I moved From Atlanta, Georgia to Dallas, Texas in April of 2021. During the beginning of COVID, my place of work shut down for about two months. My job wasn’t one that I could do from home, so it was really like having a two-month, paid vacation. This was truly a blessing in disguise as it gave me time to figure out my next steps in life.
I’ve always wanted to move to another state, even after graduating college, I began applying for jobs in Texas, but once I started working full-time and life got busy, my hopes of moving dwindled. The pandemic got me thinking about moving again, and a year after the pandemic started, I had quit my job and moved to Dallas.
I’ll tell you all about how I quit my job with no backup in another blog, but let’s talk about how I made this move to Dallas.
Making Connections in Dallas
So, quick story! While quarantining, I became really interested in reading blogs. I came across a blog called She’s Facing Freedom. After a few months of applying to jobs, interviewing, and being rejected, I woke up to a new blog post from Yasmein, the author of She’s Facing Freedom. Yasmein wrote about how she had just moved to Dallas from New York, and I was stunned. I thought to myself, “this must be a sign!” I had to contact her to pick her brain. So, I sent her an email asking if I could do just that. She was super nice and a few months later we were meeting in Dallas for brunch. Check out the details on that visit here.
During our brunch, I explained to Yasmein the difficulties I faced locking down a job in Dallas. I told her that maybe it was because they didn’t take me seriously as an out-of-state resident. She quickly offered to let me use her address on my applications, and it WORKED! I landed a job!
Moral of the story, making connections in the state you wish to move to, is a great idea. They might be able to offer help or ideas if you tell them what you’re trying to accomplish. Yasmein and I have become really great friends since our first meetup; she turned out to be super dope!
Save Your Coins Before Moving
Before I knew I was moving to Dallas, I was saving to purchase a home in Atlanta. I had already saved a lump sum of money, but once those stimulus checks started rolling in, I deposited those into my savings account. I was also doing freelance writing as a side-hustle, and the money I made from those jobs was also deposited into my savings account.
If you’re able to save extra money towards your move, I’d highly recommend it because it will give you a piece of mind and sense of security. My move overall cost about $6000.00 give or take. I had a job lined up when I arrived, so that made it much easier to purchase necessities for my apartment and pay for other expenses that popped up.
Here are a few of my moving expenses:
- Gas – If you’re driving to your destination, be sure to budget for fuel. If you’re renting a U-Haul or hiring a moving company, budget these expenses so you’re not surprised after receiving the bill. Fuel cost me around $200.00.
- Airbnb – I didn’t have an apartment lined up when I arrived in Dallas, so I stayed at an Airbnb for about two weeks before finding an apartment. This cost me around $500.00
- Furniture – I only brought things that could fit in my car during my move to Dallas. Needless to say, I didn’t have any furniture. The first pieces I purchased were a bed and couch. This cost me around $2200.00
- Car Registration – If you’re bringing a car to your new state of residence, don’t forget to register your vehicle. To register my vehicle in Texas cost me $199.00. I also had to have a safety test done on my vehicle before I could register it, which was about $25.00.
- Apartment – After locating my desired apartment, I had to pay the prorated rent, which cost me $1,100.00 for the first month.
Total = $4224.00
There were so many other things I needed to purchase, but the things I’ve listed were all necessities. Moving is definitely exciting, but it can also be expensive, so be sure to budget and plan accordingly.
Finding Friends After Your Move
I found most of my friends on the Bumble BFF app. There’s such a variety of ways to meet new friends, but Bumble is a great place to start. Don’t be afraid to start conversations with people and put yourself out there. Remember to be safe, but at least be open to getting to know people.
You can also meet new people on your job. If co-workers put together a happy-hour, or throw a Christmas party, GO! Connect outside of the office and see how that works out for you.
Also, don’t hesitate to go places alone. That’s a great way to spark a conversation with a stranger and end up gaining a friend. The possibilities are endless.
That’s all I have for right now, but if you want to see me talk more about this move, check out my YouTube video! If you’re feeling friendly, subscribe, like, and comment 😊
Until next time!
