Move and save: 7 tips for those who decided to conquer Moscow

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Moving to another city, especially one as large as Moscow, is always a costly process, both in time and financially. But if difficulties are not scary and you are determined to become a Muscovite in the first generation, working life hacks and practical advice from those who have already moved will come in handy.

Go "for exploration"

Packing your bags and leaving for nowhere is a reckless and financially unprofitable undertaking. Of course, if an employer is already waiting for you in Moscow, moving is not so scary. If not, then it is better to look at current vacancies at the stage of preparation for the move and send your resume to several companies at once.

When you are invited for an interview, come to Moscow for a few days - to personally communicate with the new employer and estimate an estimate for the move. At this time, you can stay in a hostel on a budget, or not limit yourself to anything and rent an apartment for a few days. And if you have relatives or friends in Moscow who are not averse to making room for a while, you can save a lot on housing.

Make an estimate

For those who have friends or acquaintances in Moscow, it is much easier: you can easily get up-to-date information on expenses first-hand. Moreover, now many people use mobile apps for calculating spending. This means that the information promises to be not only fresh, but also very detailed.

If there are no acquaintances in Moscow yet, do not despair: such a purposeful person like you will acquire them soon after moving. In the meantime, explore the thematic forums.

Possible list of expenses:

• tickets to Moscow;
• temporary housing;
• first payment for an apartment;
• household expenses (appliances, mobile communications and the Internet);
• food, transportation;
• financial safety cushion for a rainy day.

One of the main expenses when moving is renting a home. In order not to miscalculate with the choice of an apartment, it is better to draw up a list of requirements for it in advance.

Dilya Nalune

We began to prepare for the move in about six months. We realized that prices in Moscow and any other city are very different, and gradually put aside money just in case. The money put away came in handy in the end: it is always good to have an airbag.

We have compiled a possible list of expenses. It included money for the flight, for the transportation of things, the first expenses on household items, a fee for an apartment, and about the same amount as for an apartment - for an emergency. We moved on two flights by plane. There are 4 suitcases for each flight, despite the fact that most of the things we sold and distributed to friends in Kazan. A plane ticket cost from 2, 5 to 4 thousand rubles + 1 thousand rubles for a suitcase.

As a result, the move turned out to be cheaper than we expected. We were lucky that the landlady left some of her things - dishes, buckets, hair dryer - and allowed us to use it.

Decide on the requirements for the apartment

Everyone has different wishes regarding housing: some want to live exclusively in the center, others are not ready to rent an apartment with carpets on the walls and grandmother's renovation, for others the only criterion is a suitable price. Before moving, you need to understand what is important to you.

Apartment area

If you are not moving alone, but with someone, then immediately consider the work and household needs of this person in addition to yours. For example, one of you will work in the office according to a standard schedule, and the other will freelance at a convenient time for him. This means that it is possible that the sleep time may not coincide, and space is needed so as not to interfere with each other. Suitable options: a spacious one-room apartment or a two-room apartment.

Availability of furniture

At first, you can save a lot by renting a home with a minimum set of furniture. It is rented out cheaper, in addition, you can then furnish the apartment to your liking. If you have a limited budget, it is better to look for sales, or look for options on ad services.

Location

Consider the trajectory of your daily movements. Point A is the address of your work, point B is a well-located housing in relation to it. Focus on the proximity to the metro: it is convenient if you walk to it no more than 10 minutes.

Maximum allowable rental price

It all depends on your financial capabilities. Focus on your salary and be sure to factor in unforeseen expenses.

It is more profitable to move in the summer. Firstly, demand is falling on the long-term rental market and prices are falling, and secondly, you will not have to immediately bring warm clothes with you, which will significantly reduce your luggage.

Renting an apartment is one of the main expenses when moving. But it's not just about the financial component. The new home should be such that you want to go back there after work and invite friends over for the weekend. Among the hundreds of ads on Avito, there is definitely such an option. Convenient filters will help to reduce the time spent on searches.

Reduce intermediary costs

Today offers from owners are much smaller than from realtors. Property owners expect the presence of an intermediary to weed out inadequate and unreliable tenants. But, as elsewhere, the quality of a realtor's work depends on his conscientiousness.

If you do not want the amount for the services of an intermediary (whose choice is the lottery) to arise between your wallet and the monthly expenses for rent, then try to do it yourself.

You can independently find an advertisement for the delivery of housing, print a standard rental agreement for residential premises, ask the owner for a certificate of registration of rights or an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRN) and complete the transaction.

It is easier to search for an apartment or a room using ads in social networks, using word of mouth (all the same friends and acquaintances of acquaintances) or special services.

When checking in, sign the act of acceptance and transfer of housing in two copies and make an inventory of the property, in which you will reflect defects in decoration and furniture. You can even take pictures of all the details of the interior. This will save you from having to prove to the owner that the sofa was broken by previous tenants.

If you pay rent in cash, ask the owner for a receipt each time. It is needed so that later the apartment owners do not try to convict you that you pay at the wrong time or do not pay at all.

Dilya Nalune

Many of our school friends now live in Moscow. They helped not only to navigate the prices, but also to find the first home. At the time of our move for work, the sister of a friend left for another city and, in order not to leave the apartment empty, she decided to hand it over to her friends. We turned out to be these acquaintances.

Take care of your health before moving

Metropolitan medicine is not a cheap pleasure, so it is better to check your health before leaving. Surveys for women and men are different, but there is also a universal list, after passing which, you will save your budget from Moscow prices for at least a year:

• general blood test + blood sugar;
• general urine analysis;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
• Abdominal ultrasound;
• ECG;
• a blood test for thyroid hormones;
• dentist consultation.

Also, men are advised to consult a urologist, and women - a gynecologist and mammologist.

Estimate spending on food, transportation, pocket money

This part of the cost can be calculated by analyzing Moscow prices. But to them it is worth adding a coefficient just in case: food may suddenly rise in price or you will realize that sometimes you have to return home by taxi instead of the metro.

Lay the most on food: right after the move, you are unlikely to have the strength and time to stand at the stove, which means you will have to buy ready-made. And whether in the nearest cookery or in a cafe next door - see for yourself.

Dilya Nalune

After the move, most of the money went to food, followed by transportation. As for life hacks, on what and how to save money, at first we preferred homemade food and tried not to go to cafes. We took a taxi only twice in two months, and then only in extreme cases. First of all, by the way, we bought a Troika card. And immediately we issued a Moscow bank card to avoid commissions when transferring money, because there is a lot to transfer.

In general, we adhere to minimalism and therefore do not feel any special restrictions. Even before we moved, we didn’t spend a lot of money on clothes, books, or household utensils.

Leisure turned out to be the most expensive pleasure in Moscow. We did not expect to see such a big difference in prices compared to Kazan. Cafes, cinema, restaurants were very rare at first.

Prepare a financial airbag

You should have some amount with you in case of sudden troubles: illness, problems with work, breakdown of important equipment. It should not be less than the amount that you are used to spending on life on a monthly basis.

It is possible to meet the minimum budget and not fit into a stock for a rainy day if you reduce the cost of buying things for a rented apartment. On Avito you can buy furniture in good condition, serviceable equipment, textiles or decor items. And if a new home requires minor repairs, there are specialists on the site who will help you re-glue the wallpaper, lay tiles or hang cornices.