The Fastest Way to Save for a House

Once you’ve decided it’s time to buy your own home, saving for that 20% down payment is step one toward doing it. Instead of waiting years, here are six ways to help you save up for that down payment in a matter of months.

1. Explore the Market

If you are saving money to buy your dream home, consider taking a detour through a lower-priced neighborhood first. Buying a lower-cost home means you won’t have to save as long for the down payment. As the home’s value goes up, you can use the equity you’ve built to help you get into a higher-priced home later on, particularly if you find a fixer-upper and you’re good at repairs.

2. Keep Your Priorities in Focus

While it may be tempting to put off other priorities when trying to save for an important goal, Kevin Gallegos, vice president of Phoenix operations at Freedom Financial Network, says paying the rent should always be your first priority. Next, Gallegos says, pay down credit card debt.

“Few, if any, investments will return as much,” he explains. Additionally, having more available credit on your card will improve your debt-to-income ratio and creates a financial cushion that you may need for unexpected costs after moving in to your new home.

3. Automate Your Savings

You can create a budget based on your current expenses to determine how much you can save each month. Once you have determined how much you can afford to save, automatically transfer that amount from your checking account to a savings account.

“Save before you ever have the money in your hand,” Gallegos says. “Record this expense like a bill every month.”

4. Generate More Income

To raise money quickly, Gallegos says it pays off to turn your spare time into money-making opportunities. Look around your apartment for unneeded items to sell online or have a yard sale.

“Even small proceeds can accumulate surprisingly quickly,” he says. “Maybe you have skills where you can turn a hobby into a part-time, money-making enterprise. Babysit, tutor, do yard work or other part-time work.”

5. Track Your Daily Expenses

Before pulling out your wallet, ask yourself how badly you need to buy something. For example, if there is free coffee at work, do you really need to go to the coffee shop every morning? Gallegos admits it sounds cliché to ask such questions, “yet this is just the type of disciplined act that will get someone on track to saving as much as possible as quickly as possible,” he says.

To further reduce daily spending, Gallegos recommends paying with cash instead of using a debit or credit card. “Many studies report that people spend up to 15 to 20% less when paying with cash,” he says.

6. Reduce Household Expenses

There are many ways to reduce monthly expenses at home that can help build your savings for a down payment more quickly. Washing clothes in cold water saves up to 90% of the energy expended in the washing cycle, notes Gallegos. Switching to cold water will directly reduce next month’s utility bill. Plus, speaking of laundry, skip the dryer. That’ll eliminate carbon emissions and help you bank away extra dollars, he adds.

You should also eliminate drafts in your home and turn the hot water temperature down to 120 degrees, which will save you money. Per EnergyStar.gov, a house’s water heater “can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses and more than $400 in demand losses.”

Implementing only one of these ideas may not increase your savings significantly, but if you try a few of them, it can make a real difference to your savings account after a few months and get you on the right track to having enough for your new home.

[Editor’s Note: A good credit score can make buying a new home more affordable, too, since it’ll help you qualify for a low interest rate. You can see where your credit stands by viewing two of your scores for free on Credit.com.]

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