Mic1

Interesting thread for me, we're planning our move in around 6 months. Was weighing up shipping much of our furniture against buying new once we arrive taking into account it's pointless bringing electrical items. Has anyone got a ballpark for kitting out a 3/4 bed home in CA for 11 and 9 year old and me and the wife? We don't need TV's in every room etc.........

Thanks

Pulaski

How long is a piece of string?

I suggest that you check out websites such as Ikea, Ashley Furniture, and Wayfair for furniture that you would feel comfortable with, because some people might furnish a home for $5k, and others could burn through $50k, which is certainly possible if you furnish your entire home from Restoration Hardware.

Bear in mind that US homes have a closet in each bedroom so you won't need a wardrobe ando may not need a chest either.

Giantaxe

Companies will typically add a clause to a green card agreement that costs are repayable if the employee leaves within a certain period of time. Mine was a year... after which I immediately started looking for a job So they got 18 months or so of employment out of me post receipt of my green card.

Pulaski

But companies in some sectors will pay off such sums to hire the right person, including foregone annual bonuses, professional memberships, the costs of MBAs, and other degrees, etc, and I am certain that for someone with desirable skills, qualifications and/or professional knowledge companies would pay off your green card fees for you.

Giantaxe

Yes, very much so... I remember when I started looking post a green card one headhunter thought I'd made a mistake waiting so long for this precise reason! But, some advise that changing employers immediately after getting an employment-based green card might not be the best idea:

https://www.murthy.com/2019/07/29/ch...ed-green-card/

Busylizzy111

Thanks for everyone weighing in!

Hi! Yes, I think this is precisely the question (and also a fun discussion topic )

Yes, the small things! I can see that. Also you are probably buying stuff when you need it, without time or energy to shop around or wait for sales.

Isn’t that lovely how the things seem to multiply? It is even worse now with 2 kids. It is honestly a not too small reason why my husband entertains the idea of a move - and I’d also appreciate the forced reassessment.

I did a small “pretend shop” at ikea.us and think with just the minimum furniture (beds, mattresses, dining table, chairs, sofa etc, no pots, silverware, utensils, linen) we’d be at around 5000 with delivery and the luxury of assembly through taskrabbit (side note: delivery is so cheap! We ordered just a bed and a mattress last month from ikea and the delivery costs here in Germany were really high). I can see how the 10000 USD, which sound a lot, vanish quickly. Plus all the costs are upfront and not over the period of time like “Lizzy wants some new towels but it can wait”

Pulaski

When we left New York we packed everything we owned into a 25ft rental truck (which would be a commercial truck in the UK but can be driven on a car license in the US). It was stacked completely to the roof and to within an inch of the roller door, so utterly jammed tight - I used to load trucks when I was a student, so I know how to load a truck!

We moved to my in-laws home in Virginia, and eight months later we moved to NC. We rented a slightly smaller truck, 20ft, knowing that we would need to make two trips, because we knew we had acquired "a bit more stuff". But my in-laws moved out before we did, and they only took what they wanted, leaving everything else to us - mostly yard tools, and some unwanted furniture, but a good bit of stuff for sure. We ended up making three trips in the rented truck to our new home in NC, two of them packed to the roof again, the third was full end-to-end but with furniture and things that couldn't easily be stacked. Plus we made several more trips in my pick-up truck in the following weeks, each time fully loaded.

That was 17 years ago, and since then we have continued to accumulate more stuff - tools and a variety of furniture. We have two double garages and only room for one car, though I am working on clearing out a lot of things we don't need or use. We also have a shed full of yard tools and equipment, and some tools stacked in the cellar. And we have a rented storage unit. And some unused furniture in the bonus room (over the garage). And stuff our daughter has grown too old for in the small bedroom.

TexanScot

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but it likely counts as taxable compensation so make sure they gross it up and pay the tax on your behalf.

If you're very lucky then you might even get a 401k contribution off the amount when they put it through payroll - I know I did, which was an added little bonus.

civilservant

Wow!

Meanwhile I'm struggling to fill all the closet space in our new house

Kooky.

Yes to this - we made sure the amount offered was the amount we got to play with.

Moving countries is a great way of having a clear out, though I did note the other night that I was wearing a jumper bought in 1999. Along with my school Domestic Science book from 1974, it seems to be a bit of a comfort blanket

pejp

I moved in 2007 without an expat package, but I was 25 and it was kind of at my request. They paid for a few weeks in a hotel, and were able to help me get a bank account setup before I had an SSN, and paid my first paycheck by physical check (they couldn't pay me in the usual way without an SSN). It worked out in the end, but if I had a family with me I'd definitely want something formal.

Busylizzy111

Yes, that’s what my kid‘s godfather did as well, he wanted to be with his girlfriend - they did all the paperwork and paid for the flights.

Anyways, husband happens to have another face to face meeting with the CFO next week, so, in his words „You have to say how badly you really want it“. Right now I am leaning towards mentioning that we are still interested in another stint abroad in general but not pushing it too much... kind of nurturing the seed I guess?

Steerpike

I came in 1983 without any 'package'. I wanted the job and found it myself. The company did agree to do the green card, and I got 2 weeks in a hotel and 2 weeks car rental. I THINK I got air fare. And that was it! I landed with one suitcase!