If you decide to go with a professional company to help you move, there are a few things you can do to make sure your experience is smooth and cost-effective. You should:

• Make arrangements for your move well in advance, at least four to six weeks before the moving date, preferably not in the moving season (June and July).
• Research different movers to compare their services. Find out who the best movers are in your area by asking friends about their experiences and check with the Better Business Bureau or other consumer organizations in your local area. It is also a good idea to choose a company that participates in the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) Certified Mover and Van Line Program®, as these companies have voluntarily agreed to abide by a Code of Conduct.
• Contact the movers you are interested in and discuss your move, informing them of the destination and timing of your move. Ask them about the types of services they offer and request written copies of any estimates given. Moving companies should give you a copy of a consumer booklet entitled "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" and information regarding their participation in a Dispute Settlement Program. Both are requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

• Before you make your final choice between the moving companies, make sure you understand:

  a. The rates and charges that will apply
  b. The mover's liability for your belongings
  c. How pickup and delivery will work
  d. What claims protection you have
  

With this information you can carefully compare to see which mover best suits your needs and budget.

Moving Tips: Giving Notice at Your Job

Have you found a new job in a new city? Not sure how to go about giving your two-weeks notice? This may be a tough time for you, especially if you have been at a company for a long time. One of the most important steps in giving your notice is submitting a letter of resignation. To get some tips on writing your letter of resignation, you can go to this the About Job Search site. Not only does it give you important tips, it also provides samples of different types of letter styles that you can choose from, depending on the circumstances of your resignation.

Moving Tips: How to Avoid Moving Scams

Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about being taken advantage of by a disreputable moving company. The typical moving scam begins when you are offered a much lower estimate than what a legitimate moving company would quote for the same move. But when they arrive at your new home, scammers refuse to unload your belongings unless you pay them a much higher price than you were originally quoted, usually demanding to be paid in cash. Here are a few of the dead giveaways the American Moving and Storage Association suggests you look for to avoid being scammed:

• Beware of prices based on anything but the shipment's weight
• Never rely on a price estimate made over the phone or online. Although you can begin your search online, you should make sure to get your estimate in writing.
• Watch out for required deposits
• If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is

You can also read more about how to avoid moving scams in the American Moving and Storage Association article Smart Moving: How to Take the Stress Out of Moving.

Moving Tips: Deducting Moving Expenses from Your Taxes

To qualify for a moving expense deduction, you must be moving to a new principal residence to work as an employee or as a self-employed individual at a new principal place of work. Also, you must meet both the distance and the time tests (which you can read more about on the IRS Web site), unless you are a member of the armed forces and your move was due to a permanent change of station. If you meet all of these qualifications, some of the expenses that you can deduct include, as listed by Atlas:

• The cost associated with connecting and disconnecting utilities because you are moving.
• The cost of moving your personal belongings from a place other than your old residence (such as a summer home or relative's home) may be deducted, to the extent that it does not exceed what it would have cost to move them from your old residence.
• The cost of shipping your automobile(s).
• The cost of transporting your property from your old residence to you new residence, including the actual cost of transportation or hauling from your old residence to your new one; the cost of packing, crating and unpacking; and storage in transit.
• The cost of transporting your household pets.
• The family trip to the new residence, which includes lodging but not meals.

To find out more details about deducting moving expenses, you can go to the IRS Web site.

Packing Tips: How to Find Inexpensive Packing Supplies and Moving Boxes

Deciding you are going to move is a life altering change. It's never easy to relocate your family, yourself, your social network, your job and your childrens' schools. Typically, you have open new bank accounts, disconnect and connect utilities, and compare school systems. Then there is the packing and moving part! If you have the luxury of being funded by your employer, lucky you! Regardless, those moving budgets do have limits. Often employer relocation packages are set up as allowances, you have a maximum you can spend. To get the most out of your moving dollars try packing for your self. Riverstone Resident Rewards has set up a relationship with a national vendor that will ship flat boxes to your door at an average of forty percent off the retail rate. The shipping is complimentary and is available within the United States in many locations overnight. Click on Riverstone resident Rewards, moving boxes to get your very reasonable moving and packing supplies.

Mortgage Lendors: How to get the Best Value and Rate

Did you know that an interest rate is not the only figure you have to consider when you are trying to find a mortgage lender? Interest rates are important but financed origination fees and points also matter and affect the expenses you will pay over the next 30 years (traditional mortgage timeline). Mortage rates must be compared as apples to apples. Ask for Effective Interest Rates (calculates prepayment penalties and points) into the rate so you know what rates you are really comparing.

Moving Tips: 10 Tips for Moving with Kids

• Even the 10 year old should have a backpack to tote with an extra change of clothes
• Coloring books and simple 8 pack of crayons- those leases take forever to read
• Snack pack that requires no utensils- granola bars, juice boxes, apples
• For the older ones, a map of the area. Helps them get the lay of the land quickly
• For the little ones, diapers, wipes and change of clothes.
• A small blanket or stuffed animal that reminds them of home
• Beds on the first night. Have your movers set them up first and know where your sheets are. You can unpack tomorrow once you have had a good nights sleep.
• A few small pictures for the refrigerator that were at your "old home" makes them feel like it is their space now.
• Go for a walk in your new neighborhood. Kids need exercise every day!
• Check out the clubhouse, pool, and resident message board for activities for children.