Buying your first home is an exciting milestone. But let’s be real: It can also feel like trying to reserve a table at a five-star restaurant when all you can really afford is the drive-thru.
With rising home prices, higher interest rates, and unexpected costs lurking around every corner, saving for your first home can seem overwhelming if not altogether impossible.
But there’s good news: With the right strategies and financial discipline, homeownership is absolutely within reach.
And don’t worry, you won’t have to cut out every little joy from your life to afford a home; while you save up, splurging on the occasional latte is still totally fine. You just need to make smart financial moves that help you get to your savings goals faster.
If you’re looking to start building a financial warchest that’ll help you land your first home, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through 12 practical, no-nonsense tips that’ll help you save up money for a down payment efficiently — all without having to subsist entirely on a diet of ramen noodles.
But first, let’s take a step back and examine how you can assess your current financial situation and determine what realistic savings goals look like.
Understanding your financial readiness
Before you start daydreaming about backyard BBQs and painting your living room that color you’ve been eying for years, you need to take a hard look at your financial situation and understand what fits into your budget.
After all, buying a home is a massive commitment — probably the biggest financial one you’ll ever make — so knowing where you stand financially will help you make informed, stress-free decisions.
When you’re ready to start painting a clearer picture of your financial situation, follow these three steps.
Step 1: Assess your income, debt, and credit score
Lenders look at three main factors when deciding how big of a mortgage you can afford:
- Your income
- Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio
- Your credit score
While your income determines your buying power, your debt load — think student loans, car payments, and credit card debt — impacts how much you can comfortably borrow.
A strong credit score — typically 620 or higher for conventional mortgages — is also important because it can help you lock into better interest rates, saving you thousands upon thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.
Not happy with your current credit score? Learn how you can repair your credit.
Step 2: Create a homeownership budget
A mortgage isn’t just a monthly payment that goes against your principal and interest. You also need to budget for property taxes, homeowners insurance, and potential HOA fees depending where you ultimately end up. On top of this, you’ll have to pay utility bills, and you’ll need to set aside some money for maintenance and home improvements, too.
To make sure you can still live comfortably once you’re settled into your new house, aim to keep your total housing costs under 30% of your gross income. For example, if your gross monthly income (before taxes) is $6,000, you’d want to keep your total housing costs at or below $1,800 per month if at all possible.
Step 3: Set a realistic savings goal
Beyond the down payment, you’ll need to save for closing costs and moving expenses, and you’ll probably want to build up an emergency fund, too.
By knowing your numbers inside and out and setting clear savings goals that are realistic and attainable, your journey to homeownership becomes that much smoother — and way less stressful!

12 tips to save money for your first home
Saving for your first home can absolutely feel overwhelming. But with the right strategy, it’s totally doable. Take my word for it.
The key? Taking a balanced approach, which helps you spend smarter, manage debt wisely, and take advantage of any financial opportunities that fall into your lap.
As you begin cobbling together funds for your first home, you can build up your cash reserves by using strategies across these three categories:
- Cutting expenses & boosting savings
- Managing debt & credit wisely.
- Leveraging smart housing & financial strategies
Ready to make homeownership a reality? Let’s jump right in.
Cutting expenses & boosting savings
Saving for a home requires being intentional with your money. And that starts with trimming unnecessary expenses and finding a way to boost your savings.
Why? Because the more you can put away right now, the faster you’ll have the funds you need for a down payment, closing costs, and all the other expenses associated with being a homeowner.
In this section, we examine four practical tips you can use to cut back on everyday spending and increase your savings — all without having to sacrifice the things you love.
1. Create a dedicated home savings account
One of the best ways to stay focused on your homeownership goal is to set up a dedicated savings account specifically for your home fund. By keeping this money separate from your everyday spending accounts, you’re less likely to dip into it for impulse purchases.
When I was saving up to buy my first house, I opened a high-yield savings account (HYSA). This was great for two key reasons:
- I was able to generate way more interest — “free money” — than what my traditional bank was offering.
- The funds were harder to access than my regular bank account because my HYSA provider doesn’t have any physical branches or ATMs.
So, whenever I had some extra cash on hand, I’d fire it over to the HYSA and watch those savings accrue interest and grow.
If this idea sounds like it’s up your alley, make sure to track your progress regularly and celebrate milestones — like the first time you generate more than $100 in interest in a month. Whether it’s hitting a small savings goal or watching your account grow, every little victory brings you one step closer to owning a home and is therefore absolutely worth celebrating.
2. Automate your savings
Saving for a home is tricky — and it’s even harder when you’re constantly juggling bills, expenses, and savings goals. That’s why automating your savings can be a game-changer.
By setting up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your home savings account — perhaps that HYSA you just opened after reading the previous tip — right after payday, you can start growing your down payment fund automatically, without any manual intervention.
Worried that shaving off a small amount of cash won’t move the needle that much? Don’t be. Even small, consistent amounts can add up pretty quickly over time.
3. Reduce unnecessary expenses
According to one recent report, the average American spends $18,000 on non-essentials each year. Luckily, cutting back on unnecessary expenses is one of the most effective ways to boost your savings without sacrificing too much.
Start by reviewing your monthly budget and identifying areas where you can reduce spending — like dining out, subscriptions, and impulse purchases. Do you really need to pay for five different streaming services each month? Just like your savings, small changes in reducing your cash outflows can add up over time.
Pro tip: Try using budgeting apps to track your spending and keep yourself accountable. Redirect any money leftover directly into your home fund and watch your savings grow faster.
4. Use cashback and rewards programs
If you’re going to be spending some money anyway, why not earn a little cashback while you’re at it?
Many credit cards and retailers offer cashback on purchases, which can translate into significant savings over time. When you arm yourself with a collection of credit cards, you can earn pretty solid rewards on all kinds of purchases — including groceries, gas, and even whatever you want on Amazon.
There’s no shortage of credit cards on the market today, so you’ll just have to do some research and figure out which combination of cards is best for you. Personally, I use Amex Blue Cash Preferred for groceries (6% back on up to $6,000 per year), gas (3% back), and streaming services (6%) back. I’ve got an Amazon Visa card (5% back on all purchases made on Amazon if you’re a Prime member; sometimes, there’s bonuses on top of that), a Discover card that has rotating 5% back categories each quarter, and a Fidelity Visa card I use for utility bills, insurance bills, and everyday expenses that gives me 2% on every purchase.
Whichever cards you end up getting, the rewards really do add up. Trust me. After buying our first home, we used Amex points to buy a brand-new mattress from Charles P. Rogers for “free” — one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
Managing debt & credit wisely
Your debt and credit score play a major role in your home-buying journey. The lower your debt and the higher your credit score, the better your chances of securing a favorable mortgage rate.
By managing debt wisely and taking steps to improve your credit, you can save thousands upon thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.
With that in mind, let’s explore some tips you can use to improve both — putting yourself in a much stronger financial position as you inch closer to your dream home.
5. Pay down high-interest debt
Paying down high-interest debt — particularly credit card balances — should be a top priority when you start saving for a home.
High interest rates can make your debt grow out of control, draining your finances and hindering your ability to save. By tackling these balances first, you’ll reduce the overall amount you owe and save money on interest over time.
As you pay off high-interest debts, here are some strategies you may want to try:
- The debt avalanche method, where you focus on paying debt with the highest interest rates first
- The debt snowball method, where you focus on paying off the smallest overall balances first.
Whichever route you decide, you’ll free up more money you can use to save for your future home.
6. Improve your credit score
Since a strong credit score is one of the most significant factors in securing a favorable mortgage rate, you should be laser-focused on boosting your score as much as you can.
To do that, start by paying your bills on time, keeping your credit card balances low (rewards can be great, but only if you can pay your bill in full each month), and reviewing your credit report for errors.
A score of 700 is generally considered good, but the higher your score, the better your mortgage rate. Plus, improving your credit can also increase your chances of getting approved for a loan in the first place, making your path to homeownership smoother.
7. Avoid new large debts
Taking on new large debts can seriously impact your ability to buy a home — and not in a good way, since it can increase your DTI ratio.
Lenders use this ratio to assess your ability to manage monthly payments and repay your debt. If you have a high DTI, it can be difficult to get approved for a mortgage or — assuming you are approved — lock in a low rate.
As you begin saving for your first home, avoid major purchases or opening new lines of credit that could increase your monthly obligations. By keeping your DTI low (i.e., under 36% if possible), you become a more attractive borrower — which increases your chances of qualifying for a mortgage.
Leveraging smart housing & financial strategies
When it comes to saving for your first home, sometimes thinking outside the box can make all the difference in the world. From exploring first-time home-buying programs to considering creative financing options, strategic choices can fast-track your path to homeownership.
As you continue stockpiling cash, consider using these housing and financial strategies that can help you maximize your savings, reduce costs, and put your dream home within reach.
8. Consider first-time homebuyer programs
Need a little extra help saving up for your home? First-time homebuyer programs can be a great way to ease the financial burden of purchasing a home.
Many states and local governments offer grants, down payment assistance, and special loan programs designed specifically for first-time buyers like you. These programs can help you save on upfront costs and make homeownership more affordable.
If this sounds good to you, explore government-backed loans — like FHA loans — which often require lower down payments. Research various local and state options, too, since they can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket expenses — giving you a headstart on saving for your first home.
Truth be told, all of these programs change all the time and they’re tricky to navigate to begin with. For this reason, you’re best off partnering with a trusted advisor who can walk you through all the options available to you.
9. Look into shared homeownership or co-buying
If buying a home on your own feels out of reach, consider shared homeownership or co-buying with trusted family and friends. By pooling your resources, you may be able to afford a large home or enter the market sooner than you otherwise could.
Shared ownership arrangements often include agreements on splitting responsibilities like mortgage payments and maintenance. If you go this route, be sure to discuss finances and legalities up front with whoever you’re going in on the property with to avoid misunderstandings.
Here’s an outside the box idea: If your parents are planning to leave you an inheritance, consider asking them whether they’d be interested in forking some of that over sooner than they’d planned. Might they be happiest to see their loved one use that inheritance to purchase their first home?
Sometimes, we all just need a little help. You never know when a simple conversation can be just what you needed to move that much closer to owning your first home.
10. Buy below your max budget
Just because you’re approved for a certain loan amount doesn’t mean you need to spend all of it!
Buying below your max budget allows for financial flexibility and prevents you from overextending yourself. And remember, your budget includes more than your mortgage payment. You need to have funds to cover things like maintenance, property taxes, insurance, and utilities — not to mention everyday living expenses.
Keeping your mortgage payment below 30% of your monthly income — the lower the better — allows you to maintain a buffer for emergencies. That way, you don’t have to worry about carrying enormous financial risk just to own a more expensive home.
11. Save on home-buying costs
There are plenty of ways to save on homebuying costs by being strategic with your decisions.
Start by negotiating closing costs. Some lenders may be willing to lower their fees, and you also might be able to convince sellers to contribute to the costs, too.
Additionally, consider shopping around for mortgage rates. By doing so, you can increase the chances you get the best deal. Even a small difference in interest rates can save you tons of money over the life of the loan.
While this may be your first time buying a home, it doesn’t mean you have to go through the process entirely on your own. By joining forces with a real estate agent who is familiar with your market, you may be able to figure out how to reduce both upfront and ongoing expenses. You might also be able to convince the realtor to adjust their fees a bit for you, too.
12. Find ways to increase income
One of the easiest ways to save for a home is, unsurprisingly, increasing your income. Start making more money than you’re used to, and suddenly you can start saving for your home that much faster.
If you’re interested in lining up new work, consider picking up a side gig or freelancing to boost earnings. If you’re a creative professional, maybe platforms like Upwork and Fiverr have jobs you’re interested in. If not, you might want to consider driving for Uber or DoorDash — or even picking up a couple shifts as a bartender.
Don’t feel like working? Maybe it’s time to sell whatever items you have hanging around the house. Do you really need that box of baseball cards you’ve been hauling around for two decades? Selling things you no longer need can help you generate quick funds that can be added to that HYSA we talked about earlier.
Take the next step in your journey to homeownership!
If homeownership seems daunting right now, just know that every homeowner in your position felt the same way at one point. With the right savings plan, however, achieving homeownership is within your reach.
By taking small, consistent steps — whether it’s cutting expenses, boosting your income, or exploring first-time homebuyer programs — you can make significant progress toward your goal, pushing you that much closer to your dream home.
Remember, every dollar your save and every decision you make today brings you one step closer to homeownership. Stay patient, stay disciplined, and trust that your efforts will ultimately pay off.
Homeownership might not happen overnight. But with time and perseverance, you’ll get there.
When you’re ready to take the next step in your journey to owning your first home, connect with an expert who can help you build a plan that helps you achieve your long-term homeownership dreams.
And the best part? You might be able to save $5,000 on your purchase!