Great Money Saving Tips For Buying Your First Home

Saving up for a home is never easy, no mattersavings account.
how much you earn. It's even more difficult whenShop at discount supermarkets or fresh Markets
you are trying to buy your first home, after all,Many items are less than half the price and you'll
you have no capital (or not much at all), and whenbe impressed with the quality at these discount
you are spending a large portion of your incomesupermarkets. You might also find your local
on rent, it can be a big ordeal to get thatmajor supermarket has an online store. Despite
"nest-egg" ready for your deposit.the extra charge you pay for delivery, you'll save
That said, one of the best ways to get yourheaps by avoiding impulsive check-out purchases,
savings account growing - rather than shrinking -and you have a running total so you know when
is to manage your spending budget wisely. It's ayou're approaching your weekly limit and can
bit of a cliché, but every penny saved iseasily cut out if you go over. Plus you don't need
indeed a penny earned. Here are some simple -to worry about the kids guilt-tripping you into
everyday - tips which can help you save a bitextras down the isles.
more for your first home. You won't amassTake your annual holiday at a caravan park
thousands of dollars overnight, but every dollarYou'll probably get the best position on the beach,
saved will eventually build into something which isclosest to the shops and restaurants for a
enough to help you purchase your first home.fraction of the hotels. If you don't have a
Do a monthly budget.caravan, or you're not into tents, most parks
Sounds much scarier than it actually is. Awarenesshave deluxe cabins with their own kitchens and
is the key. Work out how much you earn eachbathrooms at great prices. Take your holidays in
month, deduct your fixed expenses like rent,February when all the kids are back at school and
groceries and electricity and have a firm idea inairfares and hotels are up to half the price.
your mind how much money you have to playFind a good Happy Hour bar
with each month.There are some great places around town with
Take your lunch to work.drink specials, so do your homework and arrange
It's an oldie but a goodie. You could save overto meet your friends regularly there. Many pubs
$100 a month just by bringing in leftovers oralso have great 2-for-1 deals on classic dinner
making a sandwich from home. Or keep youroptions so make your regular dining out treat at a
change in a money box and splurge on Fridaysplace like this. Shopper dockets can be a good
with your gold coins.place to start looking. If you're into something a
Be energy efficient.little more gourmet, why not arrange a monthly
You could save a great deal by getting into thedinner party that rotates among your best
habit of turning off the lights when you're not infriends. Find a classic cookbook and you'll be
the room. Dine by candlelight, dim your lights orsurprised how cheap it can be to make a
switch to energy efficient bulbs to reduce power.traditional roast dinner for a few couples. Quality
The ideas are endless; turn the TV off and readwine is much more affordable than it used to be,
a book, take shorter showers, close the heatingso ask your local Bottle Shop or Liquor Store for
ducts in rooms you don't use in winter, get fulla good deal on a local wine. You be surprised
length curtains to retain heat in winter, dry yourwhat you can find for less than $15.
clothes on a clothes horse and if you must useStay Motivated
your dryer, clean the filter after each use.Cut out a picture of a house or apartment that
Take public transport.you've got your hearts set on and stick it on the
With the ever increasing cost of petrol, taking thefridge or on your desk at work. Make sure your
train or the bus is fast becoming the bettergoal is realistic and then picture yourself saving
option, slashing your transport costs in half. If thisthe money you need to get there within a
really isn't an option for you, consider getting ridingdesirable timeframe.
of the households 2nd car or investing in aUltimately, this is the final key to making it all
scooter. You'll never have to pay for parking againcome together. Almost everyone who has been
and petrol will cost about 10% that of a car.successful at saving had a clear vision of what
Do your homework with your telcothey wanted in their mind. The daily reminder will
Find a company that will give you free calls togo a long way to help you stick to your plan and
your loved ones, and get them all on the samestay focused on the bigger picture. If you can
plan too. Most people make the majority of theiridentify your goal supersedes the need for
calls to only 5 people, so getting everyonefrivolous items like shoes, clothing and cars, then
together could make a huge difference.you are half way there!
Reduce the limit on your Credit CardIt's commonly assumed that you can save for
Have you stopped to consider how much interestyour first home simply by earning more money -
you've paid in 12 months on that credit card?sadly for most of us that simply isn't how it
Reducing your limit still gives you the freedom toworks. By taking care of your spending, you really
shop online, but means you won't be tempted towill be able to make a difference in your savings.
buy things you can't afford. You'll probably alsoAnd then you can get onto the really hard part,
find a cheaper interest rate if you sacrifice thosewhich is actually finding your first home, and
points. Or better still, cut it up and switch to abuying it!
Debit card, where the money comes from your