You’ve decided to take the plunge and buy a new home. You’re tired of dealing with landlords and want to own some land of your own. Congratulations! It’s time to start learning how to save money for a house.
No matter where you are in the process, homebuying is quite an experience! You’ll have banks to deal with and realtors to meet with. You’ll have to provide information about every single aspect of your finances from income to expenditures. In this guide, we seek to help you learn:
- How to save money for a house in non-traditional ways
- How to set aside that money for a down payment
- The best way to cut costs on everyday expenses
Ready to begin the search for your new home? Here’s how to save money for a house without going crazy.
1. Know your budget
A house, more than possibly any other expense, requires a set budget. You have to know what you’re able to afford, both for a down payment and for your monthly mortgage payment. There are plenty of online calculators that can help you quickly identify your price range, but it’s best to sit down with an accountant or lender to determine your true budget.
As a rule, lenders agree that your mortgage shouldn’t exceed 36% of your monthly income. That said, you’ll really want to take a look at your paycheck and do the math, factoring in insurance, property taxes and every other expense. That’s why it’s best to speak with a qualified professional who can help you determine what you can afford.
Your down payment is another factor – save money for a house by saving for a down payment. The higher down payment you can afford, the lower your monthly mortgage costs will be.
- It’s essential that you create a housing budget before you begin the home search
- Talk to an accountant or lender to figure out what you can truly afford
- A higher down payment usually means a better loan
2. Work on your credit score
If you truly want to save money for a house, you’ll need to make sure you have a good credit score. Most countries have some sort of scale by which creditworthiness is measured. Ensuring that your score is high will allow you to get a better interest rate on your new home.
Talk to a credit counselor if you want to improve your score. However, it’s usually better to stay away from credit repair services unless you know they’re reputable. Simply raising your credit score a few points can drastically improve your chances for qualifying for a good loan rate.
- Your credit score impacts the amount of money you’ll spend over the long run on your loan
- A higher credit score will mean you’re paying less money over time
- Talk to a qualified credit counselor for ideas on how to improve your credit score
3. Open a separate savings account
When you’re ready to start saving money for a house, it’s time to open a separate savings account. This account will be off limits to everyone in the household, as this money is going to be used for your down payment.
Visit your bank and open a high interest savings account. Then, talk to your employer about depositing a portion of each paycheck into that account. Consider it a “set it and forget it” type arrangement – don’t even think about that money! It’s being saved!
You may have to go to a different bank than your usually institution to find the best rates. Credit unions often offer the best interest rates with very low fees.
- Open a separate savings account to your normal bank account
- Have your employer deposit a portion of each paycheck into that account
- Don’t touch the money in your account! That’s going to be used for your down payment
4. Put a hold on your retirement savings
If your retirement savings account is otherwise healthy, you can defer payments to the account for a few months while you save money for a house. Instead of contributing to your retirement account, instead deposit that money into the savings account you’ll use for your down payment. Depending on how much you usually contribute, this can add up to thousands in savings each year!
Once you’ve paid for the down payment on your home, don’t forget to reinstate the deposits to your savings account. This will prevent a whole world of difficulty once retirement time rolls around!
- You can temporarily suspend payments to your retirement account
- Have those funds diverted to your down payment savings account
- Don’t forget to reinstate contributions to your retirement plan!
5. Make coffee at home
It seems really quite simple, but you can save money for a house simply by making coffee at home. Think about it. How much money do you spend on coffee in a given week? Maybe you hit the gourmet coffee shop in the morning, grabbing a java for you and your honey. That will cost you as much as $8 each day, plus a tip. Figure $10 per day when you factor in tax, and you’re spending $50 a week – and that’s just on the weekdays!
By making your coffee at home, you can save a whopping $2,600 each year! Of course, you’ll have to buy the beans and make an initial coffee pot investment, but that cost is negligible when you compare it to what you’d otherwise be spending at the coffee shop.
Skip the lines, skip the mocha java latte extra skinny or whatever it is you drink, and save money for a house the easy way.
- If you and your partner hit the coffee shop in the morning, you’re spending too much!
- Buy an inexpensive coffee maker, a few insulated mugs and make your own coffee
- You can save money for a house – over $2,000 per year – just by skipping the coffee shop
6. Work overtime
It may not be possible for everyone, but if you can, why not pick up a few extra hours at work each week? Depending on where you live, you might be paid more hourly for working over your allotted weekly scheduled hours. Even if you don’t, though, you’ll still earn more pay than just working a standard work week.
Talk to your boss and tell her you want to save money for a house. Hopefully she’ll be flexible with you and allow you to pick up a few extra hours or shifts. Don’t wear yourself out, though. The added stress of working too many hours isn’t good for you and won’t be helpful in the long run.
- In some countries, you can be paid as much as time and a half for overtime – more for holidays
- Even if you’re not paid more per hour, working overtime can still help you save money for a house
- Don’t let the stress of too many hours bring you down – know how much is too much
7. Start a side business
If you ask your boss for more hours and are given the big N-O, all is not lost. You can earn extra money by starting a side business. Be sure you look over the tax laws that might apply to you, then get to work! There are quite a few ways to save money for a house by doing what you love to do. Some ideas include:
- Pet sitting or dog walking
- Making and selling crafts like stationery or soaps
- Babysitting
- Delivering food
- Becoming a ride share driver
- Renting out your car or even your RV
- Preparing others’ taxes
- Selling baked goods at the farmer’s market
Use your imagination and find something you love to do. Commit to putting all the profit from your side business into your home savings account, and use it for the down payment on your house.
- You can earn extra money by doing what you love
- Be sure to familiarize yourself with tax implications
- Use your imagination – find something you like to do and figure out how to profit from it
8. Get your debt under control
While paying down your bills may seem like you’re spending extra money, the opposite is actually true. Once you start paying a bit more each month on your student loans, car payment and credit card bills, your true cost will actually decrease. That’s because you’ll no longer be paying on the interest, and instead will be paying down the principal.
This is a win-win situation, too. As your debt decreases, your debt to income ration looks better and better to lenders. That means you’ll qualify for a better rate on your mortgage, and may not even need to save money for a house for as long as you thought – your down payment requirement might decrease!
- Paying down your debt may cost you a bit more in the short term
- In the long run, getting debt under control is a good way to save money for a house
- Lowering your debt will also allow you to qualify for better terms when you do buy your house
9. Follow the 24 hour rule of shopping
You should always, always, always make a list when you go shopping, no matter what you’re shopping for. Whether you’re putting gas in your tank, shopping for cheese or looking for a new couch, you should strive to never buy more than you walked into the store for.
Of course, temptation is a thing. You may walk into the furniture store and fall in love with a Tiffany-style lamp that you feel you simply must have. Remember – you’re trying to save money for a house.
Wait. Give it 24 hours. If you still feel compelled to buy it tomorrow, talk it over with your partner and make the decision together. Of course, this is more applicable to the bigger purchases, but it does apply even to the smallest of items.
- Always follow a list when you shop
- If you run into temptation, think on it for 24 hours and then talk it over with your partner
- Decide together if that lamp or those lawn chairs are worth the investment, or whether the money would be better spent on your down payment
10. Stop buying new stuff
This one’s simple, but maybe the hardest way to save money for a house. Just stop buying new stuff.
Do you really need a new coffee pot, or is the 10 cup Mr. Coffee okay for a while? Do you need the robot vacuum, or can you just vacuum the old fashioned way? What about your clothes? Won’t last year’s winter coat do just fine?
If you do find yourself in a situation where you need to purchase something, go used. There’s nothing wrong with a second-hand frying pan or a used bedframe. In fact, there are very few things that you shouldn’t buy used. (We draw the line at underwear…)
We have a tendency to assume that a product is better if it’s new. That’s just not the case. If there really is something that you need, you can buy it used or even get it free just by doing a little bit of research. Stop buying stuff new and put that money toward your down payment.
- You probably don’t need everything you think you need
- If you do need something, consider whether or not it absolutely must be new
- You can save a mint by buying things secondhand, from appliances and furniture to clothes and linens
11. Ask for gifts
Not every culture will support this, but in most it’s perfectly okay to ask others for gifts. If your friends and family know that you’re trying to save money for a house, they’ll likely be more than happy to help you do just that.
If you don’t feel comfortable asking for money for your house, you can request money instead of tangible presents at the holidays. For instance, if Mom usually takes you out for a nice steak dinner on your birthday, kindly request that she support you with fifty bucks or so instead. Explain that you’re working hard to save money for your home and that her gift would go a long way toward realizing that dream.
If you’re really bold, you can set up a crowdfunding account. Set a goal anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to the whole down payment, and blast the goal on social media. People will donate if they can, and you can use those gifts toward the purchase of your new house.
- People who know you’re saving money to buy a home are usually willing to gift you money for the cause
- You can ask for cash instead of traditional holiday or birthday gifts
- If you like, you can set up a crowdfunding account and ask for support from just about everyone you’ve ever known on social media!
12. Go green
When you go green, it’s obviously good for the planet. But did you know it’s also a great way to save money for a house? There are so many simple little steps you can take to go green and keep your wallet nice and thick. Here are a few suggestions
- Take the bus and save on fuel
- Turn the water off while you’re brushing your teeth
- Take shorter showers
- Skip the paper plates and wash dishes instead
- Walk, bike or carpool to work
- Shop farmers markets for produce
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Keep your thermostat to the lowest heat/cool setting that’s comfortable
- Use reusable linens instead of paper towels and napkins
You get the idea. When you help save the planet, you also save a lot of cash!
13. Keep your priorities straight
The whole premise of this guide is this: it’s important to save money for a house. However, temptations do arise, and we certainly don’t want you to have to choose between saving for a down payment and, say, feeding your kids.
Set your priorities and keep them straight. You probably don’t need to buy a car just now, so why now wait until later. You probably don’t need to spend thousands each year on a gym membership, or on theater tickets or even on the coffee you’ve gotten used to drinking in the morning.
Prioritize your wants versus your needs and make your decisions accordingly. Saving money for the purchase of a home doesn’t have to be daunting – it can actually be fun and a good way to get creative! Determine which are your wants and which are just your habits or desires, and spend or save your money accordingly.
Conclusion
When you’re trying to save money for a house, you may feel overwhelmed. Don’t be! Instead, simply set up a savings account for your home purchase and begin to save little bits here and there. You may make some big changes, sure. But even the smallest of changes can help you save money for a house quickly and painlessly – you’ll be moving into your new home before you know it!
