How to: Move to a new state.

First of all don't move to a new state unless you want to deal with the hassle and a half. I mean if the love of your life is obligated by the military to relocate, than do move to said state. But let me tell you, there is a ton to do. And if you don't know what these things are, like moi, than you are in for a treat.

Here's a heads up of what could happen.

BANK.
If you belong to a credit union check if they are affiliated with other credit unions. Because if you get to your new state and have a pretty little check of your previous renters deposit in your hot little hand and all you want to do is deposit it. You will find that you can't. You will drive from credit union to credit union unable to even find an envelope to put the check in. You will get frusterated and have to join a new bank, which has an annoying policy of holding checks for 20 days. 

FORWARDING MAIL.
If you don't have a house when you move to your new state and you have your mail forwarded to general delivery at your new base. There are important things you need to know. Like filling out a second change of address form, like the post office told you to do, won't mean your mail will come to you. It will indeed still continue to go to general delivery. And if you don't provide general delivery with a current address they will send your mail back to the sender. So when you go to general delivery three months after you arrive to inquire, if maybe just maybe they might be getting those missing magazines. You will discover that they are and have been returning all of your mail since September 30th.

CARS.
If you aren't active duty military you are required to change over your registration to your new state. Especially if your car is an 03 and your lovely home state of California requires a smog every two years. To change over your registration you must have the title to your car. It does help though if the bank you had your loan through, that you paid off two years ago, had sent the title to dmv. If they haven't, even though their records show that they did. You must then get the bank to send some document to dmv and you must fill out an application and pay a fee. Even though you had absolutely nothing to do with the failed transaction. I do suggest in this situation insisting that the bank pay the fee. After the bank sends the letter to dmv you hope they expedite your request so that you can get your car transfered over to your new state before February when your registration expires. If you live on a military base, this is really important as they won't let you on base with expired plates.

CAR INSURANCE.
If you happen to belong to an insurance agency that only serves the state you lived in, you were forced to cancel that policy. Being rule abiding people, you and your husband do upon arrival. You open up a new policy with the same company but in your new state. Then three months later you receive a letter from the state of California that you don't have insurance and bad things are going to happen. So you must go online to prove that you do have insurance, except California won't acknowledge your new states insurance companies. This is especially frusterating for your husband who again, isn't required to register his vehicle in your new state. When you speak to dmv they will tell you that insurance companies are required to report insurance holders every 30 days. So if you decide to stay with California car registration you will receive bad letter once a month. Awesome.

I hope this helps.