Moving Far From Home While on a Budget Isn't for Sissies - But Can be Rewarding in the End

Moving interstate is a lot of work, but in the end can be a wonderful experience. It is hard to leave friends and family behind, of course, but living in a new area may bring opportunities that weren't available to you in your hometown, like better job offers, new restaurants to visit and more. Remember, you can talk on the phone with family members whenever you like; they are still there, just a little harder to visit, that's all. It just takes planning, research and somewhat of an adventurous spirit.

After a nasty relationship breakup, it was time to start completely over and move far from home, to rid myself of my crazy ex. Not having a large budget to work with, I sold my bulkiest items, and put the rest of my belongings in storage right before leaving. A few weeks prior, I'd spent time researching places that would be better suited to my needs. The city I was living in was industrial and fairly rural, offering me little job opportunities. I'd moved from my hometown to be with my ex, who turned out to be totally wrong for me on all levels. So, it was time to hit the highway.

After choosing my new state of Florida, I packed my little car carefully, making sure to leave room for my two cats and myself. My little Cutlass Ciera was filled to the brim with my valuables as we drove the 1200 mile trip. By leaving everything else in storage, I could come back as needed to take the furniture and other more bulky things. With me in the car were food and water for my cats, an overnight bag for myself and a lot of plants that I refused to leave behind. It was quite a sight to be seen, two cat heads peering out the windows, meowing most of the way there (until their little lungs wore out), and plants sticking out of every window. But, we got there in one piece, in a little under two days.

First to do in my new state was to find a weekly-rate hotel, something safe and clean. I found a lovely, large hotel that had only suites, giving me a kitchen and a comfortable living environment as I got to work looking for better living options. The place I'd thought I would live at, prior to moving there, had been unacceptable, so I had to find a better place, soon. By reading different newspapers and visiting all interesting apartment ads, I found one that would be allright for the time being. It needed a little renovation but was in a desirable area. We moved there for a few weeks, until I found employment and could afford better.

After getting a job in sales, it was time to move up to a better place. My furniture hadn't been brought down from the north yet, so moving was easy. This time, the move was ideal, a lovely apartment, in a safe and beautiful area, on a lake and close to everything. Finally, paradise had been found. My furniture was then brought down to Florida from storage and, with my new items I'd bought locally, the apartment is finally, "home." If I hadn't taken the risk, this never would've happened, and it would be depressing living the former city, which was cold, dreary and not to my liking.

It takes guts to jump in your car, and just go like this. Be prepared to hire movers at a premium price when moving furniture interstate. If you don't value your furniture, then sell it before leaving, and buy new ones once you're moved. Try to rent a temporary place first, to get a feel for the area, and find out what areas are most safe, and pleasant to live in. Educate yourself so that you can make informed decisions on where to go. When you finally find the place you love, begin to acclimate yourself - find a doctor, vet (if you have pets,) and a good car repair place you can rely on. Normally, reading phone books is boring, but in a new city, they are a better read than any novel. Just flip through the Yellow Pages and see what businesses are out there for you. Drive around, find shortcut routes, and parks. In short, make the area familiar and your adjustment to this new place will be more comfortable. Allow yourself to see the world if you desire, this way you will not have regrets later. Remember to have safety in mind, and choose your new neighborhood carefullly. Once moved, enjoy your new home. It will be worth all the effort in the end.