Because job-hopping is pretty common these days, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself jumping from one employer to the next in the not-so-distant future. And while you’ll probably do so for a good reason — say, a higher salary or better career opportunities — you might have to bear certain expenses as a result of that move. Here are a few to prepare for.
1. Costlier health insurance premiums
Ideally, your next job will come with a health plan where your employer helps subsidize the premiums. But what if that subsidy isn’t so generous? If that’s the case, or if your new plan is considerably more expensive than your current one, your out-of-pocket insurance costs may rise once you switch employers.
Furthermore, while some companies give new employees health coverage right away, you may have to wait up to 90 days to be eligible for coverage under your new plan. If that’s the case, you’ll need to bear the cost of insurance during that waiting period. This may include buying your own plan on the open market or paying for COBRA and keeping your existing coverage a bit longer.
2. Higher commuting costs
If your new job is further away from your home than your current one, you won’t just find yourself spending more time on the road — you’ll probably come to spend more money, as well. The same holds true if your new office doesn’t have its own parking facility and you’re forced to pay for a private lot.
Be prepared for these expenses and factor them into your budget so you’re not caught off-guard. At the same time, see if your new company allows you to sign up for commuter benefits: if you need to pay for parking, you can allocate up to $260 in tax-free dollars a month to cover that cost.
3. Outsourcing personal tasks
When you start a new job, it’s natural to take some time to get up to speed. As such, you may find that you’re working longer hours initially until you ramp up. Furthermore, if your new role is more demanding than your previous one, those long hours may grow to be par for the course. And that could impact you financially if you find that your new schedule leaves you with little time to accomplish life’s many tasks, from laundry to cooking to cleaning. Therefore, prepare for the possibility that you may have to start outsourcing some of those tasks — and paying a premium as a result.
4. A new business wardrobe
If you’re going from a casual work environment to one that’s more corporate, you may come to find that the contents of your closet just won’t cut it. But business attire can be expensive, especially if your new items require dry cleaning. So don’t get thrown for a loop — set a clothing budget and slowly but surely build your new wardrobe, keeping in mind that you may have to plunk down a large sum of cash just to get yourself through that first month or two on the job.
Though your new job will hopefully be a positive career move, you can’t discount the possibility that you’ll have to spend more money — whether on a short-term or long-term basis. Prepare accordingly, and your finances won’t have to take as much of a hit along the way.
