We're leaving Europe next summer.
We don't want to, but we have to.
Living in Europe has given us wonderful opportunities for travel. But it's also left us flat broke, because we spend so much money going places.
It's time to tighten the belt buckle and get to work saving for our next move. First, we made a list of everything we need to be able to afford for the move:
- pet shipping: our two dogs, one of which may not fit on our plane and may need a courrier service
- first, last, and security on a rental home
- deposits for utilities and cell phones
- food along the way and to fill our new home
- a motorcycle as a second vehicle, since we only shipped one vehicle here
- motorcycle helmet and protective gear
- auto insurance
- renters insurance
- a new washer and dryer, since we didn't bring ours along to Europe
- school clothes for our high schooler
- school curriculum for our home schooler
- summer clothes for us all (going from Germany, where pants are fine, to Georgia, where it's hot and humid)
- a new bed for us, to replace the one damaged in the last move
- and two more vacations: one for Hubs and I to Rome, and one family trip to Paris, with side jaunts to Normandy and London
It's a daunting list, isn't it? It amounts to more than $16,000 total. How on Earth are we going to save that kind of money in NINE MONTHS?
Here's my strategy:
First of all, the Army will pay us some of that money in moving allowances. Our dislocation allowance will be about $2,500. There's also per diem pay, but I'm not sure how much that is. It's not much.
And we can save $1,000 per month if I am super, super frugal. This means no more eating out, very basic groceries, no extra expenses. This is bare bones budgeting, just paying the bills and keeping food in the house and gas in the car.
We'll sell some of our stuff before we move. It won't amount to much, but at this point, every dollar counts.
And finally, I can trim the budget even further when I know the final expenses. We may not need first, last, and security for a rental home. We might only need first and security. Both of our dogs might be able to fly with us, cutting that cost significantly. Our car will be paid off in February, giving us another $400 to save for March, April, May, June, and July: That's $2,000! And I might be able to get the vacation costs lowered with careful planning.
So that's where we are. We're moving, and we need lots of money to do it. Here comes the real frugality. Wish me luck.
