Five Budget Hacks for Moving to Canada

So, you've decided to cross the border up North and move to Canada, congrats! There are numerous benefits Canada has to offer from free healthcare to beautiful landscapes, but I don’t have to tell you that. However, the move, no matter which part of the US you plan to move from, will not be cheap.

From getting a new place to moving all your belongings to Canada, you will have to shell out money. But here are five hacks for you that will help you move while saving money.

1. Get a super visa insurance plan.

The first thing you want to do, prior to making the move, is to get super visa insurance for you and your family (if they're coming along). Since you won't immediately become a Canadian resident, you want to make sure that you have all your medical care and emergencies covered for at least your first year in Canada. Without the coverage, you can end up paying a huge sum to hospitals, especially in case of emergencies. So it is better to be safe than sorry, get yourself insured!

2. Make the most of the move and start off fresh.

Most people make the mistake of taking all their belongings with them from furniture to appliances. Think of the move as a completely fresh start to a new life. While there is no question that you will want to take your personal belongings with you, you can go without all your worldly items.

In fact, you should sell all your furniture, appliances, and other items which you can easily buy in Canada. Not only will this give you a bit of extra cash, but save you the cost on transporting most of your home. While in Canada, you can look for secondhand stores for furniture and other items you may need.

3. Sell your car and buy another one in Canada.

Taking your car across the border to settle in Canada can be costly. When you notify the border patrol that you plan to move to Canada, they will automatically assess your car right then and there. You will be required to pay a tax for goods and services which is about five percent of the assessed value of your car.

Furthermore, when you go to register your car, you will need to pay an additional amount along with provincial taxes. The costs will just pile on and can end up costing you thousands of dollars. Which is why you are better off selling your car and just buying another one once in Canada.

4. Find a job before you make the move.

Unless you have a whole lot in savings, you want to make sure you have a way of earning in Canada before you make the move. There will obviously be a lot of costs associated with settling down in a new country, so you want to make sure you have a steady income that will help you cover these costs. This way you don’t have to dig deep into your savings and possibly spend them all.

5. Pack yourself.

While you may want to get help transporting your personal belongings to Canada, you want to pack yourself to save some money. Since you will most likely be selling most, if not all, your furniture and appliances, you won’t have a lot of items to pack. Therefore, you can easily do it yourself or enlist your friends and family to help you do it.

Moving to Canada isn’t as expensive as one might think. However, if you can’t follow all of these tips, you’ll find it to be a bit more difficult to move while on a budget. Taking these hacks into consideration, try expanding and creating your own ideas for how you can save for moving out of the country and into Canada.