Has your boss recently asked you to transfer for work? In order to infuse new offices with experienced employees, businesses in the United States spend over 9.3 billion dollars relocating personnel each year. If you are like most polite people, you might be shy about asking your boss to foot the bill for certain moving-related expenses. Unfortunately, your courteous approach might cost you big bucks during your move. Here are three corporate relocation perks that your job might offer, and that you should ask about.

1: Exploration Trips

Moving can be incredibly stressful. In addition to carting all of your belongings to a new spot, you also are faced with the challenge of finding a place to live. The good news is that most businesses will pay for exploration trips before your move, so that you can make all of the necessary preparations.

Exploration trips, or home finding trips, are completely free voyages to your destination city. These visits are designed to help you to find a place to live and to get things ready for your move. Employers will usually pay for airfare, hotel stays, and meals for the duration of your excursion, so that you can make arrangements without spending a boatload of your own money.

During these mini-vacations, you will have the opportunity to find a new house or apartment, to scout out the local schools, and to get an idea of what you should expect as far as commute time is concerned. Most people also use this trip as a way to visit their new office, in order to see if it is a good fit for them.

If you are interested in an exploration trip, talk with your human resources person to see if your company offers the service. If they do, try to get a list of all of the covered expenses. These packages vary from business to business, but some offer other fun perks, like an entertainment budget to make your stay more enjoyable.

2: Daycare During Moving Days

Everyone knows that most companies will pay for professional movers, like those at Midwest Moving & Storage Inc, but did you know that some places will also take care of babysitting expenses on your moving day? Nothing is worse than trying to keep your tots away from burly men hauling heavy pianos. Kids can be hurt easily by getting in the way, and they can also slow down the moving process. It can be frustrating for movers to perpetually stop and wait for your child to climb up stairs or move their toys out of main entryways.

To expedite the moving process, most companies will pay for child-care costs on the days that you move. In general, businesses allow a certain dollar amount for childcare per day, and you can spend it however you wish. This means that you can hire a friend, family member, or even a professional daycare service to keep your children happily occupied on moving day.

Some companies will even extend this benefit for the first few weeks of your new job. This perk will help you to become familiar with local daycare services, so that you can make the best choice for your kids.

3: Take-Down and Set-Up Costs

When you move, you usually run into a lot of unexpected expenses. You might find out that your old landlord requires professional carpet cleaning, or that your cars need to be registered in your new state. When you stop to think about all of these expenses, it can be downright overwhelming to move. Fortunately, your company might pay for a huge range of takedown and set-up costs.

Before you meet with your employer to discuss your relocation package, think carefully about every expense that you stand to encounter. It might also help to call the companies that you do business with. There might be termination fees involved with changing your cell phone provider, Internet company, car insurance coverage, or landscaping service.

After you have recorded a cumulative list of potential expenses, go over it with your employer. Most businesses will take care of any fees associated with stopping existing services and setting up new contracts.  

Understanding the perks that you might be eligible for will save you money, and help to streamline your relocation.