How much money to take for the first weeks after moving to the United States. Moving to the United States takes more than preparing documents and finding somewhere to live: it takes sound financial planning. Even if you already have a job, or friends you can stay with for a while, the first weeks usually bring a great many expenses.
Once you arrive you have to pay for accommodation, buy food, use transport, sort out documents, connect a mobile phone and deal with a great many household matters. Some costs are hard to foresee, so it is better to have money in reserve.
How much to set aside for the first period
There is no universal figure that suits every immigrant. Someone moving alone to an inexpensive city who already has somewhere to live will spend considerably less than a family with children moving to New York, California or another expensive region.
As a general guide, you can think in terms of these figures:
- $2,000–3,000 — a minimum reserve if accommodation is arranged in advance and costs are relatively modest;
- $4,000–6,000 — a more comfortable budget for one person;
- $7,000–10,000 and above — a sensible reserve if work or accommodation is not yet guaranteed.
These are not official requirements and not a sum you must have to enter the United States. They are reference points for financial planning. The higher the cost of living in the city you have chosen, the larger the initial reserve should be.
Accommodation is the biggest cost
For most new residents of the United States it is accommodation that turns out to be the largest expense. And the cost of moving in can be considerably more than one month's rent.
When renting a flat you often have to pay the first month, a security deposit and various fees all at once. In some cases the landlord may ask for additional documents or a larger deposit if the person has no American credit history.
So before you move it is worth finding out not only the monthly rent but how much money you will need on the day you move in. A flat at $1,500 a month does not mean that $1,500 is enough to move in. Depending on the terms, the initial outlay can run to several thousand dollars.
Food and household shopping
In the first weeks food becomes a regular expense. Cooking for yourself can save a great deal compared with eating in restaurants and cafés every day.
After a move, though, it is often not only food that has to be bought. A new home may need crockery, bedding, toiletries, cleaning products and other things you already had in your old one. For one person it is sensible to allow roughly $400–700 a month for food and household shopping, though the actual cost depends a great deal on the city and the way you live.
Transport and a car
Before moving it is important to work out how you will get around. If you are choosing a large city with good public transport, you can manage without a car for the first few months. In smaller cities the situation can be quite different. There a car is often close to essential for work, shopping and everyday matters.
If you are planning to buy a car, the budget has to include more than the price of the vehicle. Registration, insurance, servicing, fuel and parking all cost money. So a car is worth buying straight after arrival only once you have a real idea of your income and outgoings.
Mobile phone and internet
The American mobile system differs from the one many immigrants are used to in other countries. The cost depends on the operator, the number of lines and the plan chosen. If you already have a suitable phone, you may only need to buy a SIM card or set up an eSIM.
If you have no phone, or it is not compatible with the local networks, you have to allow for the cost of a handset too. Home internet may be needed separately. That matters particularly for anyone working remotely or renting a place of their own.
The cost of paperwork
After the move there may be costs connected with obtaining various documents. How much depends on your status, the state you live in and the particular procedures. Money may be needed, for example, for a State ID or a driving licence, translation of documents, photographs, notary services and government fees.
You do not have to set aside a large sum in advance for every possible procedure. It is better to make a list of the documents you actually need and check the current fees before applying.
Medical costs
The medical part of the budget cannot be ignored either. Even with insurance, some services may involve a deductible, a copay or coinsurance. If insurance has not been arranged yet, or does not take effect immediately on arrival, you need a separate reserve for unexpected medical costs.
This matters especially if you are moving with children or have regular medical needs. Better to have that reserve in advance than to be looking for money in an emergency.
A cushion in case work is delayed
Even if you plan to start work almost as soon as you arrive, do not count on the first wage arriving exactly on the day you expect. Finding work can take longer, the paperwork can be delayed, and the first paycheck may come only several weeks after you start.
So it is best to have enough put by to cover your basic costs with no income for at least a few weeks. If work has not been found yet, a reserve covering 1–3 months of living is the safer option.
Unexpected costs
Almost every move brings costs that cannot be foreseen in full. You may need to buy clothes in a hurry, replace a phone, pay for an extra journey or repair a car. Even small unexpected costs can add up and affect the budget noticeably.
So do not plan in a way that leaves you with only a few hundred dollars once accommodation and the basics are paid for. It is better to put part of the money aside straight away and treat it as untouchable.
How much a family needs
For a family the calculation is very different from a single person's budget. Accommodation, food, transport and medical costs all rise. On top of that there may be extra outgoings connected with children: clothes, school supplies, food, clubs and other everyday expenses.
So a family is better off working out the budget for each member separately and then adding a reserve for the unexpected. If one person plans to spend $2,500 a month, for instance, you cannot simply multiply that by the number of people in the family. Some costs are shared — accommodation, internet, utilities, a car — so a family budget has to be built up category by category.
How much cash to bring
There is no need to arrive in the United States with a large amount of cash. Most everyday purchases can be paid for with a bank card. A small amount of cash can be useful in case a card temporarily stops working or a small purchase has to be paid for in cash. It is safer to keep the bulk of your money in a bank account or to have several reliable ways of getting at it.
It is also best to have more than one bank card, particularly if the first one was issued by a foreign bank. That reduces the risk of being left with no access to your money because of a technical block or another problem.
How to divide up the initial budget
Before the journey it helps to split the money you have into several parts. That keeps you from spending the whole reserve in the first few weeks. You might set aside, roughly:
The main budget — accommodation, food, transport, communications and compulsory payments. The reserve — money in case work is delayed, for medical costs or other unexpected situations. The extra budget — furniture, clothes, appliances and other purchases that can wait.
This approach lets you keep control of spending and see which purchases are genuinely needed right now.
Do not spend everything as soon as you arrive
After a long move it is natural to want to settle in as quickly as possible. But the first weeks are not the best time for large purchases you can do without. It is better to live for a few weeks first and see how much actually goes on rent, food, transport and other regular costs.
Once the first wage has come in and a banking history has begun to build, it is easier to decide how much can go on a car, furniture, appliances and other large purchases. What to do before you move. Financial preparation is best begun before you even buy the ticket. Draw up a rough budget for at least the first month, and if work is not yet guaranteed it is best to work out the costs for two or three months.
Also check your bank cards, your transaction limits and whether the account can be used abroad. Keep the bank's contact details and make sure you have a backup way of getting at your money. If part of the money is in cash, remember the declaration rules for carrying large sums across the US border. The requirements can depend on the total amount and on the form of the monetary instruments being carried.
How large a financial reserve you need before moving to the United States depends on the city, the cost of accommodation, the size of the family and whether work is guaranteed. For one person with accommodation already arranged, the minimum reference point may be $2,000–3,000, though $4,000–6,000 is more comfortable. If work or accommodation is not yet settled, a reserve of $7,000–10,000 and upwards is worth considering.
The most important thing is not to spend all your capital in the first weeks. Part of the money has to stay in reserve in case work is delayed, or for unexpected purchases or medical costs.
A well-judged financial cushion will let you get through the period of settling in calmly, without having to make important decisions under the pressure of running out of money.
End of the article.
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