do your bit at being a good human in your earlier rented out space, it’s your chance to do it now! No excuses!

7. Install a theft-alarm

Although you need to spend more on a theft-alarm and you probably think that it’s useless, think again! Do you really want to take chances with the safety of your household stuff? No, right? It’s better to spend a few bucks and get an anti-theft mechanism installed now, instead of regretting later.

Additional Reading: Protect Yourself From Natural Calamities With Home Insurance

8. Click pictures of your electronic cable connections

If you don’t want to spend extra by calling the electrician again and again to fix all your appliances, it’s better that you click pictures of all electronic cable connections. You can use these as a reference later and fix all the cables instead of calling the electrician.

9. Sell things you don’t want any more

Don’t be greedy! You can’t keep it all! It’s time to say goodbye to all the unnecessary items from your old house. If it’s a piece of furniture, some old appliances you don’t use anymore, useless bedding or clothes—sell them off! You not only get more room in your new house, you also get to make some money. A win-win situation, right?

10. Look for free boxes before calling the movers

Most movers and packers often charge you extra for the boxes. So, instead of paying them extra for pieces of cardboard, it’s always better to arrange for some free boxes. This is when your networking skills will come in handy. Talk to the provision stores around your house. They usually have a lot of unused boxes. Don’t pay extra for things that are available for free.

11. Compare quotes before finalising the mover

Movers charge you on the basis of the distance and the quantity of the stuff to be moved. Since you can’t leave anything behind and neither can you compromise on the distance, to save money, you need to compare the quotes of at least two or three companies before taking the final call. Don’t procrastinate while doing this, because if you start at the eleventh hour, your chances of cracking a good deal drop significantly.

12. Wait to buy new furniture

We know you’re bubbling with excitement and want to decorate your new home tastefully. But, slow down buddy! Why hurry, when you can save a few bucks here? We don’t want you to postpone it much, just wait for the next big sale on your favourite furniture brand.

Additional Reading: Rules To Follow When You’re Buying A House In Your 50s

Keep these pointers in mind to save some bucks while moving to your dream house. (You can thank us later!)

We have more money management tips for you. Need cash to furnish your new pad? Try a Personal Loan.