More than 400,000 military service members and their families get Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders every year. And as a nation roughly 40 million Americans, or around 13% of the population, move each year.

Moving can be a logistical nightmare, but it can also be a financial pain point. The average cost for a long distance move is $4890. While the military does at least partially reimburse those on orders, there are always things that come out of pocket, like restocking your pantry or moving a pet overseas.

Then there are the “hidden” costs of moving: periods of unemployment, recertification costs, security deposits...the list goes on and on. In this packet we will highlight resources and tips to make the next move less stressful, and hopefully less expensive, too. We will also provide you with ready-made social media posts to share with your audience.

Resources

Military Saves

• Should You Rent or Buy a Home? Four Things to Keep in Mind
• Financial Tips for Your Next PCS Move
• Military Spouses and Moving
• How to Save Money When You Move with the Military
• Understanding the Service Member Civil Relief Act Can Save You Money
• Preparing for a PCS Move?
• The Tale of Two Rentals: How to Compare Your Rental Options During a PCS

Other Resources

• FINRA Investor Education Foundation Making the Most of Your Military Money
• Military Consumer Buying a Home – Active Duty
• USAA Educational Foundation Buying or Renting a Home
• Internal Revenue Service Moving Expenses for Members of the Armed Forces
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA )
• Military OneSource PCS - The Basics About Permanent Change of Station
• Military OneSource Moving - Benefits
• Department of Defense It’s Your Move
• AMBA PCS Like a Boss
• Lacey Langford How to Make Money With a Personally Procured Move (PPM) | The Military Money Expert®
• Kate Horrell The Ultimate PCS Guide to Packing Out - with Printables! - to Make Your PCS Move Smooth and Organized • KateHorrell
• Ryan Guina Tips For a Smooth Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Move

Social Media

Please be sure to: 1) follow our accounts; 2) tag us in your posts; and 3) tag us in the photos/social media graphics.

Social media handles/pages:

• Facebook: @MilitarySaves https://www.facebook.com/MilitarySaves
• Instagram: @military.saves https://www.instagram.com/military.saves/
• LinkedIn: @MilitarySaves https://www.linkedin.com/company/military-saves
• Twitter: @MilitarySaves https://twitter.com/MilitarySaves

Tip 1: Insurance

#Moving is the perfect time to shop for auto and property #insurance policies! Update your address, as it’s one of the biggest factors in determining your best rate and coverage.

👉Learn more from @MilitarySaves: http://bit.ly/2vhEgWp

#MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Tip 2: Mailing Address

Moving pro tip: Forwarding mail, changing your address, and going paperless are great safeguards against missing bill due dates, paying late fees, and a lower credit score.

Get more #PCS, #moving, and #financial tips by visiting @MilitarySaves.

#MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Tip 3: Garage Sale

It’s #PCSseason! Declutter and have a yard sale to quickly raise money. Put the extra money earned into your #moving or #emergency fund. Get more #savings tips from @MilitarySaves: https://bit.ly/3fPO4Ou

#MilitarySaves #PCStips

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Tip 4: Important Documents

Add this tip from @MilitarySaves to your #moving checklist: Keep personal documents with you, including #military orders, passports, birth certificates, POAs, and IEPs to help with the school registration process.

#EFMP #MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Tip 5: Master List

#Moving tip: Have a master list of all accounts for easy accessibility during your #move. This includes banking, creditors, life, auto, renter’s insurance policies, and utilities.

👉 Find more tips from @MilitarySaves: https://bit.ly/3yEEK8E

#MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Tip 6: Colored Tape

@MilitarySaves recommends this #moving hack! Place a piece of matching colored tape on each moving box from the same room. When at your new house, you can easily distinguish where each box should go, saving you time.

#MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Tip 7: Keep Receipts

Keep all receipts related to your #PCS #move in a central location. In the event that you require reimbursement from the government, you will need the accompanying receipt.

👉 More tips from @MilitarySaves: https://bit.ly/2Tgpy1g

#MilitarySaves #PCStips #PCSseason

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Tip 8: Know the SCRA

Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, military members and their dependents may be eligible to terminate their housing and auto leases when receiving #PCS orders and #moving.

👉SCRA info: http://bit.ly/2L1FFLG

@MilitarySaves #PCSseason #MilitarySaves #PCStips

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Tip 9: Know the Weight Limit

Know your household goods weight limit to avoid an overage fee. Don’t forget, you have the right to be present for a re-weigh. #Save money and avoid this costly #PCS mistake when #moving.

👉 More tips from @MilitarySaves: https://bit.ly/3hST9bs

#PCSseason #MilitarySaves #PCStips

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Tip 10: Take the Military Saves Pledge

Visit @MilitarySaves to find new ways to facilitate the move to your next duty station. Once you’re settled in, be sure to take the #MilitarySaves Pledge to start working toward your next financial goal.

👉 bit.ly/mspledge

#MilitarySaves #PCSseason #PCStips

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Many of us spend too much money on things we don’t need, but we don’t always know why. It’s easy to get a quick fix from retail therapy, but before we know it, our hard-earned money is gone. Oftentimes, when we engage in a “shopaholic” lifestyle or sporadic shopping sprees, we still experience feelings of emptiness, but to make it worse, we now have debt, too.

Khanmany was a shopaholic who turned everything around. She is active duty Navy and shares, “I was spending too much on things I didn't need. I was going shopping for no reason and was trying to fill a void. I was running up every credit card I owned to include Victoria's Secret, Military Star, Navy Federal, TJ Maxx, JCPenney, Macy's, USAA, and was only paying the minimum payments.”

Does the idea of saving up hundreds of thousands of dollars seem impossible? How about doing it while still living an enjoyable lifestyle?

For military spouse Martina and her husband, an E-5 in the Navy, accumulating a six-figure savings has become a reality. One might think that in order to save this much, it would take a great deal of sacrificing and forgoing a certain quality of life, but Martina and her husband would disagree. “Over the past few years (about five), we've managed to save almost $120,000 while mostly living on one income. We've learned so much about easy ways to save money and live a good life,” shares Martina.

Ryan’s savings journey started when he was an active duty airman. Frequent deployments and temporary duty assignments gave him the opportunity to save. By the time he transitioned out of active duty, he had built up a healthy rainy-day fund and had started to aggressively save for retirement.

Millions of American families are due to get an advance on their child tax credit payments starting in mid-July. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the payments are up to $1,600 larger than they were last year, and the monthly payments may assist families who struggle with day-to-day expenses all year. Spacing out the payments may also help families during certain high-cost times of the year, such as PCS moves, back-to-school purchases, military transitions, or holiday shopping.