If you have a military family, you likely know all too well about Permanent Change of Station orders. For better or for worse, frequent moves and deployments come with the territory for active-duty service members and their families–and they’re never without stress.
The first decision families make when they learn about an upcoming PCS move is whether to go with the standard military contractor or to manage the move on their own. Personally Procured Moves, or DITY (Do-It-Yourself) moves as they were once known, are a popular option because Uncle Sam incentivizes military families with a one-time cash payment. The advantage is that families that choose the PPM route and have the resources to plan ahead often come out with some extra cash.
Planning a PPM move piece-by-piece over several months is often the best way to avoid stress and focus energy making the transition easier for kids–who, quite often, collect the most anxiety in the process.
For the sake of making the moving process as easy as possible, here are our top five tips for a painless PPM move:
1. Maintain a savings account for moving expenses
If you or your spouse is a service member, one guarantee is you’re going to make this move multiple times over the course of a career. That said, families should set aside several thousand dollars to cover the expenses of PPM prior to reimbursement. You’ll also need to consider any repairs that need to be made to your car, the cost of furnishing your new home, related travel expenses, and other costs. Thankfully, your PPM payment gives you a general idea of how much you should budget.
2. Protect your finances
If you’re a homeowner, plan ahead to make sure your home will have enough time on the market. The Internet makes it far easier to plan not only the sale of your home, but also your search for a new home and career planning for spouses.
3. Pack slowly and unpack quickly
By packing your belongings over several weeks, you can lessen both your family’s anxiety and the amount of effort required on moving day. You’ll often save by having your household goods packed, prepared, and protected from damage–but if you’d like to spend the extra buck for a full-service “white glove” moving company, that’s always an option as well.
4. Find moving quotes online
Finding a quality moving company well ahead of moving day is perhaps the most important concern when planning your move. By browsing reviews on sites like AngiesList, Yelp, Google Reviews, and uShip.com, then soliciting quotes online, you can save a ton of time and cash. Don’t bother collecting quotes by phone–by getting PPM moving quotes online, you can prevent a nearly endless series of solicitation calls. You’ll also want to make sure the company you choose is properly insured, bonded, and endorsed by the Better Business Bureau.
5. Save by revising your budget and deducting expenses
Consider the cost of living difference in your family’s new city, including the cost of housing, utilities, food, and related expenses. If you can, think about holding a garage sale prior to your move. It’s also a brilliant idea to save all the receipts related to your move: Many of the expenses related to travel and a spouse’s job search are tax deductible. Check IRS.gov for more information.
Good luck, and may the PCS gods be ever in your favor.
